Flying with Cats?

[Kate&Joey]

I saw there was a Flying with Dogs thread, but not one about cats. I need your opinions! Here's the scenario:

We are moving next month to another state. It is about a 10 hour drive or 1.5 hour flight. We are seriously considering me flying with 8-month old DS and DH driving with the two dogs. Now, what to do about the cat?

DF (dear feline :) ) is quite scared of being in the car. Whenever he is in the car for longer than it takes to get to the vet (15 minutes), he throws up. I think it would be less stressful to have him fly with me and DS as it would cut his travel time in half. Also, if he is in the car for 10 hours, what do you do with him going to the bathroom? We have a crate, but it's not big enough for a litter box, too.

However, DH will probably drive at night. Do you think DF might be more willing to sleep and not be so stressed if it is at night vs. driving during the day?

What are your experiences of flying with a cat? Do you recommend a certain type of carrier? Thoughts on driving vs. flying?

Thanks so much!

K

[MLA]

I've flown with two cats. It's not fun, but it's better than driving with them. My number one suggestion would be to get them to your vet to get sedating drugs. My two boys were drugged out the whole trip, and I think that helped some. In order to fly most airlines, you need a certificate of health, so you'd need to be taking your DF to the vet, anyway.

I got a soft-sided carrying case from petco that said it was airline approved. It worked fine.

Be aware that you can't just show up with a pet. Airlines have limits to the number of animals allowed in the cabin, so you'll need to call ahead to book space for your DF. There's also usually a charge for flying them (it was $50 one way per cat for me on Delta).

Also, be aware that when you go through security, you'll have to take your cat out of its carrier to go through the metal detectors. They'll put the carrier through the x-ray machine, and you'll walk through the detectors holding your cat. That was a bit of a shock to me, and I was very happy I'd sedated my boys!

[tlew12778]

I would not sedate the cats if they need to go in the hold. They cannot do studies on how anesthesia affects animals at that altitude (and they know the effects are increased). If they can go with you in the cabin, I might sedate them, but not heavily.

If they go in the car, I would sedate them. We did a 6 hr drive with ours and just gave them more valium when necessary. We let them use their litter box and drink some water when they first woke up, then we sedated them again.

Anyway, I notice that our cats are not really any less scared at night in the car. The shadows seem to freak them out. We even cover their carriers so that they can't look out, but they are still scared.

[MLA]

I would not sedate the cats if they need to go in the hold. They cannot do studies on how anesthesia affects animals at that altitude (and they know the effects are increased). If they can go with you in the cabin, I might sedate them, but not heavily.



Let me clarify: I was talking about taking the cat into the cabin with you. I wouldn't put him/her into the hold at all, as there are all sorts of horror stories about what happens to animals in the cargo hold. It's not an environment I'd want my cats in. If it's a choice between driving him/her and putting them into the cargo hold, I'd drive.

[Kate&Joey]

Thanks for the replies! MLA - good to know flying is better than driving.

Oh, I should have been more clear...I would definitely have the cat in the cabin with me. And, we have a prescription sedative/tranquilizer for him from our last car trip, which calms him down a bit.

[Cricket4]

I flew with a cat a few months ago, and I didn't sedate her. She was GREAT, and she wasn't even my cat. (Flew a shelter cat out to participate in the Meow Mix House TV show). She sat in a soft-sided carrier the whole time, and didn't have any problem.

Our vet told me not to feed her after eight pm the night before, so she wouldn't have the trauma of needing to go to the bathroom in her carrier. As soon as we got to New York, I fed her right away.

[jnettie]

We did a plane trip with Jade when she was a kitten. She's a bad traveler, but did very well in the plane. We got a small hard sided carrier that slid right under the seat in front of us. She just slept the entire trip.

Now, that said, I'd seriously re-think flying with both an 8 month old AND a cat. Is there someone who can make the trip with you? You'll have a cat carrier and a stroler, and when it's time for the x-ray, you'll need to carry both through the metal detector!

We were successful with a 14 hour drive with our other cat last year, through. We have a small station wagon, and were able to fit a good sized crate in the back (about 3'x4'x4'). There was room for a little litter box and a small bed for her. We didn't have to worry about her getting loose when we were at rest stops and she was very safe. There would be less to worry about as far as kitty and baby goes, too. And many hotels will allow you to bring kitty in if you ask in advance.

[Kate&Joey]

Thanks for the insight, jnettie!

I totally agree...it's going to be a huge PITA to fly with DF and DS. But, in the big picture, it will be better for DH to have more room in the SUV for moving stuff without DF's crate. If we had to get a bigger one (to fit a litter box, too), that would just lose more space, KWIM? One of our dogs weighs 100 pounds so he takes up a lot of space, just by himself! Plus, I think cutting DF's travel time in half is better than him stuck in a car for a minimum of 10 hours...poor little guy!

My security plan is to send the stroller/car seat through the scanner, carry DS through, put him back in the car seat, put the carrier through the scanner, carry DF through, and put DF back in the carrier. I'm flying at an "off" time (11:00AM) so I'm hoping it won't be too crowded and people will have pity on me! :D I can put the cat carrier in the basket under the stroller and my diaper bag is a backpack...I think I can do it. Wish me luck!

[KristyK]

I'm bumping this because I'm not sure what to do! Our vet won't give us anything to knock our howling kitties out on an airplane, and not sure we could sit for 6 hours on a plane with 2 cats talking like mad. What should we do?

Oh, and also, I was going to buy new carriers for them to put them into the hold and thought a bigger one would be better, even though they are both smallish cats, but should I just stick with the small ones so they won't be tossed around as much? If I do put them on the plane with us, are the soft-sided ones better?

I'm also having a heck of a time finding a first class flight thats direct. I'd hate to have my cats in the hold, and have to change planes! That would just freak them out even more, if they even were transferred correctly.

Help! Any answers would be helpful, my girls are getting old and this would be their first plane ride. :eek:

[maxandmolly]

Find a vet who WILL give you drugs. Did the vet say why they were saying no? Mine wouldn't give me meds for my cross country drive from SF back to Florida. She said it was too far for them to go being sedated, that they wouldn't care for themselves-drinking, eating, litter box, etc. Which they didn't do the entire time anyway. In the end I drove without them sedated and by the time we got to my mom's we ALL needed to be sedated.
When I flew with Molly, when I got her health certificate they gave me sedating meds. She had never been in a carrier before and FREAKED OUT when I closed her in. But, she did ok-but she was still pretty young then. (She was in teh cabin with me. I couldn't stand the idea of the cargo hold. *shudder*)
But I would definitely keep them in the cabin with you, even if they do yowl the whole way, they'll still be with mommy and daddy and you'll know they're ok.

[jesvet]

It's actually quite dangerous for them to be sedated in the cargo hold of an airplane and that is why most vets refuse to prescribe sedatives other than benadryl. Deaths can and do occur. It's safer for them to be freaked out. In the cabin is a different situation.

[greenbunny]

One of my coworkers has bought several cats from breeders far away, and she claims that she will only use Delta if they must be shipped in the cargo area. They have special climate-controlled areas for animals and they will refuse to fly them if environmental conditions are not at an acceptable temperature.

[KristyK]

Thanks for the answers ladies. The vet refused sedatives for the cargo hold area, I hadn't even thought about the soft-sided carriers and with us in the cabin until I started looking at booking my flight. I just went and bought carry-on soft sided ones.

Ok, so if the vet won't give me any sedatives for the cabin area, I can handle benedryl, but how much for a 6-8 lb cat in miligrams? Jesvet, any clue? Thanks again!

[jesvet]

The usual oral dose is 1-2 mg per pound for a cat. Half of a 25 mg tablet would be ok, or if you use the liquid form you would be using about 3/4 teaspoon or about 3 cc.

Try it out ahead of time!

[KristyK]

Thanks! I was thinking of maybe baby benedryl, and I'll definitely try it ahead of time!

[KrissyCat7]

I have flown with my cat several times and I have also driven across country with my cat twice. I prefer flying. If you are going to fly with your cat I would make the following recommendations:

1. Make sure your cat carrier is approved by the airline.
2. Make the reservations for your cat to come aboard early. Only two pets are allowed on the plane at a time.
3. I wouldnt use Benadryl without consulting your vet.
4. Get your cat used to the carrier ahead of time. Leave it out so she can smell it and get used to seeing it/being in it.
5. On the day of the flight, make sure your cat has used the bathroom before leaving.
6. Don't forget your cat's ID tag and leash.
Good luck!

[ManteoChik]

Ditto everything that Krissy said. Also, make sure your airline will allow you to bring pets in the cabin - many are now restricting that and we had a heck of a time getting our lab from NY to FL when we bought her at 7 weeks - there are usually additional fees for bringing a pet on, like a boarding pass for your cat/dog and for us it was $100.

My friend used to fly from FL to Chicago frequently with her cat while she was in school in FL. I used to drop her off and pick her up from the airport with kitty all the time. He was pretty used to it, but he still got a sedative before hand.

[KaliLily]

What are your experiences of flying with a cat? Do you recommend a certain type of carrier? Thoughts on driving vs. flying?

Thanks so much!

K

Two years ago DH and I flew with our cats from WA to VA on United Airlines. We took them on-board with us and they went below our seats. I think it was $80/each to bring them on board. It would have been slightly higher if we had put them under the cabin. We chose on-board because we were worried about how they would handle flying, not because it was cheaper.

I did a lot of online research about traveling with pets, and the best pieces of advice were:

1) Do NOT sedate them. At the high altitude planes fly at, sedation poses a serious risk to their health.
2) If you plan to bring him on board, use a SOFT carrier. If a pet is in a hard carrier, the airline may force you to check him in as "luggage" to be placed under the cabin. (Carried on pets are considered to be one of your allowed carry-on items.)
3) There are a limited number of animals allowed on-board per flight. Longer flights typically allow 2, and shorter flights typically allow only 1. Book early to ensure there is room on-board for your cat if you choose to fly.
4) Check the airline's specific policies on traveling with animals. They should be posted on the airline's website.
5) You will need to provide a health certificate from your vet to the airline at check-in. There are special forms that your vet's office should have.

We bought the Sherpa Pet Delta Air Lines Deluxe Pet Carrier through Petco.com (the store didn't have what we needed in stock). Here's a link: http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=6418&Nav=1&Ntt=airline+carriers&N=30+10516&sku=715344&familyID=7873&
You will also need to get a harness and leash for the cat because you will be required to run the carrier through the luggage machine and carry him with you through the metal detectors.

I think that covers the basics. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

ETA: My cats did fine without sedation. One was pretty scared (she was crying quietly), so once we could take out our carry-on items I put her carrier on my lap and opened the top just enough to put my hand inside and pet her head. She was pretty warm (cabin temps are way too high these days), so I dipped my fingers in water and rubbed her ears. This all really calmed her down.

[diam124]

Yes, definitely try out the benadryl beforehand! We gave our cat liquid benadryl over the summer after she got stung by a bee and it was a disaster. She let us give it to her easily but she had a strong reaction to the taste and drooled profusely for about 5 minutes. She was spitting while running around the house at top speed. If we ever have to give it to her again we'll use the pill form!

[junkinmytrunk]

Just sending hugs and support. It's definitely stressful, as you well know. I flew with my 2 cats about 10 years ago, east coast to west. It was rough but doable. We used the sherpa (soft sided) carriers, had health certs done (the airline never asked for them, BTW), practiced with the sedatives, etc.

The only thing I can say is that when I finally got the cats settled beneath the seats on the plane, the passenger in the aisle seat next to me complained of cat allergies and we were ultimately moved to the back row of the plane to accomodate him. Just something you may / may not want to consider or mention before getting all settled with your DC and your DF.

[KristyK]

Thanks for all the help ladies! I'm definitely going to try the benadryl beforehand, just to make sure. I just had both cats at the vet to get them their yearly shots, so I'll look at those papers to make sure they have some type of health statement on them, if not, a simple phonecall there should suffice. I bought soft-sided carriers and paid for both of them to be on the plane with me and my son, on both flights. I tried to get the least amount of transfers, and booked first class. Lets hope nobody complains of allergies, if they do maybe I'll bring some benedryl on the plane for them! LOL I also bought harnesses, and leashes a while ago, they don't like them, but I told my DS that we had to work on getting them used to them. The thought of taking them out of the carrier is the freakiest part, they don't handle strangers very well.

THis is actually the first time we've ever flown with them and any trips they've taken haven't been more than an a couple of hours by car. They are both getting older, and I am definitely NOT getting rid of them, they are my babies.

Thank goodness my son is old enough to carry one of them! Although I'd make sure I had them both with me, even if he wasn't going to be there too!

Thanks again for all the insight ladies! I certainly appreciate all the help!

[honeygirl]

I just wanted to say that it could go a lot smoother than you think. I brought my cat on the plane with me when I moved from Hawaii. I was SO scared that she'd cry (which she did whenever I had to put her in the carrier, which was rarely), but she was quiet the whole time. (I didn't sedate her btw)

Good luck!

[ysolde]

OT --

Cricket, have you heard from Meow Mix House Molly? I loved that cat!!!

[KristyK]

Just a quick update on my kitties. They flew wonderfully! They cried for a few minutes on the first take off, a small plane short flight. Then they were quiet the rest of the time, all day long! The one cat did cry a bit on our landing into Houston, which I figured was an ear thing, but then was quiet again. They didn't even cry when we were sitting in the airports. I was glad we flew out of a very small airport to start with because that was the only time we had to take them out of the carriers, and we didn't ever have to show the airlines a piece of paper. We paid for their travel, thats all they cared about.

The girls didn't need any type of medications whatsoever, even though I did buy child benedryl. In fact when we disembarked, everyone commented that they didn't realize we had one cat, let alone two!

On a side note. I had taken my cats to the vet in the middle of April, knowing that I was going to be moving in the next month to get all their shots etc, even spoke with the vet about needing meds because we'd be flying, which he refused to give me. As I was getting ready to fly out, I was reading more on the airlines website. I thought that my certficate showing all their shots was going to be what I needed, and it specifially mentioned a "Health Certificate". So I called my vet to ask them if they could fax/email me something for the plane. They then told me that a HC was something you could only get no more than 10 days prior to the flying, and that I'd have to bring the cats in "again!". When I tried to explain to the vets office that it had only been 3 weeks since I was in there, they'd done all the shots etc, and that I was now over 300 miles away, they didn't seem to care! When I expressed my being not too happy about the fact that I'd just spent $700 in the past 3 weeks and they didn't want to accomodate me with a HC, that its a darn good thing I wasn't going to be back, because I'd let everyone know in town that they weren't very cooperative when a customer needed something. I will be writing them a not so nice letter.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for the advice and suggestions. Thank goodness we'll never have to fly again with our girls.

ETA: The airline only asked me if I had the health certs...when I told them all I had was the record of all their recent shots etc, the guy was fine with it, and didn't even look at them!

[jesvet]

FWIW, they'd have been wasting your money to give you a health certificate. It's only good for 10 days for flying, and to date it incorrectly would be falsifying a record and he could lose his license. I'd have said the same thing.

[KristyK]

Thanks for the info about the HC, and I can understand, but if they'd told me that when I was there, I"d have probably made the appt to come in before I left town to get what I needed. It just kind of po'd me that they could have told me that from the get-go and then weren't even willing to try and help in anyway, when I was talking to them on the phone. Oh well, over and done with now, thank goodness!

[jesvet]

I agree there was some not so great communication. Usually when people come in asking about travel I do ask them if they are going to require a health certificate, it makes life a lot easier! :D