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It's common for cats to see carrier and disappear. This is because when they're in the carrier, they feel out of control and they panic. This gives you little chance of coaxing them in and before you know it, your vet appointment and has come and gone.

If this happens every time they go to the vets, they begin to associate the carrier with the stress of the experience and will refuse to go in again next time, and the cycle starts again.

When we try to force them in, stress sets in before they even leave the house, meaning more stress for your cat, a super stressful situation for you and a much more difficult experience for your vet who now has to handle a petrified little bundle of claws and teeth.

If you're in this situation, training them to enjoy being in the carrier is the most effective way to resolve this situation long term. But if you don't have enough time for this before your appointment, here is how to get your cat in the carrier in a pinch.


Step one.

Bring the carrier in now. Whether appointment is in two hours, two day or two weeks, get it out now. As soon as you finish the video go and get it.

Lots of cats are scared of carriers on sight and if you try to get them in it straight away, they’ll be super scared. You don’t want this. Your cat will have a worse experience at the vets and it will make things worse for next time. Also if you wait until it’s time to go, and your cat disappears as far under the bed as they can get, you’ll end up panicking and pulling them out from under the bed, potentially hurting them in the process not on purposes but I understand it feels like 'needs must' at this this point making things a whole lot worse as they might hiss, struggle and become super distressed.

If you bring it in now, and then leave your cat alone, you are giving time for the initial feelings of anxiety to wear off as they start to realise you aren’t looking for them and a trip to the vets isn’t immediately imminent. You’re bringing down their arousal levels and making the next step in the process a lot easier.


Step two

When you bring in the carrier, put in a place that your cat can reach but a place that will make it easy for you to get your cat in it when the appointment comes round. So probably on a high surface so you don’t have to bend down with them when the time comes

Place a blanket or similar inside to make it comfortable. Ideally something they have slept on before so it smells familiar and comfortable. Leave the door open so they can explore in their own time if they want to and if time allows. If there is time, leave treats inside as a reward for exploring. Ignore them if they are exploring and it’s not time to go yet. If you pay them too much attention, the might worry you’re going to shut them in and run off


Step three

Step three is actually getting your cat into the carrier.

When your appointment comes round, hopefully your cat has lost interest in the carrier. They’ve come out from their hiding place because nothing happened when you brought the carrier in and as far as they know, it’s business as usual.

If your cat is comfortable being picked up, here’s the most important part of the plan… take your cat to the carrier, do not take the carrier to your cat! This will just result in the fear response again. Pick up your cat as usual, acting normally, take them to the carrier and calmly place them inside. Close it behind them and you’re good to go.

If you can’t pick up your cat, use a super tasty food to lure them in and close it behind them. Some cats get wise to this very quickly, but it can work in some substances. Tuna, ham, something smelly.

If your cat is very scared, they may still panic and you still may not be able to get them in. If this is the case, it is better to ring your vet and explain. Don’t hurt your cat trying to get them in as things can escalate and your cat can get very upset and you may end up getting hurt too.

You need to work on helping your cat feel better about the carrier long term. Which I’ll cover in another video or you can find the information on icc website.

If this worked for you or you have always used this technique, let me know in the comments. And if you know someone who has struggled to get their cat in the carrier, do share this video as they might find it helpful.


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