Most wire cages are bought for a fortnight of crate rest and then spend the next three years in the way. This one folds down completely flat, so it can slide behind a wardrobe or under a bed until the next vet visit, the next house move or the next trip to the cattery. It is small, light and simple, and it is made in the UK rather than shipped in from the other side of the world.

The wire is plastic-coated in white, which matters more for cleaning than for looks: a coated bar wipes down properly, where bare wire traps hair and holds smells. The lid opens from the top, which is the sane way to handle a cat, because lowering a reluctant one in beats trying to post them through a front door. Every securing pin needed to put it together comes in the box, and replacement pins are available separately if one goes astray.

• 43 x 31 x 28cm, weighing 1.92kg
• White plastic-coated wire, wipe clean
• Top-opening lid for lowering a cat in
• Folds completely flat for storage
• All securing pins included, replacements available separately
• Made in the UK

On size, honestly. At 43cm long this is a short-stay cage rather than a home. It suits transport, a trip to the vet, or holding a cat safely for an hour while a room is cleared or a door is propped open. It is not big enough for the weeks of confined rest a vet sometimes prescribes after surgery, which needs room for a litter tray, a bed and a bowl with real space between them.

Who it's for: Owners who need a safe, contained space for short periods and would rather not give up a whole cupboard to store it.