Epic Battle - Getting Kitty into carrier

[Amara]

They meow, whine, howl, etc. the entire trip to the vet.  Once they are out of the car, they'll usually quiet down.  When they don't, it's so embarrassing to be sitting in the waiting room with a howling carrier.

They're not embarrassing you! They are generously sharing the song of their people. 

[Baby Snakes]

I usually put the carrier in the living room on the morning of the appointment.   Kitty sniffs around and checks it out then avoids it.  My vet taught me the best way to put the cat in - turn the carrier on it's side so that the door is on the top.  Open the door and put kitty in head first, it has never failed.

That did not work for my male cat (now deceased).  He would take one look at the carrier and hide under the king sized bed in our bedroom.  He'd get right in the middle and we used to have to tag team him out with the broom handle - gently of course!

[jedikaiti]

AFTER this visit, try to make the carrier be nice.
With my 'good' cat (as opposed to the 'bad' cat), who happens to be food motivated, starting the first day she came home, I left the carrier out.  Throughout the day, I'd sneak a few treats in at the door of it.  and her favorite toy.
I gradually moved the treats farther and farther in, so she'd have to walk in to get them. 
The carrier was there ALL the time with good stuff--and was only bad 1x per year.  So to this day, I can get out the carrier, open the door and she walks in.

(I claim it's the conditioning but, maybe I sold my soul to the devil and didn't know it?)

I typically leave a carrier out for my cats at all times, and I often find them napping in it. That way, being locked inside is unpleasant, but not as traumatic, and it'd much easier to get them in to begin with. Also, I keep a folded up towel in there that is theirs alone, so that is comforting as well. Putting treats in when it's just out is also a great idea.

[veronaz]

Mission accomplished!!    We’re back.

Got there a little early and they took us right away.  Two quick shots and talons nails trimmed.

However, kitty has inflamed gums.  As soon as I can I need to make an appointment, take her back in and leave her for a few hours (they put her to sleep)……..if there are any bad teeth they will extract.

[Arila]

I don't have anything to add to the ideas offered by other cat-wranglers. (We use the hind-end first, gravity assist method)

My coworker went to a...cat acrobatics? tricks? type of show where this lady had trained a herd of cats to do all sorts of tricks, and they more or less were obedient to her commands for running an obstacle course or leaping/flipping etc, but would occasionally wander off into the audience. She wasn't worried about that though, because apparently, one thing that they were SOLID on was going to their carriers when the signal was given.  She said she recommended at least that bit of training for all cats, because there are a variety of emergency situations where it could be useful as well as the ordinary vet visits. Apparently, with the right treats, cats can be clicker trained similarly to dogs. (I am still skeptical)

[veronaz]

because there are a variety of emergency situations where it could be useful

On a cat forum one of my chat buddies told us how he trained his cats to get into carriers if smoke alarm went off.  He had periodic ‘drills’ and kept the carriers beside a window (so he could lower them out the window  with a chain in case of fire).

[gingerzing]

They meow, whine, howl, etc. the entire trip to the vet.  Once they are out of the car, they'll usually quiet down.  When they don't, it's so embarrassing to be sitting in the waiting room with a howling carrier.

They're not embarrassing you! They are generously sharing the song of their people. 

The bolded. This is what I told my vet on the last visit.  There is quite an array of various arias for the kitties to choose from.  Younger cat the week before chose the  Flight of the Valkyries of doom  and dispair.  The older cat chose Don't Cry For Me Argentina of woe and martyrdom. 

[C0mputerGeek]

I've seen videos on YouTube about this. It looks like the best way is to:
1. Transfer cat to pillowcase. Close pillowcase. Transfer pillowcase with cat to carrying case*.
2. Grab cat by scruff of neck (this relaxes them). Place cat in carrier.

[veronaz]

I've seen videos on YouTube about this. It looks like the best way is to:
1. Transfer cat to pillowcase. Close pillowcase. Transfer pillowcase with cat to carrying case*.
2. Grab cat by scruff of neck (this relaxes them). Place cat in carrier.

hmmm,  I'll have to check out youtube. 

[PastryGoddess]

I've seen videos on YouTube about this. It looks like the best way is to:
1. Transfer cat to pillowcase. Close pillowcase. Transfer pillowcase with cat to carrying case*.
2. Grab cat by scruff of neck (this relaxes them). Place cat in carrier.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha....gasp!


I meant, yeah no.  This does not work for my cats.  Grabbing them by the scruff of the neck allows more control.  But if they don't want to go into the carrier, they . ain't . goin' . in . the . carrier

[veronaz]

The pillowcase method..........sounds traumatic.

(think how I'd feel if someone came up behind me and put pillowcase over my head.)

[SamiHami]

They meow, whine, howl, etc. the entire trip to the vet.  Once they are out of the car, they'll usually quiet down.  When they don't, it's so embarrassing to be sitting in the waiting room with a howling carrier.

They're not embarrassing you! They are generously sharing the song of their people. 

The bolded. This is what I told my vet on the last visit.  There is quite an array of various arias for the kitties to choose from.  Younger cat the week before chose the  Flight of the Valkyries of doom  and dispair.  The older cat chose Don't Cry For Me Argentina of woe and martyrdom.

I had a cat years ago who was a sweetheart, but she would yowl and cry at maximum volume whenever we went to the vet. It was embarrassing. There I would be, in the waiting room with other people with their quiet and well behaved pets...while Layla was making a horrible racket. One time she actually stopped for a minute, and the parrot that lives full time in the vets office loudly said "dingdangity that cat over there!"

Everyone-employees included-burst into laughter!

[figee]

Reading this thread reminded me of this old chestnut.  Obviously NOT to be taken seriously, but it did remind me of the struggles we had with our cat growing up.  And why I now have dogs....

http://www.nanceestar.com/CatPill.html

[crella]

They meow, whine, howl, etc. the entire trip to the vet.  Once they are out of the car, they'll usually quiet down.  When they don't, it's so embarrassing to be sitting in the waiting room with a howling carrier.

They're not embarrassing you! They are generously sharing the song of their people. 

The bolded. This is what I told my vet on the last visit.  There is quite an array of various arias for the kitties to choose from.  Younger cat the week before chose the  Flight of the Valkyries of doom  and dispair.  The older cat chose Don't Cry For Me Argentina of woe and martyrdom.

We had a chunky male Himalayan mix (12 pounds or so) who hated the carrier. The quick grab by the scruff with instant drop into the upended carrier method worked best out of all we tried. Our female kitty was quite content to get into it if Mum asked her to. She was our first cat ever, and her first vet visit was interesting, or rather the car ride. I thought "I won't need a carrier" and off we went. It ended with her hanging off the ceiling of the car howling, I bought a carrier at the vet's for the return trip 

The male kept up a constant "OOOooooooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOOoooooOOOOOOOOOO' the whole time he was ever in it 

Edited for typos.

[veronaz]

I didn't realize they made cardboard cat carriers.  My kitty loves cardboard boxes.