Helping your cat love their carrier bag!
When you need to get your cat to a vet appointment or have to travel, the last thing you want to be doing is chasing a frantic pet around the house, trying to stuff them in a bag while having your eyes clawed out in the process. I’ve been there! Training your cat to LIKE their carrier bag is a huge life / time / stress saver and is very simple to do. Basically, you want to build positive associations with the carrier so that your cat thinks of it as a secondary home, more of a fun fort than a transportation device.
When you need to get your cat to a vet appointment or have to travel, the last thing you want to be doing is chasing a frantic pet around the house, trying to stuff them in a bag while having your eyes clawed out in the process. I’ve been there! Training your cat to LIKE their carrier bag is a huge life / time / stress saver and is very simple to do. Basically, you want to build positive associations with the carrier so that your cat thinks of it as a secondary home, more of a fun fort than a transportation device.
First, if your cat already hates his or her carrier, try spraying the carrier with Feliway Calming Spray to change the scent via “happy” pheromones. Make sure to wait at least 10 minutes after spraying to offer your cat a chance to explore their new fort. I also recommend lining the carrier with a soft towel and adding a toy or two to add to the homey feeling you are trying to create. The carrier should be as open as possible - if you have a top/front loading crate, make sure both sections are wide open so your cat can feel free to come and go whenever they please. Reluctant cats may need playtime around and in the carrier with a flirt toy or cat dancer type instrument - play is a great way to build confidence in cats AND to build new, positive associations around the bag!
Once your pet has explored the carrier, easily moves in and out of it and is resting comfortably inside (noting that this can take hours, days or even weeks depending on how averse your cat is), go ahead and close up the top entry. Let your cat explore being in the carrier when it’s more closed off, but still open on one side.
When your cat is comfortable inside the carrier with the top closed, you can move on to closing the front entry for a few moments at a time. Watch your cat’s body language and movements and if they seem upset at any point, make sure to open the door and let them out of the bag (I swear, no pun intended). Once your cat is comfortable being in the bag with both entrances shut for a couple minutes without protest, you have a carrier acclimated cat!
It’s important to note that all cats have their own timetable for learning and that everyone is different. What takes some cats a few hours may take others weeks, and that’s ok. This method works just as well with feral cats as it does hand raised kittens, the only difference is in the amount of time the carrier is open out on the living room floor. Our four ex-feral cats are all happy in their cat bags these days, but it was definitely a longer road getting them there. You can do it!