"Newbie" wrote in message

What kind of pet carrier should I get that would be good for this
purpose as well as longer drives we may have to take later. In
particular, soft or hard? What kind do you use?

Depends on where and how you live. I live in an apartment and the only time
I take my cat out is to the vet two blocks away. The carrier I use is a
heavy cloth folding one. Certainly, it was more expensive than a simple
plastic carrier, but it's definitely lighter and folds up to be put away.

If you're thinking about longer drives, then depending on space, you may
want to consider a cage of some type. They're bigger than a carrier, but
allow the cat to look around and have enough space for a small littler box
and a food/water feeder.