Using a Pet Carrier
 

I started taking care of a stray a few months ago and want to take her
to the vet for a checkup, shots etc. Even though stray someone had been
taking care of her, she's friendly and has gotten used to us pretty
easily.

But I cannot get her in a pet carrier! Ive tried several times and
several carriers, including a large one for dogs. Before I can get the
door closed she is out!!! I searched for a vet that would make house
calls but havent found one in Tulsa Ok. Any help will be
appreciated. Im trying to get her used to it a bit at a time with the
top off etc but hasnt helped yet

thx BC

Using a Pet Carrier
 

BC wrote:

I started taking care of a stray a few months ago and want to take her
to the vet for a checkup, shots etc.
Well done & thank you for caring enough to do that for her.

But I cannot get her in a pet carrier! Ive tried several times and
several carriers,
I have had the same problem several times too.
Does she allow you to pet her & pick her up?
It is not essential that she does, but helpful.
If she doesn't, ensure that you have the carrier open somewhere to
hand, ready & waiting for you to just pop her in.Also have a hand towel
ready too & the moment you get hold of her,cover her in the
towel,making sure that she is totally covered by it,scoop kitty up in
the towel,then pop her in.
If she won't allow her to hold her, then drop the towel on top of her
so that she has to find her way out of it,scoop her up,& put towel &
kitty in the pet carrier.Don't try wrapping it all round her in case
she can't get out, just cover her enough to make sure that she can find
her way out of the towel again, & bingo, kitty is the the pet carier.
Good luck btw:o)
S.

Using a Pet Carrier
 

Suddenly, without warning, BC exclaimed (15-Dec-06 10:38 PM):
I started taking care of a stray a few months ago and want to take her
to the vet for a checkup, shots etc. Even though stray someone had been
taking care of her, she's friendly and has gotten used to us pretty
easily.

But I cannot get her in a pet carrier! Ive tried several times and
several carriers, including a large one for dogs. Before I can get the
door closed she is out!!! I searched for a vet that would make house
calls but havent found one in Tulsa Ok. Any help will be
appreciated. Im trying to get her used to it a bit at a time with the
top off etc but hasnt helped yet

thx BC

A couple of tricks I've used for my front-load carriers:

Tip it up - then put the cat in, head first. Gravity will help you
close the door and she's further away from it.

Set the box on the edge of a table or something, so she can't get a grip
on anything outside the cage. If you can get her front end in (I'll
hold both paws in one hand to manage this), she'll have to go in and
turn around, 'cause there's no place for her hind legs to go.

Use two people - one gets the cat in, one closes the door as the cat's
going in :)

But the best thing to do is just leave the cage out, and feed her in
there. Put in a comfy mat. Feed treats in there, and only in there.
When she goes in, if she likes to be made a big fuss over, then do that.
If not, praise her from a distance. The trick is to make the cage a
*good* place to be.

Once she's comfortable going in there on her own (but not until- very
important!) close the door, but don't latch it. Let her push the door
open and escape if she needs to. After a while, she'll probably not
feel the need to escape when you close the door, then you're golden!

Meep goes into her carrier with only a little fuss, but after a vet
visit goes back into it as soon as she's given an opportunity. Same
when we're traveling. Away from home, it's her "safe place".

When we get home, I set the carrier on the floor, and let her out. She
exits unhurriedly, walks away, then returns, goes in and out of her box,
then ignores it. Don't know why she does this, but she does - every time...

jmc

Using a Pet Carrier
 

BC wrote:
I started taking care of a stray a few months ago and want to take her
to the vet for a checkup, shots etc. Even though stray someone had been
taking care of her, she's friendly and has gotten used to us pretty
easily.

But I cannot get her in a pet carrier! Ive tried several times and
several carriers, including a large one for dogs. Before I can get the
door closed she is out!!! I searched for a vet that would make house
calls but havent found one in Tulsa Ok. Any help will be
appreciated. Im trying to get her used to it a bit at a time with the
top off etc but hasnt helped yet

thx BC

Don't know if you've tried tipping the carrier on it's end (so the end
opposite the door is facing up). Wrap kitty in a towel (if possible)
and quickly put her in. Because of the way the carrier is situated, it
gives you a couple extra seconds to close the door.

also, do you have a carrier with both a top and side door? I've found
it helpful to have two doors, so you can get her in and out with
whatever door is handy.

Using a Pet Carrier
 

"BC" wrote in message
ups.com...
I started taking care of a stray a few months ago and want to take her
to the vet for a checkup, shots etc. Even though stray someone had been
taking care of her, she's friendly and has gotten used to us pretty
easily.

But I cannot get her in a pet carrier! Ive tried several times and
several carriers, including a large one for dogs. Before I can get the
door closed she is out!!! I searched for a vet that would make house
calls but havent found one in Tulsa Ok. Any help will be
appreciated. Im trying to get her used to it a bit at a time with the
top off etc but hasnt helped yet

thx BC


You have to have one hand on the cat at all times, the other on
the door of the carrier. Is it a hard-sided carrier?

What I have to do with my Gracie is, stand the thing on end
on the couch, in a room far from where she is. If I allow her
to see me get it out, I will not be able to catch her.

Once I pick her up, speed is of the essence. :)

I hold her by the tops of her legs, in other words, I hold
her legs together until the instant I put her, tail first, in
the carrier, then I have one hand on her and one on the door.
If I don't do this, she becomes the Thing With 50 Rigid
Legs and I can't get her in.

Using a Pet Carrier
 

on Fri, 15 Dec 2006 14:59:43 GMT, "cybercat" wrote:

she becomes the Thing With 50 Rigid
Legs and I can't get her in.

Rudy goes to the vet once a year. Last month, this was our experience and
I ended up putting a harness and leash on him and putting him in the car
sans carrier. NOT fun trying to keep him off of me while driving. I'll
try your method next time.

--
Lynne

Using a Pet Carrier
 

"BC" wrote:

I started taking care of a stray a few months ago and want to take her
to the vet for a checkup, shots etc. Even though stray someone had been
taking care of her, she's friendly and has gotten used to us pretty
easily.

But I cannot get her in a pet carrier! Ive tried several times and
several carriers, including a large one for dogs. Before I can get the
door closed she is out!!! I searched for a vet that would make house
calls but havent found one in Tulsa Ok. Any help will be
appreciated. Im trying to get her used to it a bit at a time with the
top off etc but hasnt helped yet

thx BC

I find the top loading soft bag carriers the easiest to lower them
into and you can keep a hand on him as you close the top.

-mhd

Using a Pet Carrier
 

"jmc" wrote in message
...

But the best thing to do is just leave the cage out, and feed her in
there. Put in a comfy mat. Feed treats in there, and only in there. When
she goes in, if she likes to be made a big fuss over, then do that. If
not, praise her from a distance. The trick is to make the cage a *good*
place to be.

I totally agree. Some of my cats use them as their private little snooze
spots and it makes it much easier on vet days!

Once she's comfortable going in there on her own (but not until- very
important!) close the door, but don't latch it. Let her push the door
open and escape if she needs to. After a while, she'll probably not feel
the need to escape when you close the door, then you're golden!


Meep goes into her carrier with only a little fuss, but after a vet visit
goes back into it as soon as she's given an opportunity. Same when we're
traveling. Away from home, it's her "safe place".

Mine do this, too. It can be difficult to extricate them from the innards
of the carrier at the vet's! I have one cat who is still totally resistant
to the carrier. If I set up the carrier ahead of time and place it where he
doesn't see it, I can get him in it if I move very very quickly; otherwise
he becomes the Thing with 50 Rigid Legs as Cybercat says! At the vet's even
he wants to be in that carrier.

Bonnie

Using a Pet Carrier
 

We put the carrier on end so it opens to the top. Have it open and set
up quite awhile ahead of time. When you carry her towards it -- walk
backwards so she doesn't see you're walking towards a carrier.

Turn around quickly and drop her in to the bottom all in one move. You
can usually (and hopefully!) get the top shut before she knows what
happened.

Good luck!

Rhonda

BC wrote:
I started taking care of a stray a few months ago and want to take her
to the vet for a checkup, shots etc. Even though stray someone had been
taking care of her, she's friendly and has gotten used to us pretty
easily.

But I cannot get her in a pet carrier! Ive tried several times and
several carriers, including a large one for dogs. Before I can get the
door closed she is out!!! I searched for a vet that would make house
calls but havent found one in Tulsa Ok. Any help will be
appreciated. Im trying to get her used to it a bit at a time with the
top off etc but hasnt helped yet

thx BC

Using a Pet Carrier
 

cybercat wrote:
I hold her by the tops of her legs, in other words, I hold
her legs together until the instant I put her, tail first, in
the carrier, then I have one hand on her and one on the door.
If I don't do this, she becomes the Thing With 50 Rigid
Legs and I can't get her in.

yeah, I bet you get her in there

do you ever vent on your cat? tell the truth