How to Load Your Cat Into a Carrier

Transporting a cat in a carrier is often a stressful—but necessary—experience, and there’s no magical method to easily put your cat into its carrier. “Unfortunately, as cat parents, we have to put in the work to make these situations less stressful for them,” Tori Schlosser from Purrsuasion Cat Behavior Consulting and Training in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, tells Mental Floss.

But getting your pet loaded into a carrier doesn’t have to become a claw-filled battle. It may not be fun, but there are ways to help make the situation less stressful for everyone. 

1. Acclimate Your Cat to the Carrier
2. Choose the Right Carrier
3. Mitigate Your Cat’s Anxiety
4. Give Your Cat Time to De-Stress

Acclimate Your Cat to the Carrier

To acclimate your kitty to the carrier, leave it out with the door open and one of their blankets or a bed inside it. Make it a happy, comfortable living space that they can go in and out of as they please. You could incorporate some clicker training to reward your cat for using it, or even just simply toss in a treat once a day for them to retrieve; this will teach your cat to associate the carrier with something positive, allowing you to (hopefully) avoid a fight on transport day. 

“Lots of people will bring out the carrier when they are getting ready to take their cat to the vet or to the groomer, and then as soon as the cat sees it, they run and hide because they know what it means,” Schlosser says. “But if it’s left out all the time, and it’s like a bed, then you are not going to face that problem of a hiding cat every time they see it because it becomes a part of their environment.”

Choose the Right Carrier

When it’s time to get them into the carrier and out of the house, having a well-designed carrier will help. A top-loading carrier, or one with a removable top, can make it easier for both you and your pet. “It’s much easier to slide your cat in and close the top than it is to shove your cat into a carrier with a single front entrance,” Schlosser says. “You can avoid the stress if you are just picking them up and plopping them in.”

Schlosser suggests avoiding shoving your cat into a carrier or having to wrap them in a towel to get them in. To make things easier, she recommends tossing their favorite treat into the carrier, having them go inside to get it, then closing the door. But any loading experience—top or front loading—will be made easier by allowing your cat daily access to the carrier..

Mitigate Your Cat’s Anxiety

If your cat is very anxious or aggressive when it comes time to put them in their carrier, there are some things you can do to help alleviate some of their stress. Schlosser recommends using calming sprays like Feliway or Pet Remedy to spray the carrier before the trip; these function by releasing natural and positive pheromones that can work to comfort your pet. 

Make sure you put in one of your cat’s blankets or beds for comfort and cover the carrier when en route as well. “If your cat is freaking out during the drive, it’s helpful to cover the carrier with a blanket so they can’t see what is happening,” Schlosser says. “For some cats, being able to look out the window and see the world flying by is much more stressful than just having it dark and being able to hide themselves in their little den.”

Some cats may benefit from medication to help them handle the stress of being transported in a carrier. “I would rather someone go and get medication {from a vet} to help with the stress than put them through the whole stressful situation without medication,” Schlosser says.

When you’re at the vet, having a carrier with a removable top might take the edge off a little, too. Cats are often stressed at the vet, and just removing the top gives your pet the choice of coming out onto the vet’s table or staying in the box so the vet can examine them right in their carrier. When the appointment is over, you just click the lid back on and seal it up. 

Give Your Cat Time to De-Stress

Don’t forget to give your cat some love and decompression time when you get back home. Give them a treat, or if they’re feeling feisty, enjoy a nice play session with them to help them settle. If you have more than one cat, put the pet you’ve recently had to transport in their favorite room for some quality alone time before letting them mingle with the rest of the household.

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