Stray Mogs: Cat carrier training

Sue Hartley has a background in psychology and clinical animal behaviour and has been helping cats for over 10 years. Through a successful cat care business, volunteering with Cats Protection, as the Feline Welfare Manager at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London and now as a cat behaviourist in Harrogate through her business The Understood Cat.

Contrary to popular belief, training is possible with cats to support their welfare, whilst giving you the opportunity to interact with your cat in a positive, productive way. For example, you can train your cat to come when called, accept being touched or handled for basic health checks, and to help them into their carrier and to feel comfortable in there.

A survey by International Cat Care found that 50% of people struggle to get their cat into a carrier which is likely to be contributing to concern that many cats aren’t receiving the veterinary care they need (PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report, 2020).

At a basic level, cats learn by association. If a cat does something and the outcome makes them feel good, they’re more likely to do it again. The best way to train your cat is through ‘positive reinforcement’ – rewarding your cat for doing a desired behaviour.

With cat training, you’ll most likely be ‘shaping’ their behaviour by rewarding actions that get closer and closer to the end behaviour you want.

With carrier training, the first step is to get a ‘cat friendly’ carrier that looks like this:

Next, think about where to do training with your cat – you’ll need somewhere quiet and free of distractions (including other animals). Think about how to reward your cat so they’re motivated to learn. People often use food, but some cats may be more motivated by a chin tickle or play. Play involves lots of activity so might not work well if the training lends itself to calm behaviour which is the case with carrier training.

If your cat loves their food and eats quickly, use a portion of their normal daily food allowance. If your cat is less food motivated, try commercial cat treats or small pieces of meat or fish. Each reward should be small – about half the size of your small fingernail or a lick or two of a squeezy treat.

To help your cat learn, check they’re happy, healthy, rested, and hungry (but not ravenous as they may struggle to concentrate on anything but the food!).

I worked with a client whose cat was really frightened of her carrier, so we started with a completely new carrier that looked different to the old one but still had the features of a good carrier. After removing the door and popping a snuggly banket inside, the carrier was placed in a quiet and ‘neutral’ area of the home – not in the room where the cat used to be put in their carrier for vet trips. The client then started leaving regular tasty treats in and around the carrier (e.g. a ‘treat trail’ leading up to it, treats scattered around it or inside). This was repeated in different areas of the home before following International Cat Care’s series of ‘bite-sized’ videos that walk through the carrier training process step by step.

The cat now likes her carrier so much that she’s regularly found catnapping inside it!

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Stray Mogs: C.A.T. friendly interactions

Sue Hartley has a background in psychology and clinical animal behaviour and has been helping cats for over 10 years. Through a successful cat care business, volunteering with Cats Protection, as the Feline Welfare Manager at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London and now as a cat behaviourist in Harrogate through her business The Understood Cat.

Some cats love to spend hours on your lap being stroked whilst others prefer only the briefest of chin tickles.

During interactions, some cats may quickly become over stimulated or find some forms of touch unpleasant or overwhelming, leading to a cat avoiding interacting, tolerating rather than enjoying the interaction, or sometimes behaving aggressively to get you to stop (for example by swiping).

Following the C.A.T. acronym helps you interact in a way that your cat will feel comfortable with, reduces the chances of you being scratched or bitten, and can encourage your cat to initiate more interactions with you. The C.A.T. approach was developed by Dr Lauren Finka, research associate at Nottingham Trent University, whilst advising Battersea Dogs and Cats Home on how to reduce stress for their cats.

This approach gives your cat choice, so they feel more in control during interactions. It’ll work with cats who enjoy lots of contact but may quickly become over stimulated, as well as for cats who are on the timid side.

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C: provide your cat with choice and control during the interaction

Gently offer your hand to your cat, allow them to approach you, and let them choose if they want to interact or not. If your cat wants to be touched, they will rub against you. If they don’t make contact, they probably don’t want to be touched right now.

Allow your cat to control how much you stroke them by briefly pausing every 3-5 seconds to ‘check-in’ with your cat. When you stop stroking them, do they rub against you to ask for more? If not, they may be ready for a break.

A: pay attention to your cat’s behaviour and body language

The following signs suggest your feline friend is feeling uncomfortable. If you see any of these, pause for a moment and let your cat decide if they want to continue to interact:

T: think about where you’re touching your cat

Most friendly cats prefer being touched under their chin, around their cheeks and at the base of their ears. Try to stick mainly to these areas.

Avoid the base of the tail and tummy, and be cautious when touching your cat’s back, legs and tail. Pay close attention to their body language to see if they appear comfortable.

Image: Battersea Dogs and Cats Home

Avoid interacting with your cat when they’re hiding, eating, sleeping, playing with a toy on their own, or when they seem frightened, frustrated or in pain. If you think your cat could be in pain, contact your vet.