Cheryl wrote:
Yes, I
once had to catch her for a vet visit when she exhibitted signs of
UTI and didn't have the luxury of time to desensitise her to the
carrier in the bathroom, and had to actually chase her down to get
her to the vet. Sometimes it has to be done.

I had to sedate one of my beasts just the other day to get him into a
carrier and to the vet. Following a visit to the vet last winter,
during which a bee bee he acquired during his previous life was cut out,
we had no luck getting him back for his follow-ups. The only result of
3 failed attempts over the course of 3 weeks was that he wouldn't let
any of us get closer than 15 feet for the next 3 months. He was rescued
at about 2 years, and is a lovable guy. But don't try to pick him up
unless you absolutely have to. After that experience the vet gave us
the pill, one of which we always have on hand, in case. We have another
feral who was rescued at about 2.5. It took over a year before the
Stockholm Syndrome kicked in and she began to stand for us to pet her.
We can pick her up now but not hold her. Fortunately she hasn't had to
go to the vet since her initial post-rescue doctoring. Our other
rescues were all taken as kittens, 2-5 months old, and were thoroughly
handleable within a month or two.