Every cat owner has been there - you need to get your cat into their carrier so that you can take them to the vet, or the boarding cattery, or to be cared for by a friend or simply because you are moving home - and guess what? Your highly affectionate and super-clingy cat is nowhere to be seen!

And what’s worse, when you do finally track down your bewhiskered friend after spending time you can ill-afford to waste, you are greeted by claws, teeth and rudely hissed words as you attempt to force a rigid and unco-operative cat into their carrier.

So why does your normal, affectionate and co-operative pet immediately turn into a feral wildcat at the very sight of their carrier?

Well, there’s no kind way of saying this - it’s your fault - and you won’t even be aware that you are guilty of making The Big Mistake.

And the mistake is..

You put your cat’s carrier away when it’s not being used.

We’re all guilty of it. Directly the stress of transporting your cat from A to B is over, the carrier gets stored in the garage, shed or cupboard out of sight and out of mind. And that is where you make the mistake. The odious carrier is hidden from view.

So, as the guilty party, how can you correct your error? Can you change the situation for the better? Is it possible for your cat to ever accept their carrier and remain calm and serene around it? Without doubt they can - and you can start to correct your mistake the very second you’ve finished reading this!

Bring the carrier out of storage and place it in a cat-friendly place.

Place it where it is warm and can remain undisturbed.

Make it comfortable inside with a blanket or cushion.

Make it attractive by placing a favourite toy or some catnip inside

Place a tasty cat-snack inside.

Always leave the door open for permanent access.

Make it a fixture within your cat’s everyday world.

And that’s just about it. By following the above steps, you will be able to tackle changing your cat’s negative associations with their carrier. Every time it comes into view, it triggers strong emotions in your cat as they will always connect the carrier with being forcefully subjected to unpleasant procedures. No wonder your cat runs off when they see it! Your task, as an owner, is to work towards changing the associations your cat has with their carrier, replacing the negative ones with good ones.

If your cat slowly comes to accept that their carrier is a normal part of everyday life, they will gradually relax when confronted with it and their resistance to being put in it will melt away. By making the carrier an attractive and comfortable place to snuggle down in, with a toy and snack to hand, your cat will soon get the idea that good things can chase away the bad memories.

Naturally, a trip to the vet’s surgery will always cause some bad feelings to re-surface. However, to overcome that particular problem you would have to make your vet part of your cat’s everyday, normal experience too. And that’s just not likely to happen, is it?

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