Catching a cat for the vet

I talked my elderly mother into adopting a cat that was about 8 months old, had lived most of her life "on the streets" and had just had a litter of kittens. They get along fine, but the cat hides whenever anyone-even me and I was her midwife!-comes into the house. I have to get her to the vet for her rabies shot and need tips on how to catch the poor thing. I am borrowing a friend's cat trap but not sure that will work inside, and I want to limit the amount of trauma. Thanks for your help!

 

That's a toughy. Maybe your Mom can get her isolated in a bathroom and see if she'll go in the trap. The pet stores also carry calming sprays, solutions, and diffusers that may help her as well. My cat Milo shredded me last year when I was getting him into my carrier. This year I got him enclosed in the bathroom and he was much gentler. Good luck!

 

Is she inspired by food at all? Do you free feed or do meals? My suggestion would be to set the carrier out a few days before your vet appointment and just leave it in plain view with the door open. Hopefully you have a hard carrier as this is by far the easiest. If it doesn't have a top loader door, then when you are ready to use it, you will need to tip it up on the back end so that the door is open to the ceiling.

Entice kitty in a normal routine fashion out of the bedroom, or if not in there already close the door to the bedroom and make sure any other room doors are closed that have difficult hiding places to get her from. You can also shut some doors if needed the day before. Once they hide under the bed, it's all over. You can try isolating them the night before in a small room with no hiding places, but they may scream all night. Really depends on kitty's personality what will work best.

Corner kitty(some will flop over and give up eventually when they realize you aren't going away) and grab the scruff high on the neck with your dominant hand and use your other hand to support her bottom and Very Important: grab her back feet behind the heels and hold them together between your fingers. Stretch the body straight so she doesn't curl her back. This technique, when done properly, immobilizes kitty and avoids bitting and scratching. (If she gets hissy or swats you when you try to pick her up, you can drop a towel over her right before you grab her.)

You are now ready to drop her, feet first, into the already open carrier and then gently shut the door. Good luck and watch the toes! :y_the_best:

Cats are very sensitive and aware of changes in their routine, so be ready for a reaction once you start to deviate. My boy always cries when I shut the bedroom door cuz the poor thing knows that's the only time I ever do that in the morning, lol.