he loves to be strapped in and have the back screen fully open to he can look out at everything. i’ve never used to sideways as a carrier to the vet but the vet staff seems to like the backpack better as well! he doesn’t get jerked around as much as in a side carrier. he uses it in the car, the house, stores, on walks, camping, everything. the backpack… i have the airy outdoors backpack for camping/hiking and let me tell you my cat LOVES it. definitely worth the money to make sure your kitty is comfortable and secured in. the harnesses are superior to all other harnesses i’ve tried. the staff truly seems to love and care about cats. they were able to solve my issue extremely conveniently leaving me very satisfied with the results. Customer service goes above and beyond with a quick and courteous response.