I have to ask... so many times you hear about

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meriad
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I have to ask... so many times you hear about

Post by meriad »

cats escaping from their carriers as the owners are either getting to or leaving the vet (more often than not actually leaving!). Why and how?

Not sure about everyone else but I am paranoid when it comes to the carriers I use for my cats. Most of mine are the usual plastic ones and I've made double sure that they can't come apart by connecting the two halves using cable ties and I'll check, double and then triple check the 'gate' at the front before I leave either the house, the car, the vet ect. I've also got one of the metal cage ones with the drop down lid as well and it really is fantastic and I think probably one of the most secure. So there are ways and means....

So just how come so many cats manage to escape the carriers? The mind boggles
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claire_lee
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Re: I have to ask... so many times you hear about

Post by claire_lee »

I don't like the plastic ones at all - we have one and have retired it to 'emergency use only' as it fell apart when we put Kitty (the smallest of our cats) in.

The two halves came apart which I suppose you could cable tie as you've done but the door or gate is also deceptively easy to not do up properly. We had a hell of a job getting Kitty into it too in spite of her size....

The best one we have is a wire coated one which sound similar to yours - my parents gave it to us when we got our first cat over 27 years ago. Our other 2 carriers are wicker baskets - one of which is 26 years old! - which are sort of tube shaped but with plastic coated metal doors which strap shut - these are good because the cats get a decent 'window' but aren't seen by dogs when we go to the vets. One of our old cats used to sleep in the older wicker basket if we left it out he liked it so much.
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geckodiva
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Re: I have to ask... so many times you hear about

Post by geckodiva »

Pet carriers these days are of such a poor quality. I too have a resigned a plastic carrier to emergency use because I have very little faith in it. The clips holding the two halves together have no strength and the thinness of the plastic holding the door in place means it is easily snapped.

I have 2 other plastic carriers. One is 18 years old and is sturdily constructed even though I have lost one of the clips it doesn't feel like it's going to come apart. The door is as secure as ever.

The newest one is a flight transport carrier. It is plastic but good quality and thickness. The clips are lockable so they can't be accidently pulled open. The door is metal and permanently fixed on one side, there is good depth on the opening side where it slots into the main case. I have Google the name but can't find them for sale anywhere locally. This was bought at an auction for a shop that had closed down. But in this case you get what you pay for. 'Pets at home' types are cheap and nasty. The flight transporter type are expensive but reliable.

As for escapees, I usually have a job and a half trying to get them out of the carrier whilst at the vet. On more than one occasion the whole thing has been dismantled to get them out.
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Willowgill
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Re: I have to ask... so many times you hear about

Post by Willowgill »

I have 5 carriers, 4 of them plastic - touch wood I've never had an escape but I am a bit paranoid about it and always make sure I hold them underneath. The other one is a wooden one someone made for us nearly 30 years ago - it has a lift up lid which is the only way I can get Daph in one and is bright yellow so looks a bit of a mess but it's still the best one. We also have two dog cages which we use to transport two of them to our other home. I'm really worried about those as i feel the bottom might come out but they have elastic bungis round them to secure them in the car so I'm probably being over cautious. Daph will get in that herself albeit with a lot of growling and hissing - I make sure she doesn't go to the vets in it so she doesn't associate it with bad vibes :lol:
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Crewella
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Re: I have to ask... so many times you hear about

Post by Crewella »

I'm another slightly paranoid owner that tends to hold underneath as well. I have a big sturdy plastic one, a cheap plastic one and two wicker old style ones.

However, I have to admit that we did once have a big ginger boy called Rottie, and in his 17 year lifetime he broke out of three cat carriers. When he was young we once took him in a cardboard carrier ...... which he burst through like the Incredible Hulk ....... OK, lesson learned, never use a cardbord carrier! However, he did manage to trash two wicker ones later in life, one he broke through the side of, and one he managed to break the leather hinge and flip the door down. Both the wicker ones were fine for other cats - one I repaired and still use for little old Minnie (his niece, actually!). Never met another cat like him - he really, really hated carriers and was a very strong and VERY determined cat. Luckily, all three break-outs were in the car, and once loose in the car he was good as gold and we managed to get him home safely.

I'm obviously much more clued up now, but I've still never met another cat that would spend the entire journey totally focused on destroying the carrier he's in!
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Lyn from Australia
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Re: I have to ask... so many times you hear about

Post by Lyn from Australia »

By far the strongest carrier I have is the one Jagger arrived in, which obviously is one which has been OK'd for air travel.
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Simons Cats
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Re: I have to ask... so many times you hear about

Post by Simons Cats »

I don't carry mine by the handle. I carry by the bottom and tend to have them in my arms so that Ella or Archie can see me as I carry them
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