Cat Will Not Go Into Carrier

[JuliaMichelle]

Hello all, here is my situation:

I have two cats . One is friendly, social and agrees to be held. The other (Luna) is the generally the opposite, especially with strangers . She also is not a fan of my husband. Please keep in mine we adopted Luna from a shelter when she was two years old. We've had her for about two years.

Luna generally does not like being pet, definitely does not like being picked up at all but she does enjoy my company and follows me around, sits on me, etc . She has bitten and scratched me before.

My husband and I are moving houses soon! I am very worried on how to get Luna into the carrier to get her out of the house! She immediately hides when she sees my husband so I can't rely on his help. The last time we tried to put her in the carrier, she scratched my husband in 3 spots, spread her legs wide with claws out so she wouldn't fit in the doorway of the carrier and ultimately we couldn't get her in .

I have left the carrier out now for over a month with one of her blankets in it but I have never seen her go in just to hangout or whatever . I can't leave treats in there to entice her as my other cat will just eat then instead.

Any advice???

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. I too have a cat that is a lap kitty, and snuggler, but HATES being picked up. So getting Ruby in her carrier for vet visits used to be torture. Then my vet suggested a method that really works!

Put the carrier on a high counter or table, with the door open at the edge of the counter. Then pick up cat and point them at the opening. Because they are up high, they have no option but to go inside the carrier to turn around, and while they're in there, you shut the carrier door.

I've done this several times with Ruby, and it's made getting her into the carrier so easy. So it's worth a try with Luna. I would still wear long sleeves, just in case she gets squirmy.

Another idea, is to get a carrier with a top opening. You can also try spraying Feliway in the carrier to maybe help calm Luna.

And if worse comes worse, maybe see if you can borrow a small dog kennel. If you do, though, maybe try covering it with a blanket, as that should help with her stress.

Good luck.

 

[Babypaws]

I have a similar problem. I have a female cat that recently was brought inside, she was part feral but over several months (7-8 at least) I was able to get her to trust me. I’m able to pet her, brush her, play with her ears but she won’t let me pick her up. She had a litter of kittens which are 9 weeks old. About 3 weeks ago I brought them all inside on our enclosed porch. I let them come in a section off part of the house so they can get use to it. They are doing fine but I have an appointment to have mommy cat spayed in a few weeks and I am worried how I’ll be able to get her in the carrier. She barely lets my husband pet her so I’m in the same boat as Julia. I really don’t have any high counter to put the carrier. Need suggestions please

 

[JuliaMichelle]

Hello and welcome to TCS. I too have a cat that is a lap kitty, and snuggler, but HATES being picked up. So getting Ruby in her carrier for vet visits used to be torture. Then my vet suggested a method that really works!

Put the carrier on a high counter or table, with the door open at the edge of the counter. Then pick up cat and point them at the opening. Because they are up high, they have no option but to go inside the carrier to turn around, and while they're in there, you shut the carrier door.

I've done this several times with Ruby, and it's made getting her into the carrier so easy. So it's worth a try with Luna. I would still wear long sleeves, just in case she gets squirmy.

Another idea, is to get a carrier with a top opening. You can also try spraying Feliway in the carrier to maybe help calm Luna.

And if worse comes worse, maybe see if you can borrow a small dog kennel. If you do, though, maybe try covering it with a blanket, as that should help with her stress.

Good luck.

I don't really have a counter or shelf I could put the carrier on unfortunately. I was thinking I could pick her up by the scruff but I'm scared that when she struggles I will drop her before I get her to the carrier.

I do have a carrier with a top opening but Luna freaks out inside that one when the door is closed so I don't use it for her.

What is that spray you mentioned?

Maybe I will look into borrowing a small dog kennel. That might be easier for her.

Thank you!

 

[silkenpaw]

I have a cat who will come to cuddle but gets very upset if you try to pick her up. I have thick, elbow-lengh leather gloves to pick her up with.

 

[Tobermory]

Here’s what I do (it requires two people):

1. Take carrier out a couple of days before trip. Leave carrier on floor with door open.
2. Fifteen to 20 minutes prior to main event, lightly mist towel with Feliway spray (calming pheromone) or rub Calm-a-Mile, an all-natural blend of calming herbs, on it, and place in carrier.
3. When you’re ready to put her in the carrier, approach her while speaking soothing, disarming words of love. Make sure she isn’t on anything that she can put her claws into and hold onto like a barnacle. I prefer a tile or wood floor. Have your partner-in-crime (PIC) quietly pick up carrier and approach you from behind so she can’t see what said partner has in his/her hand. Make sure PIC doesn’t let the carrier make any “carrier noises.” (Mine rattles if not held perfectly still.) PIC should hold carrier level about waist height with door open.
4. Swiftly pick up (hopefully) unsuspecting kitty and in one smooth move, turn around and insert said kitty in carrier before she has a chance to react, grow additional legs all tipped with razors, and dismember you.
5. Close and latch door, wipe sweat off brow, and hold hands with PIC to steady the shaking.

A bit tongue in cheek, but I really do use this method. If you don’t have a second person, a counter or table will work—anything that puts the carrier on the level and up off of the floor so there’s nothing for kitty to grab onto or push off from. Make sure the edge of the carrier is at the edge of whatever you’ve placed it on.

 

[Tillybug]

When I got my cat from her other family I was told she’s very difficult to get in the carrier. When they brought her to me they had her in a small Sherpa bag.

I now use my hard plastic dog carrier. It’s a size M and I have zero issues getting her in there. I put it on the counter, grab cat, insert cat in carrier and we go. I do leave the carrier out all the time so she sees it everyday and I occasionally move it to a different corner etc..

I also bought one of the Cat in the Bag carriers to try. She was not a fan. I did find it easy to get her in there but she was thrashing etc inside the bag. I felt she was happier and safer in the kennel.

My cat is a large Bengal so I think her issue was trying to be stuffed in too small a carrier. With the dog kennel she can move around and burrow etc and seems much happier. Because the door is larger, even if she pulls the starfish I can still get her in.

 

[rubysmama]

What is that spray you mentioned?

Here's a link: Feliway for cats

 

[BonitaBaby]

My cat hates going outside and will run and hide under my bed if she sees I'm holding her carrier. Once, I had to keep trying to grab her as she quickly dashed from under one side of the bed to the other and I had to pull the mattress off the bed and keep trying to grab her.

Here's what I do. The night before, I tilt the hard carrier on it's back so that the opening is facing upwards. The next day, when it's time to leave, I quickly grab my cat so she can't fight yet and quickly move over to the carrier, lowering her bottom into the tilted up carrier so that gravity pulls her downwards and into the carrier. Be careful to not tip the carrier over. Then, I quickly lock the door once she's inside so she can't escape. Put it back on it's bottom so it's facing the right way (door to the side) and take her to the vet. My cat, thankfully, seems to understand now that we're going to the vet for a visit and then I'll pick her up and take her back home. The vet said my cat was glaring at her last time , but she didn't glare at me when I arrived to pick her up. I think she knew she was going back home.

To warm up to picking her up, try this: quickly pick her up suddenly. Then, IMMEDIATELY, put her back down. Do this until she doesn't seem so scared to get her used to you picking her up. My cat was a former stray/feral and I waited about 9 months, I think, to do this. I could tell she was freaked out the first time, but now I can pick her up and put her back down. Just for a quick moment or hug. I was trying to hug her for longer, but realized that she does not like this, so I've stopped.

 

[mikameek]

Similarly to bonitababy, I put my carrier with the door facing upwards and because my cat is a wiggler, I will hold her lower too legs before sliding her into the carrier. Then I'll shut the door and gently place it back down with the door level.

Mika isn't much of a fighter like Luna sounds like but maybe having your husband hold open the carrier (or maybe holding Luna's legs) while you quickly get her in will work out. Worth a shot!

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I would ask your vet for a gabapentin capsule. Break it open and put in 1 tbsp of food only. Allow 2 hours for it to take effect. It will make her relaxed and groggy. You will be able to carry her and put in the carrier.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Or, you could get one of these: It is more like a condo than a carrier (although it is a carrier).


I have a few hard-sided ones and one of these. It is easier to get them in this one. I just happen to prefer hard-sided carriers.

I have the medium (non-wheeled).

 

[happilyretired]

I have a cat who has only been with me for 6 months, and cannot be picked up. She was a rescue who was thrown from a car, and both the vet and I think that her absolute 'frenzy' with any attempt to pick her up is due to past trauma.

But I knew I would need to get her into a carrier for vet visits, etc.. I have a pet 'stroller,' and I put the top part on my kitchen table. ( It looks much like the carrier in the preceding post.) She loves her treats, so I will occasionally toss treats into the carrier. She goes in to eat them. I wanted her to associate the carrier with positive things. In the beginning, I stayed away to encourage her to enter the carrier, but after a while I moved closer so that she would not be alarmed by my presence (when I'd need to be there to close it).

Last month, my vet came to give her a rabies shot, so I tossed treats into the carrier--and then closed the door once she went to eat them. She wasn't at all happy, but since then, she has continued to go in for treats. So she doesn't fear it at all.

I'm hoping that eventually I'll be able to pick her up--but even the vet couldn't do it without the towel procedure. I know that in an emergency I can use the towel, but for now knowing that I can get her to go in the carrier is OK.