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Your Pet's Carrier - The Biggest Mistake Cat Owners Make.

By: Jane Tompsett

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 how come your affectionate, compliant and normal pet has suddenly turned into a feral wildcat as soon as you get their carrier out of storage?

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 all do it without thinking. As soon as the awful task of transporting your cat from A to B is completed, the carrier gets tidied away in the garage, shed or cupboard out of sight until the next time it is needed. And that is where the mistake is made. The much-feared carrier is hidden away.

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.

Put it where it is warm and quiet.

Make it comfortable inside with a blanket or cushion.

Make it interesting by placing a favourite toy inside

Place a few tasty morsels inside.

Leave the door open for free access at all times.

Keep it 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.

Over a period of time, the carrier will become accepted as a normal part of your cat's daily life and experience. When this happens, their resistence to seeing it and being put in it will have disappeared. By actively making their carrier an inviting place for a snooze, surrounded by their favorite toy and cat-snack, your cat will soon realise that the bad associations have been chased away by good ones.

Unfortunately, any trip to see the vet will inevitably cause those bad memories to be recalled but the only way to cure that particular problem is to make your vet part of your cat's everyday, normal experience. And that is just not going to be possible, is it?

Article Source: http://www.articlebankonline.com

Be certain that you don't make the commonest cat owning mistakes. For more cat care information and tips and to subscribe to Jane Tompsett's free Cat Owners Confidential Newsletter simply follow these links.

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