My Cat Hates The Carrier

It might be fair to say that nearly all domestic cats hate the carrier. This is because (a) it is associated with unpleasant experiences e.g. going to the veterinarian and (b) it is an unfamiliar, very confined space.

Best Cat Carrier?

I’d like to hear from regular visitors on this one if possible. What do you do to ease the dislike that cats have for cat carriers?

It seems to me that one sensible way to achieve this is to leave the carrier out rather than hidden away to allow your cat to become familiar with it. And place it in a nice warm area. Make the interior comfortable. Place a favourite toy and/or some catnip inside it.

In all, make a disliked object one that your cat is familiar with and liked or at least accepted.

When the time comes to use it, he may be less resistant to being placed in it. However, there is always the intractable problem of it being associated with an unpleasant experience, which is difficult to overcome.

It is probably sensible to do all the things to get your cat to like a carrier before it is used in an activity which your cat will dislike. Once the connection between the carrier and an unpleasant experience has been made it is difficult to break.

P.S. My cat dislikes the cat carrier. I open the carrier and place it in a room. I then collect my cat and ‘ambush’ him by placing him in the carrier before he has time to realise what is going on.

Please comment here using either Facebook or WordPress (when available).

Usually if they can see the cat carrier, they know what’s next. That’s why I cover her eyes, and put her in head first. If I wrap her and put her in feet first, it will be easier for her to get out. I have arthritis in my hands, which prevent normal grasping and holding, so this is the way it works best for me.

I live in a tiny cell-like room, with barely enough space to walk around my bed, so no way the carrier can be out. I do have 4 vertical sleeping spots for her, and one on the floor in the closet. The closet bed butts up to the litter pan. My clothes may smell, and have cat fur, but that’s just the way we roll. I’ve had to do a lot of adapting for both of us, but at least she can get out into a fenced yard with her halter and RED leash once or twice a day, while I keep a watchful eye for the leash, when she goes behind a bush, or looks like she wants to jump the fence.

Renting with pets reduces the options home owners have
Usually if they can see the cat carrier, they know what’s next. That’s why I cover her eyes, and put her in head first. If I wrap her and put her in feet first, it will be easier for her to get out. I have arthritis in my hands, which prevent normal grasping and holding, so this is the way it works best for me.

I’m just grateful that we’ve been accepted to live in this house. And also very grateful that when we were “homeless” from Dec. 2016 to May 2017, we were given a couch to sleep on from my cat loving friend with 2 cats of her own. We were confined to a room, and I couldn’t take her outside at all, because of loose neighborhood dogs.

She never cried to get out once, even though for years prior, she’d been used to her daily outings. It was as if she knew we didn’t have a choice.

Reply ↓

Comments

My Cat Hates The Carrier — 10 Comments

M.E. King on January 1, 2018 at 4:46 am said:
one more comment. top load carriers.
Reply ↓
M.E. King on December 30, 2017 at 3:54 pm said:
My cats have access to their carriers at all times and often sleep in them.
Reply ↓
Susan Gort on December 30, 2017 at 2:09 pm said:
All six of my carriers are out in the open. There are soft towels, blankets and toys in them. Since 4 of my cats are feral, they seldom go inside, but they are used to the seeing them around.
Reply ↓
- Michael Broad on December 30, 2017 at 3:27 pm said:
  You are super switched on cat guardian 🙂
  Reply ↓
AbbyandSadiesMom/USA on December 29, 2017 at 9:03 pm said:
With my two large cats (Maine Coon and Chartreux), I opted for hard-sided puppy carriers with a lid that opens from the top as well as the side. I’ve found that traditional cat carriers were too small and uncomfortable for them, although to see them contort themselves to fit in a box to play is astounding. The carriers are kept in the corners of the room with the exit (in case of emergency). Inside is a soft cat rug with their scent on it, a couple of their favorite catnip-toys and a little rug on the outside of the carrier on the floor like a welcome mat. That way, they can and do go into them whenever they feel like it, especially to escape me from watching late-night TV in the bedroom. Most of the time it’s not a problem getting them into the carrier; they usually walk right in, but sometimes the Chartreux is a tad fussy so I start with him first. Once the Maine Coon sees what I’m doing, she just walks in since she knows she’s next. Both love the vet because he fusses them up and speaks with a high, sing-song voice to them that they adore. Once the visit is done, they just waltz right in and start meowing/squeaking at me to hurry up to take them home, the little rascals!
Reply ↓
R M on December 29, 2017 at 7:39 pm said:
We keep both of ours out ALL the time. They use them as caves. They all have blankets and a toy. Sometimes we throw a pinch of catnip in there. We needed them to be accessible in an emergency and we needed the cats to want to go in. The large one is in the dining room and the other is behind an upholstered chair in the living room. Sometimes all three cats are in one. Sometimes they use it for a launching pad to play attack the human. My feral has one of his own. I remember the years of the cat–with legs in four directions holding on to the sides of the carrier like an open umbrella with claws–resisting the inevitable. Then came the screaming the ten full minutes to the vet. Now, once they are in, we close the door, they speak about it among themselves and maybe complain a bit for the two hours to their grandmama’s office (the vet we adopted them from). Once examined they’re more than willing to get back into their familiar surroundings. Maybe the carrier is not fashionable in living quarters, but in case of a fire or other emergency I know I will get them out. (Treats and catnip are stored nearby in the kitchen).
Reply ↓
Sandra Murphey on December 29, 2017 at 4:28 pm said:
When my cat sees me get the carrier down from the closet in my room, (It’s the only place can store it.) she runs and hides. I figured out a new way a couple of years ago. The fact that it’s a soft, foldable carrier helps, because it folds flat. Now I get it down, and take it to the living room, where I open it up, away from her. I keep her closed in my room while I do the preparation.
I make sure there’s a soft blanket with her scent on it, and a catnip infused toy. Then I put a drop of Rescue Remedy on the tips of her ears, before I pick her up,and……COVER her eyes with one hand, as I head to the carrier, which I’ve tipped up on one end.
I put (shove) her in “head first”, and quickly zip it up, as I right it so I can carry it properly, and she can be comfortable.
It’s all done very quickly! I then place her on the passenger seat, so she can see me through the mesh side, and I talk to her on the way.
She used to cry in the beginning 9 years ago, but with my current strategy, she’s very quiet in there, and at the vet’s.
It all seems to be working, and I’m glad.
Reply ↓
- Michele Massa on December 30, 2017 at 6:24 pm said:
  I never put my cat head in first, she freaks out even more because she sees what is coming so she fights and scratches the hell out of me. I wrap her in one of her fav blankets like a burrito and put her in feet first very quickly, before she has time to wiggle and scratch.
  Reply ↓
  - Sandra Murphey on December 30, 2017 at 7:57 pm said:
    Usually if they can see the cat carrier, they know what’s next. That’s why I cover her eyes, and put her in head first. If I wrap her and put her in feet first, it will be easier for her to get out. I have arthritis in my hands, which prevent normal grasping and holding, so this is the way it works best for me.
    I live in a tiny cell-like room, with barely enough space to walk around my bed, so no way the carrier can be out. I do have 4 vertical sleeping spots for her, and one on the floor in the closet. The closet bed butts up to the litter pan. My clothes may smell, and have cat fur, but that’s just the way we roll. I’ve had to do a lot of adapting for both of us, but at least she can get out into a fenced yard with her halter and RED leash once or twice a day, while I keep a watchful eye for the leash, when she goes behind a bush, or looks like she wants to jump the fence.
    Renting with pets reduces the options home owners have
    Usually if they can see the cat carrier, they know what’s next. That’s why I cover her eyes, and put her in head first. If I wrap her and put her in feet first, it will be easier for her to get out. I have arthritis in my hands, which prevent normal grasping and holding, so this is the way it works best for me.
    I live in a tiny cell-like room, with barely enough space to walk around my bed, so no way the carrier can be out. I do have 4 vertical sleeping spots for her, and one on the floor in the closet. The closet bed butts up to the litter pan. My clothes may smell, and have cat fur, but that’s just the way we roll. I’ve had to do a lot of adapting for both of us, but at least she can get out into a fenced yard with her halter and RED leash once or twice a day, while I keep a watchful eye for the leash, when she goes behind a bush, or looks like she wants to jump the fence. Renting with pets reduces the options that home owners have.
    I’m just grateful that we’ve been accepted to live in this house. And also very grateful that when we were “homeless” from Dec. 2016 to May 2017, we were given a couch to sleep on from my cat loving friend with 2 cats of her own. We were confined to a room, and I couldn’t take her outside at all, because of loose neighborhood dogs.
    She never cried to get out once, even though for years prior, she’d been used to her daily outings. It was as if she knew we didn’t have a choice.
    Reply ↓
    - Michele Massa on December 30, 2017 at 10:46 pm said:
      I cannot tell you how much I admire you for getting through all the hardships you faced and arthritis and never abandoning or giving your cat to a shelter. I volunteer with a no kill rescue group and it breaks my heart that people move and leave their animals behind to die or give them up to us because “they are too busy”. It is interesting to me that every cat has their own personality and it is hard to generalize how to handle different situations for cats. I can also tell from your answer that your cat must be very bonded to you and love you.
      Reply ↓