Your Pet's Carrier - The Biggest Mistake Cat Owners Make. | Cats

By JaneTompsett
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Every cat owner knows the problem - your cat needs to be put in their carrier so that you can take them to the vet, or to the boarding establishment or because you are moving to a new home. And guess what? Suddenly your super-clingy and ever present furry companion has vanished into thin air!

And even when you finally manage to locate the fur-covered little devil after wasting time you can ill-afford, you have to battle claws, teeth, rudely hissed words and ears flattened so close to your cat's head you'd think that they's disappeared altogether. Your cat is less than co-operative as you struggle to force their rigid body into their carrier.

So how come your affectionate, compliant and normal pet has suddenly turned into a feral wildcat as soon as you get their carrier out of storage?

Well, there's no kind way of saying this - it's your fault - and you won't even be aware that you are guilty of making The Big Mistake.

And the mistake is..

You tidy your cat's carrier away when you've finished with it.

We all do it without thinking. As soon as the awful task of transporting your cat from A to B is completed, the carrier gets tidied away in the garage, shed or cupboard out of sight until the next time it is needed. And that is where the mistake is made. The much-feared carrier is hidden away.

So, can you correct your error and wipe out your guilt? Is it possible to make the situation better? Will your cat ever accept their carrier and remain laid-back and happpy around it? Definitely - and you can start correcting your mistake the minute you've finished reading this!

Bring the carrier out of storage and place it in a cat-friendly place.

Place it where it is warm and can remain undisturbed.

Make it comfortable inside with a blanket or cushion.

Make it attractive by placing a favourite toy or some catnip inside

Place a tasty cat-snack inside.

Always leave the door wide open for free access.

Keep it within your cat's everyday world.

And that's all you need to do. If you follow the above steps you can start to change the negative associations your cat has with their carrier. Each time the carrier is brought out, it triggers bad memories for your cat so it's no wonder that they connect the carrier with being forced to undergo unpleasant and unwelcome procedures whenever it appears. It is your job, as an owner, to work towards changing your cat's perception of their carrier and to replace the bad memories with good ones.

If your cat slowly comes to accept that their carrier is a normal part of everyday life, they will gradually relax when confronted with it and their resistance to being put in it will melt away. By making the carrier an attractive and comfortable place to snuggle down in, with a toy and snack to hand, your cat will soon get the idea that good things can chase away the bad memories.

Naturally, a trip to the vet's surgery will always cause some bad feelings to re-surface. However, to overcome that particular problem you would have to make your vet part of your cat's everyday, normal experience too. And that's just not likely to happen, is it?

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