Cat Carrier Tips...

[JoeAnthony]

Does anyone else have trouble trying to pick up their kitten/cat and putting them into the cat carrier? I've had my cat/kitten for a few months now. She is very skittish and whenever I walk up to her she will run away. She usually cuddles only if I'm laying down. If I sit on the floor she will come up to me but will not let me pick her up.

What could I do to make it easier to pick her up, get her used to the carrier and/or make her comfortable with me touching her paws so I could clip them?

Last time I took her to the vet it was VERY difficult to get her in the carrier

 

[surya]

That's pretty common. I scruff cats (when necessary) and use a top load carrier and drop them in. Some people leave there carriers out and let the cat use it as bed/cat cave, so they react more positively to their carrier.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Oh my....the age-old pickle! Out of my three cats:

cat #1 He will go in if I am quick and don't make a big production out of it (I just literally throw him in).

cat #2 She HATED my hard-sided carrier. I now use a very large mesh one and she loves it. I think the brand is Petluv or something like that.

cat #3 Nearly IMPOSSIBLE. I have to cover her eyes with a towel and throw her in the carrier which is covered in towels just in case she spots it. Ideally, I would have to give her gabapentin or something prior to the vet appointment, but if I don't have any, it is REALLY tough to get her in.

 

[Monk'sMom]

I got both tips from our vet.
The first tip is to have the cat carrier visible all the times, with the door open so if a cat chooses they can investigate it. But this way they don't disappear when the carrier appears.
The second is a one my vet demonstrated to me, and she has to do this A LOT, so she knows. I lean the hard carrier the long way against the wall, so the door is on top like a long box with the top open. I pick the cat by the scruff of the next and super quickly insert her (think returning a whole pickle to the jar ) and close the door. Ever since I was shown how to do this, our problem (and the mutual trauma) has gone away. It happens so quickly the cats don't even begin to react until we are in the car. Then they moan, and so on, and I say "it's okay," and so on, and of course it is hard all around. But getting the cat into the box is a breeze.

 

[kobata1928]

My vet suggested always leaving my carriers out with old towels in them. I did so for about 6 months with them on the floor and none of my cats were interested. I decided to put them on top of a cabinet and now my cats always go in and take naps in them. Now i just move a carrier to the floor and they run in to see why their bed has moved. I have found that carriers with a top loading door are easier to get them out when they don't want to leave. 2 of my cats still cry the whole car ride, and 1 peed in the carrier the last time we went to the vet.
Here is Mister and Oscar just relaxing in their carriers, so it's possible for cats to not hate them.

 

[bluebirdy]

I clicker trained my cats to go into the carrier. I also use a top loading carrier as it's easier. I need to wrangle two kitties into one carrier so the clicker and rewarding has been a great way of getting them desensitized to it.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! If your cat is an adult, if you scruff it be sure you only take ahold of the skin at the back of the neck, not the neck itself, **gently**, AND be sure to support its weight, --don't lift the cat by the scruff only.

 

[neely]

Welcome to TCS! As you can tell, you're not alone when it comes to getting your cat into a carrier. Here is an Article which may be helpful to you: Beware The Dreaded Cat Carrier And another Article regarding your concern about clipping her claws: How To Best Take Care Of Cat Claws Please feel free to check out some of the other Articles and resources available on the forum. Best of luck next time you need to get your cat into the carrier.

 

[EmmiTemmi]

I agree with some others here; leaving the carrier out all the time is a great way to start to help your cat grow comfortable with it. I'd also add in that you can throw some treats in it, and make a line of treats leading into the carrier. Feed your cat next to the carrier, so they associate it with yummy food time. If they ever willingly enter the carrier, reward with more treats. Positive reinforcement is key.

I recently took a 7hr drive with my boys in their carriers, and while they were very willing to enter before the trip, now they're a little reluctant so I've been working on helping them feel comfortable around the carriers again. Patience and love!

 

[jen]

I put the carrier down and they fight over who gets to go in, or will both try to shove their way in there and then get mad that the other is so close lol. I always have carriers out, fully of toys and treats and towels or beds, and they sleep in them. I highly recommend that.