Getting cats into boxes/carriers help.

Getting cats into boxes/carriers help.

Author
Discussion

Roo

Original Poster:

11,503 posts

206 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Our previous three cats were all very easy to get into boxes.

Two of them you could pick up and put in a box. The third one, due to going to the vets for blood tests every month, would see the box on the floor and just get in it.

The current two appear to be a different matter. They're a mother and son pair that have been at a rescue centre since he was born in September 2012. Subsequently they've had very little human interaction, and certainly not a lot of either being picked up or put in boxes/carriers. We've had them at home for about six weeks.

As we are due to go away for a few days in April my wife wanted to do a trial run of getting them in their boxes that will be used to take them to the cattery. The idea being to get them in the boxes facing each other, give them a few treats to reassure them and then let them out again so that they realise it's not a terrible thing that's going to happen to them. Given that they used to run and hide in their boxes when they got scared what could possibly go wrong?

It took me about half an hour to stop the blood pouring from my finger and I now have two pissed off cats sitting on the top of the wardrobe and a wife who's upset about 1. how the cats reacted and 2. the fact that she feels a failure for not being able to do such a simple thing.

So, what's the easiest way to get two feisty cats into their boxes when it's time for a vet visit or to go on holiday?

Munter

31,319 posts

240 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Get the boxes in their environment all the time then it becomes an extra cat bed. Not just something that appears.

Failing that we shut him in the smallest room with just us, the box and a sheet.

Then make his world smaller and smaller using the sheet until his best option is the box. Does require a very small room.

Ace-T

7,688 posts

254 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
It is good you have a little time. Firstly leave the boxes out so they get used to them being around. Stick a towel over the box to make it nice and dark. Next stick some of their bedding in so it smells familiar. Then stick a couple of old t-shirts (that you/your missus have worn) in them. Then scatter some treats in. When they are going in and out to get the treats shut the door and feed treats through gaps, let them out fairly quickly. Repeat this daily until the day comes to take them out in the boxes. Cats learn but a bit more slowly than dogs because they are naturally suspicious. hehe

I hope you are using proper carriers not cardboard boxes?

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
We "cat sat" for a few months and Smudge was not a fan of the carrier. The most impressive manoeuvre we saw was at the cattery - box opened, can picked up and put in bum first (so the legs fold naturally) and it was done in 3 seconds. Happened so quickly the cat didn't realise.

The hissing from the box though hehe

mph1977

12,467 posts

167 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Podie said:
We "cat sat" for a few months and Smudge was not a fan of the carrier. The most impressive manoeuvre we saw was at the cattery - box opened, can picked up and put in bum first (so the legs fold naturally) and it was done in 3 seconds. Happened so quickly the cat didn't realise.

The hissing from the box though hehe
was the cattery trick :-

carrier on end so door is a trap door

'kitten lift' the cat

drop in

slam door

profit

Ace-T

7,688 posts

254 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Hey Pods wavey you and RG fancy cat-sitting our new 4? biggrin

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Ace-T said:
Hey Pods wavey you and RG fancy cat-sitting our new 4? biggrin
wavey

4!

Ace-T

7,688 posts

254 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Podie said:
wavey

4!
Yeah. Kittens are kryptonite to us and we were bushwhacked twice (a brother and sister then two brothers). smile Helped us cope with Wednesday leaving us at 23.

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
What style of carrier do you have, top opening or front opening?

If front opening put them in bum first, if top opening hold front legs so they can't splay them out.

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Ace-T said:
Podie said:
wavey

4!
Yeah. Kittens are kryptonite to us and we were bushwhacked twice (a brother and sister then two brothers). smile Helped us cope with Wednesday leaving us at 23.
wow, 23! Knew she was an old lady, but that's good going!

Bebee

4,678 posts

224 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
I don't let her see the box, then I put my hand over her eyes, before she knows it, she's in the box.

matt666

445 posts

203 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Pick them up by the scruff of the neck and support their back legs with your other hand. That's how their mum holds them when they're kittens and it makes them go limp and not struggle. Put them in an upturned carrier with no drama.

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Don't recommend scuffing adults. I rarely ever need to in my job.

Trouble is adult cats tend to splay their front legs out rigidly and stretch out when scruffed not go limp.

ali_kat

31,988 posts

220 months

Sunday 8th March 2015
quotequote all
Our box lives in bedroom, always open & available

They play in it & sleep on/in it. It's a big box - big enough for a small dog, splash proof fabric, collapsable. Big so we can out 2 adult cats in & they have space. Because we have learned that we get hissing & spitting if only 1 cat goes to the Vet as they smell different when they get back.

As others have said, put treats in & ignore it so they don't see it as a threat

They still run when it moves. They know! We go round the house & shut all the doors bar the bathroom & herd them in there. Gunnily, that's onky for routine appointments. When Pepi has hurt himself he has gone in happily & without fuss (he hasn't dine this since we got Beauty as he stays inside now)

Always insert bum first. Ours opens top & side. We upend it & put them in bum first, then add the other cat - it's too tall for the 1st cat to get out quick enough before the other is put in.

As Bex suggests, you shouldn't scuff adults without supporting their body, their scruff can't take the weight

Roo

Original Poster:

11,503 posts

206 months

Monday 9th March 2015
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies so far.

To answer a few questions.

We use proper cat carriers, not cardboard boxes. I wouldn't trust them in a cardboard box, the little buggers would dig their way out.

The carriers are the ones that are front opening.

We'd tried to get Lester into a box whilst he was in the dining room, but could see he was starting to get a bit stressed so opened the door and let him out.
We then went upstairs to the small back bedroom where Lacey spends most of her time on top of the wardrobe. I think this is where we made a mistake as by that time Lester had gone upstairs and had probably frightened her a bit as he was still agitated.

She cam down from the wardrobe to try and do a runner but the door was shut so she couldn't get out. She got herself onto the window sill and started to hiss and growl a bit. I thought I'd grab her by the scruff of the neck to then put in her the box.
It was at that point that she physically turned on me. As I went to get her with my right hand she attacked my left hand sinking her teeth into my left forefinger as she jumped down. It was that reaction that has upset the wife. She expected them to be a bit of a struggle, but not to physically attack.

So, the lessons learnt are:
Don't try to get them in a box in the dining room as there's too much furniture to get in the way.
If unsuccessful trying to get one cat in the box don't let them spook the other one.
Lacey has got very sharp teeth.

I had already suggested to the wife about leaving the boxes open in the back bedroom and putting treats/biscuits in them to encourage them to go into them.

I'll suggest putting blankets over them as well to make them darker to make them feel more secure for the cats.

Any other ideas/suggestions gratefully accepted.

telecat

8,528 posts

240 months

Monday 9th March 2015
quotequote all
Any Chance you could get a sitter rather than a Cattery? Given the length of time you have had them they might get a bit unsettled at a cattery.

Shaw Tarse

31,543 posts

202 months

Roo

Original Poster:

11,503 posts

206 months

Monday 9th March 2015
quotequote all
telecat said:
Any Chance you could get a sitter rather than a Cattery? Given the length of time you have had them they might get a bit unsettled at a cattery.
We had thought of that. We're going away again in July for two weeks so this was sort of trial run for them at the cattery so that they know they will be collected and brought home again.

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Monday 9th March 2015
quotequote all
Keep a very close eye on that bitten finger, cat bites can turn nasty, antibiotics may be needed. ANY sign of redness, swswelling should get a'bios (not ttetanus)

I use top opening carriers, these are generally preferred in the veterinary world. I usually give cats nice food (unless need starving for an op etc) shut doors in the room they are in have lid open ready and take basket in room they are in put it on the floor, pick up cat/s pop in basket close lid.

I've had four cats of differing characters from laid back to nervous (ie not keen on being picked up)and always found this to work.

Calm, discreet and quiet but speedy approach usually works but no guarantee!

brickwall

5,192 posts

209 months

Monday 9th March 2015
quotequote all
Thick gardening gloves and wax jacket.

Pick up cat, put in box.

Profit.