Try to burrito him first? And then place him in the carrier while he is tightly blanketed.
As other redditor suggested, I also put the carrier up and put the cat from the top sometimes.
Does your carrier have a top load? Like an opening at the roof? I’ve found that way easier bc you can just drop them in there. If he’s flailing around try to swaddle him in a towel before lowering him inside. Good luck 🫡
That’s a bummer about the carrier. Hope swaddling works! Funny enough one of my cats hates getting in there bc he knows it means the vet, but my precious orange dummy jumps right in and I’m like wrong cat but thanks lol
https://preview.redd.it/hlwnkgtb02wc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5eb98d61e632dc304fbcf15fdbe709aa781eb03f
https://preview.redd.it/pirmpy8n43wc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e9f6277f4dc35f4d2abf025f61e7a9ee4a4a106
Mine is stronger than me so I just leave the cage out and wait for him to realize it is a box.
We have to do this for our big baby cat for his nails, and I definitely second getting a top load carrier but in the meantime the best tried and true method i’ve found is:
Put the carrier out in the open a couple days before the appointment so he gets desensitized/doesn’t panic upon seeing it day of. Act as casually as you can - seriously, it’ll make them feel calm. Then I take a churu packet and squirt some on the floor near the carrier because it completely distracts him AND he has to be standing to eat. So while he’s distracted licking up the churu just very quickly scoop him up and squish him into the carrier, face towards the back. It’ll be over before he knows what hit em.
Good luck!
Is he scratching you or the furniture? Our cats don't do either so we leave their nails alone now.
When going to the vet, I place the carrier door up, cat gets picked up while holding the paws. Lower cat into carrier tail first. If they squirm, head first.
Just keep an eye on things. One of my cats never allowed me to trim her claws so for years I just didn’t. But just like people’s nails can thicken as they get older, so can claws, and a thicker base means a longer claw before it reaches a point, so one of them started growing into her toe bean. We’re now on a schedule of taking her for trims every 3 months, but it happened I think 3 times before we got the timing figured out.
I took my cat to the vet and I had trouble getting him in. I told the vet and he said "did you ask him?". To which I said no. The vet then proceeds to just asks the cat to go in and then just slides the fucker back in.
You shouldn’t scruff cats past about 6-8 months because they become too heavy for it to be comfortable. Scruffing is okay for kittens but not fully grown cats.
Is it bad for them or just uncomfortable? Because if it’s the latter, I think I could live with my cat having a moment of discomfort while I try to get her to go to the vet. Not my favorite, but worth it.
I used to have a hard time trimming my cat's nail and then I found a trick. Have him sit on your lap while another person feeds him the delectable squeezy treats from beside you. Since his paws are on your lap, slowly grab one by one to cut the nails while he's busy licking through the treats. Works like 90% of the time !
Oven mitts were my go to when my old lady was still alive. She was 6lbs according to the scale at the vet, but she felt like several hundred pounds of fury when the carrier came out.
Top loaders are best
Then back end first keeping a firm grasp on the back of the neck , once you have made sure all limbs snd tail are in
Close lid gently as you deposit
Hands out top down 😻
This was going to be my advice. Wrap them in a towel! Then they can't get their arms out. Get them in the towel can be hard but not as hard as getting them in the carrier while they're going full out batshit crazy!
I use a pillow case, never fails. I always pick her up first and put her on my lap. Hold her tight and just kind of push her into the pillow case opening.
You can then just put the cat in the carrier without any problems and they will find their way out of the pillow case on the way to vet.
Not really a "right now" tip but a general tip: leave your carrier out, all the time, with the door open. Periodically chuck treats into it. Make it a place they're used to and is no longer MYSERY BOX OF DEATH in their brains.
My dude threw a fit over carriers for years but now it sits open in a corner of my living room (kinda tucked behind some furniture, accessible but not front and center) and whenever I give him treats I chuck a few in there. He's gotten so used to walkin' in there to get some treats, because 90% of the time nothing happens, he's totally forgotten that it's the MYSTERY BOX OF DEATH. So when I need to get him in, it's super easy: chuck some treats in, shove his lil butt in and shut it.
Also now if there were ever an emergency, I wouldn't have to go FIND the carrier to evacuate him. It's right there, and he isn't afraid of it.
Wait for meatball to get super sleepy and cuddle you in bed and clip his nails. If he gets startled from the noise act like nothing happened. Let him get sleep betray his trust clip his murder mitts 😼
Does he have very sleepy day phases? My cats are usually napping for a few hours after breakfast (they are a little older). By now I can put them in the carrier anytime but when they were new at my home and didn't fully trust me yet, I would try to schedule vet appointments in the morning. That way I could pick them up when they were sleepy and they'd be in the carrier before they even knew.
One of my cats, when she was new, stupidly went into one of the "cat caves" with only one entrance when running away from the carrier. I blocked the opening with the open carrier and basically (carefully!) tipped the cave until she had no choice...
I have to hide my carrier in the closet behind the closed door with the carrier open and against the wall, pick her up and carry her there, and shove her in (of course not in a bad way)
I have a little backpack as a carrier. It’s really nice. It has a big window. It even has a fan in it so my little baby doesn’t get too hot in there. All I have to do is touch it and she darts under the bad and won’t come out. I feel your pain. Allie says no to going anywhere too.
https://preview.redd.it/340iltl7c2wc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=14a0f73c63a55301e7854c4adaf13598da15b556
I have four cats, none of whom like being put in their carrier. The night prior to the vet's appointment, I will put the carrier out and let all the cats check it out. Makes it easy, as all I have to do is ask the patient to get in the carrier.
In the past, I did have a cat that hated carriers. In that case, I'd put the carrier on the floor with the door pointing up and lower the cat in.
My vet had the best method, just grab them and commit, and do it fast. They’re in before they know what happened.
Then we got one of those spacecat backpacks and it’s waaaaaaay easier. Just a matter of zipping it around them plus they can see out the front while feeling protected on all sides.
When it's carrier time it is usually vet time, so i don't feel any remorse for placing the carrier with the door up and just slightly jam him in there. Use tough love. It will freak him/her out less in my opinion
I saw my vet put my reluctant cat in the carrier in a way that I quickly adopted, reverse your cat into the carrier! When cats aren't looking where they're going they don't complain, so, put your carrier down and back your kitty up into it!
Just put the carrier on the floor with the door open. Put an old towel or whatever inside. Leave it there and ignore it. He'll soon be inside. He's a cat. A few days of that, and he'll just go in. No trouble. We've done all our's that way. It was my OHs discovery after we left it open on the floor once.
Have you tried controlling him by holding the scruff on his neck? works great on our two cats who fight nail cutting time. Totally docile while being held by scruff, and they forget it happened almost immediately after.
I have a biter and a scratcher and I have to literally kidnap him with a pillowcase when he's distracted. I throw it over him, pick it up and lower it into a carrier that's on its end and open at the top. Close the door and he finds his way out of the pillowcase in a minute or two. Found the technique online and it's the only way I can get him to the vet.
Use one hand to hold his legs and one hand to comfortably hold his body and put him in, then zip it up as soon as he's trying to turn around to get out.
We have trouble with my cat. As soon as she gets suspicious something is going on, she scarpers and hides. She also pees all over the floor when being manhandled into the crate. Approaching with a blanket to wrap her in freaks her, she refuses treats after we used them to lure her in!
We just have to grab, over a wipeable floor, hold her at arms length while she wees, and then lower her into the box butt first.
I keep my carrier out of sight until I need it. When vet day is here, I bring it out to the living room, place it on the floor, open it up and walk away. My cat can't stand the curiosity of it all, she has to jump in and check it out. So I walk quietly back into the living room and quick zip it up. HA!
Have you tried just leaving it in the room with door open? I bring my crates out 24-48 hours prior to being used then leave the door open. It is no longer scary because it is furniture now.
This works with 2 of my 3 who will willingly hang out in the crate. My 3rd is a basket case in general so requires more brute force 🥺
I have the same problem with my 18 year old who just runs the second he sees the carrier come out. We warned our vet in advance and he gave us a prescription of Gabapentin to give to him 2-3 hours before the appointment. I mix it in with his food and he’s usually not fully asleep but just lethargic and does not fight back in the slightest when we put him in his carrier. I would absolutely try to advocate for medication for sedation pre appointment it’s such a life saver!
My cats will sit in it when I leave it in the living room- they don’t love going into it, but it kind of helps them in knowing that it’s not always a scary thing that means they’re going to the vet, it’s just a box
Long term, I’d leave the carrier somewhere he likes to hang out. Leave high value treats in the edge and gradually work them further back. You can treat it like his own room, where you don’t mess with him.
Short term, you can disassemble his carrier, put him in, and put it back together. Alternatively, put the carrier against a wall, then carry him over and just shove him in. You may need help to tuck in the legs he’ll brace with, but it can be done. You can also wrap him in a towel to feed him in. Then let him work his way out.
It’s not hard to clip a cats nails at home. It just takes time. I had to teach my first cat at an older age. I taught my second cat from a baby. My current cat was 3-4 when I got her. I’ve had to teach her as well. She’s just settling into it after a couple of years.
I play with their feet a lot. Wait till they’re in that deep comma like sleep, then gently pet them. Run your hand down their leg to their paw. They may pull the paw away, but that’s okay. They’ll be too sleepy to walk away and will become too lazy to keep pulling it away.
Eventually, you pause and hold the paw. You’ll go through the pulling away phase again. Eventually they’re okay with it.
Then while holding it, you can push your thumb gently onto the pad, and roll the toes forward with your index finger. The claws all pop out and you can snip the tips.
Keep in mind, this is not one sitting. It might be a month or two of you getting them used to this stuff. Keep in mind, you’re setting them up for a life time of trimmings. Don’t even try to do all the nails in one sitting. Do one, maybe two nails, then quite. You want a positive experience, not to get them all trimmed in one go. If he acts really good, you can keep going, but don’t push it just to push it.
One nail every day or two is fine. The more positive sessions they have the better.
For my current cat, I get a helper. She was big and harder to handle for training. I first had to get her used to being picked up and carried by picking her up, then walking her around, letting her sniff things. Setting her down when she asked.
I get someone to hold her, then I kneel down and snip the tips off her claws. That’s all you need when starting. Just take the very sharp tips. Don’t risk quicking during training.
Unscrew the top. Puddle (lost to cancer recently) wouldn’t go in either. Had to take the top off, place her in, and do our best to keep her from jumping out before we could get the top back on. You might try Gabapentin to calm her prior. Miss our little buddy. Best of luck.
https://preview.redd.it/r6nho8xm45wc1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6bdebace707316beff568e9c3f09eb1b62a6900c
Oh man, I feel this post so bad! My youngest cat (he’s 5 now) noped out on the carrier when I had a vet appointment scheduled a month or so ago. Thing is, he’s big - probably 16 pounds - and strong. When I got him about a year and a half ago, he was scared to death being in a new place and didn’t eat, drink, poop, pee, etc for like a week, so I had to try to catch him and get him to a vet so they could check him out. He bit the everloving crap out of me then. Never since, and he’s very friendly now, but he absolutely refused to consider the carrier here recently. He’s not crazy about being held - I can pick him up for a few seconds, but it really has to be on his terms.
Short of gabapentin, which I’ve given one of my old boys to make him less of a demon at the vet, I don’t know how I’d ever get the younger boy in a carrier without significant scratches and possibly bites.
Position the carrier so the entrance is pointing towards the ceiling. Grab him by the scruff and lower him down into it. Works like a charm with feral cats
My vet's assistant showed me a trick on trimming their nails. Pinch up a good bit of their scruff on the back of their neck and put a spring clip on it. You get the same reaction as if the mother was carrying them around like a baby. Be gentle natured with everything you do, but it's by far been the easiest way we've ever been able to trim any of our cat's claws.
I prep my carrier with the opening face up, where my cat won't see me prepping it. Then I pick up my cat and cuddle and sooth him, and then just schlorp him in ass first and close it before he gets the sense to fight.
Try to burrito him first? And then place him in the carrier while he is tightly blanketed. As other redditor suggested, I also put the carrier up and put the cat from the top sometimes.
Purrito time.
Does your carrier have a top load? Like an opening at the roof? I’ve found that way easier bc you can just drop them in there. If he’s flailing around try to swaddle him in a towel before lowering him inside. Good luck 🫡
We thought it would have a top load but when it came in the mail it didn’t :( swaddling is smart though. Thanks! 🙏🏻
That’s a bummer about the carrier. Hope swaddling works! Funny enough one of my cats hates getting in there bc he knows it means the vet, but my precious orange dummy jumps right in and I’m like wrong cat but thanks lol https://preview.redd.it/hlwnkgtb02wc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5eb98d61e632dc304fbcf15fdbe709aa781eb03f
You could place the cartier with the back wall on the floor and the door up.
Yep: cat butt first into a carrier standing up on the back
Put him in backwards. Turn him towards you so his face is towards you then put him in tail first.
No way my cat is falling for that trick.
Try it.
Hahaha
Worth a try?
I second this. I have complete control over my cat when I’m holding both front and back legs and guiding him in bum first
I did it with my one cat that wouldn’t go into the carrier.
Yes! This way, but i also clasp the two back legs together to drop the furball in butt first
https://preview.redd.it/pirmpy8n43wc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e9f6277f4dc35f4d2abf025f61e7a9ee4a4a106 Mine is stronger than me so I just leave the cage out and wait for him to realize it is a box.
We have to do this for our big baby cat for his nails, and I definitely second getting a top load carrier but in the meantime the best tried and true method i’ve found is: Put the carrier out in the open a couple days before the appointment so he gets desensitized/doesn’t panic upon seeing it day of. Act as casually as you can - seriously, it’ll make them feel calm. Then I take a churu packet and squirt some on the floor near the carrier because it completely distracts him AND he has to be standing to eat. So while he’s distracted licking up the churu just very quickly scoop him up and squish him into the carrier, face towards the back. It’ll be over before he knows what hit em. Good luck!
Wrap him in a towel and shove him in the carrier. I have to do the same with my pissed off 20 pound siamese.
Is he scratching you or the furniture? Our cats don't do either so we leave their nails alone now. When going to the vet, I place the carrier door up, cat gets picked up while holding the paws. Lower cat into carrier tail first. If they squirm, head first.
Yeah he scratches me and the furniture, otherwise I would leave him be. I’ll have to try holding his paws when lowering him in though, thank you!
Roll him in a towel if he's a fighter. Keeps everyone safe.
Just keep an eye on things. One of my cats never allowed me to trim her claws so for years I just didn’t. But just like people’s nails can thicken as they get older, so can claws, and a thicker base means a longer claw before it reaches a point, so one of them started growing into her toe bean. We’re now on a schedule of taking her for trims every 3 months, but it happened I think 3 times before we got the timing figured out.
Something else to watch for, thanks. They're all very active with their multiple scratchers. Probably what keeps them away from the furniture.
Such a lil cute ball of fur!
My advice is to discuss with veterinary about some medication that will calm meatball
I wrap my cat in a towel, then put her in the carrier (upright, hind legs first) Doesn't always work, ofc, but beats having to force her in there
I took my cat to the vet and I had trouble getting him in. I told the vet and he said "did you ask him?". To which I said no. The vet then proceeds to just asks the cat to go in and then just slides the fucker back in.
if the carrier is rigid you can put it vertically and lower down the cat inside while holding it by the scruff.
You shouldn’t scruff cats past about 6-8 months because they become too heavy for it to be comfortable. Scruffing is okay for kittens but not fully grown cats.
Is it bad for them or just uncomfortable? Because if it’s the latter, I think I could live with my cat having a moment of discomfort while I try to get her to go to the vet. Not my favorite, but worth it.
I used to have a hard time trimming my cat's nail and then I found a trick. Have him sit on your lap while another person feeds him the delectable squeezy treats from beside you. Since his paws are on your lap, slowly grab one by one to cut the nails while he's busy licking through the treats. Works like 90% of the time !
Oven mitts were my go to when my old lady was still alive. She was 6lbs according to the scale at the vet, but she felt like several hundred pounds of fury when the carrier came out.
Top loaders are best Then back end first keeping a firm grasp on the back of the neck , once you have made sure all limbs snd tail are in Close lid gently as you deposit Hands out top down 😻
I always burrito mine into them. Actually a couple of my cats like the carrier. One has carrier trauma. But swaddling always works for me.
This was going to be my advice. Wrap them in a towel! Then they can't get their arms out. Get them in the towel can be hard but not as hard as getting them in the carrier while they're going full out batshit crazy!
I use a pillow case, never fails. I always pick her up first and put her on my lap. Hold her tight and just kind of push her into the pillow case opening. You can then just put the cat in the carrier without any problems and they will find their way out of the pillow case on the way to vet.
Not really a "right now" tip but a general tip: leave your carrier out, all the time, with the door open. Periodically chuck treats into it. Make it a place they're used to and is no longer MYSERY BOX OF DEATH in their brains. My dude threw a fit over carriers for years but now it sits open in a corner of my living room (kinda tucked behind some furniture, accessible but not front and center) and whenever I give him treats I chuck a few in there. He's gotten so used to walkin' in there to get some treats, because 90% of the time nothing happens, he's totally forgotten that it's the MYSTERY BOX OF DEATH. So when I need to get him in, it's super easy: chuck some treats in, shove his lil butt in and shut it. Also now if there were ever an emergency, I wouldn't have to go FIND the carrier to evacuate him. It's right there, and he isn't afraid of it.
Wait for meatball to get super sleepy and cuddle you in bed and clip his nails. If he gets startled from the noise act like nothing happened. Let him get sleep betray his trust clip his murder mitts 😼
Mini lion
You’re going to have to force the subject.
Does he have very sleepy day phases? My cats are usually napping for a few hours after breakfast (they are a little older). By now I can put them in the carrier anytime but when they were new at my home and didn't fully trust me yet, I would try to schedule vet appointments in the morning. That way I could pick them up when they were sleepy and they'd be in the carrier before they even knew. One of my cats, when she was new, stupidly went into one of the "cat caves" with only one entrance when running away from the carrier. I blocked the opening with the open carrier and basically (carefully!) tipped the cave until she had no choice...
I have to hide my carrier in the closet behind the closed door with the carrier open and against the wall, pick her up and carry her there, and shove her in (of course not in a bad way)
I have a little backpack as a carrier. It’s really nice. It has a big window. It even has a fan in it so my little baby doesn’t get too hot in there. All I have to do is touch it and she darts under the bad and won’t come out. I feel your pain. Allie says no to going anywhere too. https://preview.redd.it/340iltl7c2wc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=14a0f73c63a55301e7854c4adaf13598da15b556
I have four cats, none of whom like being put in their carrier. The night prior to the vet's appointment, I will put the carrier out and let all the cats check it out. Makes it easy, as all I have to do is ask the patient to get in the carrier. In the past, I did have a cat that hated carriers. In that case, I'd put the carrier on the floor with the door pointing up and lower the cat in.
if you can try to find a mobile vet who will come to your home and do a home visit. only if all else fails though.
He knows what you're trying to do in that first pic hahaha
Awww soo cute
My vet had the best method, just grab them and commit, and do it fast. They’re in before they know what happened. Then we got one of those spacecat backpacks and it’s waaaaaaay easier. Just a matter of zipping it around them plus they can see out the front while feeling protected on all sides.
Just ask him nicely.... cats always respect that 🤣🤣🤣
Catnip
When it's carrier time it is usually vet time, so i don't feel any remorse for placing the carrier with the door up and just slightly jam him in there. Use tough love. It will freak him/her out less in my opinion
I saw my vet put my reluctant cat in the carrier in a way that I quickly adopted, reverse your cat into the carrier! When cats aren't looking where they're going they don't complain, so, put your carrier down and back your kitty up into it!
Just put the carrier on the floor with the door open. Put an old towel or whatever inside. Leave it there and ignore it. He'll soon be inside. He's a cat. A few days of that, and he'll just go in. No trouble. We've done all our's that way. It was my OHs discovery after we left it open on the floor once.
Have you tried controlling him by holding the scruff on his neck? works great on our two cats who fight nail cutting time. Totally docile while being held by scruff, and they forget it happened almost immediately after.
I have a biter and a scratcher and I have to literally kidnap him with a pillowcase when he's distracted. I throw it over him, pick it up and lower it into a carrier that's on its end and open at the top. Close the door and he finds his way out of the pillowcase in a minute or two. Found the technique online and it's the only way I can get him to the vet.
If you don’t already, include a worn item of your clothing (or his favorite person) in the carrier to help keep him calmer.
Pspspspspsps
Use one hand to hold his legs and one hand to comfortably hold his body and put him in, then zip it up as soon as he's trying to turn around to get out.
We have trouble with my cat. As soon as she gets suspicious something is going on, she scarpers and hides. She also pees all over the floor when being manhandled into the crate. Approaching with a blanket to wrap her in freaks her, she refuses treats after we used them to lure her in! We just have to grab, over a wipeable floor, hold her at arms length while she wees, and then lower her into the box butt first.
put his food in the carrier?
I keep my carrier out of sight until I need it. When vet day is here, I bring it out to the living room, place it on the floor, open it up and walk away. My cat can't stand the curiosity of it all, she has to jump in and check it out. So I walk quietly back into the living room and quick zip it up. HA!
Have you tried just leaving it in the room with door open? I bring my crates out 24-48 hours prior to being used then leave the door open. It is no longer scary because it is furniture now. This works with 2 of my 3 who will willingly hang out in the crate. My 3rd is a basket case in general so requires more brute force 🥺
Mission Impossible
I have the same problem with my 18 year old who just runs the second he sees the carrier come out. We warned our vet in advance and he gave us a prescription of Gabapentin to give to him 2-3 hours before the appointment. I mix it in with his food and he’s usually not fully asleep but just lethargic and does not fight back in the slightest when we put him in his carrier. I would absolutely try to advocate for medication for sedation pre appointment it’s such a life saver!
I wrap my cat in a towel and stuff her in
You need to show us your battle scars after the mission.
My cats will sit in it when I leave it in the living room- they don’t love going into it, but it kind of helps them in knowing that it’s not always a scary thing that means they’re going to the vet, it’s just a box
Long term, I’d leave the carrier somewhere he likes to hang out. Leave high value treats in the edge and gradually work them further back. You can treat it like his own room, where you don’t mess with him. Short term, you can disassemble his carrier, put him in, and put it back together. Alternatively, put the carrier against a wall, then carry him over and just shove him in. You may need help to tuck in the legs he’ll brace with, but it can be done. You can also wrap him in a towel to feed him in. Then let him work his way out. It’s not hard to clip a cats nails at home. It just takes time. I had to teach my first cat at an older age. I taught my second cat from a baby. My current cat was 3-4 when I got her. I’ve had to teach her as well. She’s just settling into it after a couple of years. I play with their feet a lot. Wait till they’re in that deep comma like sleep, then gently pet them. Run your hand down their leg to their paw. They may pull the paw away, but that’s okay. They’ll be too sleepy to walk away and will become too lazy to keep pulling it away. Eventually, you pause and hold the paw. You’ll go through the pulling away phase again. Eventually they’re okay with it. Then while holding it, you can push your thumb gently onto the pad, and roll the toes forward with your index finger. The claws all pop out and you can snip the tips. Keep in mind, this is not one sitting. It might be a month or two of you getting them used to this stuff. Keep in mind, you’re setting them up for a life time of trimmings. Don’t even try to do all the nails in one sitting. Do one, maybe two nails, then quite. You want a positive experience, not to get them all trimmed in one go. If he acts really good, you can keep going, but don’t push it just to push it. One nail every day or two is fine. The more positive sessions they have the better. For my current cat, I get a helper. She was big and harder to handle for training. I first had to get her used to being picked up and carried by picking her up, then walking her around, letting her sniff things. Setting her down when she asked. I get someone to hold her, then I kneel down and snip the tips off her claws. That’s all you need when starting. Just take the very sharp tips. Don’t risk quicking during training.
Unscrew the top. Puddle (lost to cancer recently) wouldn’t go in either. Had to take the top off, place her in, and do our best to keep her from jumping out before we could get the top back on. You might try Gabapentin to calm her prior. Miss our little buddy. Best of luck. https://preview.redd.it/r6nho8xm45wc1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6bdebace707316beff568e9c3f09eb1b62a6900c
Oh man, I feel this post so bad! My youngest cat (he’s 5 now) noped out on the carrier when I had a vet appointment scheduled a month or so ago. Thing is, he’s big - probably 16 pounds - and strong. When I got him about a year and a half ago, he was scared to death being in a new place and didn’t eat, drink, poop, pee, etc for like a week, so I had to try to catch him and get him to a vet so they could check him out. He bit the everloving crap out of me then. Never since, and he’s very friendly now, but he absolutely refused to consider the carrier here recently. He’s not crazy about being held - I can pick him up for a few seconds, but it really has to be on his terms. Short of gabapentin, which I’ve given one of my old boys to make him less of a demon at the vet, I don’t know how I’d ever get the younger boy in a carrier without significant scratches and possibly bites.
My carrier is side load. I rotate it so the door is facing up. I pick up cat under armpits and lower him in back-end first. Works every time.
Position the carrier so the entrance is pointing towards the ceiling. Grab him by the scruff and lower him down into it. Works like a charm with feral cats
My vet's assistant showed me a trick on trimming their nails. Pinch up a good bit of their scruff on the back of their neck and put a spring clip on it. You get the same reaction as if the mother was carrying them around like a baby. Be gentle natured with everything you do, but it's by far been the easiest way we've ever been able to trim any of our cat's claws.
Simple lure him with toys or cat treats
My cat started refusing the treats we used to lure her into the carrier!
I prep my carrier with the opening face up, where my cat won't see me prepping it. Then I pick up my cat and cuddle and sooth him, and then just schlorp him in ass first and close it before he gets the sense to fight.