Shoving Trout into her cat carrier...

menasmom · Nov 3, 2007

I don't know what kind of carrier you have, but a vet tech taught me a good technique on getting them into the type that opens like a door from the front and it works. You still have to kind of not let them know "it's time to go in the carrier." You stand the carrier upright so the door is facing the ceiling (hopefully yours is sturdy enough to stay still while you're putting the cat in there---my husband held mine for me). You pick up the cat and back up towards the carrier so he doesn't see you headed that way. You put the cat down into the carrier BACK LEGS FIRST and close the door. Then set the carrier down the normal way. The first time I had to put Jiggy in his carrier for a vet visit, it took me a good half hour to get him in the "old fashioned way." I was full of hair, totally frazzled, and almost missed my appt by the time I got there, and when I told the tech the horrible time I had, she suggested I do it that way and it was so much easier! GOod luck!!!

trouts mom · Nov 3, 2007

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

Neithor - just pick her up the proper way tomorrow and you shouldn't have any issues.

Sit the carrier so that the top part is open and facing the ceiling (on it's back end standing up if that makes sense) - then pet little Trout for a few moments and when she's comfortable - quickly scruff her by the neck with one hand and with the other grab her two back feet and stretch them down away from her torso (gently). (she may fight you but keep your grip and she won't get loose!). Quickly lower her (hind feet first) into the carrier. When you get to where her head is almost in the carrier - quickly let go of her hind legs and let her sit down in there - then be fast and shut the door before she can get out. Sounds complicated- but i have to put TONS of kitties (many not so friendly ones) in carries everyday at the shelter- that is the best technique for getting them in the carrier quickly while avoiding being mauled

Good luck!

Also- you really should start leaving the carrier out for her at home all the time- (you can take the doors off so it won't shut on her or take a rubber band and pull it back with it. - put her favorite blanket and some yummy catnip in there for her and just leave it alone- she'll eventually learn to feel comfortable in her carrier and not to fear it whenever you try and put her in it- it will make things a lot easier on you in the future when you need to transport her!

Make the carrier a positive place (put treats, food, catnip, a blanket/etc) in there and she will learn that it's not soo bad after all!

Good idea Nikki! I am going to try that!

pookie-poo · Nov 3, 2007

Whenever I have to take one of my girls to the vet, this is how I go about getting them into the carrier....which, by the way, they are terrified of!

I come home from work and quickly pick up the appropriate victim. I toss them into the bathroom and quickly close the door to prevent escape and hiding. I go down in the basement and get the carrier. I grab the spray bottle in one hand and the carrier in the other hand. I slowly open the bathroom door and check to see if the cat will try to escape...spray if necessary to prevent. Slip inside as quickly as possible and close the door FAST! I set the carrier on the vanity, pick up the cat and stuff her into the carrier.

If I bring the carrier up early, even as much as a week early, it seems to put the girls on edge....especially my scaredy cat, Maggie. She's also the most difficult to get into the carrier. That's how I came up with the bathroom idea. At least I'm not chasing them around the house trying to catch them. If Maggie get scared, she hides in the false ceiling in the basement. If that happens, I have to call and cancel the appointment 'cuz she'll stay up there for hours if she's scared enough.

Nikki's idea is excellent. I'm going to remember it and try it next time I need to put them in the carrier!!!

Poor little Trouty...hope everything is all right!

trouts mom · Nov 3, 2007

Well I got her in...but not without a back claw slash right across my wrist

yes, I look suicidal to strangers now

I couldn't do the putting her in from the top thing because her carrier doesn't stand on its own on the back end..it has a ledge that prevents it.

So, i had to just grab her by the scruff and cram her in

I felt SO BAD..but that was the only way. Poor thing.

She is back now, and cuddling with me though..I think she forgets I'm the one who brought her there andjust remembers that I was the one who brought her back home

sham · Nov 3, 2007

About 6months ago I got one of those claw marks to the wrist but mine was bad enough to scar. Now it permanently looks like I tried to slit my wrist.

If you only put out the carrier a day ahead of time it won't take too many times before they see it coming. Then on the day of your vet appointment you'll have to go hunt them down from whereever they are hiding. Unless we're talking about Carmel who is trusting to a fault. I just set down the carrier, toss a treat or toy in, she goes to look, and I tap her rearend so she jumps and lands in the carrier. Hasn't failed yet.

Most of the barn cats I wrap in a towel so they can't use their feet and slide in backward. Over the longterm for indoor cats you can leave the carrier out and throw bits of food or feed entire meals in it so the cat gets used to it. Then it's no problem to lure them into the carrier and swing the door shut while they are eating.

trouts mom · Nov 3, 2007

Yeah I think I will just surprise her next time...the carrier being out just makes her stressed way before the appointment for no reason.

momofmany · Nov 3, 2007

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

Sit the carrier so that the top part is open and facing the ceiling (on it's back end standing up if that makes sense) - then pet little Trout for a few moments and when she's comfortable - quickly scruff her by the neck with one hand and with the other grab her two back feet and stretch them down away from her torso (gently). (she may fight you but keep your grip and she won't get loose!). Quickly lower her (hind feet first) into the carrier. When you get to where her head is almost in the carrier - quickly let go of her hind legs and let her sit down in there - then be fast and shut the door before she can get out.

Yup - that's exactly what I have to do with the ones in my house that are semi-feral still. That and leave the carrier out in the open at least a few days before the appointment.

I've got 3 that fight me and another 3 that just waltz right in when the door is open. My OTB Tigger left me a few scars before I discovered this trick.

erinca7821 · Nov 3, 2007

I had trouble with getting Seamus in the carrier this summer and was getting scratched up and frustrated with him when we had the worms/giardia visits. I hated the idea of wrestling with him, wrapping him in a towel, anything that required me being a little rough with him, plus he would run like a maniac when he saw the towel. I had a month before the neutering so I figured out a new trick. I lock Seamus in the computer room and empty the closet. I have to use the Rubbermaid tubs to block the door anyway because it doesn't latch shut. Then I lure him into the corner of the closet where he can't jump over anything and sit in the closet with him, carrier open at him. I lure him with a treat toward the carrier and after a few minutes of realizing there's no out of the closet except through the carrier, he gets in and I quickly grab the door and shut it. I was far more patient this way and he was a lot less mad getting into the thing.

The carrier is out all the time in this room without the door on it, but he has no use for it really.

The funny thing is at the vet, after he puts on his demon child act and gets checked out, he'll climb right in and I get so mad!

trouts mom · Nov 3, 2007

Originally Posted by erinca7821

The funny thing is at the vet, after he puts on his demon child act and gets checked out, he'll climb right in and I get so mad!

I think they all do that..its like "get me the #$@ out of here!!

"

zane's pal · Nov 5, 2007

With the carrier, Zane hated it. He'd yowl constantly and would loose control of his bowels. However, the vet's offics is just down the street from me, so I got a stroller. Zane doesn't like the stroller, but he dislikes it far less than he does the carrier.

babyharley · Nov 5, 2007

I keep our carrier out for the boys all the time - that way when its vet time - they dont have any issues.
Harley sleeps in it everyday & I find random toys in there that he's hiding from Bayley

alleygirl · Nov 5, 2007

Riley LOVES his carrier! It is a hard, top loading one and any time I bring it out and open the top he jumps right in. He will even nap in it if I leave it out

He never cries in his carrier or in the car though, and I think he almost enjoys the ride

epona · Nov 5, 2007

Radar has learned to dislike vet visits and cries when we get there, but for some reason he still adores our vet and still leaps into his carrier at every opportunity, even though it may mean he has an appointment with the dreaded rectal thermometer.

Sonic is the one who can sense a vet visit a mile off, when we took him in to be neutered we started off with Plan A, which was get the carrier out and let him go in it. Plan B involved trying to stuff him in it through the front door while it was horizontal on the ground. Plan C was to tip the carrier up onto its end, and load him in from the top. It was at this moment that I questioned the wisdom of getting a very long-legged and bodied breed of cat, even not yet fully grown, his back feet reached the bottom when half of his body was still sticking out of the top and it was at that point that I first realised just how muscular he is. The farce continued (we were starting to run out of serious ideas at that point) with a move involving a towel over the head (his head, not mine) to cause confusion, and a highly ambitious sleight of hand move to unhook his front claws from the edge of the carrier with the other hand, and lower him in while his balance was off. I just managed to get the carrier closed in time to stop him exploding out of it. He wailed very loudly and indignantly in true Oriental fashion throughout the bus journey, earning us some very strange looks from fellow passengers.

I suggest the towel maneuver described in previous posts.

jellybella · Nov 6, 2007

I leave them out all the time. My two actually hang out in their carriers and they are popular for naps.

sham · Nov 6, 2007

I think they all do that..its like "get me the #$@ out of here!!

Not Squeak. As soon as the vet lets go of her she seems to forget what happened. She acts like he never did anything and will start purring if he pets her. When it's time to go back in the carrier she wiggles, mews, and grabs anything around because she wants to continue visiting and playing with everyone. Squeak isn't quite a normal cat.

missymotus · Nov 7, 2007

Originally Posted by Sham

She acts like he never did anything and will start purring if he pets her.

Last time Demetri was at the vets he got in 'trouble' for purring so much that she couldn't listen to his chest.

Shoving Trout into her cat carrier...

menasmom

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trouts mom

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pookie-poo

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trouts mom

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sham

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trouts mom

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momofmany

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erinca7821

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trouts mom

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zane's pal

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babyharley

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alleygirl

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epona

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jellybella

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sham

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missymotus

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