Transporting your Cat

It's important that your cat sees the carrier as a safe place where he wants to be.  Whatever carrier you decide to use, leave it out and open in your home.  Make it comfy with bedding and place treats inside the carrier every day.  Once you've established the carrier as his own little hidey cave full of treats and love, he won't mind getting in to it for the occasional trip to the groomer or veterinarian.  The above pitured carrier is our favorite.  It is by SportPet and comes in two sizes.  The larger size easily fits two cats.  It is easy to open and close, carry, and clean.  Our cats love to get in to the carrier we have in our home and we often find one or more of them sleeping in it.

If you have a different kind of carrier here are some tips for how to get a reluctant kitty inside the carrier.

1. For a front load carrier (one with a door on the front of a rectangular box), first try to make it appealing by using the above technique (make it a bed with treats and leave it open in the house).  If you need to get your kitty inside and he is not cooperative, try putting the carrier on it's end so that the open door is facing up.  Wrap your kitty in a towel like a buritto  wtih only his face visible.  Then carefully lower him in to the carrier.  This will keep him from being able to hold on to the sides of the door to keep himself from being lowered in.  Once he's in the carrier, close and secure the door and then turn the carrier up to right it. 

2. For top load carriers, wrap the cat in a towel as a burrito and then place him in the carrier.  Quickly close and secure the door.  Many top-load carriers also have a side door so be certain that door is also securely closed.

3. If your cat is anxious, cover the carrier with a towel or blanket to make it dark and quiet for him.

4. Secure the carrier in your car with a seatbelt or other restraining device.  Unsecured carriers can move around while driving and this will make your already anxious kitty even more anxious.