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The carrier fight is not about the carrier. It is about the carrier appearing once a year and meaning something bad. Fix the carrier and fix the routine and vet day gets boring, which is the goal. Here is what worked for the most dramatic cat in this house.
What a nervous cat needs
- Top loading. Lowering a cat in is far easier than pushing one through a front door.
- Soft sides, firm base. Soft feels like a den, but the floor should not sag.
- Removable washable pad. Accidents happen on the way to the vet.
- Mesh on multiple sides. Airflow and a view out calm most cats, and you can cover it with a towel for cats that prefer dark.
- Seatbelt loop. Sliding carriers scare cats more than the drive itself.
Best overall
A soft-sided, top and front loading carrier with a rigid base is what Penelope uses. It lives in the living room with the door open and a blanket inside, so it is furniture, not a threat. She naps in it.
Soft Sided Top Loading Cat Carrier, Airline Approved · About $35
Top and front doors, rigid floor, washable pad, seatbelt strap. Leave it out as a bed and the fight ends.
Best for two cats or a large cat
Minnie Mouse and Stripes go to the vet together and share a large hard carrier. Hard sided is easier to clean and safer in a car, but heavier to carry.
Large Two Door Hard Cat Carrier · About $45
Top and front doors, fits two average cats or one big one. Easy to hose out.
For the escape artist
Luna has slipped a zipper. A carrier with locking zipper pulls and a leash clip inside is the answer for cats like her.
Escape Proof Cat Carrier with Locking Zippers · About $40
Locking zipper pulls plus an interior leash clip. Built for the cat who has gotten out before.
The routine that ended the fight
- Carrier lives in the open, door off or open, blanket inside. Permanently.
- Treats go in the carrier at random a few times a week. Churu works.
- Once a month, close the door for one minute, treat, open. Then two minutes. Then a walk to the car and back.
- On vet day, spray the blanket with a calming pheromone 15 minutes before and cover the carrier with a towel in the car.
Feliway Classic Calming Spray · About $20
Pheromone spray for the carrier blanket. Not magic, but it takes the edge off for two of my four.
Frequently asked questions
Should I leave the cat carrier out all the time?
Yes. A carrier that only appears on vet day means vet day. A carrier that is a bed means nothing.
Hard or soft cat carrier for a nervous cat?
Soft for most nervous cats because it feels like a den. Hard if the cat is an escape artist or you drive long distances.
How do I get a scared cat into a carrier?
Top loading, cat wrapped loosely in a towel, lowered in rear first. Calm voice, no chasing. Practice with the door open for weeks first.
Recall and treat training that makes all of this easier is in the treats for training post.
