The problem is getting a hold of them in the first place. They just bolt from one hiding place to another, and I say “hiding place” but they’re not as much “hidden” as “hard to reach when you are a human-sized human”. The only reason I eventually manage to catch them is that ambush predators get tired quicker than persistence predators.
The hate being picked up in general, even if there is no threat of vet, so they’ll struggle to get out of my arms and if they succeed - I’ve lost the element of surprise.
Also - I have two cats, and if I need to take both to vet then even if I manage to place one in a carrier he’ll alert the other that something is wrong.
Mine know that it’s vet time the second i get the transport boxes out of storage. I have to be pretty silent while they sleep so they don’t notice that, or else i have to use persistance predation too.
e: a possible workaround is to store the transport boxes in different places everytime, but my options are limited.
Hey I don’t have cats so it might be a bit different, but I’ve had a few dogs over the years and I figure it would be similar. Your cats probably associate the carriers with going to the vet which it sounds like they’re not a fan of. Their thought process is probably carrier = vet = no thank you.
Have you tried to put them into the carrier without actually taking them to the vet? Drop some treats in there, let them explore it at their own pace, close it for a minute or two, and then either reward or praise them after release? Keep progressing to the point that treats are no longer required to lure them and they enter on their own, but still reward them on release. Rinse and repeat (and repeat and repeat and repeat). Over time they may change their attitude towards the carrier their mindset may turn into carrier = treats and praise.
If they’re not food motivated you may have to use alternate bait such as toys or nip.
we have no car and use public transport. its a short ride, about 10 minutes bus and 10 minutes walk time, or about 40 minutes walking only (while carrying a cat in a box).
I didn’t have a car in my entire life, because public transport in my city (Vienna) has great interval times, are nearly always clean and cheap to ride; long distance i prefer trains.
Just how docile are your cats? If I’d take my cats to the bus without a container I’d have to run back and forth trying to fish them from the overhead storage racks when I reach my stop.
I tried releasing them in my car once, and they managed to squeeze under the driver and passenger seats. At least that was an environment fully under my control.
Its not that theyre docile, I was barely able to get one of them into the carrier with help, and it pissed in the process. Its more that in my arms theyre more afraid of everything that isnt me and if they try to escape, I can grip harder.
funnily, my mother-in-law drove us to the vet one time, and my cats puke when getting driven around. using no transport box is no option, since 2 of our cats were feral when we got them, so they know how to survive in the wild and have no issues running off into the next group of bushes.
The problem is getting a hold of them in the first place. They just bolt from one hiding place to another, and I say “hiding place” but they’re not as much “hidden” as “hard to reach when you are a human-sized human”. The only reason I eventually manage to catch them is that ambush predators get tired quicker than persistence predators.
How do they know youre taking them to the vet?
The hate being picked up in general, even if there is no threat of vet, so they’ll struggle to get out of my arms and if they succeed - I’ve lost the element of surprise.
Also - I have two cats, and if I need to take both to vet then even if I manage to place one in a carrier he’ll alert the other that something is wrong.
Mine know that it’s vet time the second i get the transport boxes out of storage. I have to be pretty silent while they sleep so they don’t notice that, or else i have to use persistance predation too.
e: a possible workaround is to store the transport boxes in different places everytime, but my options are limited.
Take them nice places in the box.
I’m gonna wine and dine them next time :-)
Hey I don’t have cats so it might be a bit different, but I’ve had a few dogs over the years and I figure it would be similar. Your cats probably associate the carriers with going to the vet which it sounds like they’re not a fan of. Their thought process is probably carrier = vet = no thank you.
Have you tried to put them into the carrier without actually taking them to the vet? Drop some treats in there, let them explore it at their own pace, close it for a minute or two, and then either reward or praise them after release? Keep progressing to the point that treats are no longer required to lure them and they enter on their own, but still reward them on release. Rinse and repeat (and repeat and repeat and repeat). Over time they may change their attitude towards the carrier their mindset may turn into carrier = treats and praise.
If they’re not food motivated you may have to use alternate bait such as toys or nip.
I often let the carriers stand outside, and they even sleep in them. i must be giving off other vibes when i take them out for the doc visit.
No transport box. You just put blanket in your arms and pick the cat up, carry it to the car.
we have no car and use public transport. its a short ride, about 10 minutes bus and 10 minutes walk time, or about 40 minutes walking only (while carrying a cat in a box).
I didn’t have a car in my entire life, because public transport in my city (Vienna) has great interval times, are nearly always clean and cheap to ride; long distance i prefer trains.
You cant take the cat on the bus?
Just how docile are your cats? If I’d take my cats to the bus without a container I’d have to run back and forth trying to fish them from the overhead storage racks when I reach my stop.
I tried releasing them in my car once, and they managed to squeeze under the driver and passenger seats. At least that was an environment fully under my control.
Its not that theyre docile, I was barely able to get one of them into the carrier with help, and it pissed in the process. Its more that in my arms theyre more afraid of everything that isnt me and if they try to escape, I can grip harder.
funnily, my mother-in-law drove us to the vet one time, and my cats puke when getting driven around. using no transport box is no option, since 2 of our cats were feral when we got them, so they know how to survive in the wild and have no issues running off into the next group of bushes.