I’m Feline Fine! Conquering Carrier Aversion When Traveling to the Vet or Beyond

I have a client whose sweet cat Felix loathes carriers. If her cat made a movie about this it might be called The Terror of the Moving Box!

By teaching her this advanced training method and after a fairly short amount of time working with it, when she shakes the treat bag her cat now runs into the carrier (and often then takes a nap)! Not only that, but because she has associated so many great things with the carrier like petting, play, and grooming as examples (she leaves toys by the carrier) her cat has actually become easier to handle, and likes petting more than he did in the past.

Many online guides tell you to leave the carrier out all the time as an alternative cat bed, and to feed your cat in the carrier, and this may help but my training method (I didn’t invent it, but I’ve expanded it) is for cats who really hate the carrier, or feel tricked when their cat cave becomes a “catmobile” and actually leaves the home with them inside it.

This plan requires a hard carrier that can be taken apart and which has a front door.

And remember these three words: agency, control and choice. Your cat will need them at all times during training. I also want to discuss the definition of the word “briefly” as you’re going to see it a lot. “Briefly” means a few seconds at first, and later it might mean a few seconds x2 or x3 or x4. So two seconds might become four, or six, and five seconds might become ten or fifteen and so on.

We want our cat to barely register that we’re training them. We want them to think it’s all them, and in some respects it is all about them because they control the process, not us. We give them the power to make choices, and we reward those choices so instead of coaxing them into doing something we want, we teach them that if they make a choice of their own free will, that good things follow because they get rewarded for those choices.

Part I: The Carrier

Step One: Take the carrier apart and remove the top and the front door and put them out of sight for now. Put a favorite cat bed or blanket that your cat likes and that has her scent in the base of the carrier.  If necessary, you can drape the blanket over the sides of the carrier to further obscure what it is. Allow your cat to explore this new bedding. You can lead her there with a toy if you wish, but when she steps on it, reward her with a treat.

Do this several times daily until she’s used to it.  You can play with her here as well. At around this point you can bring the top of the carrier into view, near the base but off to the side so she can explore it if she wishes. In all the steps, this one and what follows, leave the carrier in whatever state it is in, out for her to investigate and use as she sees fit.

Step Two: Add the top of the carrier, without the door (keep the bedding inside). Repeat what  you did in step one until she’s comfortable enough to go into the carrier and stay put at least for a while. If at first she goes in, and then comes back out, that’s fine, remember: agency, control and choice. Give her treats whenever she chooses to go inside. Once she is comfortable with this setup, go to step three.

Step Three: Add the door but don’t close it. Repeat as above and then start partially closing the door briefly (a few seconds, and push treats through the door) and then re-open it. Allow her to come out if she wishes to. Then progress to closing the door without latching it, briefly for a few seconds, then open it again. Finally latch the door briefly, push treats, then re-open. Allow her to come out if she wishes, and reward for going back in. Slowly increase the amount of time the door remains latched. Allow her to take naps in the carrier with the door open.

Part II: Movement

Step One: While your cat is in the carrier (door latched) gently and briefly lift it a few inches off the floor and then set it back down. Always carry the carrier from the bottom, never like it’s luggage! Repeat over time for longer durations and higher lifts, while frequently but not always, opening the door when you set it down.

Step Two: Slowly start moving the carrier towards your front door. Just a few feet at first, then incrementally longer until you reach the door. Give her breaks along the way and at each break you can see if she wants to stay in or come out. Make sure there are no barriers like closed doors in your way and remember to always carry the carrier from the bottom. Continue and repeat this process over time, rewarding, opening the door, and taking breaks. The sessions should just be a few minutes long and not more than twice a day.

Step Three: Finally you can leave your home and go to your car. Once inside it, just sit with her.

Offer treats. Open the door and let her out (you won’t do this while driving). When she goes back in, you know what to do! Treats! In time, start the engine and briefly stay in place with the engine running (maybe for just a minute, we don’t want to unnecessarily pollute). But we want to get her used to the engine starting. You can also turn the engine on and off a few times. Repeat step three until she’s used to it.

Part III: The Car Ride

Step One: Just go around the block and then come home.

If possible, consider bringing a trusted passenger who can monitor her and give her attention. Talk sweetly and make sure there are treats in the carrier. Drape the carrier with a towel covered in her scent. Pre-spray it with the social pheromone Feliway. You can also spray the inside of the carrier for the trip, and also during training just make sure it’s fully dried before your cat encounters it..

Step Two: Incrementally lengthen the car ride until you can get all the way to your vet. Congrats, you’ve made it! And even if you decide not to train the movement portion of the plan, by getting her acclimated to the carrier you always have a method of getting her to the vet in an emergency.

Step Three: Make sure she has as good a time at the vet as possible, using soft bedding during exams, treats, gentle handling, and perhaps your vet is even fear free certified. Cats always seem happy to come home, and once home, keep the carrier out in its usual location for her to enjoy! Continue reinforcing her new habits between trips.