What is the best way to get my cat to enter her cat carrier. Right now she just refuses.?

Question

I need to transport her by air soon and am nervous about my inability to get her to enter the cat carrier. she is so strong and agile and I am at my wits end.

Answer 1

The basic principle you'll need to keep in mind is what your cat associates with the carrie, and whether it's positive or negative. Continuing to fight your cat will only make her dislike the carrier more. Here are some basic guidelines to help her relax.

Try to avoid anything that may scare your cat while she's in the carrier. Animals learn fear very quickly. A stressful event may stick with her for a long time.

Leave the carrier out for her to explore on her own time rather than keeping it in a closet. This is a stress-free way for her to get comfortable with it on her terms.

To get her to explore and relax in the carrier start by putting her food dish near it while in the house. Moving it a bit further in as she gets comfortable with the various levels will minimize stress. Within a few days she should be willing to walk into and eat inside the carrier. Using treats in a similar manner is also effective. You can then lure her to the opening of the carrier with the treat, toss it inside, she'll walk in by herself and you can close the door. To begin with only shut the door for a short period of time building up to longer periods and trips.

Don't use the carrier only for trips where she'll be fearful. Trips to the vet often involve shots, which are unpleasant. An airline trip will likewise be stressful. Take her for a ride in the car that comes back home or goes somewhere pleasant. The general rule is that there have to be more trips that are neutral/positive than there are trips that are negative.

Make sure there's a soft blanket in the bottom of the carrier. This makes the space more pleasant.

Consider getting a cover for the carrier (that still allows adequate air circulation). This will reduce the number of stimuli that frighten her while in the carrier.

These methods are based on psychological research, much of which is used for animal models of research. For more detailed information look up "systematic desensitization" which is a fear reduction technique, and "successive approximations" which is a training technique which starts with simple tasks and makes them more complex as the animal successfully completes each stage.

Doing this will take more time than using tranquilizers or using force to get your cat in her carrier, but they are much more humane. As for the airplane trip, asking the vet for a tranquilizer to help her relax while in the plane (which is noisey and vibrates a lot for a small animal) may be a good idea for an isolated situation in which you can't control the length of confinement.

Answer 2

How strong can a cat be? You're a big strong person, she's a little cat. That being said, if she has a toy she enjoys chasing, throw it into her carrier and close the door behind her. Or put some cat treats in there.

Answer 3

LOL I have great sympathy for you! Been there, done that, got my T-shirt shredded! :-))

There are two methods.

The first involves two people. FIRST, pick up the cat, get a good grip on her. Second, get the cat carrier. Have one person hold the cat carrier firmly, so the opening (entrance) is up. The person holding the cat then drops her, TAIL FIRST into the cat carrier. Close the door QUICKLY and latch it.

The second method can be accomplished by one person alone.
FIRST pick up the cat. Hold her firmly. Second, get a bath towel, and wrap her in it, tightly, so that only her head sticks out. Lay the towel on the floor, put the cat on the towel, and firmly and quickly wrap her up. Wrap her like a mummy. Then drop the cat/mummy into the cat carrier, shut the door QUICKLY, and latch it. The cat will unwrap herself very swiftly, once you let her go, never fear! She will also have a towel in the carrier to lay on.

Best of luck, and enjoy your trip! :-))

This is not mean or cruel, and your cat will not hate you!

I have four cats, and whenever I want to give them medicine, or clip their nails, I wrap them. The two females protest the most fiercely, and they love me still.

They still love me, follow me from room to room, lay on me, lick me, climb or jump into my lap, etc.

Think what a mother cat does when she wants a kitten to lay down, or stop bothering her: Whap! She pins her baby with her paw, and holds it down!

I grab my cats and put them in the cat carrier whenever a trip to the vet is required. They still love me.

Answer 4

I have had cats since I was 2 years old and in my experience I have yet to meet a cat that doesn't hate being put in a cat carrier. You simply place her in the basket and shut the lid. Wrap her in a towel if she is flailing, then pop her in and remove the towel. You'll avoid the claws. Maybe sedate her - but I don't really believe in that. She'll tire herself out once she's in there. The best you can do is to try to make it a nice place to be.... Put a soft towel down, and some things of hers that smell familiar. Cats are territorial and highly independent creatures. They hate to have to relinquish control, or be forced out of their own territory. Try to put up with her loud protesting (it will be loud - and worst in a car!). She'll be glad of a cuddle when the trauma is over.

Answer 5

If you have time, start putting her regular daily food and water in it, to get her used to it. That way when the fateful day comes, you can just wait till she goes in to the carrier to eat and then quickly close the door behind her little furry butt.

I also highly recommend some of the over the counter sleeping pills that you can mix in with the cat food. This helped us out a bit, though not for that long, when I moved from Ohio to Tennessee by car.

Be ready for nose cuts. My cat tried to constantly push his way out of the cage door using his nose. It was cut up by the time we got to our destination. I don't know if they have anything for those metal doors to prevent that, but I would start looking for something if I were to move again.

It's funny, my other cat, a Siamese cat was the most quiet little thing of all, whereas my 500lb cruiser weight of a cat howled and battled me to the end. Next time, tranq. darts for his big furry butt. lol

Answer 6

Just put some food, which cat enjoy very much in to the carrier. After few days, your cat will automatically go there. You don't need to force her. I think that solution works!

Answer 7

Just pick up the cat and put it in the carrier. Simple

Answer 8

My kittens never had a problem with the crate. take the top off of the crate and have the cat get use to being in it like that for a while play with her in there make her see it as a fun place to be then evenually put the lid on on it when she is comfortable.

hope that helps!

Answer 9

i had the same problem with my cat and it worked out fine what u need to do is leave the cage there and take away her food from where ever it is and put it in the cage leave the cage door open for her to just wander in in her own time dont force her unless this doesnt work coz this will frighten her and will make her less likely to go in the cage
try to make the cage as homey as possible with food toys blankets

hope this helps and good luck

Answer 10

Don’t ask her if she want to get in the crate, push her in. If she resists – push! You are bigger and stronger and will win. Put the back of the crate up against the wall so it won’t slide.
Have a nice trip and don’t open the door until you get in an enclosed area, like your new home.
When you open that door she may shoot out like a bullet!