Get Kitty in the Box

Hey everyone.
i'm going on holiday soon, and inevitably kitty has to go into the cattery. Getting her into the cat box has always been tricky, whether we're going to the vets or to the cattery. I know this is something all cat owners have to cope with and i'm just wondering if anyone has any good tips or techniques in getting a resistant cat into the carry box....i've tried to lure her in with ham, which is sometimes succesful, but other times she just knows what i'm up to and is very stubborn.

P.S. Kitty is too big to lower into the box from above.

Several days to a week before you need to take kitty anywhere, move the carrier to the regular area of your house, take the door off and put a soft towel inside. Let the kitty use this as a resting/hiding place. Then on the day you need to get kitty inside, put the door back on and you will probably find her easier to get inside. They still don't like to be there, but at least they don't associate it with only bad things.

Originally Posted by KittyKnowsBest

P.S. Kitty is too big to lower into the box from above.

Click to expand...

Muscle up!

We keep our carrier out all the time with a toy or two inside. Anya plays in it half the time. It's lined with a lambs wool like liner that I sprinkled a little catnip on too.

She's always more than ready to get out when it's time, but because she's used to being in there and playing in there it's not a big deal to get her in.

I've heard that some people will warm up some canned cat food and leave it in there as a treat to lure the kitty in and get them used to it. Just don't always have going in associated with something bad. Just like humans, if a cat associates an object with a bad experience EVERY time they see that object, well...they're bound to not like it.

Sometimes just put food in it. Or just let them play in it. We've put Anya and a toy in hers and just taken her outside to check things out. She seemed to enjoy it.

Good luck!

Cindy is a tiny cat, but we've discovered that if we can hold her front paws, she goes in easier. She is harder to get into the carrier (at under 8 pounds) than Swanie is (at about 15 pounds). Also, we put the carrier up on a table, so we don't have to bend down. That's probably something everybody does, but it took us a while to figure it out

For anyone who has trouble with loading their cats into the carrier. All I have to say is leave it out all the time with a blanket and toys inside. You will not believe how often your cats will enjoy sleeping or playing in it. And how hard is it to leave the carrier out? Simple! A simple solution. I have done it since I got my first cat carrier and all I do is set it down on the floor and open the door and my cats (6 of them) come running and hop right in.

I agree- leave the carrier out all the time (although there may not be enough adjustment time before this trip!).

After growing up watching my parents' cats freak out about having to go in their carrier, I decided that my cats would like their carriers. I leave them out with the door open at all times. Neither mind going in, but Lilly is really fond of hers. She often hops in to take a nap. Both my cats know it's a safe place.

I also take them for car rides in their carriers where they don't end up at the vet's office, so they don't only associate the carrier with the vet.

Good luck!

Oliver's crate stays out and open all the time with his blankie inside and he goes in to nap all the time... he's 15 pounds and I can lift him into the top by myself - I harness him up (which turns him into "slinky cat") and put him in through the top.... you could also spray the crate with feliway to calm the kitty down some

Thanks everyone for your advice .
I'm definately going to make the cat box a more permanent and less intimidating feature in the house. It might be a bit late for her to warm to it this holiday time, but its now in the living room with a comfy blanket and catnip buttons inside. Maybe she'll take a little nap there before i go.

Thanks again!

Here's the only thing that seems to work for me. Tip the carrier/box upwards, so that the entrance/opening is pointing up to the ceiling. Get kitty, hold back legs in one hand, and lower him down into the carrier from the top down. Shut it and lock it, and then set the carrier on the floor.

Works well for me and my 3 WWF kitties.

I dont leave the carrier out, my boys absolutely freak and have scary flashbacks of the last time they went for a ride. I probably should have left it out so they would get used to it but for whatever reason it always went into the closet.

Here's what works for me and mine; have someone hold the open carrier to about chest level while you hold the cat and just stick the cat's head in it. Mine naturally climb in, wanting something solid under their feet, I suppose. It's almost too easy. I tried everything before this, turning that crate every which way possible and they'd escape/trick me every time. But not anymore!

I leave my cat's carriers out all the time, but without the doors. I've tried leaving the doors on but just propped open, but they always get shut anyway. One of my cats is never fooled; when I need to get her in a carrier, she simply won't go.

The only thing I've found that works is that I work with alligators during the day, so I've gotten really good at animal handling! I have to scruff her, physically pick up her front paws to get them in, shove the rest of her in, and close the door before she can turn around.

Last time I took her to the vet, she climbed up above the kitchen cabinets as soon as I put the lid on the carrier. I actually had to climb the counters, grab her, step down from the counter, and put her in her box.

In other words, be calm, be competent with animal handing, and you'll eventually learn how to do it. With some cats, it will never be easy (although the above "horror story" took a very small amount of time and felt easy), but you'll eventually get good at doing it.