First vet visit since I got them...

[Allergictoironing]

I have the day off, so the ex-ferals are having their annual MOT today a bit early. This will be the first time either has been out of the house since I surrendered my life to them about 10 months ago, and though I think I've done everything I can to prepare I'm wibbling a bit.

2 cat carriers have been in the middle of the living room since the weekend, doors open, their own blankets in the bottoms which have been sprayed with Feliway, and occasional Dreamies placed strategically neat the back which they have definitely Gone in to eat - yesterday evening right in front of me. Smaller Girlcat went in to the smaller (borrowed) carrier herself, Boycat chose the larger carrier that also has top door as well as the front door - all well and good, as that's the allocation I was thinking of.

My problem will be getting them BOTH into a carrier, as I reckon as soon as I shut one in the other will panic & run away. Boycat is thick & very timid, Girlcat is smarter, more agile & much bolder. I was thinking of getting at least the first one in at least half an hour or so before I need to leave, but and thoughts on which I should get in first? I should add that both are VERY treats motivated.

Thoughts?

Good luck!

I have never had to get two difficult cats into carriers but my experience of getting one in is that you have to do it first time. If you are doing a swift grab and drop then failing in the first attempt makes the next attempt much more difficult. It helps if you get them into a room with as little scope for escape as possible and with as few hiding places as possible. It is sometimes easier to put the carrier on its end and lower them vertically in.

Do you have someone to help you so you can do a simultaneous treat lure? We got our first foster into the carrier with a treat stick poked through the back of the carrier.

I would do the more difficult one first, the one who will damage you least second. To me that suggests girl first.

Can you place the carriers so that if they both go in at the same time you could use both hands to shut the doors simultaneously, then use a foot to keep one shut whilst locking the other? If so I'd try throwing dreamies in both at the same time and hoping for the best. If not could a neighbour come and be you "other hand" as it were, or would that make the kits too nervous?

Can you shut the lounge door that even if they do panic they can't get very far? I hope so! I'd stock up with a large towel and padded jacket (to save your armes). Think I'd get GC in first, as by the sounds of things BC would then hide, but not have you running around the room after him.

The other thing might be could you shut them in two separate rooms, and Dreamie them in away from each other. There's a chance that they'd be less panicked if they can't see what you've done / are doing to the other.

Good luck however you decide to do it!!!!!

I wouldn't put one in early, they'll probably create merry hell after a minute which will freak out the other one anyway. Shut them in the room. Be prepared to move furniture.

Previous experience and I'm still twitchy about it.

Good luck.

I'd do them in separate rooms if you can girl cat first then boy cat. But don't do them too far in advance as that's a long time to have a meowing cat in a carrier. Good luck!

Can't really shut them in separate rooms, as they are so bonded Boycat at least will get very distressed (he's a complete wuss). Anyone else apart from maybe my nephew (who we think may be part-cat himself) who isn't available would put them in a panic for at least a couple of hours.

The carriers have been side by side since the weekend, so I think the Dreamies tempting them in & trying to trap them simultaneously may be the best bet. They won't be meowing if I get them in a bit early - I think they must be part oriental as they don't meow as such, just make cute little noises not dis-similar to a grumbling tummy!

Luckily I don't think I'll have to pad out my arms. Even when I first ever picked each one up and there was total hysteria, I didn't get scratched. They are both incredibly gentle and have never even looked like they were thinking of scratching me, and seem to do their best to avoid catching me by mistake as well. They really are very sweet cats, just still nervous of anything out of their comfort zone.

they are going to sulk for DAYS after this aren't they?

I get the most difficult to catch one in first. Then I sit on the sofa and her sister will usually come for a fuss then I grab her. Once I've got them they go in to the box very well. Shutting the doors upstairs helps as they can't hide under the bed. Good luck!

I will tempt them into the living room together & shut the door so at least I only have the one room for them to hide in - they are used to that, as I shut them in there when I'm doing the rubbish or if I need the front door open for any reason.

I'm probably wibbling unnecessarily, and everything will be fine. They have come such a long way since they came home.

Good luck. I don't send my ferals for MOTs. I save catching them for if I suspect they may have some sort of problem. But then your two don't sound that feral if you can pick them up without them sinking teeth into your hand.

Yep, you are, in all likelihood, going to be in their bad books for a while. I think you should order in a load of yummy things to help them get over their distress! (Though you may find they're fine afterwards - mine hates the carrier and will scream the entire journey, but soon forgives me once we're home....so far, anyway!)

I'd go with a jacket anyway, unless that would freak them out for some reason. Mine never scratches, but has caught DP when being put into the carrier, purely because she was trying to keep hold of the carpet and had her claws out.

Let us know how you get on.

Before you start shut all the doors, so they can leave that room - I wouldn't worry if their in different rooms (it might be better actually as the other one may not be alert to whats about to happen), just take the cat carrier to that room and shut the door . I find it easier to have the carriers upright and put them in hind legs first - you have to sort of hold their hind legs together and be determined to hang onto them whatever - I always make sure I've got my arms and hands covered.

I have never had to get two difficult cats into carriers but my experience of getting one in is that you have to do it first time. If you are doing a swift grab and drop then failing in the first attempt makes the next attempt much more difficult. It helps if you get them into a room with as little scope for escape as possible and with as few hiding places as possible. It is sometimes easier to put the carrier on its end and lower them vertically in.

I haven't got much useful to add (never had to try and do 2 at the same time!) , except that I have to drop Mr T in to his carrier vertically (bum first) as he goes bonkers if you try to put him in head first. He will normally do anything for Dreamies, anything except go in his kitty carrier it turns out.

OP, you'll be fine, you're already doing better than me as I tried the "leave the carrier in the middle of the room for a few days with treats and feliway" trick last time a trip to the cattery was coming up, and Mr T pissed in it

These are my beloved fur babies, and my first kitties, and as a complete worrier I want to do every single thing I can to ensure they are fit and healthy, and I don't have the experience to be sure they are 100% (think new mother & PFB!). They've definitely put weight on since I've had them and I want to be sure they haven't put on too much, I've never been shown how to trim claws & theirs need doing so I want the vet to show me how. I get scared of my own ignorance sometimes .

I've also been recommended that they get their jabs topped up once a year in case of an escape and worming done.

I think I just need reassurance I'm doing all the right things for them, I adore them so much and I genuinely think they are fond of me in their own way; they are definitely fond of petting (on their own terms of course) and treats!

Can you lock the boy in the bathroom with treats to eat (and nowhere to hide) then get the girl into their basket. Go back and get the one in the bathroom into their basket.

I took a stray tomcat for neutering last week and had caged him the night before. I'd been practicing picking him up for a couple of weeks before caging him, but I was worried about getting him from cage into basket. I started with the small basket I have, but he was having none of it. Getting him into the large basket was much easier when he was a bit agitated.

Good luck!

Allergic you're doing fine, honest. They don't understand it's for their own good, and may complain and panic but don't take it to heart.

I hate taking mine - she has the most human-like miaow in the car which I find really distressing. It's the one time I'm pleased I can't drive - however much it would be easier for me to be able to take them myself I really couldn't drive with her going on. Even DP, who really doesn't humanise the animals, said that she sounded human on one memorable drive home (it actually sounded like she was wailing "mummy" at one point!!!).

Then once at the vet she's so scared, and curls into herself. But if she didn't go it could be so much worse for her, she just doesn't know that.

It will be fine.

Well Girlcat is shut in the smaller carrier - not exactly happy & keeps trying to force her way through the door. But Boycat is now behind the very large sofa and refusing to even look at the very tempting trail of Dreamies leading up to the larger carrier. I may take Girlcat out of the living room away from him, though I'm not sure whether that would distress him more.

She managed to put a rather sharp claw into my finger, my fault as I realised the door wasn't as secure as it may be & went to relock it just as she was trying to claw it open.

Giving him a few minutes alone in there, then back to the fray - wish me luck!

Hope you managed to wrangle him in. Just in case it's helpful for you or anyone else reading this there are quite a lot of mobile vets now that do home visits. You still have to take them in for the big stuff but for jabs and a quick check over its ace. My cats just have to put up with the indignity of being poked on the dining room table for 5 mins rather than having to wrangle them in to boxes, be meowed at for an hour etc. Worth investigating I'd there's one near you if you'd find it useful

How's it going? Have you managed to get BC in? Hope it wasn't too traumatic a capture.

Bet you anything they'll go running back in to the boxes after the vet's dealt with them, like they're their favourite place in the world!

Thomas is right, no matter how hard it is to get them in the box at home, at the vet they are desperate to get back in . I do, however, bear the scars of trying to lock the door of the box once they are in there. I have been through my vet's wound protocol more than once in that situation.

Mine do that! Once they've decided they are going home the will. It budge out of their box. And turn to liquid when you try and pick them up!
My parents cat just walks into his box as good as gold. But he is quite odd!

Well that was a bit - interesting! I very nearly got him in on my own, but he wriggled just at the wrong moment as I was trying to get him in & escaped by sort of swinging off my arm by his claws. I mopped up the blood & went next door to beg my neighbour's son to help - he loves kitties and his own adores him.

Cue M hovering at one end of the sofa while I had to poke underneath it where the cat had taken refuge in a space all of about 2 inches high (and he's a BIG cat). Eventually I managed to poke him back enough so poor neighbour could grab him by the scruff & pull him out. As he carried the struggling spitfire round to the carrier, both he and half my furniture got sprayed - I didn't know a cat's bladder could hold that much wee!

2 unimpressed howling cats loaded into the car, with superhero M coming with me to help carry them in (still stinking of cat wee). Vet says they are 100%, not too fat (one of my fears), gave each one annual jabs, in and out in about 5 mins. Poor Boycat was shaking and actually panting so we decided the claw clipping can wait & I'll get someone to show me how once they have forgiven me.

Put the crates down with the doors open & went next door for a cuppa to let them settle in peace. Girlcat has come downstairs for Dreamies, but I think Boycat may be under the sofa again .

And my living room STINKS of cat pee!

It gets better, ours used to pant but now it's a cold stony silence emanating from the carrier.

Well done!.

You deserve a medal! Simple Solutions spray is your friend for getting the smell of cat pee out. Amazon sell it on next day delivery. I'm the veteran of a few too many cat wee episodes myself...

Well done! If you can practice shutting them in it may help. So in, door shut, door open lots of treats and play. Then gradually extend the length of time the door is actually latched to get them used to it. Feeding them in or near the carriers may help too.

Hopefully that is it for the next year, unless one get ill or injured. I'll start acclimatising them for much longer next time, it was just that I managed to get a day's holiday very unexpectedly for this time of year (Tax Year End is a bitch for us) and had just a few days to arrange to borrow the second crate & get them used to it etc.

There's been a few sightings of Girlcat since I came back in, but not a sign of Boycat. I doubt he will come out for at least a day or two now when I'm about, though he must be quite thirsty with the amount of pee he let loose with.

My cat carrier is out permanently with a nice blanket inside. It's where our cat sleeps and chills out. On our journey back from the shelter with our girl she hated it she panted, soiled herself, meowed the whole way home. She now goes to the vet just fine in it and at Easter we're taking her away on a trip a couple of hours away with us so will see if she's happier on a longer journey too.