I’ve seen a few various types of cat restraint bags on Amazon for things like nail trimming, bathing etc. Does anybody have any experience with any of them? I’ve been tempted, but I’m also skeptical of Amazon reviews now.
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Cat restraint bags
- Thread starter JulietteTruong
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i think they would really damage the relationship/trust you currently have with your cat i dont trim graycies nails(only have one hand that works) but if i did i would try and get one nail at a time while she slept since she is used to me messing with her paws popping the claws out while she sleeps
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I would never, unless a cat is extremely bad with bathing and urgently needs a bath (I.e. covered in something super dangerous to them). Even so, grooming bags remove the ability to wash a cat particularly well.
My cats are bathed semi-regularly, and are used to it. I use a grooming suction cup ( heavy duty suction cup with a metal loop) which I attach a short lead and my cats’ harness too (grooming loops aren’t safe on cats, as they have fragile necks). Neither of mine try to get out of the bath, as they don’t mind it, but it gets them into the correct mindset, and the light pressure along the spine and rib cage helps them relax, much like a thunder vest. If you’re looking to get a cat used to bathing for sanitary reasons, and to help coat upkeep, this is the way to go. If your cat is older and unused to adapting to new things regularly, I’d suggest just using pet shampoo wipes tbh.
My cats are bathed semi-regularly, and are used to it. I use a grooming suction cup ( heavy duty suction cup with a metal loop) which I attach a short lead and my cats’ harness too (grooming loops aren’t safe on cats, as they have fragile necks). Neither of mine try to get out of the bath, as they don’t mind it, but it gets them into the correct mindset, and the light pressure along the spine and rib cage helps them relax, much like a thunder vest. If you’re looking to get a cat used to bathing for sanitary reasons, and to help coat upkeep, this is the way to go. If your cat is older and unused to adapting to new things regularly, I’d suggest just using pet shampoo wipes tbh.
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I tried to get Quinn into one for clipping claws maybe, I have forgotten why now really, when he was younger, he was having none of it
So I sent it back. I am able to clip his claws without any help, but it isn’t his fav thing. I never bathe him, only for emergencies like he stepped in something etc.
I would only use a bag as a last resort...if there is no other way.
I think that it's better just to teach the cat to tolerate treatments like bathing and claw trimming because, if you resort to a restraining bag, the cat will never get used to the treatment. The cat will react negatively to the bag and develop a negative association to the treatment.
You want the cat to develop a positive association with things...or, at least, learn to tolerate things.
I have only ever had to give Casper a bath two times. Both times were because he had to go to the vet because he was sick with constipation and had to get an enema. As much as the vet tried to clean Casper up, he still came home with a poopy hind end. I needed to clean him up so that he wouldn't get poo all over the house.
The first time I gave Casper a bath he cried and fought the whole time but I stood firm and made him soldier through.
The second time, Casper didn't pretend to like it any more than the first time but he struggled less and I was able to get through the operation relatively unscathed.
It's my guess that Casper knew that he had a poopy butt and, after his first bath, he understood that I was helping him get clean. The second time, he made a semi-positive association between getting a bath and being clean so he put up with it better that time.
I don't intend to give Casper another bath unless he needs it but I'll bet that he will put up less of a fight if I ever have to do it again.
If I had used a restraining bag, I think the situation would have gotten worse, not better. Casper would likely have developed a negative association with being stuffed into a bag and, the next time, he would have fought harder.
It is my advice, if you have to do something like give a cat a bath or clip its nails, it's better just to say, "Cat! You're going to do this whether you like it or not!" Of course, you would be as gentle as possible and try to soothe the cat as much as possible to keep it calm.
Still...there are just some times when you have to stiffen your spine and just do the dirty deed.
As far as I am concerned, restraining bags are only to be used when the human will get bitten and scratched or when there is danger to the cat and you need to keep it from getting hurt.
Let's imagine that you have to rescue a cat from a burning building. In a situation like that it's probably better to stuff the cat into a bag and haul it to safety...kicking and screaming if need be. It would be better to have a live cat, even if there is some ruffled fur, than to have the cat die in a fire.
That's just about the only time I would consider putting a cat in a bag.
I think that it's better just to teach the cat to tolerate treatments like bathing and claw trimming because, if you resort to a restraining bag, the cat will never get used to the treatment. The cat will react negatively to the bag and develop a negative association to the treatment.
You want the cat to develop a positive association with things...or, at least, learn to tolerate things.
I have only ever had to give Casper a bath two times. Both times were because he had to go to the vet because he was sick with constipation and had to get an enema. As much as the vet tried to clean Casper up, he still came home with a poopy hind end. I needed to clean him up so that he wouldn't get poo all over the house.
The first time I gave Casper a bath he cried and fought the whole time but I stood firm and made him soldier through.
The second time, Casper didn't pretend to like it any more than the first time but he struggled less and I was able to get through the operation relatively unscathed.
It's my guess that Casper knew that he had a poopy butt and, after his first bath, he understood that I was helping him get clean. The second time, he made a semi-positive association between getting a bath and being clean so he put up with it better that time.
I don't intend to give Casper another bath unless he needs it but I'll bet that he will put up less of a fight if I ever have to do it again.
If I had used a restraining bag, I think the situation would have gotten worse, not better. Casper would likely have developed a negative association with being stuffed into a bag and, the next time, he would have fought harder.
It is my advice, if you have to do something like give a cat a bath or clip its nails, it's better just to say, "Cat! You're going to do this whether you like it or not!" Of course, you would be as gentle as possible and try to soothe the cat as much as possible to keep it calm.
Still...there are just some times when you have to stiffen your spine and just do the dirty deed.
As far as I am concerned, restraining bags are only to be used when the human will get bitten and scratched or when there is danger to the cat and you need to keep it from getting hurt.
Let's imagine that you have to rescue a cat from a burning building. In a situation like that it's probably better to stuff the cat into a bag and haul it to safety...kicking and screaming if need be. It would be better to have a live cat, even if there is some ruffled fur, than to have the cat die in a fire.
That's just about the only time I would consider putting a cat in a bag.
I shove my cat firm between my legs and trim his claws while he snarls and hisses at me the entire time. I give him treats in between every few clips (and let him growl and chew at the same time which is comical). He hates it, but I think it's more of a learned behavior to growl and snarl because I've been treating him at the same time.
A friend of mine used a restraint bag for clipping all her cats nails.
I tried one for Artie. It was a disaster. Between fighting to get him into the bag, to trying to zip it up, and then reaching for his paws... no way....
I tried it once and ditched it.
If you have to fight to a cat into a bag, you may as well just clip the nails freehanded; and be done with it.
Not worth the aggravation to both of you..
What I do is sit in an upholstered chair. I am right handed. I put the cat semi behind me, on the left side, with my body blocking him from jumping out. I kind of use my body to wedge him in there. I just take his paws and clip. The back ones are the worst to maneuver; but I get it done.
If there is too much of a hassle. I take a break. I take a few seconds to calm down.. saying, ok ok, ok... good boy... and then try again.
The first few times trying this, it was a hassle; but after a while, it really works out well.
I use the same technique for meds... with a pill gun.
My own technique.
I tried one for Artie. It was a disaster. Between fighting to get him into the bag, to trying to zip it up, and then reaching for his paws... no way....
I tried it once and ditched it.
If you have to fight to a cat into a bag, you may as well just clip the nails freehanded; and be done with it.
Not worth the aggravation to both of you..
What I do is sit in an upholstered chair. I am right handed. I put the cat semi behind me, on the left side, with my body blocking him from jumping out. I kind of use my body to wedge him in there. I just take his paws and clip. The back ones are the worst to maneuver; but I get it done.
If there is too much of a hassle. I take a break. I take a few seconds to calm down.. saying, ok ok, ok... good boy... and then try again.
The first few times trying this, it was a hassle; but after a while, it really works out well.
I use the same technique for meds... with a pill gun.
My own technique.
I used one, not for nails, but to give a cat pills. The fight to get him in the bag was epic. Then discovered the bag was too small. It was the biggest size they had. Ended up having to go to the vet every day he needed the pills and they gave it to him. Their secret was two people instead of one, no cat bag.
Casper is a recalcitrant pill-taker, too.
It took a long time for us to learn how to make Casper take his medicine but we finally worked it out.
There is the "easy way" and the "hard way."
The easy way is to get the pill ready but keep it out of sight and wait until the cat is napping and laying calmly. Just go over to pet him and make nice for a minute with the pill hidden in your other hand and, once you make contact, quickly give him the pill. If you don't do anything to tip him off, the pill will go down and the whole operation will be over in thirty seconds.
If the easy way doesn't work, it's time to do it the hard way.
Grab the cat, plunk him down on the floor, throw a bath towel over him and sit on him. Put the cat between your knees and use the towel to pin him down so he can't scratch you in the junk. Open his mouth and make him take his pill. Again, the whole thing should take thirty seconds. Yeah, we might have to get a little bit rough but, if you work quickly and carefully, the only thing that will happen is for the cat to get some mussed-up fur.
Now, imagine doing that with a bag!
You've got to get the bag out, get it ready and put it in position. You've got to grab the cat, wrestle him into the bag, zip it up and THEN, you have to get hold of his head in order to give the pill. It will take ten times longer. It will be ten times harder and it will be ten times more stressful for the cat...not to mention the possibility of the cat or the human getting hurt.
I would only use a bag if it was a "do or die" situation.
It took a long time for us to learn how to make Casper take his medicine but we finally worked it out.
There is the "easy way" and the "hard way."
The easy way is to get the pill ready but keep it out of sight and wait until the cat is napping and laying calmly. Just go over to pet him and make nice for a minute with the pill hidden in your other hand and, once you make contact, quickly give him the pill. If you don't do anything to tip him off, the pill will go down and the whole operation will be over in thirty seconds.
If the easy way doesn't work, it's time to do it the hard way.
Grab the cat, plunk him down on the floor, throw a bath towel over him and sit on him. Put the cat between your knees and use the towel to pin him down so he can't scratch you in the junk. Open his mouth and make him take his pill. Again, the whole thing should take thirty seconds. Yeah, we might have to get a little bit rough but, if you work quickly and carefully, the only thing that will happen is for the cat to get some mussed-up fur.
Now, imagine doing that with a bag!
You've got to get the bag out, get it ready and put it in position. You've got to grab the cat, wrestle him into the bag, zip it up and THEN, you have to get hold of his head in order to give the pill. It will take ten times longer. It will be ten times harder and it will be ten times more stressful for the cat...not to mention the possibility of the cat or the human getting hurt.
I would only use a bag if it was a "do or die" situation.
I personally don't think you should restrain or use a restraint device (which this is) without training on how to use it. I've seen both pets and people injured or even killed from improper restraint.
My cats are excellent with claw trimming. I sit on the floor and sit them on my lap and just clip them.
My cats are excellent with claw trimming. I sit on the floor and sit them on my lap and just clip them.
VERY good point!
If you think you've got a cat that needs to be restrained like that, make an appointment with your vet and have them show you how to do it.
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I have (had?) a bag. I tried it with Krista for medicine. I called it the "bag and gag". It did not go well and we never used it again. It wasn't too hard getting the bag over her head or getting it zipped up. But I didn't cinch the neck up tight enough. Once she got a paw out, it was all over. After that, she knew exactly what the bag meant when I took it out and would not let me anywhere near her with it.
For nail clipping, I recommend just doing one or two at a time when she's napping or really sleepy. If she wakes up, give her a treat. Try to associate those nail clippings with treats and you may get cooperation for one or two at a time.
You might also try desensitization training which would take longer but produce more satisfying results for the both of you. You can adapt something like this 4 week toothbrushing program for nail clipping.
You could start with holding her paws for a second or two and giving her a treat afterwards. Trot out the treat bag first so she knows that treats are coming. This might/should make her more patient with you while you handle her paws. Perhaps the next week, you bring out the clippers and let her see and smell them while you hold her paws for a second or two before giving her a treat. Perhaps the third week you draw a claw out and clip the clippers in the air. This gives her the feeling of having her claw drawn out and she gets to hear the sound of the clippers. But you're not clipping her nails this week. Remember to give her treat afterwards. Finally, on the fourth week, you can try to clip a nail or two. You'll probably have to do this a few times a week, if not daily, to start with just to teach her the routine. Once she learns the routine, cats are smart and she'll remember it for a very long time even if you only do it once a week or every few weeks.
For nail clipping, I recommend just doing one or two at a time when she's napping or really sleepy. If she wakes up, give her a treat. Try to associate those nail clippings with treats and you may get cooperation for one or two at a time.
You might also try desensitization training which would take longer but produce more satisfying results for the both of you. You can adapt something like this 4 week toothbrushing program for nail clipping.
You could start with holding her paws for a second or two and giving her a treat afterwards. Trot out the treat bag first so she knows that treats are coming. This might/should make her more patient with you while you handle her paws. Perhaps the next week, you bring out the clippers and let her see and smell them while you hold her paws for a second or two before giving her a treat. Perhaps the third week you draw a claw out and clip the clippers in the air. This gives her the feeling of having her claw drawn out and she gets to hear the sound of the clippers. But you're not clipping her nails this week. Remember to give her treat afterwards. Finally, on the fourth week, you can try to clip a nail or two. You'll probably have to do this a few times a week, if not daily, to start with just to teach her the routine. Once she learns the routine, cats are smart and she'll remember it for a very long time even if you only do it once a week or every few weeks.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
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Hi,
My Juli is actually pretty okay with me clipping her claws. Bathing her is pretty easy too, though I only do it like once every two years or so.
I’m curious for my sister, as I am currently cat-sitting her three kitties and one of them is really bite-y during nail trims. In fact, her bite is why my sister is currently in the hospital due to the wound becoming infected. Folks if you get bitten go seek medical help right afterwards. My sis waited over a day thinking it was not a huge deal and would heal on its own. Turns out, the way cat teeth are shaped makes it useless to try and treat at home. I’m just over 24 hours, her arm swelled up to the size of a balloon. The antibiotics wasn’t acting fast enough so she underwent surgery to get the infection cleaned out. Of course, her being immune-compromised complicated things, but her doctor told her that this could happen to any average person since most people tend to make the mistake of not going to the ER immediately. People underestimate cat bites and the types of bacteria that’s in their mouths. This was on July 2nd, and she is still recovering in ICU. Thank goodness things seem to be on the mend, but at one point she was scared that she could actually lose her arm.
So yeah, folks if you get bitten, go to the doctor aSAP. Once the bacteria enters the bloodstream, there’s nothing you can do. No amount of topical disinfectant will help!
My Juli is actually pretty okay with me clipping her claws. Bathing her is pretty easy too, though I only do it like once every two years or so.
I’m curious for my sister, as I am currently cat-sitting her three kitties and one of them is really bite-y during nail trims. In fact, her bite is why my sister is currently in the hospital due to the wound becoming infected. Folks if you get bitten go seek medical help right afterwards. My sis waited over a day thinking it was not a huge deal and would heal on its own. Turns out, the way cat teeth are shaped makes it useless to try and treat at home. I’m just over 24 hours, her arm swelled up to the size of a balloon. The antibiotics wasn’t acting fast enough so she underwent surgery to get the infection cleaned out. Of course, her being immune-compromised complicated things, but her doctor told her that this could happen to any average person since most people tend to make the mistake of not going to the ER immediately. People underestimate cat bites and the types of bacteria that’s in their mouths. This was on July 2nd, and she is still recovering in ICU. Thank goodness things seem to be on the mend, but at one point she was scared that she could actually lose her arm.
So yeah, folks if you get bitten, go to the doctor aSAP. Once the bacteria enters the bloodstream, there’s nothing you can do. No amount of topical disinfectant will help!
i have one of thoe bags thats supposed to be a pet taxi alternitive and my big boy Royal didnt mind being put in it and was really relaxed on the ride to the vet in my lap as my mom drove then was good about being dumped out of said bag fr exam then put back in but he's pretty mellow overall, his Daddy on the other hand i'm not sure how he'd react the entire reason i got the bag was because i needed to worm his Daddy Mignon and he wont take the liquid meds he smells it and you can forget it ended up getting a worm pill from the vet instead as the bag didnt arrive in time, Royals sister Marie will be the next i try with the bag but i wont force it then her adopted baby 10 month old Sweetie and Finally the Queen Mignon's bonded mate Caramel she was born feral so we'll have to see though shes usually good about trying new things.
I used to carry my first cat, "K.C." around in a knapsack and he liked it.
I was going to college in Boston, at the time, and I didn't have any other safe way of transporting him.
The first time I took him to the vet, I put him in the bag and left the zipper open a couple of inches for air. He just climbed in and settled in for the ride.
The only way I could get around was by subway. K.C. didn't seem to mind, at all.
When I got to the vet I apologized because I didn't have a proper kitty carrier but the vet said, as long as the cat didn't mind, it was okay.
On the train ride home, I was standing in the center of the car with my cat in a bag, slung over my shoulder, and there was a girl sitting in the seat, nearby. K.C. poked his head out of the zipper hole in the knapsack and meowed at the girl! She thought he was cute!
Who would have thought that a cat could be my wing man!
So, yeah! If your cat LIKES hanging out in a bag, by all means, go for it!
If your cat doesn't like it, DON'T force it!
After my long haired very crabby cat couldn’t be sedated and groomed any longer at the vet due to her kidney disease, I used a grooming bag to do it at home. I never had trouble getting her in it but it’s been a lot of years and I don’t recall exactly how I did it.
susanm9006
I'll bet, and not to be rude, you managed it because your cat adored you and was happy you understood she'd had it with the strangers at the groomers.PS - In similar conditions my heart cat cut me no slack at all, but, as you and your kit, we did understand each other.
