Getting cats into carriers

[Mad Mags Moo]

Hi David!
The way we try and get out little furballs into the baskets is by treats!
We also leave the basket out a day or so before we have to take them anywhere and leave the doors or tops off them so they can go in and out!
Squeak hates going in no matter what so we have got a wire basket and has its lid on top so we just pop her in and shut the lid quick!! Bubble is just easy...we just pick her up and she is kind of resigned to the fact that she may as well go in....phew...good girl!!!

Good luck!

[davidpizzica]

Hi, mad mags moo welcome to PT! I was attempting to get them in carriers for their rabies shots. I tried to let them get used to their carriers ahead of time but it backfired on me! Now for the next rabies clinic, a lady from Cat Sense where I volunteer will help me round them up for their shots. I think these two outsmarted me!

[JoeyGina]

David, I have the exact same problem. I had to bring Gina in the other day, and after an hour and a half of trying to get her in the carrier, I had to cancel the vet and reschedule for the next day.

Turning the carrier over with the door facing up is a good idea. Gina will run and hide under things when I try to put her in, so I blocked off the bottom of my bed and everything else that she could hide under. The first time, she got through anyway The next day, I had to get some human help to get her in

[PJ's Mom]

I do the same thing Donna does...turn the carrier up, but i use a towel to cover their back legs. usually works for me.

Good luck next time.

[Don Juan's mom]

If you're shopping for a carrier, you might consider getting one that has a door in the top, as well as the one in the end. It's MUCH easier to stuff kitty in and hold the body and head down while getting the tail inside.

The one disadvantage is that one day when I was taking Don Juan to the vet, he figured out how to work the sliding catches on the top door and got the door open... while we were on the freeway. I told him that he would have liked being in a car accident even less than paying a visit to Dr. J.

Now, I put a bungee cord around the carrier.

Just another suggestion: I found that Don Juan makes much less fuss during car trips if I put his carrier on the back seat with a seat belt around it, rather than just putting it on the floor of the car. I think he gets less engine noise and vibration there.

Liz