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flying with a cat
Notes from an experienced flyer...who has transported many a cat for PetPromise and other rescues via the airlines....
I would suggest not giving the cat any tranqulizers unless you absolutely
have to. The only times I have had difficulty in transport was with cats
who were medicated prior to leaving. They seemed to have paradoxical
effects, very excitable, hard to control, etc. You may want to have
something on hand just in case, but not give it unless things get bad.
Also, from experience...make sure to have copies of all the paperwork, and
verify that you can carry the cat on board and get a confirmation number
prior to leaving. Also check with PR and find out the restirctions on
bringing in pets.
Keep kitty on a figure 8 harness. When you go through security, you need
to take the kitty out of the carrier, and in a harness (not just a leash
and collar), you have a good measure of control even if something happens
and you lose hold of the cat. Scruff the kitty also, security is a scary
place for a cat! It may sound mean to scruff (just grab the loose skin on
the back of the neck), but it is harder for a cat to get away from you, or
to get loose from that position.
Also...use a soft sided carrier if at all possible. You can squish them
under the seat, because despite what the airlines may say, not all seats are
created equal! Sometimes the stated hard carrier size will not fit under
the seats on the plane, which leaves you with a choice of putting the cat
in cargo or staying off the flight. (NOTE: I have found middle seats are
generally the best for travel due to space. Usually the soft carrier will
fit sideways, and you can have constant eye contact with the cat. With
aisle seats, the cat may get kicked accidentally, and they get colder on
the window side.) If you put a doggy pad in the bottom of the carrier, it
will make clean up easier. You can put a nice fleece blanket on top of it
for the cat to snuggle in.
Take along a carry on bag for the kitty. In it keep a ziploc bag of
litter, not much is needed, and in a pinch you can just shred newspaper or
paper towels in a bathroom! Also, a good disposible litterbox is the lid of
a christmas box (shirt size works well for travel). Take extra doggie
pads, wet wipes for accidents, a small bowl of food and a small bowl for
water (don't give much food, but you can offer a bit of water every few
hours). You also may want to pack an extra blanket for the kitty in case of soiling or cool air, and a few of the larger ziploc bags for soiled articles,
unless you just take items you are comfotable throwing away if they get soiled. I buy towles and blankets at thrift stores for this very reason. Try to withhold food about 4 hours prior to the flight. You don't want the kitty to get airsick!
I have found most airports have "family restrooms", and they work quite
well for allowing the cat out of the carrier and loose for a bit (again, keep him on the leash though, for safety). Usually the family restroom is a small private room where you can let the cat out of the bag to stretch his legs and set up a litterbox and water bowl.
I have flown with many cats, and rarely have had problems. Usually the
problems I had were the result of my not following my own guidelines for
transport. The longest flight I had was only about 8 hours, but all
went well, and kitty was no worse for wear. Take off and landing are rough,
with kitty meowing a lot, but then they settle in for the ride usually
within a very short time. However, if you have a cat who doesn't travel
well anyway (IE to the vet), you may have a long flight ahead of you!
Start leaving the carrier out now, so that it starts getting hte kitty's scent, and so
that it is a familiar and nice place for the kitty when travel day arrives.
Good luck!
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