Trips to the vet are traumatic for your cat. First you have to get them into the carrier and then sit in the waiting room with a bunch of barking dogs. By the time you get inside the office, your cat will be all claws from all the noise and disturbance. There is a way to train your cat to get into the carrier with no problem, and there are some trips to minimize the distraction at the vet’s office.
How to get your cat in a cat carrier?
It is time for your cat’s visit to the vet, and you bought the best carrier you could find. You bring it into the house and the cat runs for cover. How can you get the cat into the cat carrier to take them to the vet? Cats do not like to be confined so you will need to be patient, and introduce the cat to it slowly. Take some time to get them used to it before the trip.
Familiarize Your Cat With The Cat Carrier
Bring the carrier out and leave it open in a corner of the room. Place a few toys and a treat inside the carrier to get kitty to look inside. Cats are naturally curious and will go up and investigate it thoroughly. Leave it out in the room so the cat can go in and out freely. This technique is known as crate training and can also be used for dogs.
Once the cat is comfortable with going into the carrier, shut the door for a few minutes. Let the cat see that it opens and closes. You can also place a soft pillow inside for them. The cat will no longer be afraid of the carrier once they see that it isn’t going to hurt them.
You can also make a trial run so that the cat gets used to getting in and out of the carrier. Let the cat go inside the carrier and shut the door. Have toys inside for them. Place the carrier in the car and take a short trip somewhere. Then bring the carrier back in, place it back in the corner and open the door. The first few times the cat will instantly run out and hide. You can get into the habit of giving them a treat when returning home.
Sometimes things happen unexpectedly. In an emergency if you have not had time to get them used to the carrier, cover the cat with a towel (especially over their head and front paws) and scoop them gently into the carrier.
You can make the cats visit to the vet less traumatic by getting them used the carrier and riding in the car. Most of the cat’s anxiety about going to the vet is due to not knowing what is going on. Being poked and prodded by a stranger is not fun for anyone, much less your pet. Your cat will get used to the vet over time and you will have no more problems.