To think I will be able to get these cats into their baskets?

[Movinghouseatlast]

I'm (finally) moving house on Monday.

We are taking our cats both age 7 with us. Neither have been in a car since being 13 weeks old. They were feral kittens, and I tamed them.

One, who is the most loving cat, I have not managed to pick up EVER. We have had to have vet home visits for their jabs because she turns into a seething mass of muscle if we try to pick her up.

We are moving a 5 hour drive away.

We have a cat valium prescribed. But another vet told us this is bad because she might fight against it and be worse.

I am putting treats in their baskets but they seem to know the basket is bad and wont go near.

I am thinking of paying a vet to get them in the baskets. I don't even know if they would do this.

Also thinking of asking the Cats Protection lady to do it in exchange for a big donation.

All the usual 'wrap them in a towel just don't work with these two. I have always had cats, so I know that their behaviour is off the scale in terms of getting them in the baskets. The vet said one in particular is the most terrified she has ever seen.

Could you try putting their food bowls inside the baskets?

Can you create a 'funnel' with boxes/gates etc that you can 'gently' usher them down and into the basket? Or take the top off the basket, put their blankets/treats and give them a couple of days to get use to it?

Failing that, thick gloves, thick towel and just get them in anyway you can? Basket on its end so you can just drop them in and slam the door?

Good luck!

I’m guessing you’ve tried different types of carrier before? Mine hates the closed in plastic ones where he can’t see us but sits perfectly fine in some weird wire old fashioned thing that he can see out at all angles.

Have you asked your friends/neighbours? I've helped several people with their cats as I'm quite good with handling them.

Or your idea of asking the CP lady and giving a donation is good. Or a vet nurse at your vets rather than the vet? Cheaper and they're often good at handling animals (I'd be a vet nurse if the pay was better).

What about the metal dog crate style enclosures? Our cats will happily climb into one to eat treats and cat meat. They can be locked inside the crate and transported that way.

I sometimes use the crate if workers/builders are around the house so I can be confident of cats not being able to walk/run out of front of our house (towards the road). It's the best £30 i've ever spent.

Unfortunately it sounds like you’re going to need gardening gloves, a large towel and another person to help you. Swaddle cat in towel, bundle into carrier. It will be a horrible process, but it doesn’t sound like you have another option. As Nessie says, I’ve found the “carrier vertical, drop cat in” method much more successful than trying to push them in horizontally.

OMG - I have this EXACT same problem with my cat!

We rescued him from an empty house as his owner died and her sons didn't re-home him.

Anyways, he will not go into the basket so much so he still hasn't been neutered or had injections and I am terrified he'll get into a fight and end up with infections but the simple fact is I have tried everything.

I also rang round all the local vets to ask if a vet could come to my house and sedate him and they said they couldn't.

Pets at home suggested buying like a pair of think gauntlets so he didn't scratch when trying to get him in.

The only other thing I can suggest is calling cats protection and asking if they can come out and help? They do have "crush cages" which are bigger and might be easier than a normal cat carrier.

Good luck!

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You can borrow a cat trap from a local rescue and then leave it set with tuna as a bait.its then very easy to transfer into a cat carrier.

MummyStruggles you need to get a specialist home vet, if you Google you should find one. They are vets who can't afford a practice yet.

Ours have had their injections this way.

My parents use a sort of small tunnel shaped soft carrier for over the shoulder carrying (bad weather means they sometimes have to carry her up to 3 miles).

They might be more inclined to see it as a tunnel toy and be tricked into it?

Movinghouseatlast - Really? Thanks so much - I'll look into that.

My tip is if you can pick them up, put them in backwards (tail end first) so they can't do the spread-legged thing. And wear protective gauntlets

Also try a trail of Lick-e-lix - it's like crack cocaine for cats, they won't be able to resist!

My cat will happily stroll into his basket unasked, but has on two occasions escaped (in one case literally bursting through the plastic "door") in the car which is pretty stressful - especially when you get to other end!

Unfortunately there’s no nice way of doing this. The best way is to do it quickly. Approach the cat from behind and pick it up with a towel or small blanket, wrapping it up as you do so. Then put everything in the basket and quickly lock the door. They will unravel themselves and be able to sit on the blanket in the basket.

Just dragging the scenario out is more stressful for you and the cat.

I think fingernails suggestion of a small dog crate is excellent - do they get on? They might be less scared together. It would also be better for a long drive as scared cat in a small place for 5 hours is likely to result in quite a bit of poo spreadage...
The only issue might be space in the cars if you are planning to transport much of your stuff that way.

It's a shame that you've left it so late. The easiest method I've found is to use the baskets as beds for the cats.

Put the cats beds in, and leave them out in the house with the doors open so that they can come and go as they please. Having their food and water in the basket is ideal if there is room.

Eventually they'll see them as beds rather than nasty cages. An alternative method that can work is to catch them asleep and put them in the baskets while still drowsy.

Yes, we have left it late. We have been having building work in the new house. In trying to protect them from that they have been left alone for a week. I should have asked the friend who fed them to put it in the baskets.

Put a cardboard box inside the carrier.......

Oh god poor you. Good luck.

I don’t have cats so apologies if this is not appropriate but could you trap them in a dog crate whilst they are asleep? You could open the door of the dog crate, upend it and put the crate over the sleeping cat.

I also have a cat I can't handle, as well as two who you can, except when a basket appears. We get the baskets out at least a few hours before, then wait for the cat to be in a different room before attempting to pick them up. Don't touch the basket if the cat is in sight, instant warning to them to hide. It's easier to have two people, one to hold the basket vertical, and do the door, one to grab and lower cat backwards, although it can be done alone if necessary. We always use the vertical basket/cat in backward technique, although that does mean they can push off the bottom and headbutt their way out if you're not careful.

I am another owner who solved the problem by getting a big cat/small dog soft tunnel carrier. They are bigger, have more visibility and my cat, at least, was very happy to go in it. He is a bigger than normal cat, and hated his enclosed hard plastic carrier. I think he was claustrophobic.

The one I got was from Amazon, was fairly cheap, and has done the job over the last couple of years.

Our cat hadn't been handled much as a kitten and she is loathe to be picked up and cuddled, but we have much less difficulty than you in getting her in the carrier. We do have to trap her in a particular room (hope your house isn't open plan) and corner her, grab her by the neck scruff and bundle her in. It was much harder at first but she has got used to the procedure now and while she's never going to be strolling in, she resists a lot less. I think she recognises the futility now as DH simply pursues her round the room and doesn't give up - obviously you can't when you need them to be in that carrier!

She does not view the carrier as a comfy bed any more because she's gone to the vet's and the cattery in it too many times. That only works for a short while...

I think for you it is going to have to be the big towel and a small brush. I used to use the brush to help with vicious rabbits - you hold the brush in front of the animal, they attack the brush then you can grab the scruff and surround in towel. I have a thousand pities for you, it is SO hard.

If you can get metal cage type carriers, they are more secure. Some cats like to see out, others are calmer if you cover the carrier. Put the carrier in a small room with nowhere to hide, like a bathroom. Tempt the cat in with a treat, close the door as undramatically as possible, then in one smooth movement grab and drop,back legs first, into the carrier. It’s easier with two people. You have to be slightly ruthless with tails and paws, close the lid as far as possible and push protruding bits in. If you fail first time then you have a problem, unfortunately.

I'd be tempted to starve them overnight and put a tin of tuna or whatever their fave food is in the basket (laced with the sedative) you'd need to do them both in separate rooms so as one doesn't catch on whilst the other is being caught. My vet also recommended the lick-e-lix things too for hiding drugs in (I'm currently on anti-biotics after my cat bit me at the vets this week so I literally feel your pain) good luck!