Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: angeleyes on October 19, 2009, 20:33:14 PM
-
Anyone else's cat hate their carrier? Fifi turns into a crazy demon when put into the carrier or when trying to be put into the carrier, she swipes, claws, screams and generally kicks off.
I could not deal with it tonight when we went to the vets so OH drove and she sat on my lap, which was fine she sat still and was well behaved etc but this is not ideal esp if i have to take her on my own.
I have tried leaving the basket around for her to get used to and tried putting her in it to get used to it but its not working, does anyone have any tips? Thanks :Luv:
-
No tips sorry but my cats only have to see a cage or carrier and they are all hiding.
I also tried leaving them out with food in but it makes no difference at all
-
I think it's just a case of having to be firm and forceful. The first time I tried to get my sweet tiny kitten into the carrier to go to the vets he turned into a whirling ball of claws with the force of a Rhino even though he was only 10 weeks old, teeny and the soppiest kitten ever!
They're big boys now and I just go for it, have the carrier ready and open, pick them up gently but then just bundle them in and quickly shut the door behind them. They're not made of china and won't break even if they might pretend ;) You could try wrapping her in a towel if her whirling claws are endangering you.
-
I do the same as Helen for 3 but the third one I have to trap in a corner with the cage with its door open and try to get her to walk in.......she does eventually but her pityful crying when she realizes all the doors are closed so she cant get out of the hall , break my heart and its as stressfull for me as for her.......Sasa is a semi feral and I cant touch her without her running away cos she is so scared :(
-
Thanks guys at least i am not the only one! She clawed my face last time and i had 3 nice stripes down my cheek, looked really great at work!
Once she is in it she also doesn't stop she cries and screams and fights all the way to and from the vets, its like putting tazmanian devil in a box lol
-
Mine have never been too bad touch wood apart from - I think it was our Penny who was a bit stroppy about it, I just remained calm but if OH went to put her in and she kept hiding he got stressed and it just made her worse so I think it's important to stay calm yourself and just do the deed and talk to her calmly.
-
You could try spraying Feliway into the carrier just before you put her in, might calm her down on the journey. :) Have you got a top opening carrier? I find those a lot easier than the front opening ones. The plastic coated metal ones are best.
-
You could try spraying Feliway into the carrier just before you put her in, might calm her down on the journey. :) Have you got a top opening carrier? I find those a lot easier than the front opening ones. The plastic coated metal ones are best.
No its the standard plastic one with metal door, i will have a look for an all metal one, it might work better.
-
Robbie has never been bothered about the carrier but on his last trip for the injections he completely lost it.....goodness only knows how he did it but I swear he managed to turn himself into a baby elephant as we just couldn't shift him! When we finally got him in he rewarded us by losing control of things.........both going and coming back....it really was not pleasant!!!
I'm also thinking of getting a wire carrier that opens at the top as that will be much easier to get him into in future. I did find a website that had them for about £17 which seems a bargain!
-
I prefer a cage where the whole end opens, dont like top loading cos if you have a fighting cat very hard to get the cat in or out at the vets.
-
Metalcote do a range of wire baskets and well priced, good customer service too ;D
http://catbaskets.co.uk/ (http://catbaskets.co.uk/)
Top opening wire are by far the easiest for problem cats, scruff and shove and your done, also easy for getting out at the vets as you can get them from above without putting your arms into a box and getting bitten, a bonus ;D
-
I saw this one yesterday while looking for something else. I thought it a rather funky version of a toploader and thought it having a front door would allow the more reluctant patient to be slid out as opposed to trying to wrestle them out the top.
http://www.crystalclearpet.com/shop/carrier/cat-carriers_buy.htm?gclid=CInqtuWxy50CFUYA4wodejkirA
-
my vet told me to just pick them up and put them in backwards, seems to work ok most of the time
-
I always have a couple of carrier's left open around the house/outside, that way they dont fear them and actually see them as part of play! ;)
-
I have the opposite problem - thay all saunter in happily but won't come out again! :scared:
-
My Lola loves them! :Luv2:
[attachment deleted by admin]
-
I did forget to say, my two aren't at all bothered until you close the door :naughty: When they were little I'd just leave it lying around and it became just another bed. Chilli is a little wise to it now but Dave still wanders in for a nosey when it comes out none the wiser till he gets locked in!
-
Metalcote do a range of wire baskets and well priced, good customer service too ;D
http://catbaskets.co.uk/ (http://catbaskets.co.uk/)
Top opening wire are by far the easiest for problem cats, scruff and shove and your done, also easy for getting out at the vets as you can get them from above without putting your arms into a box and getting bitten, a bonus ;D
i would never scruff as it makes them more scared, even if i could but have one hand thay only part works.
neither of my vet surgeries ever scuiff cats and will take the top off a carrier rather than do that.
-
I totally abhor the thought of scruffing too Gilly, but with some cats (especially feral's) its the only way! :( :hug:
-
Kittens are OK cos they are light and its how there mother carries them but full grown cats would need other support cos their weight is too heavy and it hurts them
-
I hate scruffing. It is not needed. I won't let one vet at my practice deal with any of my animals as I know she scruffs. If she tried it with Memphis he will no doubt bite at any chance. They know if they have any problems with him to just call me and I will be there straight away to deal with him.
As for Memphis I can never get him out as he finds them cozy and perfect for napping. For others cats I used to use all kinds of methods to get them in. I also really don't like the all wire carriers and can never get on with them.
-
Two of mine (Kitty and Jess) have no problems with getting in the carrier - throw a toy in and they soon follow!. Tilly is a different story though - she will do anything she can to avoid being caught. As soon as she see's the carrier she goes to hide under the bed. No amount of tempting with food or toys will work. Once in the carrier though she is absolutely fine, no crying, or clawing etc.
-
I've been trying to source a replacement old fashioned wicker toploading basket. I have a vintage one (used for all our childhood cats, owned by my parents long before I was born, inherrited when they died) and I much prefer it to the old, frontloading carrier I had. Much easier to load/unload cat. The Munchkin prefers it too I think, but it's beginning to have seen better days and it's not really quite big enough for him. Can't find one anywhere so if anyone has any tips I'd appreciate it.
-
Ta da! http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=755&pf_id=8902&co=fr
-
Thanks for all the replies, i just hope she won't have to go too often!
Also i would never scruff her, i would never do it to one of my buns so i would never do it to the cat either, i once saw a vet that scruffed one of my buns (the biggest girl as well she weighs nearly 4kg) and she was traumatised, needless to say we never saw that vet again.
-
my two have this
http://www.catsplay.com/ap_av.php3
Avior carrier.
tescos used to do them.
i dont have a problem getting either cat in or out and one of the cats will wail if the lid falls shut and she cant get in- she sleeps in it and sits in it, takes toys into it to play. i think because half the front opens they dont feel so trapped.
the downsides are some people have found the lid hard to line up to close, ive not had this problem just opening the front, only when ive split it in half and tried to put it back together then ive had 2 fiddle a little. i wouldnt swap to another carrier now.
the other thing you could try - if its not to dangerous- is putting them in the carrier, and letting them out again, so theyve not been somewhere unpleasant. my parents tried this with our old cat and he was less aggressive, he never stopped doing that thing where they brace them selves against the opening with their legs though
-
That was a fav on Purrs a couple of years ago and I love it but its not big enough for my cats and I like them to have room to sit up cos they have 20 miles to go to the vets and then the same back.
-
Top opening wire are by far the easiest for problem cats, scruff and shove and your done, also easy for getting out at the vets as you can get them from above without putting your arms into a box and getting bitten, a bonus ;D
I agree - they are the best - but why is the tail always sticking out? - I am sure I will chop one off one day :scared:
-
my two have this
http://www.catsplay.com/ap_av.php3
Avior carrier.
I have one. Actually, I was the one who started the ball rolling for these... :-[ Alas they're not the easiest to find and they're not suitable for larger cats. It's such a shame they only come in that one size.
The only modification I have made to mine is that I've glued the large rear flap permanently shut, both along the flange and on the clips. The lid alignment is often down to squiffy assembly, but again, easily solveable.
Mine gets a LOT of use as I show one of my cats - she finds it comfortable on long hauls and it's easy to get her in and out of it. Also, the stroking hatch is great for feeding chicken through when we stop for food on the way home from shows. ;D
-
The best thing I ever did was put a soft towel in one of their carriers and leave the door open, they use their carriers as a bed and love it. To acclimatise them to movement I used to wait till they were settled inside the carrier and gently pick it up and walk them around the living room.
Saying that if it was strong enough I could probably take Nova to the vets in a carrier bag :-[ lol.
-
Metalcote do a range of wire baskets and well priced, good customer service too ;D
http://catbaskets.co.uk/ (http://catbaskets.co.uk/)
Top opening wire are by far the easiest for problem cats, scruff and shove and your done, also easy for getting out at the vets as you can get them from above without putting your arms into a box and getting bitten, a bonus ;D
i would never scruff as it makes them more scared, even if i could but have one hand thay only part works.
neither of my vet surgeries ever scuiff cats and will take the top off a carrier rather than do that.
I never said i hold them one handed Gill, even kittens need bum support, believe me if you have a cat thats going to kick off then its much needed handling. Imo the quicker and smoother transistion into a basket the better, its less stressful then chasing them down, trapping, shoving, letting them go and finally managing to trap the wailing cat inside after 10 minutes of anxiety for both parties. I dont think iv ever scared a cat they are much more likely to have scared me!
Vets may not restrain your animals in front of you but they do out back, one place i went shocked me awfully, she majorly messed up the boxing so went out the room and came back with a grasp pole!! The poor cat was throughly worked up by the time it had been dragged out under the units round the neck, had she just scruffed and lifted her in then it would have been better all round, including my BP >:(
Top opening wire are by far the easiest for problem cats, scruff and shove and your done, also easy for getting out at the vets as you can get them from above without putting your arms into a box and getting bitten, a bonus ;D
I agree - they are the best - but why is the tail always sticking out? - I am sure I will chop one off one day :scared:
I always wonder why that happens, i close the lid with my finger there just incase :scared:
-
925 Dancer, :thanks:
Exactly what I was looking for!!
-
Rajah loves his carrier and is lying in it as I type. He sleeps in it, goes to the vet in it, plays in it - it's great fun! He doesn't really seem to associate it with nasty things even though it took him to the vet today where he got neutered. Long may this good relationship last.
-
My vets dont do anything like that behind the scenes either and its really not necessary anyway cos the cats all will be in cages and most walk into the carrier to come home unless they have to be lift cos cant stand.
I have seen both vets surguries working behind the scenes and can vouch for both of them. This is the modern way.
I am not strong enogh to hold a cat who is 6 kgs and the one time I tried to lift Sasa, not scruff, I found out how heavy and strong she is and she got away.
Both surguries have treated Sasa too and the one I use most managed to get her to walk out of the carrier by talking to her and then pick her up and stroke her while she was vaccinated and chipped and he told me that the most important thing is to get her back in the carrier before she gets to snap point and that was just as he was going to weigh her ;D
The second surgery who treated her as an emergency when she had been bitten were stunning cos she bit the vet when he accidently hurt her by lifting her legs....turned out that was where the bite was and she was sedated and xrayed and given abs by injection.
I would not use a vet that scruffs
-
its really not necessary anyway cos the cats all will be in cages and most walk into the carrier to come home
:lol2: nice cats may
Both surguries have treated Sasa too and the one I use most managed to get her to walk out of the carrier by talking to her and then pick her up and stroke her while she was vaccinated and chipped and he told me that the most important thing is to get her back in the carrier before she gets to snap point and that was just as he was going to weigh her
Then shes not a cat thats kicking off.
I have greatest respect for my vet but i wouldnt expect him to stand there and allow a cat or dog to go for him for the sake of restraining them, it would be naive to think any other vet would do either.
We'll have to agree to disagree! :shake:
-
one of my vets is very rough with Tilly when she had a blade of grass on her tongue (yes I know!) he pulled her head so far back her eyes went right back into her head - they have her down as fiesty on the computer unfortunately so he grab first and ask questions after - bengals aren't all bad but she does have big claws
-
I have no doubt whatsoever that Minxy gets scruffed at the vets if she has to stay in for blood tests as she has to be handled with guantlets and muzzled to be given jabs after a nasty vet (who has thankfully left) terrified her earlier in the year so she now hates the vets. I'd rather a vet carefully scruffed a cat than got injured by the cat.
-
We'll have to agree to disagree! :shake:
Definately I agree ;D
-
We keep one of ours int living room so it's part of the furniture- its works for 2 that now don't run away when it comes out but not for Baxter who is semi feral and it works too well for Basil who hates watching other cats going in HIS bed. Whenever I try to put one of the other 3 the battle is keeping Basil out.
Baxter is a nightmare as I can't pick him up I usually try tricking him with dreamies treats by throwing them while sitting next to the basket gradually getting closer until I can make a quickly push him gently in. If it doesn't work first time it won't again as he wises up too quickly so I cover him with a towel and lift him as thats how my vet holds him.