YOUR CHARIOT AWAITS: CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAT CARRIER

a cat sitting in front of a group of pet carrier bags

Picture this: It’s that time of year again where you need to steel yourself for the task of gathering up your cat (or cats) for their annual vet visit knowing full well that fluffy will absolutely put you through the ringer getting into that carrier. Every day we get calls from clients needing to cancel or reschedule their appointments because they can’t catch their cats. Alternatively they DO arrive but the chase involved has put their pet into an extremely stressed state making them less safe to handle. Taking all of this into account we at WVC strive to assist pet parents in their cat wrangling endeavor by supplying all of the tips and “tricks of the trade” that we have available.

Ultimately much of the task starts in the owners home and requires some level of preplanning and preparation, often days before the actual appointment takes place. The first step in cultivating a stress free travel experience is selecting the right crate for your pet. A cursory search on Amazon will provide you with all sorts of choices, which in the end may wind up being more overwhelming than helpful. In this post we’ll cover the pro’s and cons of a few of the most practical options available to pet owners as well as some other more niche options for owners with less than typical situations.

Immersion & Normalization

Normalizing the existence and use of the crate is nearly as important as selecting the right one and there are several ways to do this at home, especially when you’re not even intending to use it soon. Here are some quick tips for helping your cat warm up to the carrier:

Normalize the carrier by leaving it out and open in a common space where your cat can approach it with curiosity at their own speed.
Spray or wipe a synthetic pheromone inside the carrier or on a beloved bed or towel that sits at the bottom of the carrier to entice your pet inside. Synthetic pheromone sprays such as “Feliway” are available on WVC’s online pharmacy and introduce a calm, welcoming feeling for cats.
Place toys and familiar bedding inside the carrier to entice your pet to investigate the inside. It’s important that you don’t treat this like a trap type situation; build trust and confidence in entering the carrier or it will end up as a one shot deal.
Reward your cat with food or high value treats for entering the carrier. This is a perfect time to associate their absolute favorite treat with entering the carrier.

Fear Free Medications

In some cases where the owners physical abilities and the cats willingness to comply meet at the same impasse our doctors may even send home some preemptive “Fear Free” antianxiety medications to aid in deescalating the situation so that they can get to their appointment on time and with little fuss. These medications are geared toward ease of use in cats and will generally be dispensed in liquid form to be given once the night prior and then again 2 hours before your pets appointment. FACT: These medications are merely for anxiety and are NOT tranquilizers, sedatives or opioids and pet parents should not feel stigmatized for using them. We all have a relative (or maybe even ARE that relative) that cannot board a plain without anti-anxiety medication in their system, shouldn’t we afford the same kindness to our pets?

With all that said, let’s review some carriers!

Hard Shelled Carriers

a blue and black carrier with a roll of food and a bowl of food

Hard shelled carriers are a great choice for all cats as they provide highest level of protection and are generally the most secure method of transport. They’re ideal for use with cats that are prone to cage aggression, escape and are noise and light sensitive. When stressed, cats like to hide and the hard shelled carriers provide them with a dark covered space where they can feel secure. For especially anxious cats some pet parents will even drape a light towel over the wire doors to prevent overstimulation. While there are several benefits to the hard shelled carriers, owners with back and shoulder problems may find them heavy and cumbersome (especially for larger cats). Pet parents short on space may find them tough to store when not in use as they do take up an amount of shelf space when compared to other options.

Soft Shelled Carriers

There are many different options when considering a soft carrier but it’s important that you don’t get so overly invested in aesthetics that it causes you to lose sight of practical function. From the perspective of a Technician or Veterinarian the best soft carriers often resemble a modern gym bag: a firm yet flexible base with zippered openings at the top, left and right sides. Most of these carriers will also feature breathable mesh sides for viewing, short carry handles at the top and an adjustable cross body sling for wearing like a messenger bag. These carriers are ideal for more docile, easy going cats and are popular among owners with back or shoulder issues as they are lightweight and can be easily washed in a clothes washer and flattened for storage.

The Wild & Weird World of Cat Carriers

Cat owners are as different and varied as the cats themselves and as such not every cat, owner and set of circumstances will fit neatly into the “Hard vs Soft” categories. With that in mind there is a slew of less conventional but equally secure options available that are worth looking into such as:

The “Bubble”: which comes in rolling luggage or a strapped backpack styles
The Soft Luggage Style: which can give the appearance of a scaled down playpen for babies but on wheels
The Hard “Pyramid”: this one is pretty self explanatory; it’s a hard shelled carrier in the shape of a pyramid…no one here is entirely sure of the benefits to pet or owner, but they are secure!

P.S.A: Clinic Policy Regarding Cat Carriers

On the rarer occasion we’ve been known to get some well meaning owners who have formed a special bond between themselves and their cat and will arrive for their appointment with a loose cat under their arm and walk into a waiting room full of dogs who think they’ve just won the lottery. For the safety of our patients, pet parents and staff WVC requires that all cats entering into the building must be transported in appropriately sized carriers in good repair. We understand that everyone’s situation is different and If you find yourself without access to a suitable carrier WVC is happy to loan you a carrier that will be appropriate for transporting your cat. Your pets safety outside of the clinic is just as important to us as it is inside the office. Ask any of our CSR’s or Technicians and they will be happy to supply you with one ahead of your appointment. Clients that refuse to use an appropriate carrier may be rescheduled or referred to another facility for future services.

It’s been said that “necessity is the mother of all invention” and as veterinary professionals we’re always surprised by the new and creative ways that pet owners find to solve problems just like this. Feel like you’ve got something to add to the conversation? Drop it in a comment below!
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