My feral cat needs shots & spay. How do I get him in a carrier?

I am sorry to hear about your frustrations with this kitty. I don't think you are likely to be able to trap her with a normal cat carrier if she is this shy as she will likely run as you approach it. I would see if there is a local rescue group or animal shelter in your area that has traps they use for this issue. You can read more about ideas to help capture these kitties at https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/tips-for-hard-to-trap-cats/

Hello! The safest way to take the cat to the pet shelter would be to trap it, if at all possible. Feral cat traps are the safest option because they automatically close after the cat enters. A pet carrier or box with some food that you can securely close after the cat enters will also work. Most people use canned cat food or tuna to lure the cat into the trap. A common oral sedative for cats is a drug called Gabapentin that can be mixed with food, but this is a prescribed substance and not one I believe you can purchase over the counter. I also caution that if the cat is very wild, it will still be able to bite and scratch you while sedated, so you will still need to contain the cat in some type of carrier. Cats can carry the Rabies virus, so I want you to to stay safe! The animal shelter may offer some types of traps or sedation drugs to assist you in bringing the cat in. Try calling them and seeing if they can offer you any supplies to help! I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Unfortunately, it is against the terms of service for the site for an expert to have contact with a user outside of the site. It's awesome you want to have her spayed. Because she comes to you, you will be able to pick her up and place her in a carrier. I would take her to a local clinic, or low cost clinic in your area. You can do an internet search for low cost clinics in the area, or check with your local SPCA to see if they offer cheap spays (many do offer this option). The vet clinic can spay her for you, and can give her the vaccines and other treatments she needs. Congrats on taking in this cat, she will be lucky to have you :-)

If none of your nearby neighbors claim him as theirs, I would recommend setting some food out in a live trap. Once trapped your veterinarian can check the sex, determine if it is spayed or neutered, and proceed with the surgery if not. Vaccine status is unknown so likely you will have to start over to ensure protection.

I am not sure where you live but you could search for some animal rescues in your area and contact them. They may have a way to help trap her and get her fixed and provide medical care. Depending on her temperment, they may be able to work with her and place her in a home.

Hello, I would recommend using a feral cat trap to trap the cat and take it to an animal shelter. They will be able to examine and treat the cats under sedation. It often takes a very long time to socialize feral cats, and some may be wild animals forever no matter how much effort is instilled. I hope this is helpful.

I would recommend you contact your local charities to source a cage cage which you can trap him with. He requires a full examination and antibiotics and should also be tested for FELV/FIV as he may have a weakened immune system also