I will be going home for Christmas, and my cat will need to accompany me due to a number of logistical issues. Can anyone offer any tips on air travel with cats? She is a small cat and has been on several long road trips; she usually travels well but has never flown. I will need to purchase a new carrier as mine is too big- any recommendations? Anything I can do to keep things as low-stress as possible? I have given her rescue remedy before while traveling and plan to do so this time as well. Thanks in advance!
I’ve flown with my guy several times. He is occasionally a bit noisy/talkative at first in the airport but generally is very quiet when traveling so that is a bonus. I got a carrier that has four wheels on it so I can just wheel him through the airport. It’s definitely so much easier than carrying him and keeps him on a more level traveling plane so to speak.
Just be aware that you will have to take her out to go through security. I tried to pick a line that wasn’t too crazy and on the side so there was less chance of escape.
My cat didn’t seem bothered at all by the changes in pressure which I was happy about since a noisy cat in a plane was something I did not want.
Can you imagine what would happen if cats were won over by terrorists…. and helped in the revolution by converging on TSA all at once during holiday travel?
Taking a cat out at an airport. What a bad idea!
Confirm travel arrangements with the airline (talk to someone in person, don’t depend on what may be written online), be aware the pilot can refuse to allow kitty onboard (without notice), also if a human passenger onboard is allergic, kitty may also get booted … be sure to discuss all these scenarios with the airline.
When I moved from the UK to the US and then from California to Florida my two cats flew in cargo without mishap. Because I had two, I didn’t want to choose one to be in the cabin and not the other … plus, I’m very sensitive to people with allergies (I specified that in online dating ads, it’s that bad!).
I read a lot about cargo travel and saw lots of bad things can happen … temperatures have to be moderate and ground people trustworthy, neither of which you have any control over. It also costs a bundle.
But I had good experiences both times and the cats (not drugged) were no worse for the wear.
My husband flew with a cat stowed under the seat. You need to arrange ahead of time, there is a fee, and a limit on the number of cats allowed on board. The flight was uneventful and the cat was fine with that mode of travel.
[QUOTE=clint;7286651]
a limit on the number of cats allowed on board. The flight was uneventful and the cat was fine with that [/QUOTE]
I take it the airline industry has some experience with cat-mounted hijackings.
Yeah, we can be asked to leave our box cutters at home. How do you get a cat to relinquish its box cutters?
Oh yeah forgot to mention that mine traveled under the seat in front of me. He did count as a carry on so you only get one other carry on item. For Southwest I think the fee was $50 or $75. Online they say you have to have a rabies cert and health cert but I was never asked for his. The check in people did ask me to open his carrier so they could make sure it was a cat, which at the time was funny since he was meowing.
Taking him out at security was a bit crazy. Trying to get the laptop and shoes in the bin, him out of the box, waiting in line, etc. Luckily he freezes when nervous and is good about being held.
Yikes! If that cat needs to come out of the carrier, I would make sure to put on a harness so you can use a leash as well – even if kitteh makes an escape, it’s easier to grab a trailing leash. Also a collar with tags JIC.
[QUOTE=mvp;7286164]
Can you imagine what would happen if cats were won over by terrorists…. and helped in the revolution by converging on TSA all at once during holiday travel?
Taking a cat out at an airport. What a bad idea![/QUOTE]
When Tenuto was being shipped to me from her breeder, the breeder said that the animal section was very busy. It was a big, busy airport. Multiple lines going. When Tenuto got up to the front, the guy in the line next door at the same counter had a bird. Tenuto was good when the breeder took her out to have the crate searched, but she was looking curiously at the bird, and the breeder said, “Look! They serve fresh meals on your flight!” Everybody but the person with the bird got a laugh out of that.
Thanks everyone for the help! The security part is what I am most concerned about; I don’t like the idea of trying to handle a squirming cat at the security checkpoint. I plan on getting her a harness and lead so I can have her on a tether in the case she makes a break for freedom. She always wears a collar with ID so no worries there. Hopefully we can get through quickly; she is not the biggest fan of being held.
She has been registered with the airline. I didn’t think about the airline refusing her on the day of- I will certainly call and check on this, as I have heard far too many horror stories about animals in cargo to feel comfortable flying her that way. We also had an animal “misplaced” in cargo once many years ago and it took a few days to locate the pet. Never again.
Thanks for all the input!
[QUOTE=Equisis;7287683]
Thanks everyone for the help! The security part is what I am most concerned about; I don’t like the idea of trying to handle a squirming cat at the security checkpoint. I plan on getting her a harness and lead so I can have her on a tether in the case she makes a break for freedom. She always wears a collar with ID so no worries there. Hopefully we can get through quickly; she is not the biggest fan of being held.
She has been registered with the airline. I didn’t think about the airline refusing her on the day of- I will certainly call and check on this, as I have heard far too many horror stories about animals in cargo to feel comfortable flying her that way. We also had an animal “misplaced” in cargo once many years ago and it took a few days to locate the pet. Never again.
Thanks for all the input![/QUOTE]
I’d bring a pillow case and drop her in it when you get to security. Cats seem to relax in there, and they are easy to handle, and can’t escape…
Yes Yes to the harness and leash. We traveled north to south by car several times w/ two cats and kept harness and leash attached to them most of time. They got carried into motels w/ no worry about leaping away.
[QUOTE=jetsmom;7288408]
I’d bring a pillow case and drop her in it when you get to security. Cats seem to relax in there, and they are easy to handle, and can’t escape…[/QUOTE]
I actually thought about bringing a towel and wrapping her in it to walk through the checkpoint. I will have to ask if this is allowed- having her claws contained will definitely make for an easier time!
One poster said the rabies and health cert were not checked. It is still required by most (all?) airlines.
Carrier recommendations: Sturdi bag or the very popular Sherpa.
I would get the bag asap to let kitty get used to eating meals in it. I would also practice holding kitty in your arms -unless you choose the pillowcase route. Any concern about wrapping kitty into a burrito in front of others? I’d worry about doing it without losing kitty or causing a delay and angry comments from onlookers about abuse, plus I believe the TSA agents need to see the animal.
Edit to add link comparing the two carriers. Here is the comparison from a very informative dog travel blog.
I have thought about flying with my cat, he travels very well in the car (has been across the country a few times!) BUT my cat is giant and is actually taller (when standing on all fours) than the measure of the height of under the seat. I don’t think it would be fair to ask him to be crammed in a carrier not tall enough to stand up in for that long! Luckily he also stays at the vet well and that is where he goes during trips where we fly. But I do wish I could take him with me!
I wonder how airlines make sure there aren’t people on board with cat allergies.
I know a gal who is deathly allergic to cat dander (walks into someone’s cat-inhabited house and is on the verge of anaphylaxis), so this seems like it could be a disaster, no?
[QUOTE=whbar158;7292178]
I have thought about flying with my cat, he travels very well in the car (has been across the country a few times!) BUT my cat is giant and is actually taller (when standing on all fours) than the measure of the height of under the seat. I don’t think it would be fair to ask him to be crammed in a carrier not tall enough to stand up in for that long! Luckily he also stays at the vet well and that is where he goes during trips where we fly. But I do wish I could take him with me![/QUOTE]
Need pictures of the behemoth, preferably with a scaling device. His a$$ doing party tricks on a plane would be great if you have the pictorial documentation.
I’ve flown with my cats several times and it has gone fine each time. The first few times I went through security, I had to take off his collar that had a metal snap and metal tag. I ended up buying a new collar without metal and then putting a plastic tag on it. It was 50/50 as far as having a leash attached while going through security. Some times they let me and some times they didn’t.
I looked for the carrier I used online but couldn’t find it. It was soft sided, was solid fabric on two sides and mesh on the others that also didn’t look too much like a cat carrier. When getting on the plane, I had the mesh towards me so no one saw him and then slid him in so the solid panels were towards other passengers. Usually nobody even noticed that he was there.
I hope it’s smooth sailing for you and kitty.
