Kylie's going to the vet!

[shais_mom]

Tomorrow is Kylie's first trip to the vet since I have had her. I am sure she isn't going to be very happy with me tomorrow afternoon! She is due for her vaccinations, she hasn't had any since she was spayed when she was 3-4 mos old and she is 1 1/2 now. I am sure she will do fine!

[Maresche]

Are you planning to take Kylie there in a cat carrier? If so and she gives you trouble getting her in, turn the carrier on its side so that the opening is facing the ceiling. This will help get Kylie in as gravity is now on your side. It helped a lot with getting Hana to the vet on Monday. She hates cat carriers (not that I can blame her)

I hope all goes well for both of you.

[AmberLee]

We hear you are going to visit the white coats tomorrow, Kylie. Our paws are crossed for you.

[Hint: We have a house rule that trips in the porta-prison mean extra treaties. Think you can convince your mommy this a house rule at your home, too?]

Lotsa luck and purrs and headbumpies at ya.

[NoahsMommy]

"portaprison"!!! How funny!!! I am sure my furballs feel the same way!!

Before you leave, set the "portaprison" on the ground with a towel or blanket in there with the door open. My cats always go into in a lay down, like they've found a new hiding spot. Then shut the cage door and go to the vet.... sneaky, I know...

[purrley]

portaprison - I love it I'll remember that .Kylie will do just great I'm sure of it!!!!

[Pam]

Noah's Mommy...I have done what you suggested and my cats wouldn't go in there. I was just thinking that if I had thrown in some catnip that might have produced some results! I, too, put the carrier up on its end and lower them down into it but even so it takes two people, one holding the cat and the other managing the flailing rear legs! Someone at the vet's office suggested to me to entice them into a pillowcase and then just lower the pillowcase down into the carrier. I just couldn't do it, though. It seemed too sneaky.

[purrley]

This must be really common. My Braydee just comes unglued when I put him in the carrier, even to the point of biting on the bars. It's like PANIC

[pepper636]

When I got my kittens, I kennel trained them. They slept in the kennel and also were in it while I was at work. Now a kennel is nothing to them; they'll even try to get the door open to go inside. I swore I would never have another animal that wasn't kennel trained. It's worked so far.

[AmberLee]

Wish I could take credit for the porta-prison descriptor. Someone else used it to discribe the carriers and it clicked for me. It might have been Sandra/Tatsxxx who used it first.

I have three carriers -- two are small, one-cat containers, and one is a fairly large one that both cats can fit in and roam around in on long trips. All are lined with towels, blankets, or something called a Purr-pad and have a tiny assortment of toys. I keep the doors open with toy plastic balls on the metal tabs to protect the kids eyes or whatever in case they are horsing around them. Both occasionally use them as a 'time out' spot or 'cat cave'. (Yes, I was a kid in the 60s.) Livvy uses them more often than Cassy.

When we travel, whether local or 'long distance', I find it easiest to load the kids in by using the method listed above: point it to the ceiling and lower the protesting fur-baby in. (Wish I could say that the 'protesting' part is optional, but according to my brood, it's NOT!

GOOD LUCK!

[tatsxxx11]

Oliver votes with AmberLee, Livvy and Cassy....TREATSVILLE!!! Good luck sweet Kylie!! And AmberLee, it wasn't I who coined the phrase "portaprision...." It was Oliver!!

[AmberLee]

Originally posted by tatsxxx11
... it wasn't I who coined the phrase "portaprision...." It was Oliver!!

I should've guessed that the phrase came from that furry little romantic poet, Oliver. He does have a remarkable way with words, that sweet-talking romeo of the four pawed set!

WUV to Oliver from his adoring JEWEL-iette

Duck, there are purrs, nibblies, and headbumps flying across the continent!

[Edwina's Secretary]

Edwina has two portaprisons -- (one must always coordinate accessories) but also a wonderful harness that I found on a Bengal cat website. It is designed for such things as taking cats to the vet or on car rides. She only goes in the fenced backyard with it on (we live on such a busy street I worry.)

Anyway, it is made of a heavy grade waterproof material (my brother asked why she had on a life jacket the first time he saw it. Always with the comments about her figure ) Hard to describe but it is like an "I" with another horizontal piece in the middle. It covers her entire back from neck to past her waist (or where her waist should be) and probably 3/4 of her circumference. It has a velcro closing at the neck, one just behind her front legs and one across her girth.

It has a ring for attaching a leash (and bell in her case.) It is very difficult for her to wiggle out of. The only way she has escape from it is when she caught it on a branch.

Although I won't say she loves it she knows wearing it is the only way she can go in the backyard. She has even been known to sit on it as a sign she would like to go outside. She will come running when I jingle it.

It is far easier to get her harness on her than it is to shove a hissing and growling gray mass into a plastic container!

[AmberLee]

Wow, I'd forgotten about harnesses. Will she actually walk into the vet's premises in a harness?

A coworker will walk her cat into the vet's in a harness and leash combo, but it's regarded as unusual there... I more easily imagine myself dragging a hissing, seething explosion of fur through the door -- never gave it a chance, really.

Do you stay with Edwina on a leash in the yard, or do you clip her lead to a central location? I used to walk (slink, crawl, tie ourselves around bushes, sprint, cuss, stand at attention beside sniffable items) Cassy on a lead before Livvy came into our lives. At times he likes it, usually not. Livvy regards it a cruel and unusual punishment, but we think we started it too late with her.

When did you start Edwina on the harness? How long did it take before she started enjoying it?

[tatsxxx11]

I think I'm going to have to go the harness route with that scamp Oliver. Seems he's trying his hardest to pack his ole kit bag and head westward toward that Jewel-iette in the sky, Livvy! Three times this week he hid BEHIND me walking out the porch door(I always check if he's around me) into the backyard to make the big escape. Luckily, protectors Star and Cody nabbed him in the NECK!! and brought him to the porch like a mama kitty!! Actually, he's a real wusssy and wouldn't have gone far, I think! Ahhh, those pheromones! Then again, consider the bait!!! She's quite a lure!

[Edwina's Secretary]

"Enjoy it" is too strong a term. "Tolerate" or accept might be more apt.

She has to be carried in the office but it keeps her from being able to run off if she should get down (I do love the mental image of her walking proudly into the office -- tail held high -- NOT) Also that way in the car she can sit on my lap (with husband driving) or explore the back seat without worrying about her getting under the brake pedal. I can't bear the catterwauling (sp?) she makes when confined to a cage.

She was at least a year when she came to live with us. We started her on a regular dog harness but she could wiggle out of that in seconds. So she has had this one since she was maybe two or more. She owns a collar but has never worn it.

Our backyard has a six foot fence she should not be able to get over (nor does she show any interest. Actual, once my husband took her out of it on her leash and she was horribly frightened.) It just makes me feel better to put the harness on. If and when she remembers she will do a little walk sidewise routine when she first puts it on. We let her trail the leash around behind her -- which is always getting caught on things. Then she sits there and looks annoyed until I come and get her free. But, if I see her chase off after a bird or squirrel I can just step on the leash and halt her progress. It took a while for her to accept it (she hissed at my mother when she was putting it on -- which I still hear about!) a month of so but now she knows ...out=harness.

When it is time to come in the house she will let me lead her on leash.