How on earth do I get Toby in his travel basket for the vets tonight???

[tiga]

I'm lucky with Digby and Riley. I keep one of the carriers out and they like to use it as a bed. When it's vet time, I throw a treat in and in they go. Riley likes the car so much that he lies on his back and goes to sleep! He's not even bothered by the vet that much, usually he's a right tart and rolls around for a tummy rub! Not sure how they would react to a nail clipping though. I do them at home when they are asleep, one by one.

Don't think I'll be as lucky with my new girl Poppy though.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Mine all cry pityfully for 25 miles there and some of way back but they seem to understand that they are coming home, so settle more.

They all hate the cage/carriers and if one sees one it seeems to travel on the catnet instantly. Misa will hide under something, so need to get him first, then he will destroy everything in the cage while I trying to catch the two birmans.

This year I took Sasa first, she is the semi feral and I have to trap her in a corner where she wails and cries and usually has an accident. She had to be sedated at the vets  so she could be examined properly this time cos I was a bit woried about her but normally she freezes on the table and she can be boostered and have her heart checked before her tolerance goes. Its the only time I can stroke her cos cant get within a couple of feet of her normally.

Claw cutting, noooooooooooooo lol, I do cut the birmans but thats it! And Ducha used to be easy but the others told him not to be so easy so now he is a terror!

Franta does a good line in biting and scratching, guess I just dont come over pushy enough 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Glad you managed OK, i like the giving them no option method - making sure there is no way they can get between my legs to disappear, so they have no option other than to go forward into the carrier. Most of the people who adopt from me let me put them in, so they dont associate it with them, so I do have to do it quite a lot, and it works with about 99%, very rare it doesn't. I find the front openers easier to work with, especially if you cant touch the cat much.

Glad things didn't go too bad, but he might be easier to clip his claws at home, as you can wait till they are relaxed and sleepy and just do a couple at a time - mind you, that is something that I rarely loose with too, although not tried with the latest fosters.

[McIntyre Quad!]

Trip to the vets was enlightening. 

Managed to get Toby into the carry case no problem.  James just picked him up and while I held the case at an angle, put him in head first.  There was no fuss what so ever.  He wasn't even vocal.

Trouble started when we got to the vets.  He was there for a check up, flea injection and nail clipping.  Well, the vet managed to cut three nails with no problem and just as I said "oh, looks like he's ok with that" he lashed out at her with his paw.  She then called a nurse in to hold him round his neck, while she finished off.  He howled, hissed and kept swinging his head round.  It was like somebody had taken Toby away and replaced him with the devil himself.  I completely understand he was stressed and now we're back home he's back to sitting on my lap and butter wouldn't melt.  Let's just say, I won't be trying to cut his nails myself!!  George (our son who is 2 yrs and 7 months) kept saying, " Toby crying, I cross!".  Funny now, but quite distressing at the time. 

[Christine (Blip)]

I know that howl, Christine. It's a kind of "meowmy's sticking pins in me!" howl they treat passers by to when you are stationery at traffic lights.   

    How right you are!    If there is anyone in the waiting room at our vet's when we arrive, they always laugh like hyenas at our indignant Blip 

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

I know that howl, Christine. It's a kind of "meowmy's sticking pins in me!" howl they treat passers by to when you are stationery at traffic lights.   

[Christine (Blip)]

Yes, the image of Blip sauntering cheerfully into her 'beastly box' made me chuckle    I would be prepared for a spot of coercion if I were you 

My kitties must be really dozy then cause they just go in or allow me to pop them in lol 

Blip doesn't scratch or anything, but she resists in a clinging-on-to-clothing-and-struggling kind of way.  Once inside the box, she miaows pitifully all the way to the vet. 

[Leanne]

I must be really lucky we just put them in quite easy!

[celestrine]

If you have a front opening box (rather than a top opening one) I always find that it's almost too easy to kneel down near the cat and near the box, tip the box so that it is diagonal, resting on your knees with the opening facing the ceiling, and then pick up your cat quickly and put him or her in. The angle makes it very difficult for them to climb out and you can immediately shut the door, and then gently lower the one end so that it's the right way up!

I also recommend letting them sniff it a lot and voluntarily go in it first, like other people have said.

[Topsy Turvey]

Yes, the image of Blip sauntering cheerfully into her 'beastly box' made me chuckle    I would be prepared for a spot of coercion if I were you 

My kitties must be really dozy then cause they just go in or allow me to pop them in lol 

[Mark]

I use a wire one with a top opening now - but when I used a regular one, I tipped it on its side so the opening was at the top. I put them in bottom end first. Quick, gentle but firm is the only way to go 

[Christine (Blip)]

Yes, the image of Blip sauntering cheerfully into her 'beastly box' made me chuckle    I would be prepared for a spot of coercion if I were you 

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Invest in a set of welder's gauntlets for future use.  The backwards first method is good too but my ferals are too crafty for that.  And be careful to grab hold of legs first or they splay them outwards preventing you from squeezing them in. 

Oh, the joys of cat owning! 

[lilynmitz]

The blanket over the top sounds a good idea.  You can try leaving a trail of treats to bribe him in as well?

While these all sound like great suggestions, I think (and hope) you'll be lucky if it's that easy.  I'm afraid my lot are a bit more savvy than to be fooled like that, and I'm afraid I have to resort to brute force if all else fails.  Just be quiet but firm, and pick them up and push them in quickly (getting your legs behind them so they can't back out again) and shut the door behind them asap!  They all forgive me for it and nuzzle my fingers through the bars.  I know it sounds brutal, but it really is the only method I've found that works for sure.  At the very least be prepared to do the same.

[McIntyre Quad!]

Just put his box in the lounge, with his blanket in the bottom and a towel over the top of it.  He's still asleep at the moment, so hopefully when he wakes up he'll go and investigate.  Thanks for the good advice, I'll let you know how we get on.

[Dawn F]

my vet just literally picks them up and puts them in rear end first, no coaxing required!  she showed me the technique after watching me wrestle with Amber (I always used to do the put carrier on end thing)

[Topsy Turvey]

Deffo bring the box into the lounge and let him investigate it.  When I first got Sasha (my bridge babe) she didn't like anyone to pick her up and she was going to be speyed so I did the same.  She got herself comfy with the box and kept going in and out the night before (as was her daughter Summer).  When I got up the next morning she used the litter tray then went into the box.  Hey presto one boxed cat.  Not saying that it will be as easy for you but you never know.  Cat's love boxes!  Oh I put a towel over it so that it looked like a hidey hole to her.   Good luck x x

[McIntyre Quad!]

my vet always recommends backing them in, then they can't see what is going on

What a brilliant idea!  I would never have thought of that.  I reckon we could manage that.  We'll certainly give it a try any how.  I guess to make him back up to it, it kinds of relies on him waking up and me just edging towards him.

[Dawn F]

my vet always recommends backing them in, then they can't see what is going on

[McIntyre Quad!]

Hi Gang,

You probably remember us from the introduce yourself thread I started up, way before we got Toby.  Well, I'm after more advice please.  We're taking Toby to the vets for the first time tonight (since we've had him anyway) and I want to know how to coax him into his travel box.  He doesn't like being picked up and isn't motivated by food, so how on earth am I going to do it?  Luckily, his appointment isn't until 7.10pm so I've got some time to work it out.  I thought about just bring the travel box into the lounge and leaving it open and just letting him go in and out of it to start with and then hopefully, he'll decide to go in it about 10 mins before we need to leave and I can shut the door.  Is this just wishful thinking I ask myself?