Carriers are the prime form of transport that we use for our feline friends. These come in many shapes, sizes and materials which are readily available from any general pet retailer at stores or online. We may need to put our cats in carriers for many reasons from vet visits, to vacations, to emergency situations and other day-to-day activities.
Training our cats to like (or at least not mind) their carriers may take some work, but will prove to be worth it. The idea begins with getting your cat to accept his/her carrier as their own by making it always available–a haven to which they can retreat when the going gets rough.
We try to do this here at Tree House on the adoption floor. By making carriers available in each room, some of the residents have become accustomed to relaxing in their carriers, or even seeking them out for a positive experience, like treats, food, or playtime. Facilitating this makes it much less stressful for the cats and staff when it comes time for them to be transported for an exam or be weighed.
According an article on Free-Access Crate-Training (FACT) for Cats, those who accept their crates as their personal space gain five benefits:
1. They see the rest of the owner’s home as a neutral territory or home range which greatly reduces their need to protect it.
2. Because they don’t view the owner’s home or part of it as their personal territory, they’re less likely to become involved in territorial disputes (which may include marking as well as fighting) when/if the owner brings another cat into the household.
3. Wherever the crate goes, the cat’s personal space goes with it. This can take a tremendous amount of pressure off the animal going to the veterinary clinic, kennel, moving into a new home, or visiting friends with the owner.
4. Crate-trained cats fare much better when fire, flood, or other natural disasters force their owners from their homes. Not only do these animals gain the security that the familiar space provides, the crates make it more likely that their owners will be permitted to keep them in any emergency shelter. If the owners can’t, the crate will help comfort the animal away from the owner in strange surroundings.
5. It’s much easier to teach children not to bother the kitten or cat when it’s resting in its “house” than to teach them not to bother it when it gets “that look” or when it curls up in a corner of the couch. Like kids, kittens and cats need some down time, too, and a crate makes a safe and convenient place for them to get it.
This is not to say that the cat would remain in its carrier at all times, but it provides an added “safe spot” for them to retreat and feel comfortable when they want to retreat from the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day activities. Understanding the process of carrier training is also helpful in other situations that may require modifying the behavior of your cats, and is additionally a great way to manage territory issues in multiple cat households.
By now you may be wondering, so how exactly do I start carrier training my cat? Your kitty’s natural curiosity usually leads it to explore most new spaces or objects, particularly those that contain food, bedding, a few toys, and/or treats. Placing the carrier in a secure place in the household (where your cat is already comfortable) will further enhance its attraction and make it less intimidating. If your cat prefers the vertical space in your house, placing the carrier in a secure elevated spot may also increase its appeal.
If you are dealing with an adult cat who already associates the carrier with trips to the god-forsaken veterinarian, then you have some retraining (or tricking to do 
).
Consider duplicating the conditions in the house where the cat is most comfortable to start. Better yet, place one of their favorite blankets or pillows in the carrier to get them to associate the carrier with their scent. If your cat can’t even stand the sight of the carrier, you may have to take the carrier apart and get them used to it again step by step.
Try taking off the door and the top, and get your cat used to just the bottom portion by offering them treats inside of it. If your cat won’t approach the carrier, place the treats as close to the carrier as you can without making him/her afraid. Repeat this several times daily, slowly inching the treats inside the carrier as your cat loses his fear. Also, make sure to use positive reinforcers that are high value (wet food, chicken or turkey baby food, tuna fish– extra good smelling stuff to make it more enticing).
If your cat won’t eat the treats in front of you, then leave the room and let them do it at their own pace. It’s important not to rush this process, because you don’t want the cat to begin associating you as the cause of stress. Play time is also a great positive experience, and when your cat’s attention is focused on a wand toy, not the carrier, try moving it closer and closer to it. With the positive reinforcement of food, play therapy techniques, and a little patience you can nix previous bad associations your cat has made with the carrier.
Once your cat accepts the bottom portion, try these steps again after attaching the top of the carrier. After he/she accepts both the top and the bottom, then add the door. Do not close the door at first. Allow your cat to just go in for treats or wet food and leave on their own. After a while, start shutting the door for a few seconds and then for longer and longer periods, so your cat becomes accustomed to enclosure in the carrier.
Once your cat is comfortable being in the carrier with the door closed for a period of time, you can try getting them acclimated to moving around in there. Carry the carrier with you cat in it around the house for short bouts of time.
A synthetic facial pheromone called Feliway is also available which can quicken the process in some cases. Because cats use the pheromone-laden secretions from their facial glands to communicate positive acceptance messages, adding this scent to a particular environment can help neutralize any negative associations the cat has with it. Spraying the substance on suspicious objects (like inside the carrier in this case) will help neutralize any negative feline feelings associated with it. Feliway is available for purchase through the Tree House Cat-a-log here.
While all of this may seem like a lot of work, it can save you a lot of time and energy in the long run. Giving cats their own secure space helps prevent medical and behavioral problems and doing these exercises will create positive associations with previously stressful situations (like going to the vet). Doing the work now will make future routine trips a breeze, and emergency trips less hectic. Preventing problems is always easier and less expensive than treating them.
Meleda, a shy lady in a carrier
-Olga S.
