Demise of a Cat Carrier

This morning I took Khan for his monthly Adequan injection. As the vet tech was bringing him to the back, the handle on the carrier snapped and the carrier fell about 8" to the floor. Khan was on a folded blanket and none the worse for wear (tho I'm sure he didn't enjoy it), but it signaled the end of a carrier older than he is.

That carrier was beloved. I bought it in 1993 at Target, and it has toted all of my cats (sometimes two at a time), including many visits for my darling Julian, who died in Dec '04 at age 20. Every time I took it to a vet, it was admired by the staff as much as the animal it held. It was a Dogloo model 150, blue and grey, and it had a completely removable door that could open either direction, slots for a car seatbelt that allowed it to face forward, and the best part was it has these easy snap side-latches that allowed me to take the lid completely off (along with the door) so that a timid kitty could sit in its own comfy area on a towel and surrounded by favorite toys and a few protective inches of plastic wall. You know how most cats will either try to jump off the table in search of an exit, or will try to burrow into your flesh headfirst when they're at the vet? In their carrier, mine would sit comfortably even if I stepped away from the table for a moment. Most vets allowed my cats to just stay in there, and they worked around the carrier to do their examination. (Only one or two insisted that the cat be removed onto the metal table, and I always made sure I didn't see them again.)

We had reinforced the handle because it was one of those that can snap out accidentally, but it never failed until a couple of weeks ago when it snapped out on me (with a different cat), and despite more reinforcement it did it again today, breaking plastic besides. Since I'd begun noticing other weakening points in the plastic, I knew its time had come. I'd search for years to find the identical model, because so many people asked about it and wanted to know where to get one. (Target quit carrying them practically the day after I bought it.) I never did find one that fit all of the criteria, but now I must locate one that will do. We have other carriers, but none as good as that. I guess 14 years of service is more than one can expect--and since just a few months ago the receptionist at one of our vets asked if the carrier was new (ha!), it seems to have gone beyond the call of duty.

So I've been looking around a little, and I did find one that made my heart beat a little faster, but it's $80! On Sale! Can you imagine? It's at Foster and Smith if you want to see it: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3261+16901+16118&pcatid=16118. Hey, I'm not saying I won't buy it. It's gah-geous, and if it lasts 14 years I suppose it will be a good value. Wonder if they'd guarantee that? Hmm.. At least the handle looks sturdy.