Help...have to catch Mack to take him to the vet

[happylabs]

Mack has been pooping and peeing at various parts of my house. Not sure what is wrong with him. He is a completely inside cat. I tried to get him on Friday to take him to the vet. I was able to pick him up and carry him to put him into the crate. He fought like crazy and before I could get the door closed he pushed his way out.

Now he will not come near me. I have to catch him to get him to the vet before he ruins my carpeting. I asked the vet if they could give me a sedative but they will not do it. This cat is huge, fat.

How do I get him. Someone please help me. I have not been feeling well for about a month now and I am just not able to cope with this.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

[Randi]

Helen, when Fister was young, John and I were nervous wrecks every time we had to take him to the vet, or a cat hotel. We simply had to sedate him! The first pill the vet gave him was much too strong, Fister was "out of it" for about 12 hours and we hated to see him like that. Later we tried Diazepam, that is what is in Valium. Two to five mg. was enough to make him relaxed. He could still walk, although a bit wobbly. So I suggest you ask your vet to give one of those, or you may not get him to the vet at all. I don't think it contains anything that would interfere with the possible tests the vet is going to do, but ask if that's the reason.

Good luck!

[happylabs]

That sounds like a good plan if I can get them to give them to me. Problem is, Mack has not been back to the vet since he was a kitten and neutered because I have not been able to ever get him. So, they are not familiar with him and that may be the reason they don't want to give the sedative.

Do you think if they do give me a sedative that he will let me catch him? And then how long does it take to take effect. What if he goes somewhere in the house and I can't find him. Oh this is such a dilemma. I just am not able to cope with anything out of the ordinary right now.

I will be calling them again tomorrow to see what they will do.

Thanks for the info and if anyone else has any advice please feel free. I am at a loss.

[Grace]

Is there anyone who can help you corral him? Sometimes it takes both of us to get Red or Charley in the carrier.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I know that this may sound a bit cruel, but when I had my semi-feral cat Cirrus I had to put an open carrier behind the toilet and chase him into my bathroom while quickly closing the door. I then had to use a broom to chase him into the carrier and then I had to quickly close it. I could never pick this cat up and he would growl and hiss like a wild cat. I did get some sedative pills for him but I could never get him to take them. I had to bring him in a bit early to have a vet tech give them to him. How he managed to do it I have no idea. They also make this in a cream that you could rub into his ear. Maybe this would work out better. Good luck.

[Karen]

Get a pillowcase, and try to get him inside that - it's easier and more flexible than trying to wrangle an unwilling cat into a carrier, once you have him inside the pillowcase - which is washable, too - you can just tie to shut and carry that to the carrier, or just go with him in the pillowcase - they're porous, so he will have plenty of air to breath, even if he's spitting mad!

[happylabs]

I don't think the pillow case would work. He must be claustrophobic because the minute he was in the cat carrier he started flipping out like a wild cat and jumped out. I had the carrier standing on end so I could drop him in. He would never go into a pillow case I don't think.

He did let me pet and brush him earlier this evening and while I was sitting on the floor with him he let me pick him up a couple times but he doesn't like to be picked up if I am standing up. He will run.

He is actually a very mellow and laid back cat normally but is also aloof. He is very smart about not getting caught. The bathroom idea may work.

Thanks for all of your ideas though. Keep them coming.

[catland]

First, put the cat carrier somewhere that it can't be moved - the bathroom idea sounds good.

Then, when you catch him, scruff him by the neck - the way a momma cat carries her young (only don't lift him up - just do this kindly, but firmly, to show him who's boss).

Having a no-nonsense demenor can go a long ways - if he senses that you aren't 100% committed to getting him in the carrier, then he'll bolt.


good luck!

[Randi]

Tracy, John and I have had to chase Fister out in the kitchen or bathroom too - with a broom. Sometimes the vacuum cleaner would have him running out there - if it got close enough. LOL! He's really not that scared of it anymore. One time when John managed to catch Fister and hold on to him, he peed down his shirt.

Helen, I guess the best way to get Mack, is to lie down with him when he is relaxed, from behind, put your hands around his chest and cuddle for a while. Stroke him along the whiskers (Fister loves that). Then grab him and hold on to him. Lower his back into the carrier and quickly close the door. He will surely yowl for while, but unless you can get a pill to give him, this may be the best option.

If you can get him to run in to a small closed space, like the bathroom, that may be also be a good way to get him. Of course, it will be best if you can get him when he's relaxed.

Oh dear, I remember what nervous wrecks we were back then. Cats' can sense that, of course.

Any chance you could put some yummy shrimps (or whatever he loves) in the cage and he would go into it? I guess not.

Good luck!

[happylabs]

Tracy, John and I have had to chase Fister out in the kitchen or bathroom too - with a broom. Sometimes the vacuum cleaner would have him running out there - if it got close enough. LOL! He's really not that scared of it anymore. One time when John managed to catch Fister and hold on to him, he peed down his shirt.

Helen, I guess the best way to get Mack, is to lie down with him when he is relaxed, from behind, put your hands around his chest and cuddle for a while. Stroke him along the whiskers (Fister loves that). Then grab him and hold on to him. Lower his back into the carrier and quickly close the door. He will surely yowl for while, but unless you can get a pill to give him, this may be the best option.

If you can get him to run in to a small closed space, like the bathroom, that may be also be a good way to get him. Of course, it will be best if you can get him when he's relaxed.

Oh dear, I remember what nervous wrecks we were back then. Cats' can sense that, of course.

Any chance you could put some yummy shrimps (or whatever he loves) in the cage and he would go into it? I guess not.

Good luck!

I don't think he will lay down with me. I can tell he does not feel well but also he does not trust me after almost catching him on Friday. All of the suggestions here sound good but I have no one else to help me get him. It is just me.

He did let me pick him up and hold him while I was sitting on the floor last night. He is very big/heavy. I would not be able to get him by the scruff, I do not think.

I just hate conflict so much and he can clearly sense that. I just couldn't believe how upset he got when I put him in the carrier on Friday. I wasn't expecting him to go that crazy. He is a very mild mannered cat and very shy.

This whole thing has me so upset. The vet was closed yesterday. I am going to call today again to see if they will give me something to calm him down.

Thanks all.

[Queen of Poop]

When Cali took to hiding under the bed I used food as a lure. Laying out a line of Whiskas Temptations from her position to a spot where I could grab her and put her into her kennel. She is highly food motiviated though. Good luck.

[Randi]

I know exatcly how you feel. The vet simply has to give you something to calm him - you could probably need something, too.

I remember one time I went to the vet hospital - sat there and waited for two hours, to try to get a tranquiliser for Fister (I think it was), so we could get him into the box and take him there! The vet refused to give me one, "he had to see the cat first" I can't remember what happened after that, but somehow we got it sorted out. I really you will, too!

[Cataholic]

One of my cats, Gus'sers, hasn't been to the vet but one time in years for this very reason. That one time resulted in such significant bites to the vet that the vet was MIA for 20 minutes cleaning up. I don't think people understand the magnitude of terror/fear involved with this type of cat unless they have one themselves.

I was able to get Gus'sers into the carrier by 'trick'. We have a cat hole in the door leading to the basement steps, and I stood on the closed side, with the carrier flat up against the hole. J then chased the cat into the carrier. OK, what then. As the trip to the vet was so God awful I would never do it again. Gus'sers literally climbed the walls, thrashed about, I was asked to leave the room, bit the vet and all the while he couldn't be examined anyhow.

If this vet won't do a sedative, find one that will. There isn't, IMO, any other way.

[lizbud]

I don't think he will lay down with me. I can tell he does not feel well but also he does not trust me after almost catching him on Friday. All of the suggestions here sound good but I have no one else to help me get him. It is just me.

He did let me pick him up and hold him while I was sitting on the floor last night. He is very big/heavy. I would not be able to get him by the scruff, I do not think.

I just hate conflict so much and he can clearly sense that. I just couldn't believe how upset he got when I put him in the carrier on Friday. I wasn't expecting him to go that crazy. He is a very mild mannered cat and very shy.

This whole thing has me so upset. The vet was closed yesterday. I am going to call today again to see if they will give me something to calm him down.

Thanks all.

When reading your post, I thought ,that was just how I felt when I was
trying to catch Mama Kitty. My Vet wouldn't give a tranquilizer for her either,
not without seeing her first.

The first thing I would do is try to get him into one room and then work
from there. Scruffing & then dropping him, back feet first, into the carrier
should work best. (easy to say, I know) Good luck with this.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Will your vet do house calls or could one of the vet techs come to your home to at least help you get him in the carrier? Maybe you could ask a friend or a neighbor to help you with him. Hopefully you'll be able to get him into the carrier some how and he'll then be able to be seen by your vet and then hopefully the vet will realize that he's the kind of cat that must have some kind of a tranquilizer. Good luck.