Overview

• The video on TfL’s Instagram shows two cats on the Elizabeth line and Underground on leads and outside backpack carriers, with a caption encouraging pet travel.
• TfL’s reel outlines four tips, including using carriers and escape‑proof harnesses, avoiding seats, choosing lifts or keeping pets in carriers on escalators, and travelling off‑peak.
• Nicky Trevorrow of Cats Protection said the post was “disturbing” and warned busy, noisy stations should be off limits for cats due to welfare and safety risks.
• Central veterinary officer Sarah Elliott cautioned that leads, harnesses and backpacks can heighten feline stress by limiting natural behaviours and the flight response.
• TfL said animals are allowed if travel follows its Conditions of Carriage, while the charity has requested the post’s removal; the reel has drawn mixed reactions and more than 130,000 views.