Kitten carrier training

Greenmyrtle

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She’s a foster about 4-5mo old. Hates cat carrier. Want to turn this around. Highly food motivated

so today decided to put wet food in carrier and her with it. She had a full on panic attack meltdown in the carrier and couldn’t even think about food. Just escape. For about 1/2h. Felt having started I shouldn’t stop til she got the food rewards. But she beat me, and I gave up.

She could see me and her bestie right there, and she would not calm down (well just one short period of sitting and staring out window then back to escape attempts, ignored food).

I had to give up. So failed this attempt.

Considering this for at least 1 wet mealtime per day until she gets over it? Or is there a better way?
 

tarasgirl06

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She’s a foster about 4-5mo old. Hates cat carrier. Want to turn this around. Highly food motivated

so today decided to put wet food in carrier and her with it. She had a full on panic attack meltdown in the carrier and couldn’t even think about food. Just escape. For about 1/2h. Felt having started I shouldn’t stop til she got the food rewards. But she beat me, and I gave up.

She could see me and her bestie right there, and she would not calm down (well just one short period of sitting and staring out window then back to escape attempts, ignored food).

I had to give up. So failed this attempt.

Considering this for at least 1 wet mealtime per day until she gets over it? Or is there a better way?
Hello G Greenmyrtle and sweet kitten, and welcome to TCS! Experts including cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy (the "Cat Daddy" and host of Animal Planet's "MY CAT FROM HELL" and many YouTube videos, as well as author of several excellent books) suggest leaving the carrier out in a room, open, and lined with soft towel or bedding so a cat can explore it when (s)he wants to. You can try putting some treats in there, too. I don't know about actually feeding in the carrier until your kitten feels more confident about going into it. You don't want your kitten to associate eating with being scared. I have used Feliway (feline pheromone mimic, available at Petco.com and most "pet" supply venues) spray (not the plug-ins -- some of these things have melted, which can melt and cause electrical crises! IDK about Feliway specifically, but I would never use any plug-ins for that reason) in carriers very successfully. Spray a little on the bedding in the carrier.
 

game misconduct

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She’s a foster about 4-5mo old. Hates cat carrier. Want to turn this around. Highly food motivated

so today decided to put wet food in carrier and her with it. She had a full on panic attack meltdown in the carrier and couldn’t even think about food. Just escape. For about 1/2h. Felt having started I shouldn’t stop til she got the food rewards. But she beat me, and I gave up.

She could see me and her bestie right there, and she would not calm down (well just one short period of sitting and staring out window then back to escape attempts, ignored food).

I had to give up. So failed this attempt.

Considering this for at least 1 wet mealtime per day until she gets over it? Or is there a better way?
dont try to force her the easiest way is just leave carrier out in the open days/weeks/months before any type of planned vet visits or need for her to be in it for travel. let her get accustomed to it on her own time(leave some of your dirty clothes in it to if she trusts you then your scent will help ease her fears) to explore it as she wants not forced into it during her meal times last thing you want is her to associate her wet food/meals with the hated carrier or connecting you/food with that carrier.then quit eating cats are smart and curious she will get used to it on her own time
 

vince

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I leave the carrier open all the time in the spare bedroom with a comfy blanket (really, just a rag) that I don't wash (unless one of them has an accident in the carrier). I also leave a treat inside once in a while. It definitely helps. They don't like it, but will tolerate a trip in the carrier.

Another thing that helps is a "training trip" once in a while. I take them up to the gas station or to 7-11 to pick up a coffee and always give them a treat while we're there. That way, they get the idea that a trip in the car doesn't always involve a poke in the butt with a needle.
 

Sajast

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Instead of putting her straight in the carrier I’d start by simply having the carrier in the same room when she eats. After a month or so start to slowly move the food closer to the carrier. Eventually move the food into the carrier but leave the door open. When she can enter the carrier and eat comfortably you can practice carefully closing the door for just a few moments (not latching, just swing it shut). Do that many times before graduating to latching the door shut for only a few moments (the noise will probably upset her). The whole process could take a loooong time depending on how she feels.
 
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Greenmyrtle

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Update: I put a 2nd kibble bowl in the carrier (and a different flavor than the perpetual feeder). This has been interesting to other cats so she quickly followed suit eating in there. She is also toy motivated, so I decided it’s a good place to store toys too.

the other day I got her a v cute 2” round plushy that she’s nuts about (she carried it around the house like a trophy after tossing it around the kitchen all by herself for a while). Put it in the carrier when she got done, and she went to get it later (then found it soaking wet: someone must have dropped it in the water bowl then fished it out again 😀)

I will incorporate: S Sajast idea of the door; this is soft sided carrier with zip up mesh which I can just let hang down like a curtain. Just the zip sound freaked her so I’ll try and normalize the sound when she’s not in it.

And I like V vince idea of training trips. We are likely to keep this one, so in time i can take her on 2 minute drives to our guest cabin and have wet food waiting.

I just thought back to her last trip : it was to get spayed, so I guess that was super traumatic😿
 
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