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All I can say is good luck. I used to leave carriers out, etc. Apart from when the carrier was brand new it only got investigated very rarely if ever. True of at least 3 different carriers. When it was time to go in to go, there was no coaxing her in.
The last carrier I bought (a few years ago) is this Iris plastic one that looks like a picnic basket. Amazon.com: IRIS Pet Carrier for Dog or Cat, Tan: Pet Supplies Honestly I don't care about how it looks, but functionally it is quite handy vs the standard side-door plastic and dual-door Sherpa soft carrier that I had earlier. You open the top, the opening is wide, drop cat in and get lid closed before she can do anything about it. And for a few months before we first went to the vet with it, it was a fairly popular nap spot. After that vet visit, nothing. I just leave it put away now because it's no use leaving it out.
BTW, this won't be a problem with everyone but in our case with the Sherpa, 3 vet visits, 3 poops, even though we shortened the drive to the vet significantly. At least half a dozen vet visits in the newer carrier, no problems (well, except the usual wailing, but that is unavoidable ).
Ah, this is where having kids pays off. Catch the cat and the kids get the carrier. They're in it before they know what hit them.
Our carrier does not come out until the cat is subdued.
I did have one cat I had to tie up in a pillow case to get into the carrier. Funny thing was that once we got to the vet, you couldn't get her out of it.
I had put a sham-wow in the carrier the last time I took her to the vet. When the vet tech took her out of her crate she put the sham-wow over her and my cat hid under it the rest of time.
BTW, I got the "calming" spray. It's not the Feliway brand, it's the one my local Pet Supermarket carries, but I'm going to spray the new crate when I get it, as well as the area around the crate and leave the crate open and see what happens. I'm betting she'll still avoid anything that looks like a crate or a "trip to the evil vaccine people." Oh and she hates car rides with the heat of a thousand suns. The one time she did okay was when my beloved golden (R.I.P.) was in the car and kitty was right near her. She was very bonded to 'her' dog.
When we had a cat, I would never let him see the carrier but just get it ready even if it were waiting on the porch. I wrapped him in a towel and then took him to the carrier. That worked well. My problem was getting him out because you could try to shake it and dump him out but somehow he held on. He was a wonderful cat and well worth the little trouble he gave me though.
There are times when you have to put your and your cat's sensitivities aside, grab him by the scruff of the neck and just go for it.
I am not for scruffing the neck of an adult cat to the point of picking him/her up. I believe you are not supposed to do that to an adult - it is painful.
A vet tech taught me to throw and entire large towel on a cat and pick him/her up with the towel and put the cat, towel and all, in the top door of my Pet Mate top and side loading carrier.
Scruffing might be OK to gently, GENTLY pull a reluctant cat from under a piece of furniture so long as a) the cat is on a smooth floor, not rug,so it can come out easily and without the painful scruffing and b) you do it very briefly.
Never scruff an adult cat to pick him up. It is painful.
I'm not going to scruff my cat. I like the towel idea. I can spritz it with kitty calming spray about 15 min before using. If she doesn't see what's happening then hopefully I'll get her in without losing any limbs.
Whew, can I relate. We isolate "Ash" so we can find her the day of the vet visit, the only time we use the carrier, she vomits, has diarrhea, pees, poops, and drools to and from the vet which is only a hop, skip and a jump from our house. It honestly breaks my heart to put her through it, "Smokey" is a fine traveler, seems to love the vet but won't let me hold her, she let's her daddy kiss her nose but I can't get near her. I heard her purr for the first time in 5 years while Daddy was holding her yesterday and I was allowed to pet her but only because Daddy had her. I wouldn't want to be put in a carrier either, especially when it's associated with going to the doctor, ugh.
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