I am having the worst day ever!!!! Can't do it!

first of all make sure to take care of the scratches. peroxide and anti-boditic cream so they don't get infected.

second learn how to scruff the kitten. If you pick her by the scruff of the neck she will calm down immed. just make sure to support her back legs. Try it when it's calm, it's magical.

I did scruff her! It was crazy... I scruffed her holding her back legs and she latched onto my skin and clothes pulled up with all her might and ended up standing on my back (i was crouched over)! Usually the scruff thing works... Helps me get her out from under the bed but this time she had enough! It took four attempts until we reached success, at that point i think she had givin up the fight! I didn't want to hurt her but I was holding her as firm as I could without hurting her! She is a strong little one! I should clean my wounds... I only cleaned the hand and not the chest wounds! Will antibacterial soap do the trick? Im moving so my resources are packed away and elsewhere! All I have is antibacterial soap and wintergreen sented rubbing alcohol!

As Ferris taught me (and taught me WELL,) scruffing does NOT work with every kitty.

I'm glad you were able to get them to the vets - so how are they, any news???

The vet said no wet food just dry Evo for the rest of the week! That way we can figure out if the EVO is an issue or the EVO and Felidae combination is an issue! She wants me to get them use to the EVO and then call back on friday! Hopefully they won't get sick again! I didn't have any diagnostics ran because she said they were not necesasary at this point because both kitties are hydrated, alert, no temp, and seem to be doing well! So I think I'll try workin it out till friday and then touch base again with my vet!

Originally Posted by GingersMom

Then grab him, drop him into the carrier from the top and slam the door shut.

Click to expand...

That is the method I use too! I have showed up at the vet bleeding profusely in the past, and so I feel your pain!

Originally Posted by GingersMom

As Ferris taught me (and taught me WELL,) scruffing does NOT work with every kitty.

I'm glad you were able to get them to the vets - so how are they, any news???

Click to expand...

Wow it works on Natasha she goes limp even when she's terrified.

Originally Posted by ckatz

Wow it works on Natasha she goes limp even when she's terrified.

Click to expand...

The very last time I scruffed Ferris, he turned himself inside out and became something akin to strange orange popcorn with whirling, razor-sharp claws.

It may have to do with the fact that he is semi-feral, and took the restraint as a threat rather than as something that should naturally subdue him.

Needless to say, after I washed the blood off, I never scruffed him again.

I had to scruff Natasha when she escaped her carrier outside on a busy street. I don't know who was more terrified her or me. She used one of her nine lives that day.

Wow! Nollee was feral up until maybe a month before I adopted her! I adopted her at 6 months... She is now 8 months! Usually when she is under the bed and I scruff her to slide her out she goes limp... No big deal! I've come to the conclusion that she hates confinement! When I ffirst got her she was scared to come out of the carrier since she had been kept in a cage up until I adopted her! Now she gets so scared!

Originally Posted by trixie23

Wow! Nollee was feral up until maybe a month before I adopted her! I adopted her at 6 months... She is now 8 months! Usually when she is under the bed and I scruff her to slide her out she goes limp... No big deal! I've come to the conclusion that she hates confinement! When I ffirst got her she was scared to come out of the carrier since she had been kept in a cage up until I adopted her! Now she gets so scared!

Click to expand...

Same thing with Ferris! His foster family kept him in a cage for a month with his littermates. They SAY that they took him out to play a lot, but that boy was a terrified little cat when I adopted him and it took him a few months to come around to the love bug that he is.

He still has panic issues, though, does NOT like to play in boxes, and the last time I had to put him in a carrier, he yowled like I was killing him, then peed all over himself in sheer terror. Poor baby.

So I feel your pain as well. Here's a kiss for your boo-boos.

Boy, do I identify with your ordeal today! It really can just frustrate you to tears. You've gotten lots of good advice here... let me just add this...

Our cats all know exactly what the carrier means, and they vanish into thin air the moment they see it. So the only way we can do it is:

1. I place the open carrier in the laundry room adjacent to the kitchen and lay a thick bathtowel across the open top. Then I close the door to the laundry room, but I don't let it latch completely, so I'll be able to shoulder it open without touching the knob.

2. I entice the cat into the kitchen and close the door to the living room, to limit his hiding places if he escapes.

3. I prepare myself mentally without making any unusual moves, very casual... then I pick up the cat and hold him on his back like a baby -- something I do every now and then anyway -- and I shove backward through the laundry room door and deposit the kitty in the carrier all in one motion.

4. The neat thing is that the bathtowel that's across the top of the carrier slides in with the kitty as he goes, and it not only keeps him from being scraped on the sides of the carrier opening, but also gives him nothing solid to clamp onto... the towel just slides along with him.

5. Once he's in, I always keep one hand on his head and one hand holding the carrier top in place over him, and I talk to him softly to calm him and minimize the trauma. Then I draw my hand out and latch the top.

The only other thing I can think of is... I always get all the cats who are going to the vet into the room, with the door closed, before I begin the captures... and I always start with the most difficult kitty first.

And I wear my scars proudly!

Originally Posted by GingersMom

Same thing with Ferris! His foster family kept him in a cage for a month with his littermates.

They SAY that they took him out to play a lot, but that boy was a terrified little cat when I adopted him and it took him a few months to come around to the love bug that he is.

He still has panic issues, though, does NOT like to play in boxes, and the last time I had to put him in a carrier, he yowled like I was killing him, then peed all over himself in sheer terror. Poor baby.

So I feel your pain as well. Here's a kiss for your boo-boos.

Click to expand...

Same exact thing with Nollee! It took over a month for her to warm up to me... She still hasn't warmed up to my bf... She is a one person cat! She still gets very timid around strangers and in caged situations because she as well was kept caged with littermated by the adoption agency!

Thanks for all the tips and advise everyone! I will be prepared the next time!

Originally Posted by trixie23

I did scruff her! It was crazy... I scruffed her holding her back legs and she latched onto my skin and clothes pulled up with all her might and ended up standing on my back (i was crouched over)! Usually the scruff thing works... Helps me get her out from under the bed but this time she had enough! It took four attempts until we reached success, at that point i think she had givin up the fight! I didn't want to hurt her but I was holding her as firm as I could without hurting her! She is a strong little one! I should clean my wounds... I only cleaned the hand and not the chest wounds! Will antibacterial soap do the trick? Im moving so my resources are packed away and elsewhere! All I have is antibacterial soap and wintergreen sented rubbing alcohol!

Click to expand...

It always seems like you are going to hurt the kitty if you scruff them too hard, but it won't. The skin back there is tough as nails. You have to remember that mom's got razor sharp teeth, and that's what she uses to pick the kittens up with.

Wow that does not sound like fun and cats are surprisingly strong when they do not want to get into carriers or be caught.

I'm yet another one of those that leaves the cat carrier out at all times. It has a nice soft fleece blanket in and it's my cats main sleeping place (apart from my bed and the sofa in the living room.

I call it her "Fortress of Solitude" because she always goes into the carrier when she wants to be alone and not be bothered by people. Works quite well though and last time I took her to the vet she was already in the carrier sleeping so I just had to close the door

My cat who is 16 has NEVER once agreed to going in the carrier to the vet.

I always wrap her in a blanket like you'd wrap a baby with only her head showing and carry and hold her like a baby in the car with someone else driving. She still cries and cries but stays pretty still because I think she feels much safer.