Sleepypod: Atom Carrier Review and Giveaway~3/7

Momma Told Me: Pets are like children.

If a few years back you'd have asked me if I was more of a cat, or dog, person; I wouldn't have given much weight to either. I grew up with a few cats here and there, and I always loved playing with my friends' dogs, but I'm more of a general animal lover. Let's just say I wouldn't have described myself as the demographic for cat calendars or doggie goggles. That was, until I fell in love with two little yellow eyes that peered back, so terrified from a cat crate, atop a chicken coop. I was looking for an orange kitty, like Heathcliff or Garfield, a calm cat with a round belly that swayed when it walked, and little motivation outside of laying next to me all day. I'd browsed dozens of cats, searched for weeks on Craigslist, and passed up plenty of deserving kitties in search of that one orange fluff ball.

Well, anyone who knows Momma Told Me knows what we got was far from orange and lazy! The moment I laid eyes on hers, a tiny black puff, shuddering in the corner of an average sized crate, she was mine. After all, you can't pick your kids, and the heart always knows what it wants. Small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, clearly the run of her litter, I brought (flea covered and terrified) Truffles home. I diligently bathed her, meticulously fed her, and quickly learned of her own personal insecurities. For the first few months she didn't leave my side, perched on my shoulder as I typed through each day, from this very blog's first post. It's fair to call her spoiled, but it's also safe to say I consider her very much my child. To this day, whether she's fetching beanie babies (a personal addiction of hers), or growling (un-ferociously) at anything moving that is not me, I love her.

So, it's fair to say that I would never consider going away for any length of time and leaving her in the hands of a stranger (at least a stranger to her), or worse, alone. Truffles is part of the family and where we go, she goes- sometimes even kicking all the way. I've come across a fair share of nay-sayers, who consider me quite batty for transporting a cat at all. Bring your cat on vacation?! It's a cat! It'll be fine on it's own, just leave some extra food out! They always say. But you'd hardly consider leaving your 4 year old child behind while you visit your relatives, so why should I leave her? Let's face it, pets ARE family. Many toy breeds of dogs spend their entire lives traveling from purse to playpen, to their owners lap, and even spend hours being carried around in said owner's hands. Pets deserve to be pampered, and while traveling with pets can be just as stressful as traveling with kids, it's ultimately just as worth it.

Recently we took a trip 8 hours up the California coastline, past San Francisco, to visit some family outside of wine country. Us, two adults, and Truffles made the restless (but beautiful) drive to share a 1 bedroom apartment with 2 other adults, 2 cats (three times Truffles size), and 2 turtles. I knew it would be an experience for Truffles, but I also knew she would be fine, provided she had her own, private, comfortable, space. This was the perfect time to revisit luxury pet brand, Sleepypod.Most pets associate travel with negative experiences, like vet check ups or kennel stays, so Sleepypod aims to set your pet at ease. They make a specialized selection of pet products and carriers designed to function year round as personal, and portable, comfort aids. You'll find our previous review of the original Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed, here. Many of the Sleepypod products can carry an initial sticker shock, but I've quickly learned they're well worth their price in versatility and durability. Each and every product is designed to be mobile, as well as functionally soothing and useful at home.

The more economical, and recently released, Atom Metropolitan Pet Carrier has an asking price under $100, retail, and flawlessly met our needs. A smaller rendition of their best selling Sleepypod Air system, the Atom is designed to accommodate dogs up to 8lbs and cats up to 12, in the usual range of delicious colors; Chocolate Brown, Blossom Pink, Strawberry red, Robin Egg Blue, and Jet Black. With it's approximately 17"x 10.5"x 8.5" footprint, the Atom is specially designed to travel on a variety of transport methods. From the easy velcro back sleeve, which secures the Atom to most standard rolling luggage, to the multi snap buckles that encourage up to 5 variations of seat based security, this carrier will not only move your pet in style, but safety as well. And, thanks to the full color, easy to read, illustration card included with each Atom owners can buckle their pets in without the typical 'booster seat' style confusion.

When I first got my paws, er, hands, on a Blossom Pink Sleepypod Atom I was impressed with just how modern, and unassuming the design was. The actual product resembles a cross between a sporty piece of luggage, or an oversized Messenger bag. The easy breathe mesh top zips open partially to allow pets to peek out, or entirely to transform into a traveling bed. The Atom's extra wide, grip textured, shoulder strap makes it extremely easy to carry, and minimizes excessive bouncing in over the shoulder transport. I've found that Truffles also likes the fact that the unique mesh is near private (looking from the outside in), yet open enough for her to keep tabs on her 'people' and surroundings.

The Blossom Pink shade bears a nod to the Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Emblem, and is just plain fashionably girly. I love that this 'pet accessory' is a perfect match for my style, and my purse! The exterior of the Atom is made of an easy clean, stain resistant, canvas type material, while the inside is softer with equal consideration to function. At the bottom of the Atom is a removable pad, housed within a soft (faux) fur sleeve. It's the ultimate in warmth and comfort for traveling pets and extremely easy to remove and clean! The Sleepypod Atom also features a front pocket for various pet accessories, and zipper hoops for mini travel locks. Furthermore, pets can actually be harness, tethered to the inside of the top flap, for pets who are subject to roaming while in transit.

I can't say I was surprised by how quickly Truffles took to the Atom, she loves private places by nature, but this was really something else. I never would have guessed I could transport my anxiety ridden cat 8 hours up the coast, then another 14 back down without someone losing part of their face. Not only did Truffles sleep the entire ride, as relaxed as I've ever seen her, but she continued to use the carrier outside the car as well. It's the perfect size for my 7lb cat, and just the right length for her to stretch, without getting antsy. I cannot rave enough about the Atom!

What Daughter Says: Your children deserve the best, pamper your four legged friends with Sleepypod.

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