Is the Pet Gear No-Zip Pet Stroller worth it? Should you even get a stroller for your cat or dog? You’ve come to the right place for a stroller review! I bought the Pet Gear No-Zip Special Edition 3 in the summer of 2020 and have used it throughout all seasons for four years (even in winter!). In this review, I’ll share:

• Video unboxing, assembly, and review
• Why you might need a pet stroller
• What’s in the box
• Quick start guide (tips for setup and takedown)
• My senior cats’ reactions
• What I love about it
• What could be improved
• Considering air-ride models (more expensive with inflated tires)
• Cost and whether I’d buy it again

This review contains affiliate links. This means the writer earns a small commission if you use the link to make a purchase. Please rest assured there’s no extra cost to you and this small amount will never sway my opinions. Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3e3Hin9

Video Unboxing, Assembly and 1 Year Review

Why buy a pet stroller?

We adopted 15 year old Riles from the Calgary Humane Society and immediately knew this was an adventure cat. Pretty soon he was begging for daily walks which I obliged as long as he wore his harness and leash. However, he had signs of arthritis and after longer walks, I noticed him looking more sore than usual, nursing his joints and avoiding big jumps. In the middle of some walks he would stop and look up at me, as if to say “I’m done walking. Carry me!”

Plus, there were often dogs along our route. While Riles was fearless, I wanted a secure way to enclose him completely when needed.

Reasons People Buy Pet Strollers for Senior Pets:

1. Mobility Issues – Senior pets may have arthritis, joint pain, or hip dysplasia, making it hard to walk distances. Vets say arthritis is rarer in cats, but both Riles and Chester (adopted at 15 and 13) showed signs.
2. Fatigue – Older pets may get tired easily and need to rest mid-walk. A stroller lets them ride while saving your back!
3. Injury Recovery – A stroller allows injured or post-surgery pets to get fresh air without strain.
4. Weather Protection – The Pet Gear No-Zip Stroller has water-resistant fabric and mesh panels for airflow. For rain, I use a universal stroller cover. In cold weather, I add extra blankets. Riles even enjoyed short walks in the snow!
5. Safety – If a pet has vision or hearing loss, a stroller keeps them safe from traffic and other animals. Riles’ vision was declining, so I had to watch him closely when walking. In the stroller, I could relax a bit.
6. Keeping Up with Younger Pets – A stroller helps senior pets join walks without overexertion.
7. Easier Vet Trips – When Riles started monthly Solensia injections for arthritis, the stroller made vet visits much easier. We easily walked in the summer and took the bus in the winter.
8. Better Quality of Life – Riles still wanted outdoor time but couldn’t walk as much. The stroller let him enjoy the fresh air, sunshine, and smells comfortably.
9. Less Anxiety – Some pets feel nervous around other animals. Riles wasn’t anxious around people, but felt more secure in his stroller when dogs passed by.

What’s in the box?

The stroller box measures 25.5 x 11 x 20.5 inches (14 lbs) or 64.7 x 27.9 x 52 cm (6.35 kg).

My delivery driver left it in my building’s mailroom, so I carried it up a few flights of stairs. It was awkward but manageable (as a 5’4” average sized woman).

The stroller comes folded and mostly pre-assembled. Just slide it out of the box along with the wheels and a few small parts. Your cat will probably immediately go into the box.

The loose parts include:

• Removable carriage liner
• Double cup holder tray
• Front wheel swivel piece
• One front wheel
• Two back wheels
• Back wheel axle bar
• Small parts (washers, metal pins, and buttons for the wheels)

To start the assembly process, you’ll unfold the main body first. Joints will click into place and you don’t have to do anything to secure it. The heavy-duty fabric body is already attached so you don’t have to fiddle with it.

I got the Chocolate color but it also comes in Magenta, Orchid (light purple), Onyx (black) and Saje (a forest green).

Then, you will attach the two back wheels to the axle and the whole apparatus is fit to the bottom. The front wheel simply slips on as well.

I can’t say it was completely intuitive (I put the back wheels on backwards at first). However, as I referred to the instruction booklet, the process was made clear and I was able to put this together in a few minutes. Not to brag, but I am pretty good with IKEA furniture so your mileage my vary.

One finicky bit included small metal pins that secured the outside of the wheels (1:43 in the video). If you have thicker fingers, you might want a pair of needle-nosed pliers on hand to help with that part.

Otherwise, assembly was fairly straight forward.

What it doesn’t come with

If you plan on going out with your pet in different weather conditions, you may want to purchase Pet Gear’s Weather Cover which is tailor made for this model.

However, when I was ordering my stroller, it wasn’t available. So I purchased a universal stroller cover which I think I prefer anyway. It’s totally clear so it doesn’t obstruct your pet’s view.

Using your Pet Gear No-Zip Stroller for the first time

It’s not rocket science, but it is particular! Using your Pet Gear No-Zip stroller will be a breeze once you set it up for the first time.

1. Unfold: To unfold the stroller, simply lift it by the handlebar. The stroller will unfold underneath. Lightly step of the back of the frame to push it down so the frame will lock into place.
2. Secure the fabric carriage to the frame: There’s a plastic piece in the front of the carriage that will clip on to the metal frame. Then there’s two Velcro flaps on the sides that you secure around the frame on both sides to hold it down securely.
3. Carry supplies: There’s a pocket with light Velcro closure on one side of the carriage. I like to put cat treats in there. Plus carry a couple litter bags in there just in case of accidents. Underneath the carriage, there’s a little half basket. It’s not totally enclosed so be mindful what you store there. I like to put extra blankets in there or a universal stroller cover just in case.
4. Inside the carriage: Place the removable carriage liner into the bottom of the main compartment to make it more stable. It’s a bit thin so I like to place a small memory foam bath mat to give my senior cat some extra cushioning for his arthritic joints. In case you doing a bit of travelling (perhaps to the vet), you might add a layer of puppy pee pads. On top of those, I layer on a clean towel for comfort. There’s also a short lead with a clip that you can attach to a leash or harness.
5. Wheel Control: The stroller’s front wheel swivels around freely but has a lock on it in case you don’t want it to. Not sure why it’s there; I’ve never used it. The back wheels have brakes on both sides. You simply step on them to lock them into place (a must during bus rides!) Then it is easy to use your toe to nudge them up to unlock. Make sure you check both sides!
6. Cup holder: Attaches near the handlebar but is shallow and fits only small cups.
7. Canopy: The canopy has three positions: closed, partly shaded, and open. To secure the canopy in the closed position, the metal latch has to be flipped upwards and then in. To unlatch it, push the canopy down so the latch becomes loose, and flip it outwards.

Folding up and putting away your pet stroller for the first time

To put away your pet stroller,

1. Remove the cup holder first.
2. Remove anything from inside the carriage except the removable liner.
3. Detach the Velcro flats on both sides of the stroller.
4. Unlock the folding mechanism by
   1. pushing the handlebar slider to one side with your thumb,
   2. squeezing the button at the other side with your other fingers, and
   3. twist down towards yourself. The stroller will collapse easily.
5. Use the grey plastic clip on the right side to keep it in a compressed fold. Then it can be stored in your closet or hung up on a wall.

Whenever I left the stroller set up at the door, my cats loved to sleep in it. Perhaps they were dreaming of happy outdoor adventures and treats. However, I recommend putting it away so they don’t decide to anoint it with a scratching session. The fabric and mesh are sturdy but will not stand up against a whole night of scratching (you can guess how I know).

 

Cats Reaction to the pet strollers

Chester (grey tuxedo, 12lbs, younger senior): Curious during assembly but not a fan of outdoor adventures.

He was totally chill when strolling around in our living room. However, he is not one that craves the outdoors.

Riles (orange tabby, 9lbs, older senior): Loved it immediately! He calmly sat inside, enjoying the ride. When he wanted out, he patted the paw rest in front. Then I would switch to his leash and he would enjoy the grass and sun. When he had enough, he even went back to the stroller, stood up on his hind legs and scratched gently at the side of the carriage to be put back in.

Later, he learned to ask for stroller rides by meowing at the door or scratching the storage closet!

What I love about the Pet Gear No-Zip Special Edition 3 Stroller

I will get picky about what I feel could be improved, but this cat stroller fit our needs super well for the most part. The design is what sold me and how each feature has proved itself over the last 5 years is why I am recommending it.

In no particular order, I love:

• 3-wheel design – Easy maneuverability. The front swivel makes this very easy to move around. It’s smooth on sidewalks and it find it easy to get in and out of a city bus with it.
• Fits up to 45 lbs – But still narrow enough for doorways.
• No-Zip closure – Quick, secure, and hassle-free. The clasp comes down and secures with just one hand and I can do it in seconds. Great when a dog sneaks up behind us!
• Mesh panels – Great visibility for both pet and owner
• Extra storage – Side pocket and undercarriage basket
• Durability – After 5 years, still in great shape!

 

What could be improved

My wish list

• Removable liner: this is just fabric-covered cardboard so while it makes the base more firm, it still sinks in where the pet stands. I wish it was more rigid so the bottom of the carriage stayed flat.
• Side pockets: there’s only one side pocket. There’s clearly room for another pocket on the other side so it seems silly to only have one.
• Cup holders: they are both small in diameter and shallow in depth. So you can only put slender travel cups in them. But slender travel mugs tend to be taller as well. With the shallow depth and my clumsiness, this is a recipe for spillage. I would love if they made the cup holders deeper and with variable diameters.
• Handlebar Height: The handlebar is placed at 40” (102cm) off the ground and is not adjustable. I’m 5’4” and the handlebar was comfortable for me. However, I could imagine if you were taller, it would be a bit awkward.

Wear and Tear

After 5 years, my Pet Gear No Zip Special Edition 3 is in surprisingly great shape. The frame is flawless and the wheels still look great. No bad for almost daily strolling for 3 years (occasional use outside of that time), over sidewalks, grassy parks, some winter snow and gravel.

The fabric carriage and canopy still look great on the outside. The Velcro still holds well.

Except one night, disaster struck! I really should’ve known better than to leave it out all night. I had already seen both cats in the stroller doing some occasional scratching. But seeing as there was no damage, I got complacent.

My dear Riles was left alone to his devices and scratched a good hole in the edge of the back mesh. The mesh wasn’t torn. But the edge where it attaches to the water-resistant fabric needs patching.

Do you need Air-Ride?

Pet Gear’s Air-Ride models have air-inflated tires which should provide more stability and comfort on rough terrain. These models are more expensive, heavier and tend to have a larger footprint.

The Pet Gear No Zip Special Edition 3 has solid plastic wheels. However, with carriage being nicely suspended, Riles had no issues with it even when I rolled him over grassy parks and gravel-laden parking lots.

That said, they simply weren’t available when I was ready to purchase a stroller. I am sure the air ride models are more comfortable for both pet and human walker. While I would say in most cases, it’s not a must, it is a luxury that I would love to give my senior pets!

Price and Would I Buy it Again?

I paid $212 CAD in 2020. As of now, it sells for $249 CAD on Amazon.ca and $110 USD on Amazon.com (lucky Americans!).

Would I repurchase? Absolutely! This stroller made Riles’ golden years so much better.

If I’m ever blessed by the cat distribution network with another adventure cat, I might upgrade to an Air-Ride model, but as of now, I highly recommend the Pet Gear No-Zip Special Edition 3 for anyone with a senior pet!