Getting Cat I Can't Touch To The Vet - Advice?

So I have this stray kitty. She isn't stray now, she lives with me.
I need to get her to the vet for a check up, but there's a catch: I can't touch her. I can get close, and she's not too scared, but I can't just pick her up and slap her in a carrier either.
Does anyone else have cats they can't touch? What do you do when vet time rolls around?
This little girl isn't dumb. I haven't been able to trick her into a carrier with food either.

For my feral, I corner her in her room, shut the door, and then use a pole to eventually get her in her carrier. She tends to run to one particular corner next to the couch, so if I can get her there, put her carrier in front of the gap, and then guide her in with the pole, it works out pretty well. So far, we haven't had to majorly chase yet.

What is she going to the vet for?

If you are comfrotable with the idea, maybe your vet could teach you how to do injections if it's just for vaccines? Or if you've got some large-animal vets (because they are generally mobile) who also do small animals they may come to you.

You might also consider a tranq in food.

She's just going for general worming and checking. I'd like to be able to introduce her to my other cats, and resume a normal home life (she's separate from them now).
I don't mind doing injections, but I think that may be even more traumatic for both of us. I really can't touch her at all. I can get really really close... but, well, that's about it.
A tranquillizer may be the way to go. Do you get them from your vet? Or do you use something herbal?

I had one for awhile that I couldn't get near because she would hiss, growl and scratch. I used leather work gloves to pick her up and put her in the carrier.

Originally Posted by Nes

What is she going to the vet for?

If you are comfrotable with the idea, maybe your vet could teach you how to do injections if it's just for vaccines? Or if you've got some large-animal vets (because they are generally mobile) who also do small animals they may come to you.

You might also consider a tranq in food.

Click to expand...

Touching a cat to get it in a crate is a lot less touching required than giving an injection!

We have those thick elbow-length leather gloves.

...but in the future, to avoid this problem, if you have the space wherever you live, put out several crates and use something to make sure the doors stay open. Take stuff that smells like your kitty, put it in the crate. Spray the sides of the crate (inside and out) with Feliway. Just leave them out all the time as cat beds. Then the crates are a safe space - it makes it MUCH easier!

No but it may be that the cat feels more comfortable around the OP then a new vet and the entire experience may be easier (obviously if it's a check up she need to go to the vet). I know my horse (and I know, horses aren't cats) won't let the vet give her injections but has NO issue with me doing it. If you could pull off a tackle & poke (again, obviously she needs to go to the vet in this case) that would probably be allot easier for her then crating her off for an hour or two to the vets.

You can get a tranq from your vet for her.

I personally frown on tranquilizers, as I've seen it make a feral cat even more afraid of me - they don't feel right and they become even more cautious around people. Also, there are no guarantees that you will get one in a cat that you have difficulty touching in the first place. If the taste taints their food, they won't eat the food you hide it in.

Laurie's suggestions were very good. I will add that if that doesn't work quick enough prior to your vet appointment, that leaves you a couple of options. Trap her with a humane trap in the room. I used to have to do that with one of my cats who would not allow me to pick him up (and at 18 pounds, he was VERY strong). Then I learned to herd him into a small room, close the door behind him, then pick him up while I had a firm scruff grip on him to force him to relax. The carrier was already open in the room with the door facing the ceiling. I dropped him in, closed the door, and gently returned the carrier to a normal position.

When you make your vet appointment, ask for a time where they can be very flexible - over the course of a day rather than a specific time. If you are stressed about meeting an exact time, she will pick up on that and it will be harder for you to catch her. If you can just casually get her at your own pace, she won't expect it.

Good luck - over time it will get easier for you.

I used to trick my old cat by waiting until she was eating. When she was eating I was able to touch her so I would wait until she was done, then I'd pick her up and put her in the cage.

It was getting her OUT of the carrier once we got to the vet that was the issue. lol