Seems like an okay backpack with a few issues

As said in reviews I had read before purchasing, the biggest issue with this backpack is the shipping process. I ordered mine on black Friday, and it was not shipped until December 16th after 2 emails from me. I think I would not have been annoyed if their FAQ did not explicitly say "orders ship from our warehouse in New York within 1-5 business days." Maybe just emphasize that this is a small business and that orders will be shipped as soon as possible or within the month something. That said, Andie was very nice and prompt with responding to my emails. So unfortunately I did not get my backpack in time for my winter travels so have not had the chance to use it. For now I will just leave it out until the next vacation to get my cat used to it. Some points about the backpack itself, I'm a little confused about the bottom platform. It leaves 0.5-1 inch gap between the side walls of the backpack so when we will be hiking I imagine my cat could be jostled off the little fleece platform and end up leaning on the bars that form the structure of the backpack. I'm confused why the fleece was not made to be a little wider. It does come with a plush bed with fluzzy like sherpa cushions all around but the space that isnt the plush outer sides is ridiculously small like my 10 lb short cat cannot even loaf, only sit upright in. Aka it can only fit his bottom and 4 paws. Also because the sides are plush and fuzzy this is not ideal for summer hiking at 75-80°F. I imagine my cat will only like the plush soft cushion when it is 40°F or below. Back to the small black fleece platform at the bottom, this is unvelcroed off to form the bottom panel for when you want to convert it into a normal cat carrier. But again it is very small and absolutely does not fit the length of my 10 lb cat lying horizontally. Also you have to unvelcro it and then set it down on the bottom which would be impossible to do if your cat is already in the carrier so you can't really go from backpack to horizontal car seat easily. Also the opening kind of narrows at the entrance so even laying down my cat will be hunched over (and he is a small cat) I doubt I will ever use it as a converted cat carrier instead of a backpack. I am excited to use it as a hiking backpack though! The water bladder feature was the main selling point for me. Although, like other reviews said, the pocket that holds it is incredibly thin so cat claws could easily poke through and possibly damage your water bladder (my cat likes to climb up the back wall to ride on top of his current backpack) Also the pocket is elastic so depending on how much water you have it can for sure invade the cat space instead of being held in place. I think this can be fixed with stitching a stronger fabric on top of it which I might try to do before my camping trip in the summer. So basically, with this initial annoyance of realizing I will not be able to use it for the trip I had bought it for, the weird removable platform that does not cover the entire bottom, and the thin elastic pocket for holding the water bladder, I am not sure it will be worth the $130 for me.

I recently purchased the Travel Cat backpack and I have to say, it has been a mixed experience. On one hand, the backpack itself is fantastic! The quality is top-notch, and it’s evident that a lot of thought went into the design. Parker absolutely loves it; he feels secure and comfortable, and it has made our outings much more enjoyable. However, the shipping process was quite frustrating. There were significant delays, and I didn’t receive any updates unless I reached out to customer service myself. It would have been helpful to have more proactive communication regarding my order status. Despite the shipping hiccups, I am very happy with the backpack itself, which is why I’m giving it a full 5 stars. The superior quality, thoughtful design, and the joy it brings to Parker far outweigh the shipping issues. It’s stylish, functional, and Parker seems to really enjoy it. If you can handle potential shipping delays, I highly recommend it!

The product itself is amazing, but it took 6 weeks to arrive. If you’re ordering this, be prepared to wait. We missed being able to use this on a trip we had planned because of this unexpected and unexplained wait. This company should have this on the website.