Has anyone ever traveled on an airplane with a cat?

[Allyo]

Has anyone else traveled by air with a cat? Any advice?

 

I am going on almost a 4 hour flight this holiday season, and I would like to take my cat. This is the first time he will be traveling on an airplane. He is healthy and his vaccinations are up-to-date. However, I understand that for the airline I am considering I would need to get a health certificate from a vet, which doesn't sound like it would be too difficult.

 

I am more concerned about my cat having anxiety on the flight and what kind of carrier I should use if I would like to take him in the cabin with me.

 

My cat often meows or howls on trips in the car to the vet. I am worried that he would be like this for the entire flight...? I don't know what to expect. I've heard that using sedatives is not recommended.

 

I already have a fairly small hard shell cat carrier for transporting my cat mainly to the vet. Even though it is small the dimensions are still too large for the cat carrier to count as a carry on! In this case I would probably have to buy a smaller soft shell bag. Any recommendations as to taking him in the cabin or the cargo bin? I think he might freak out in the cargo bin if he couldn't see me...

 

Poor kitty!

 

Thanks in advance

[Allyo]

Aaaand I love my cat... but I am also worried about taking him in the cabin if it would be an inconvenience to other passengers. Like what if he meows the whole time? Or what if the person sitting next to me is allergic to cats? Are these very big concerns?

[Seraphim]

I would phone the airline and see what they allow and how they have to travel. I traveled with a cat on a plane but it was like 25 years ago and my poor cat had to go cargo. I would also ask a vet if there is anything they take before a flight. I think though they like them to be alert so they do not get injured in case they are not with you.

[abitbroken]

Make sure you have already told the airline the cat is coming and buy the cat a ticket since there is a limit to the number of pets per flight. Look for an airline certified carrier. Go to the pet store and ask which ones are. They are usually labeled. I think Sherpa makes one, but there are others. Also, there are calming supplements that have tryptophan in them, but ask your vet for guidance with that if you have a cat that gets nervous. I wouldn't use a regular sedative, but something that naturally takes the edge off - just like you eating some comfort food, might work.

 

I would not put him in cargo - some airlines have a great pet program where the pets are last to go on and first to go off. The hum of the engines might lull him to sleep, but this time of year, its cold, and there are times when they won't allow pets to travel cargo when it is above or below a certain temperature. If you are going to south florida or arizona, it could be an issue, and if the temperatures are freezing it could be an issue.

[Ariel85]

Unless you are moving with a cat, I wouldn't recommend it. I've flown a cat cross-country and on short-haul flights when I've moved before, and it ain't pretty...

 

First off, as for the airline - you will need to pay a fee for the pet to fly. And, be sure to book his reservation in advance, as they only allow a certain number of pets per cabin, per flight. And yes, you will need to provide certification that he's up to date on shots, etc. You also need to make sure the carrier will fit under the seat. Most hard carriers won't fit, and many soft won't, either.

 

As for the comfort of the pet, my boy was miserable. Even with taking kitty valium, he was a mess. And he was for days afterwards. This is an extreme trauma for a cat, because they are such creatures of their environment (unlike most guys who can socialize and go anywhere).

 

Honestly, unless you absolutely need to relocate the cat, I wouldn't recommend it if this is just for a vacation or something. Even remembering the trips I took him on makes me sick, because it was so heartbreaking to see him in such extreme distress. Even though I had no choice and he rode up front in the big seats with me, it was still a serious ordeal for him, and in turn, for me, as his Mom.

[Seraphim]

^^ I agree. If this is a vacation a cat will be ok alone for a week with a lot of water and food. It would be far less horrendous to the cat than a plane flight. The only reason I took mine was I was going accross country to move. My poor boy was a mess for a week if not longer.

[sadchick83]

Leave your cat with a sitter--at home!. I attempted to take my dog on a one hour flight that turned into an 8 hour ordeal. You have to drop them off at cargo, pick them up at cargo, and yes, some pets have been frozen to death. My Greek gf has brought her cat with her in the cabin on the Greek Airlline-no issue. Some airlines are relaxed about this. WIth dogs in cages, they make sure a dog can completely turn himself around in the cage, so the cage has to be huge even though the dog is of average size.

 

I feel the best thing you can do with an animal is leave them in their own home with a sitter. They don't really have a sense of time, and will not be too phased. The second best thing is to take the pet to a reputable animal hotel. Even that can cause issues...The animal hotel called me when I was in the desert in Arizona to inform me that my dog bit a kid (dog walker) and he had to have stitches on his face!!. So I had to make tons of calls because the animal hotel forgot to update his shot records ( he had been there 2 years prior) . They actually blamed themselves for the incident, as the kid did not follow procedure,but I shutter to think of the poor kid and my poor guy with a "quarantined" sign on his pen for 4 days. It ruined a good part of my vacation.

 

You would not want to harm your pet or ruin your vacation, so leave the cat at home if possible. a 4 hour flight = 10 hours at least for the cat...waht if there are delays??

[Ariel85]

They don't really have a sense of time

 

Yet...they miracuously get me out of bed every day promptly at 5AM for breakfast.

[Seraphim]

If you do not know anyone to look after him maybe look up professional pet sitters. There are people who are bonded and do this for a living. Really it is better for the cat. They prefer their home environment and worry more about that almost than the people in it.

[sadchick83]

haha! Yes I know, but I don't think they can count days. The time will pass easier in their own surroundings.

 

Im not sure where you are Allyo, but my pet hotel actually came to more than my hotel in Hawaii. The pet hotel was $60 a night and the people hotel was only $49, 'cause we knew staff.

[Allyo]

Thanks for the replies so far!! That's troubling to know that it can be so distressful for the cats! My cat is fairly calm and social, although I know he probably still will be pretty freaked out by the trip since he has really only known one home. I am leaning towards taking him in the cabin with an airline that would allow me to do so.

 

I am more or less moving. I am leaving my work/rental house after Christmas and most likely also looking for work accross the country. For the time being I wanted to take my cat during the holidays to my parent's house until I get a little more settled in my new place. This way I could move him a little bit ahead of time, since it seems more stressful to me to move him with all of my stuff too!

[annie24]

I took my cat to Canada to live with my relatives when i got too allergic to keep him. i didn't give him drugs. I had a soft shell carrier which I slid under the seat in front of me. I talked to him often too, and actually kept him in my lap (in the carrier) when we were allowed to. On the first flight (30 minutes) he was completely shaking, poor boy was so scared!! during the layover, he was kind of catatonic, the flight attendants were trying to pet him and he was just zoned out. On the 2nd flight, he was like, "ok, i'm over this, get me out of here!!" Like when I was holding him on my lap in the soft carrier and unzipped the bag, so he could stretch, he tried to jump out, lol!! luckily, my seatmate caught him!! I think he was $80 to take with me on the plane. I miss my little boy.

 

in the car ride, he was very quiet, trying not to be noticed.

 

I gave him water and food, he refused everything. I had a bit of litter in there too if he wanted to go, not interested!

 

he didn't howl or meow, but he wasn't a meower anyway.

 

I think if you know you have a howler, you should maybe give him a pill.

 

good luck!!

[Ariel85]

 

I am more or less moving. I am leaving my work/rental house after Christmas and most likely also looking for work accross the country. For the time being I wanted to take my cat during the holidays to my parent's house until I get a little more settled in my new place. This way I could move him a little bit ahead of time, since it seems more stressful to me to move him with all of my stuff too!

 

I would try not to have to move the cat twice. That's seriously disruptive to their little lives. Cats truly do NOT like any kind of change and do not like leaving their home. If you can minimize the move, and get yourself settled and then move him in, do it. Otherwise, maybe leave him behind with a friend until you get settled and can move him into his new permanent home. Cats really do suffer major stress and anxiety from moving.

[DreamingLife]

I flew with mine twice and moved with her in the car once. When it comes to the planes, you'll have to check out the website of the carriers who offer the flight, have a soft-shelled bag (mine is sherpa and I think the biggest size the airlines generally allow is the small). You will also have to buy the pet ticket and go to the vet.

 

The first time flying she was calm-ish, she didn't say too much, was a bit scared. Before the flight, I left the carrier bag just sitting on the floor for about a week so that she can get acquainted with it and so that the bag gets the "home" smell. I also fed her about 6 hours before we left for the airport and last water I offered her was 4 hours before. That way I didn't have any problems with her restroom needs. I still brought some litter (double-bagged) and took my cat out in a large restroom stall about 20 minutes before flight, so that she can go if she needed. I didn't use any sedatives or calming agents that time. Funnily, I sat near a guy who was alergic to cats, but he said that he took his meds, so he was okay with her bag being in my lap. In any case you can work things out with the staff if somebody near you is uncomfortable. During the flight I also opened the bag a bit so that I could pet her and I basically talked with her throughout the 4 hours. No accidents and no problems that time, but a lot of planning ahead and babying.

 

The second time I flew I wasn't that strict on the food and water cut off time and my cat peed herself during the flight. I had to clean up the mess in that tiny airplane restroom, wash the inside of the bag so it doesn't smell (it did a little anyway) and my cat's ass was wet as I washed it too. Not pretty and very uncofortable for the both of us

 

Anyway, when I moved in my car I was prepared. I got a homeopathic calming agent which did wonders. She was curled up on the front seat like nothing was happening for most of the time - and it was a 16 hour journey with one night in a hotel. The remedy is called "Bach Rescue Remedy" and you'll find it in any natural store like Whole Foods. There is a formula for pets specifically, but an owner of the pet store who recommended this remedy said the only difference was that the pet formula had no alcohol in it, whereas the original has some alcohol. In any case, I gave her 4 drops of this and in about an hour she was like honey and it lasted for quite some time.

 

Hope this helped.

[OptomisticGirl]

I'm flying my cat to England next year - he's going to HATE me after that 10 hour flight - but I know my vet highly discouraged giving him anything for sedation in the flight because they can't adjust to the pressure changes if they are knocked out. higher mortality rate he said.

 

Different airlines require different things. i'm flying on Delta with my cat and granted this is an international flight but their carrier specifications are SPECIFIC.

[Ariel85]

I'm flying my cat to England next year - he's going to HATE me after that 10 hour flight - but I know my vet highly discouraged giving him anything for sedation in the flight because they can't adjust to the pressure changes if they are knocked out. higher mortality rate he said.

 

While this is true, 10+ hours of extreme stress isn't going to be any better for the cat, either.

 

Won't it have to be quarantined when it arrives in the UK? If it were me, I would re-home the cat in the US. As much as it would kill me leave him behind, the worry of that long of an air trip and the effects on the pet would make me even more concerned.

[OptomisticGirl]

While this is true, 10+ hours of extreme stress isn't going to be any better for the cat, either.

 

Won't it have to be quarantined when it arrives in the UK? If it were me, I would re-home the cat in the US. As much as it would kill me leave him behind, the worry of that long of an air trip and the effects on the pet would make me even more concerned.

 

No, as long as you follow the PETS scheme once you land in the UK you can collect your animal and go home. The only reason they would have to be quarantined is if a) you did not follow the PETS scheme properly or you just flew them over without having them microchipped, vaccinated, or anything on the scheme list.

 

While most people see it as selfish (and perhaps it is) my cat is my child and a part of our family. My vet has okayed him to be healthy and in good health to make the distance.

[abitbroken]

While this is true, 10+ hours of extreme stress isn't going to be any better for the cat, either.

 

Won't it have to be quarantined when it arrives in the UK? If it were me, I would re-home the cat in the US. As much as it would kill me leave him behind, the worry of that long of an air trip and the effects on the pet would make me even more concerned.

 

If she is moving permanently to the UK, I would say take the cat with her. It is a one way trip. And with the new protocol, pets don't have to quarantined for a month. If you follow the exact vaccination procedures, etc, the dog just needs to be examined again by your vet before they go, etc. Your dog or cat is not quarantined once they are there because the vet followed the procedures to make sure that they are safe to travel and not carrying anything. Sometimes depending they may have to be checked by a vet once they are there - but thats no biggie if you are relocating. It is not like the old days. Taking a pet to Europe and the UK is not like it used to be where you can't see your dog for a month. Sometimes cats and dogs are lulled by the sounds of the engines and just sleep the whole time. My dog, who would normally bark at anything that moves was very quiet to the point the guy next to me didn't know I had a dog. If she is going on a vacation, I would board the cat at the vet's or pet resort or hire a close friend/relative or pet sitter to come take care of the cat in her own home.

[OptomisticGirl]

i'm permantently moving to England.

 

As well, pets can't enter the UK via the cabin - pets have to be flown in as cargo. But yes, it is nothing like it use to. Now if you do'nt follow procedure then yes, your cat has to be quartained for 6 months.