In this post:
- 3 Top Picks For Cat Life Jackets
- 7 Best Cat Life Jackets
- 1. AOFITEE Life Jacket, Ripstop Dog Life Vest For Swimming
- 2. Kuoser Dog Life Jacket With Reflective Stripes
- 3. Paws Aboard Dog Life Jacket
- 4. Ripstop Life Jacket Shark Life Vest
- 5. Ruffwear Float Coat Life Jacket
- 6. Outward Hound Standley Sport Green Performance Life Jacket
- 7. Queenmore Dog Life Jacket Ripstop Shark Dog Safety Vest
- A Guide On Choosing The Life Jacket For Your Cat
- Conclusion
Most cats aren’t crazy about water and will do their best to avoid getting wet. This means that your feline friend isn’t exactly the best company to have fun with in some water activities.
Even if your cat wouldn't mind joining you on a kayak or a boat, this can just be too dangerous for your small pet.
While cats technically can swim, swimming in a river or sea is too much for them. This experience can even be fatal for cats.
So, what's the solution? A cat life jacket! These are often marketed as dog life jackets, but many are suitable for cats as well.
You’ll just need to find the one with the right measurements and material that will correspond to your cat.
Even if your cat gets into the water unexpectedly, the life jacket will prevent it from panicking or, in the worst case scenario, drowning.
Let’s see the best 7 choices for cat life jackets that will enable your cat to join you on the water, while not having to worry about its safety.
3 Top Picks For Cat Life Jackets
1. Budget Pick: AOFITEE Dog Life Jacket Ripstop Dog Life Vest For Swimming
- Adjustable nylon straps and quick-release buckles
- Durable D-Ring
- Available in five sizes
2. Premium Pick: Ruffwear Float Coat Life Jacket
- Built with soft and comfortable PVC-free GAIA foam panels
- Adjustable neck
- Lightweight and durable
3. Best Pick: Ripstop Life Jacket Shark Life Vest
- Buoyant polyester, breathable mesh
- Shark fin design, adjustable straps
- Rescue handle, D-ring for leash
- Reflective and bright for visibility
- Lightweight, for small dogs or cats
- Made of advanced breathable mesh and high-quality floating polyester
- Reflective accents and bright color to enhance a cat’s visibility
- Sturdy and lightweight
7 Best Cat Life Jackets
1. AOFITEE Life Jacket, Ripstop Dog Life Vest For Swimming
- Adjustable nylon straps and quick-release buckles
- Durable D-Ring
- Available in five sizes
Pros:
- Made of Oxford & Nylon clothand pearl cotton foam
- A sturdy rescue handle on top
- Available in five sizes
Cons:
- A couple of customers reported a break of buckles
The AOFITEE life jacket is our budget option on this list. It’s available for $11.99 on Amazon, which is much lower than other life jackets on this list.
This life vest is affordable, and, at the same time, also makes a great safety product for your feline friend. It’s made of abrasion-resistant cloth and pearl cotton foam.
While cats are able to swim (their webbed feet help them push against water), many of them will panic when they suddenly find themselves in the water. This life jacket has a sturdy rescue handle on top, which will help you grab your cat easily to aid leaving water.
Comfort is key, and the AOFITEE life jacket delivers adjustable straps and quick-release buckles around the belly and neck, ensuring a snug fit for your feline.
One downside of this product worth mentioning is that a couple of customers pointed out that the buckles break off rather fast.
This is why it’s essential to take proper measurements and only then buy a specific life jacket – no matter whether you have a cat or a dog, the appropriate size is the number one priority when choosing this item.
2. Kuoser Dog Life Jacket With Reflective Stripes
- Ripstop fabric, pearl foam flotation
- Top handle, D-ring for leash
- Adjustable straps, reinforced stitching
- Reflective for visibility
Pros:
- Comfortable neck opening reduces neck friction
- 6 sizes available
- Made of durable fabric
Cons:
- Not such great floatation
Kuoser life jacket is made of waterproof Oxford Cloth and filled with thickened EPE foam. It comes in six sizes and fits both dogs and cats.
This life jacket features a grab-handle and adjustable quick-release buckles around the chest and neck. Its neck opening is comfortable and reduces neck friction.
The bands on the Kuoser life jacket are reflective, making it very easy for you to spot your cat.
A potential flaw of this item is poor flotation, which means that it’s not the best for your cat to swim longer distances.
3. Paws Aboard Dog Life Jacket
- Secure fit, buoyant, reflective strips
- Rescue handle, hook and loop fastening
- Colors: Multiple designs available
- Family-owned, pet safety-focused
Pros:
- Available in various sizes and colors
- Sporty design and flexible neoprene fabric
- Adjustable collar straps and breathable mesh belly
Cons:
- Velcro might stick to a cat’s hair
Paws Aboard life jacket is made of quick-dry and fade-resistant neoprene material. Its adjustable collar is side-released and it also features a breathable mesh belly.
The reflective stripes on this life jacket will help you see your cat easily even during low-light conditions. Additionally, the Paws Aboard life vest includes a top handle for quick and easy retrieval in emergency situations.
Not only does this life jacket come in various sizes, but it also comes in eight different colors. This means that, together with being protected, your cat will, at the same time, look fashionable!
Some of the available colors are pink polka dots, blue and yellow, and neon yellow.
Owners of the long-haired breeds should bear one thing in mind: It seems that the velcro of this life jacket sticks to a cat’s hair.
4. Ripstop Life Jacket Shark Life Vest
- Buoyant polyester, breathable mesh
- Shark fin design, adjustable straps
- Rescue handle, D-ring for leash
- Reflective and bright for visibility
- Lightweight, for small dogs or cats
Pros:
- Made of high-quality floating polyester and advanced breathable mesh
- Excellent floatation
- Comfortable and safe
Cons:
- The foam is thin
With a high 4.7 rating out of 2,528 customer reviews, we choose the Ripstop life jacket as the best overall pick on this list.
This life vest is made of breathable mesh and floating polyester of top-quality. These characteristics ensure good floatation and proper draining and drying.
The nylon straps on the Ripstop jacket are adjustable and it also features a sturdy and low-profile nylon handle at the back.
It’s possible to use the leash, too, on the D-ring hook. This life vest has reflective accents and a bright color to make your cat more visible.
While it’s lightweight, at the same time, the Ripstop jacket is durable and will keep your cat afloat above the water.
The only downside of this product is that the foam is rather thin. A thicker foam would make this product a perfect one for a cat life jacket.
5. Ruffwear Float Coat Life Jacket
- Built with soft and comfortable PVC-free GAIA foam panels
- Adjustable neck
- Lightweight and durable
Pros:
- The water-compatible webbing remains stable when wet
- Built with soft and comfortable PVC-free GAIA foam panels
- Dual foam layers to support your cat
Cons:
- High price
Contrary to the popular belief that they can’t swim and the fact that they evolved in the desert, the Beverly Hills Veterinary Associates explains how cats can swim remarkably well.
However, they can still get trapped in water and struggle to find a way out. In a situation like this, our premium pick – the Ruffwear Float Coat Life Jacket – is the perfect choice.
This is a premium choice since it costs a lot more than other products on this list, but it truly is a life jacket of high quality.
It’s made of comfortable materials that are uncompromising on water safety. Key features include a robust handle, a tuckable D-Ring, and specially designed webbing optimized for aquatic use.
Its webbing remains stable when wet, meaning that it won’t break up or loosen on your cat in the water.
With this cat jacket, you can be safe to take your cat on adventures such as kayaking and boating.
6. Outward Hound Standley Sport Green Performance Life Jacket
- Rugged nylon, bright colors, reflective
- Mesh belly band for drainage
- Rescue handle, D-ring, chest float panel
Pros:
- Made of quilted polyester and extra-rugged ripstop nylon
- An open-arm design for a wide range of motion
- Breathable performance material
Cons:
- Weak buckles
Outward Hound Standley Sport Green Performance Life Jacket is made of quilted polyester ripstop material, adding to overall security.
If an emergency happens, you will easily use the dual top handles to retrieve your cat. This life jacket features an open-arm design for a wide range of motion.
The bright green and turquoise colors make the Outward cat jacket visible even in low-light conditions.
The large mesh belly band on this jacket provides ventilation and quick water drainage.
I’ve noticed a couple of customer reviews suggesting that the buckles on this jacket are of poor quality. So, this is a downside to this product, especially important for owners of larger cats.
7. Queenmore Dog Life Jacket Ripstop Shark Dog Safety Vest
- High buoyancy, durable fabric
- Shark fin for visibility
- Fasten with straps and buckles
- Rescue handle, D-ring, reflective
Pros:
- Made of the ripstop Oxford cloth fabric
- Filled with polyethylene foam
- Magic sticker at the neck and the belly
Cons:
- More buoyancy would be good
Queenmore Life Jacket is made of the ripstop oxford cloth fabric, which makes it durable and stable. It’s also filled with polyethylene foam and features an adorable shark fin standing.
One outstanding feature of this life vest is its user-friendly design, featuring ‘magic' Velcro fasteners at both the belly and neck for easy application and removal. Furthermore, it features an anti-slip handle and fully adjustable chest and neck ties.
The contrast color design makes your cat easily visible in all conditions.
The flaw with this life jacket is that it lacks buoyancy. According to one customer, this is especially noticeable in the front.
A Guide On Choosing The Life Jacket For Your Cat
A life jacket is an item that should be both safe and comfortable for your cat. Since it may be reluctant about wearing it, the first thing you should do is make your cat acquainted with it.
Before even thinking about putting on your cat, you should place the life jacket in your cat’s surroundings. Let it come close and sniff it. Use positive reinforcement here, such as rewarding your cat with a tasty treat after approaching the jacket closely.
When your cat seems to be ready, try putting the jacket on it only for a short period of time. When it starts to get used to it, gradually increase the time of your cat wearing it.
Only when your cat seems entirely comfortable while wearing the jacket is when you should let it wear it on the water.
Now, the most important thing when choosing the life jacket for your cat is taking measurements.
You should measure your cat’s chest and neck girth, as well as its weight and length. The manufacturers usually provide a size chart to make things easier for you.
If the life jacket is too large for your kitty, it could slip off in the water, while a too tight life jacket can restrict your cat’s movement and make it impossible to swim.
So, please make sure the size is just right before putting your cat on the water.
Of course, you should also pay attention to the material, durability, and adjustability of the life jacket.
Conclusion
Most cats aren’t exactly the biggest fans of water adventures, but, if you make your cat entirely safe, there’s no reason why you should not bring it on your water ventures.
This is why cat life jackets are an awesome solution. They protect your cat even if it gets into the water. They’re also made to be easily visible and to keep your cat above the water.
All seven products on our list are safe, durable, and made of appropriate materials. I believe each of you has found the one that will fit your feline friends the best.
In the end, I would like to emphasize how, despite the good protection a cat life jacket provides, you should never leave your cat without supervision on the water.
