Nipping a problem in the bud

[katachtig]

I need some advice because I have a problem that I want to address before it gets worse.

We had the heat ducts cleaned so I left the cats at the vet's for the day.  When we brought them home, we found that Aoibhe had peed in her carrier.  DH said that the four cats had been put into a room with a litter box, food, and the carrier doors open.  Aoibhe was already in the carrier when he got there so we don't know when she peed.  It could have happened sometime during the day or on the ride home.

It is important that Aoibhe can handle being in a carrier for 45 minutes because she has to see an eye specialist every six months (she has cataracts and is prone to glaucoma) and it is a long car ride. 

I've washed the carrier and will leave it out so she is familiar with it though she has never had a problem going into it. But the last couple of times, when I had to put her in it, she has become very nervous and upset.  I tried some treats but she is so upset that she ignores them. I probably will line the carrier with a pad so if she does it again, she won't be sitting in a puddle like she was today.

How can I make the carrier less traumatizing for her?

 

[stephanietx]

I had a cat that would poop in her carrier when she was put in there.  Talk about stinky!!  She actually got to where she was comfortable with being in there and that behavior stopped.  However, I have also learned about Feliway (or Comfort Zone).  There is a spray variety that you can use.  Just spray the carrier and your car about 15 mins before putting her in there.  Also, I always drape a dark towel over the back half of the carrier so it feels more like a little cave or hiding place for them.
 

 

[txcatmom]

We had a very stressful time loading our cat Eko for the vet about a month ago.  (I still have a few scratch scars...he also expressed  his anal glands he was so stressed....PU.)  After that, I decided it was time to get serious about training them to be comfortable with their crates.  We also left one out like you, but that didn't really help much when it was time to force them into it.  So, we set up all 3 crates and started feeding treats and snacks in (or in front of, at first) the crates.  We're still working up to closing the door some and hope to work up to taking them in the car a bit too.

 Eko had a vet appt 2 weeks after the ugly incident and I had no problem getting him to follow a treat into the crate because he had been doing it every day.  All 3 cats are doing well with the training and I won't be stressed out all day long on vet appt days wondering whether I will be able to get them into their carriers. 

We also use calming spray in the crate (on layers of paper towel....Eko always pees in the crate) which helps a lot once they are in the crate.  Eko is totally calm at the vet, probably because he sniffs the spray the whole way there. 

 

[orientalslave]

Cats will pee or poo in their carrier from time to time - you can't tell them to go now as we are going on a car journey.  So long as the cat isn't distressed (and plaintive meowing isn't distress) it's not a problem.  I put newspaper in the bottom of the carrier.

I also use a top-loading carrier for the vets - the best one is plastic-covered wire, just like all the vets in the UK use.  I also have a plastic one that is better for a cat that tends to pee, poo or puke on the road.