How to trap and transport an unfamiliar stray cat to the vet

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

1. 1
   Luring the cat into a carrier with food and treats
2. 2
   Using a sedative diluted in a sachet of food
3. 3
   Rigging a carrier with a rope to close the door manually
4. 4
   Borrowing a humane trap from a feed store or local vet
5. 5
   Keeping the cat inside the carrier in the waiting room
6. 6
   Covering the carrier with a towel or blanket to reduce visual stimulation
7. 7
   Bringing treats like churros to soothe a nervous cat
8. 8
   Asking a veterinarian for sedatives like gabapentin for future car rides
9. 9
   keeping an eye on her outside the window
10. 10
    bringing her into the bathroom for the night

In their words

Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.