Problems with the carrier

I have an almost 3 year old cat who won't go in his carrier anymore. I know exactly why but would like sone advise on helping him be ok with it again.

When I first got him, he went in the carrier fine. Wasn't a fan of car rides, but he had no issues with the carrier itself. My ex, while we were together, would lock my cat in the carrier and put him in the laundry room with no light on and leave him in there for hours while I was at work because he didn't want to deal with a playful kitten. I found out and you see why he's my ex.

But I was able to move out a year ago and my cat still refuses to go any where near a carrier. Iv'e tried a couple different ones and he knows what they are. It took 3 people and lots of scratches (the only time he ever scratches) to get him into one to move out. He still won't go in without a fight. I've tried treats, catnip, relaxation sprays, different carriers. I don't know what to do anymore. Help!

poor kitty, I can see how being locked up and alone in a dark place would make him hate the carrier. I leave my carrier in the living room tucked away, It is like a little hideaway. He once in a while goes in there to get some alone time. I suggest that you leave the carrier out, in an area you are in frequently. He might then lose the bad association with it.  Mind you he still hates being forced into it, typically nothing good comes of it; mostly vet trips.

I'll try that. He used to chill in the carrier. I'd open the door and he'd just walk right in and sit down.  He actually likes the vet! They give him tons of attention. And they always fawn over how affectionate and beautiful he is. 

Another thing that will help immensely is to put an article of clothing that you have recently worn in the carrier. He will find your smell comforting. Best of luck, I can only imagine what I would have done if someone did that to my kitty, lol  no one messes with kitty  

My Ally doesn't mind the carrier too much but Opie lived in it when we first brought him home he was so tiny. We kept the door open in the master bath, had litter food, etc outside the carrier on a rug. It was his bed for months. He is so darned big now he might fit init but not be able to turn around I just held him last vet trip last week and carried him inside to the vet., Hubby drove so I could hold  the cat. I just knew he was 20 pounds or more but vet weighed him in at 17.5 pounds.

     Ally has been in and out of carrier so often that long as I talk to her and she sees me she is fine with it. Opie on the other hand had not been to the vet OR in the carrier for a long while so when he went to get his eye checked and shots updated last week, he was a nervous wreck.He probably still recalls Tigger's body being brought home in it, and sitting vigil beside it  we buried him...

      afterwards I took Pet-Mate apart, washed it with concentrated Lysol liquid, washed the blanket, etc...I guess it really would be a good idea to take them in a carrier on a car ride occasionally just so they would be used to it. I have a friend who hauls 2 dogs and a cat every-time they go camping. I do not take my cats camping, since my hubby does NOT go they keep him company when my sister and I go to the camper..They are so much company to him   funny how animals sense when their person does NOT feel well. Hubby had back surgery on 2008, walked into bedroom a few days after surgery and  There was Tigger at foot of bed, Opie at his side and the quaker Parrot sitting on his left shoulder...all being very quiet and just there, usually the Quaker was really verbally rowdy but she was just talking really soft and sweet in his ear...

Zed Xyzed said:

 
Another thing that will help immensely is to put an article of clothing that you have recently worn in the carrier. He will find your smell comforting. Best of luck, I can only imagine what I would have done if someone did that to my kitty, lol  no one messes with kitty  

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He loves sitting in my lap, I'll put my pants in there, lol. 

He's my ex for mainly that reason. He'd always say that his old cat wouldn't do thing like Simba did. Maybe because Simba was only a kitten at the time. Of course he's gonna do "bad" things! You gotta teach him not to, not locking him away when you don't feel like dealing with a kitten! Now, Simba understands what 'no' means and he comes when I call him. He's a very well behaved cat. He doesn't scratch, hiss, bite, he's not aggressive in any way. If he is tired of you touching him or doesn't like how you are, he just gets up and walks away. It's my ex's loss for not knowing this great cat. 

I agree a kitten will be a kitten, and you just need to deal with it and teach them. Let us know how the carrier training goes. One thing about a cat is that if they do something it is on their conditions. That is why I really get a kick out of them; here is this little creature what weighs a fraction of what I do and yet, he rules the house. LOL you have to love their attitude. 

I teased that I would part with my husband before I would my cat and I swear that hubby feels the same way. lol    He always swore he did NOT like cats but would never do anything to harm one, but they curl up right on him and beside him when I am not home

I have two carriers, a larger hard plastic one which I never use for the vet. (It's just for car traveling when there will be no vet on the other end.) The other one is a soft carrier, with cozy insides, and with a shoulder strap so that I can carry my kitten near me when transporting her. The latter is the one I use for the vet. I keep it "with door open" in the closet at home, and she has come consider it a hidey place for Alone Time when at home. Because it has become a comforting, safe place for her at home, it's the one I use for the vet as well. Sounds counter intuitive, but while at the vet she knows she can go in the carrier when scared, as a retreat. After the vet looks her over, and if she is still nervous, she can pop back into her carrier to feel "safe" -- and with repeated experience, she knows she ends up safely back at home when that carrier is used. I'm not sure if this helps, but I agree with the others... it's all about losing the association with bad things or bad events when it comes to a carrier.

This won't help with the fear part, but if you don't have one and can afford it, I would highly recommend a top loading cat carrier. Our biggest cat hate hate hates being confined, poor thing, and I can't imagine trying to get him into a front loading carrier. He still struggles valiantly, but its manageable on the rare occasion he's needed to go to the vet.

Sorry but wow your ex was terrible! Such terrible and sad treatment. I would be enraged!! How did you find out?? Glad hes an ex. Someone whos mean to animals cant be trusted.

What a dick. Glad you dumped him.

What about taking the lid off the carrier and putting a squishy towel in it, so it's more like a cat bed than a carrier? Will he sit in that? Maybe that's a better way to try and start getting him used to the carrier idea again.