Mickey has a vet appointment.

[moggiegirl]

Mickey has a vet appointment this coming Friday. Do you have any advice on how to get him in his carrier? It’s at 9:30 a.m. What if I try to get him in his carrier at 9:00 a.m. and he runs??? Then what? This is his first time going to the vet within the 3 years in which I adopted him. This boy runs away if I even try to wipe poop off his butt.

He’s going in for a check up so I can find out if he needs a dental cleaning. He probably does.

 

[Beholder]

There's a lot of really good ideas on past threads that you may find helpful if you type in cat carrier into the search bar. Recommendations from other people include things like putting him in a bathroom and shutting the door before putting him in the carrier (less space to run/hide), covering him with a towel to get him in, putting him in backwards, luring him in with treats, etc. My own vet said that my cat Morty was the most difficult cat she ever had to get back into a carrier. He used to be able to simply be backed in, but he got a bit too intelligent for his own good and now I have to get him in with cat scratch preventive gloves. Either way it can be done, just make sure to give yourself enough time.

 

[Beholder]

Also: Here is a thread I saw from earlier today that may help. fionasmom posted a good link to an article that may help you out.

Beware The Dreaded Cat Carrier – TheCatSite Articles

Kittens terrified after first vet visit

 

[fionasmom]

You are not the only to have this issue. There are a number of options and cat protective gloves which include professional animal handling gloves or even rose pruning or welding gloves will help. What I do is to put the carrier in a bathroom in the shower the day before and then close the shower door. Once I get the cat in question we go into the bathroom and I shut the door so that neither of us is leaving until one of us is in a carrier.

As for getting a particularly intuitive cat, plan ahead for that as well. Try not to allow the cat into a room with a lot of hidey holes even if it means keeping him in a room for the early part of the morning. If this is really bad, the vet can give you some sort of relaxant for the cat if you can administer it beforehand.

 

[maggie101]

Best time to do it depending on age is after they eat. Which is nap time. If you have a walk in closet,keep the carrier in there. When it's time, pick her up,take to closet, shut the door,put her in. If not, make sure the carrier is bigger than her so she can't grab the sides.

 

[moggiegirl]

I’m going to lure him in with a treat for the check up but for the dental cleaning he will have to be fasting so that will be trickier.

 

[LTS3]

Do you have a double door carrier? If not, consider buying one. It's so much easier to plop a cat in through the top door than through the front door. You could try placing your carrier on its end with the door facing up and putting the cat in that way.

What I do is pick my cats up and put them in the bathroom and close the door. I go get the carriers out from the closet and the doors open. Then I slowly open the bathroom door and slip inside. Grab a cat and slip back out without letting the other cat escape. Put cat into carrier and close it securely. Repeat for the other cat.

 

[moggiegirl]

I think I better put the carrier in the bathroom first.

 

[daftcat75]

I’m going to lure him in with a treat for the check up but for the dental cleaning he will have to be fasting so that will be trickier.

A single treat or two treats (drop one in after him as a reward) is not going to ruin him for a dental. They just don’t want a whole meal in him. You can call the vet and ask but I’m sure they’ll say a couple of treats to get him into the carrier should be fine. I liked using bonito fish flakes with Krista because these have no bulk to them yet lots of flavor. It’s the only cat treat that I would eat myself. They’re tasty.

 

[moggiegirl]

I’ve got an update for you. It was a nightmare to get Mickey in his carrier this morning. I tried to make it easy by putting a treat in his carrier. It didn’t work. I picked him up and put him in his carrier but he immediately ran out and I found myself chasing him throughout my home. I grabbed a towel and when he was in the bathroom I shut the door. Then I got the carrier, slipped in the bathroom and picked him up with a towel and forced him in his carrier. He fought hard. Well he needed to be seen by the vet today. The vet says he has serious dental disease and may have to have 10 teeth extracted. They recommended Hills T/D dental diet after his dental cleaning even if only as a treat but after reading Dr Lisa Pierson’s website and a book by Dr Elizabeth Hodgkins I really don’t want to feed that kind of junk food to my cats. The good news is that for the day of his dental cleaning which will be on March 23rd which is the soonest they can schedule him they gave me a medicated powder to mix with a tablespoon of wet food to make him tired. It takes 2 hours to take effect but should help me get him in his carrier. I’m going to use a more irresistible food for this...Fancy Feast should work. It’s going to cost me between one thousand and two thousand dollars. I have until March 23rd to save some more money for it and I will probably use my stimulus check. My other cat Bella has moderate tarter build up and could use a dental cleaning but the vet said her teeth can wait...I need to prioritize Mickey. I waited 3 years to take my cats to the vet after adopting them. I didn’t want to cause them stress and I have old fashioned family members who don’t bother with dental care for cats and only take cats to the vet when they’re obviously sick. I learned my lesson. Cats need annual wellness exams by a veterinarian. Because I put it off Mickey is going to lose at least 10 teeth. And I am not discussing this with my Dad, my stepmother or any of my old fashioned folks. None of their business.

 

[fionasmom]

Just focus on the fact that you are doing the best you can for him now and don't blame yourself for anything in the past. You are evidently a very caring pet owner and your cats are lucky to have you. Sorry about the sticker price which is unfortunately the going rate for that kind of procedure.

 

[moggiegirl]

As if the sticker price isn’t enough my vet also told me that my strictly indoor cats are due for vaccines. I declined those. The Rescue House whom I adopted my cats from told me the vaccines they received prior to adoption are all they need for life if they are going to be living strictly indoors and never boarded. It seems vets forget how much how much of of a financial stress veterinary care is for pet owners and try to squeeze as much dough out from us as they can. I understand that vets are here to help and they are not the enemy but it’s things like this that make me dislike them.

 

[sabrinah]

Some states require regular rabies vaccination by law unless the pet is given exemption by the veterinarian for medical reasons. You may want to check your local regulations before writing off vaccines entirely.

 

[moggiegirl]

If it came down to me breaking the law then I would have no choice but I understand over vaccinating cats weakens their immune systems and can give them cancer. My strictly indoor cats have a zero percent chance of catching rabies. And so far no one told me I am breaking the law so I won’t do it.