Can You Train a Reluctant Cat to Like Its Carrier?
Even routine visits to the vet are a nightmare if your cat refuses to go in its carrier. Your cat may run away, hide or even fight you every time you try to load it in. You may end up covered in scratches with a stressed and angry pet that then erupts when it's released in the vet's clinic.
This is a problem that won't necessarily fix itself. You may, however, make things easier by encouraging your cat to like the carrier a little better. How can you do this?
Make the Carrier an Everyday Thing
You may store your carrier out of sight when you aren't using it. If your cat hates being in the carrier, then seeing it appear suddenly will make it panic. So, normalise the carrier by putting it somewhere your cat spends lot of time, like your living room. Leave the carrier there with the door open and ignore it.
If you're lucky, your cat might get curious and start to investigate the carrier. Remember, this may take time. Your cat needs to realise that you aren't trying to put it in the carrier before it will relax around it.
Make Your Cat Want to Go In
Being more relaxed around the carrier doesn't mean that your cat will go in voluntarily. You can, however, encourage it in. For example, you could put your cat's favourite blanket inside with a few toys it likes to sleep with and a handful of its favourite treats.
After a while, your cat may pop in for a snooze and may even start to nap in the carrier regularly. If you get to the stage where the cat sees the carrier as a comfortable place to be, then it may be less stressed next time you use the carrier to get it to the vet.
If your cat is still uncomfortable being moved in its carrier, or refuses to like it at all, ask a vet for help. Your vet may be able to recommend ways to make your cat relax when you need it to be in its carrier. For example, many cats calm down when they are exposed to cat pheromone products that smell like feline facial pheromones; others may relax when they eat catnip. Your vet can discuss these options with you and help you find the best one to make your cat feel more comfortable.