How to get a cat into a carrier

[Puffinity]

Any suggestions? She clocked onto what was happening immediately and is now hiding behind the sofa. Can't blame her, the previous times she had to go in it were all to go to a new house. Appointment at the vets is at 3.10...

Take her up to the smallest room you've got, open the carrier door and back her into a corner so she has to go in.

Tin of tuna, sneak up from behind and grab.

Feed tuna / dreamies / snack of choice often enough when you don't need to grab her that she doesn't get wise!

First make sure all exits are secure. Close her into one room and make sure all the windows are closed (even if you think she couldn't possibly get out of there).

Put the carrier against a wall so that can move any further backwards, preferably at a comfortable level for you, or on the ground.

Then grasp her firmly by the scruff of the neck. Support the rest of the body but keep that grasp tight. Then put her in the carrier BACKWARDS. That's the key. Forwards is a PITA.

The vet must be very close!

Hi Puffinity, what i used to do is get a blanket and pretty much throw it over my cat and swaddle - stopped me from getting bitten and also stopped him putting his claws into anything close by so I couldn't push him in head first. It normally took a few attempts but would always get him in there in the end without being ripped to shreds. I now have a much larger cat carrier, and my cat is much happier to get in that one without the use of the blanket! Maybe if they perceive the size of the carrier as too small this can make it more difficult too? Anyway I hope you managed to get to the Vets in time.

My method is: carrier against the wall/ sofa with door open. Wrap towel around cat so he can't claw me/ his way out. Push him into carrier backwards (gently) and then pull towel off and shut the door quickly.

Funnily enough it's always easy to get them back into it at the vets/ cattery isn't it!

Four equal-sized rooms, none of the others have proper doors on them... She's now at least eaten the bribe Dreamie and I've moved the carrier to another room (where she can't hide). Have also changed the appointment to 3.40...

Last time someone tried to get our cat into a carrier she escaped and hid between the floorboards for days, like a furry Anne Frank. So I have no useful tips but will be interested to read other people's suggestions

Ah, cross-post. Will try blanket/ towel method. Carrier has been in the room since she got here, so how she figured it out I do not know. Vets is indeed very close, 5 minutes on foot!

I waited till mine was asleep and then bundled her in backwards 😁. I think we need a larger carrier....

And yes, did try to put her in forward rookie mistake

Yes, backwards is the way to go. The confused look on BoyCat's face first time I did that was a picture

Not helpful now but top opening ones are great. Much easier.

Top-loading carrier is definitely easier.

I knew about the top-opening ones, but they didn't have any in the shop. The carrier is huge and the cat is small and dinky so that can't be the problem. I feel like such a fool, little kitty has got me under her paw completely

Can't help. My cat has psychic powers and disappeared for a whole 24 hours before the last visit. She reappeared 30 minutes after appointment time! I swear that two from the three do know when it's time because if I speak to them they run away. The third one is deaf and has arthritis so cannot run anywhere - she's easy.

Done! Off to vets now!

Not much help, but the last time I managed to get MCat into his carrier, I got a black eye, after thwacking my face on the back of the sofa, chasing him around with a towel to burrito him up.

They seem to have a 6th sense when it's vet time.

Getting the carrier out a few days before (to get him used to it) just makes him .

Laughing at all the stories here - they really do know, don't they?! I was just too soft, all it took in the end was chasing her from behind the sofa and grabbing her from behind with a towel. She's a softie but I'm a wimp! She got a clean bill of health from the vet, so all is well!

We have a downstairs bathroom, I put the carrier on its end in the bath with the door open after shutting off all windows and doors. Then its food, pick up cat, lower her in backwards, shut door, repeat for other cat.

Our biggest rookie error was thinking one big carrier would be better than two small ones, getting the second cat in whilst not letting the first out really is impossible.

Glad to hear PuffinCat is well :)

It could be worse, I remember trying to get a feral tomcat into a carrier to take him to be neutered when we lived in Spain. He bit DH to the bone through welding gauntlets

With GirlFeralCat we were wiser and got sedatives from the vet - theoretically enough to send her into a peaceful sleep for hours - still took about 4 hours of following her around and a final rugby tackle even though she'd eaten the lot mixed in to a pile of meat.

The vet there had a wire cage, she used to line the carrier door up with the cage door, open b into a, and then prod the cat's behind to get it to shoot through into the wire cage where she could examine or sedate it as needed! Spanish cats are hardcore . . .

My parents cat just walks into his. He also takes medicine like a dream. He's not the brightest!!

I get my carrier. Out the day before so they get used to it being there and don't disappear!

Put carrier on end so the door is upwards, pick cat up and dump in. Shut door sharpish!
Works for me.