A Helpful Tip for Getting Your Cat into a Carrier
It's a common scenario in cat-containing households. The countdown is on: you are due to be at the veterinarian's office in 20 minutes and it's a 15 minute drive. Your cat is nowhere to be found. It seems that she knew you were planning on taking her to the doctor, and she has found a hiding place in your home that you are not aware of. After you've flushed her out, you are down to 15 minutes until your appointment time, but you still have to get your frenzied feline into her cozy travel carrier. You're definitely not looking forward to that.
Believe it or not, there are some things you can do to decrease the rodeo factor associated with getting your cat into her carrier. It's best if you take the time beforehand to acclimate your cat to getting into and riding in the carrier calmly. You can review "How Do I Get My Cat into a Carrier?" for a step-by-step guide on how to do this. But if your cat needs to take a ride before you are able to accomplish this training, here is a way to get your cat into the box without too much fuss.
- Stand the carrier on its solid end, with the open door facing the ceiling.
- Place a towel on the bottom of the carrier.
- Gently lifting your cat, being sure to support her bottom half well, lower her down tail first into the open carrier. Using this backwards method to load your cat into the carrier doesn't allow her to get her feet on the box and use her muscles to push backwards, getting away from you and running back to her secret hiding spot.
It's also a good idea to have a carrier that comes apart if you have a cat that isn't comfortable getting into and out of one on her own. That way, when you get to your destination, you can take the carrier top off and reach in to get your cat, rather than trying to yank her out the small door.
You May Also Like These Articles:
How To Take Your Cat To The Vet
Bringing Home a New Cat: A Checklist
Feliway - A Useful Tool to Help Treat Stress in Cats
Notice: Ask-a-Vet is an affiliated service for those who wish to speak with a veterinary professional about their pet's specific condition. Initially, a bot will ask questions to determine the general nature of your concern. Then, you will be transferred to a human. There is a charge for the service if you choose to connect to a veterinarian. Ask-a-Vet is not manned by the staff or owners of CatHealth.com, and the advice given should not delay or replace a visit to your veterinarian.
Facebook
Twitter