How to put a cat in a carrier

 

You might be reading this after having tried, unsuccessfully, to put your cat in a carrier.

 

It looked easy enough. How hard could it be to put a 10-pound cat in box? Cats love boxes, don’t they?

 

You might have discovered that 10 pounds of kitty can turn into a thousand-pound whirling dervish covered in knives, if you’re trying to make the cat do something she has no intention of doing.

 

If so, you’re going about it the wrong way. Actually, the best way to get the cat in the carrier involves a time machine, but I’ll explain all about that in a minute.

 

But there are a few second-best ways, if you need the cat in the carrier RIGHT NOW, and you want minimize stress to the cat, not to mention bites and scratches to yourself.

 

I discuss it all in this post.

 

Why you should have started weeks ago to get the cat into a carrier

 

If you want a cat to go willingly into a cat carrier, you need to start a couple of weeks or months before you actually need the cat to be in the carrier. So, if it’s June and you have to take the cat to the vet, you should have started the process in, say, April. (The timing differs for every cat.)

 

So, get yourself a time machine, or start before you ever have to take the cat anywhere.

 

The best way to get a cat to do anything, is to get the cat to also want to do whatever it is you want the cat to do.

 

Take the time to train your cat to enjoy his carrier. You only have to do it once. Once your cat has a good relationship with the carrier, it should be easy to get him in the carrier forevermore.

 

How to train your cat to go willingly into the carrier

 

This is the easiest cat training that you will ever do, if you do it right. The key is to do almost nothing.

 

Nothing means nothing. It means, don’t say, “Oh look at that nice carrier! Don’t you want to go inside?”

 

It means don’t point out the carrier to the cat, or open and close the doors, or make a fuss over the carrier. It also means don’t exclaim, “Good boy!” when your cat decides to poke his head inside the carrier.

 

If your cat suspects that you, her loving guardian, has any kind of anxiety about whether she goes near the carrier or not, she will be rightfully suspicious of it.

 

Your mode needs to be, “Carrier? What carrier?”

 

Here are the carrier training steps:

 

Step 1

Put the carrier in the living area of your house, with all of the doors open. Place a cozy blanket or towel inside, preferably one your cat has already used.

 

Toss a few treats inside.

 

Step 2

Pretend the carrier doesn’t exist.

 

Your cat should eventually go into the carrier by herself

 

If your cat hasn’t sensed any anxiety on your part over the carrier, she will likely be motivated to explore it at some point. It may take a few days or longer, but her curiosity (and desire to snuggle up into a cozy box with her favorite blanket inside) will probably get the best of her.

 

Note that cats are notoriously skeptical of new foods and new things in their environment. It’s a survival tactic, so don’t knock it. You can read about it in this post about why cats are finicky. But it explains why most cats won’t go exuberantly running over to check out the new carrier the minute you put it down.

 

If he goes into the carrier by himself

 

Once he goes into the carrier the first time, wait until he leaves and casually toss a few more treats inside. You want to give him an incentive to return over and over again.

 

Once he is regularly going in and out of the carrier by himself, like it’s nothing, you can practice shutting the door.

 

Throw some treats in the carrier, wait for the cat to go inside to get them, and then close the door for a second. Make sure to open the door right away.

 

You can do this a few times, but be sure to let the cat out if she’s had enough. End the game before she’s fed up with it. The point is for her to always feel comfortable in the carrier, not trapped.

 

Over the next few days and weeks, slowly increase the amount of time you keep the door shut. Work up to a few minutes. That should be long enough for the cat to feel comfortable in the carrier with the door closed.

 

If she doesn’t go into the carrier by herself

 

If the cat shows absolutely no interest in the carrier even after a week or more of leaving it lying around, you might have to give her a reason to go inside.

 

Feed in the room with the carrier

Start feeding her meals in the same room with the carrier.

 

Move the food closer to the carrier

Over the next few days, move the food dish a few inches closer to the carrier. Stop and go back a few inches if she’s uncomfortable with the dish’s proximity to the carrier and is refusing to eat.

 

Eventually, you should be feeding her right in front of the carrier.

 

Feed inside the carrier

Once she’s comfortable eating right next to the carrier, you can feed the next meal inside the carrier.

 

Keep feeding inside the carrier until it “ain’t no thing.” Follow the instructions in the section above to get the cat used to the carrier door being shut.

 

Leave the carrier out, if you can

 

All the training in the world will come to naught if every time your cat sees the carrier it involves a trip to the vet.

 

In a perfect world, you would leave the carrier out and open permanently. It should just be one of those things – like the cat tree or his favorite cardboard box – that is just there for him to climb onto or into whenever he feels like it.

 

If you absolutely can’t stand to have the carrier in your living room for all time, just take it out a week before your need to transport the cat and keep it loaded up with treats.

How to put a reluctant cat in a carrier if it needs to happen TODAY

 

Sometimes you don’t have two months to get a cat acclimated to the carrier. You might have just adopted a cat who has to go to the veterinarian right away, for example. Or perhaps you didn’t know it was even possible to carrier-train a cat.

 

There is more than one way to get a cat into a carrier quickly, safely, and as stress-free as possible. The variations in method depend on the type of carrier you have and the kind of cat.

 

But a few tips and tricks apply to almost all of the methods:

 

Confine yourself (and the cat) to a small room

You don’t want to be chasing the cat for miles around the Great Room. You don’t want to be trying to coax the cat out from under a bed.

 

Do yourself a favor and put the carrier and the cat in a small room with few hiding places, such as a bathroom. Remove any breakables.

 

Put a blanket in the carrier

If your cat already has a favorite blanket, place it inside the carrier. A used blanket will make the carrier smell familiar and turn the slippery surface inside into a cozy sanctuary.

 

A blanket or towel will also help absorb any messes (pee, poop, vomit).

 

Wrap the cat in a towel

Not every cat-in-the-carrier technique mentioned below requires that you wrap the cat in a towel, but it’s a useful tool to keep in your kitty toolbelt.

 

Wrapping a cat in a towel can actually soothe a stressed-out cat (like swaddling a newborn baby), and protect your skin from errant claws and teeth.

 

The goal of wrapping the cat in the towel is not to wrap the cat tightly. You’re not doing fancy origami with the towel and you don’t want to restrict breathing. The goal is simply to momentarily confine a cat’s limbs.

 

Step 1

Throw a medium-sized towel or small blanket over your cat’s back, including the back of her head. She is likely to crouch down and stay still as soon as she feels the weight of the towel.

 

Step 2

Standing behind your cat, use your forearms – one on each side of the cat – to scoop the cat and towel up together. Your forearms will be gently pressing on your cat’s sides, but her scratchy feet and claws will be immobilized beneath your arms.

 

Using your (longer) forearms instead of just your (smaller) hands will keep the entire length of the cat trapped, both front end and back end.

 

Step 3

Using one of the techniques described below, place the cat AND the towel or blanket in the carrier. Shut the door quickly – no need to remove the towel.

 

Use pheromone spray

(Note: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases)

Scent is everything in the cat world. Synthetic pheromone spray is designed to mimic the natural facial pheromones that cats emit when they rub against furniture and other objects. Cats use scent marking in this way to make their world feel safer.

 

Apply the spray about 20 minutes before you plan to put the cat in the carrier. The spray uses alcohol as a carrier for the scent and you need to let the alcohol evaporate. Otherwise, the carrier will smell more like the vet’s office and less like comforting cat smells.

 

Note that you will need to reapply the spray every time you use the carrier as the scent does tend to dissipate over time.

 

You can find Feliway Classic spray here.

 

Check for the tail

No matter what kind of carrier you have, don’t shut the door until you are sure the tail is safely inside!

How to get the cat in the carrier depends on the type of carrier and cat you have

 

Here are some techniques to try, depending on the design of your carrier and the temperament of your cat. Let’s start with uncooperative cats:

 

If you have a hard-shell carrier with just one front door

 

Turn the carrier on end

One way to get an uncooperative cat into a carrier with just a single door is to turn the carrier on end, and place it next to a wall for support.

 

The carrier will be vertical and the front door will be open on top.

 

Use a towel

Drape a towel over the back of the cat as described above, but instead of lifting him with both forearms, slide one hand over the towel, under his backside. Slide your other hand forward, over the towel in a way that restricts the movement of his front legs, but protects your hands from the front claws.

 

Lower the cat in, backside first

Gently lower the cat, back end first, into the carrier.

 

Because your cat can’t see the opening of the carrier coming, there is less likely to be a struggle.

 

There is no need to remove the towel from the carrier. Quickly shut the door.

 

An alternative method that can also be used with soft carriers with just one door

 

If you have a hard or soft carrier with just one front door, you can also place it horizontally on the ground or a table instead of vertically. Place it next to a wall for support with the door facing you.

 

Follow the directions above for wrapping the cat in a towel, gently restricting her limbs with your hands and the towel.

 

Slide the cat in halfway

Place her in the carrier backwards. Get her in half-way before letting go of her hind area, and use your other hand to block her from coming out of the carrier and to coax her the rest of the way in.

 

Use your body to block the exit

Keep the rest of your body in front of the carrier door to prevent her from slipping out, and quickly shut the door.

 

If you have a carrier that has an opening at the top

 

Carriers that have a wide door at the top, or that are designed with a top and bottom that are screwed or clamped together are some of the easiest carriers to load a cat into.

 

They’re also easy to get a scared, anxious, or even aggressive cat out of at the vet’s office.

 

Use a towel

Drape a towel over the cat and use your forearms to lift the towel/cat bundle straight up and straight down into the top opening of the carrier.

 

Keep one hand on the cat

Keep one hand on the cat (no need to remove the towel) and close the top door with your other hand.

 

If you have a hard-shell carrier that comes apart

 

If you have a carrier is designed with a top and bottom that are screwed or clamped together, take it apart. Practice putting the door back on while the cat is somewhere else. You don’t want to be fumbling around with the door while the cat is trying to escape.

 

Situate the bottom half of the carrier

Place the bottom half of the carrier on a flat surface with the door area against a wall.

 

Place the cat inside

Drape a towel over the cat and place her into the bottom of the carrier, towel and all. Keep one hand firmly on the cat to keep him from dashing off.

 

Replace the top and the door

Use your other hand (or ask a second person to help) to place the top half of the carrier over her.

 

Back the carrier an inch or two away from the wall and replace the door. You can now fasten the top and bottom parts of the carrier together again.

 

If you have a relatively calm cat and any kind of carrier

 

If you have a non-aggressive cat who is just unsure about the carrier, or unwilling to volunteer to put herself in the carrier, use this handhold which will just gently restrict her limbs. There might be no need to use a towel with this kind of cat.

 

Step 1

Hold the cat in your right arm, with his back end in the crook of your elbow, his body across your chest, and his head facing your left arm.

 

Step 2

Grasp the cat’s front legs in the palm of your right hand.

 

Step 3

Grasp the cat’s hind legs with your left hand.

 

You can use this handhold to help a cat into any kind of carrier. With the limbs gently confined, she won’t be able to use them as “brakes” to prevent herself from being placed in the carrier.

 

Here's another great technique to try on a relatively cooperative cat:

Should you buy a soft cat carrier or a hard cat carrier?

 

There are advantages and disadvantages of each type of carrier. This table summarizes the difference.

These are some hard carriers that I like:

 

Petmate Two Door Kennel – Has a top door and a front door. Airline approved. Might be too small for larger cats.

 

Petmate Sky Kennel – Extremely sturdy. Meets international airline travel requirements. Has attached food and water cups inside. It doesn’t have a top door, but it does have “windows” for extra ventilation.

 

These are some soft carriers that I like:

 

Petseek Carrier – Very spacious, even for large cats. You can buy a set of two and hook them together so that there’s a whole side just for the litter box for longer car rides. Surprisingly sturdy and structured for a soft carrier, with strong mesh.

 

Vceoa Pet Carrier – A traditional, budget-friendly, soft-sided carrier for smaller cats. Fits under airline seats.

 

Henkelion Carrier – Good for small-to-medium-sized cats. Airline approved. Three doors and smooth operating zippers. Has a removeable, washable, sherpa-covered floor.

 

Desensitize your cat to riding in the car

 

The carrier is only half the battle. Riding in the car involves unfamiliar sounds, smells, and movement that can be stressful to a cat who is not familiar with car travel. Read this post about riding with a cat in the car to learn more:

 

Road trip! How to take my cat on a trip in the car

 

How long can a cat be in a carrier?

 

If you’re taking the cat on a longer car trip, let the cat out of her carrier every two to three hours to drink, stretch, have a snack, and use the litter box.

 

And by “let the cat out” I mean, let her out in the cabin of the car! Close all the car doors and windows before opening the door of the carrier.

 

Can you put two cats in one carrier?

 

Once your cats are no longer kittens, they should be in their own carriers no matter how well they get along, even if the vet’s office is only a mile from your house.

 

Fear and anxiety from the carrier, car ride, or the anticipated vet visit can trigger aggression. Even cats who otherwise love each other can become violent. The confined space of the carrier means the victim won’t be able to escape.

 

Even if the cats get along in the carrier, there’s not enough room for cats, not matter how petite, to easily get comfortable, turn around, or lie down.

 

And two warm bodies in the enclosed space of the carrier can quickly lead to overheating.