Cat carrier training is an essential act for every single pet owner out there. A cat carrier makes transporting your kitty a cinch. You may have to go out of town, to the vet, to a behavioral class or a cat show, you never know. So, it is a great idea to go ahead and get some experience in cat carrier training from day one.

Some people believe it is ok to transport their cat without a carrier. This is difficult in a moving vehicle. First of all, if there were a wreck, the cat could be seriously injured or even worse killed. Also, the cat could cause a wreck if running freely about the car. If a cat feels stressed or threatened they could get away and they may never find their way back home. Even worse, they could escape from the car into traffic and seriously hurt themselves or cause a wreck with other drivers. This is why cat carrier training is so important.

A great thing to keep in mind is that if you only use the carrier to take the cat to the vet, then they may associate it as a negative thing or experience. This could cause the cat to react in a negative way anytime they see the carrier. They may run, hide, hiss, bite or scratch. A part of cat carrier training is to disassociate the carrier with negativity.

The first step in cat carrier training is to leave the carrier in plain site at all times. Next, make the carrier a part of the cat’s daily or weekly routine. Try placing toys, treats, food or catnip at the back of the carrier. Eventually your cat will go in to explore. Once your cat does this, try placing a comfy bed in their carrier. If you cat will go in and get comfortable, then slowly close the door for a few minutes, then release. Try this method over and over until the cat becomes accustomed to the cat carrier.

You can also take your cat out in the carrier other places, even if it is just a drive around the block. Always reward them with a treat when they do well. Positive reinforcement is a proven method with any type of training. Once you get them to associate the carrier with other things besides the dreaded trip to the vet, then you are on your way to successful cat carrier training!