Cats on a plane

[Steel_Phantom]

We are moving down to the Orlando area next week from the Philadelphia area. Has anyone here flown with a cat before? We were told that we will need to bring the cat on the flight as our carry-on, then store him inside the cage underneath the seat in front of us.

Can't believe that this will be a pleasant flight. He doesn't like car rides and that day we will need to take a car ride to the airport, sit at the airport for awhile, 2 1/2 hour flight, then another car ride after to our temporary hotel.

Any hints to make this an uneventful flight down?

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

cats? guess it would be better than snakes.

make a good sequel!






see you vet and get some meds to "relax" kitty. make sure the airlines knows IN ADVANCE that you will be brining kitty. They may have some requirements, such as proof of shots, etc.

 

[SandrA9810]

Many vets will give out a sedative to help calm the pets while traveling. I don't know anything about the cost.
and many pet stores sell airline approved carriers. I would invest in one of those instead of bringing one that might not meet approval. There's a certain size that they must be and i would make sure it's hard shell, not one of those soft shells that they could claw or bite at.

 

[Stephanie218]

I flew with both of my cats cross-country about 2 years ago. I can't say they were happy about it, but they did fine. I was nervous about giving them sedatives, so we went with natural calming agents. I attached a link of the chews I used, and there was a liquid as well, that I got from Whole Foods. The soft carriers worked perfectly for us, and they were able to squish under the seat better.

Just be careful going through the metal detector. They made us take the cats out, and one of mine really freaked and tried to climb up my head while they were asking for my boarding pass and ID. Not the best moment.

http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Naturals-Vermont-Calming-Chews/dp/B0016HG0EQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1275759747&sr=8-7

 

[Hootiss]

I flew from Orlando to Costa Rica ( Jet Blue) with 2 cats and 2 dogs. They all did just fine. Be careful about any type of sedative. If the animal looks "out of it" some airlines will deny boarding. Lavender oil is supposed to help, I even saw a kennel with a lavender insert for cats. Don't forget a waterproof pad. Good luck.

 

[kimblebee]

I know I am opening a can of worms with asking this but why are cats allowed on a plane where people may be allergic to them? If my daughter and I ended up sitting within a few rows of a cat on the plane it would be a very unpleasant trip for US, never mind the cat.

 

[Traveliz]

I know I am opening a can of worms with asking this but why are cats allowed on a plane where people may be allergic to them? If my daughter and I ended up sitting within a few rows of a cat on the plane it would be a very unpleasant trip for US, never mind the cat.

I know - me too - and here is the deal - when you book you need to tell them you cannot tolerate cats and then after that they will not allow cats on the flight...if someone has all ready booked the flight with cats, then you do so at your own risk but after you book you know it will be cat free.

Liz

 

[LilyWDW]

I know I am opening a can of worms with asking this but why are cats allowed on a plane where people may be allergic to them? If my daughter and I ended up sitting within a few rows of a cat on the plane it would be a very unpleasant trip for US, never mind the cat.

Because it is up to you to notify the airline of your allergy ahead of time. This way, they can A) warn you there is already a cat booked ahead of you and you can make a decision to be on that flight or not or B) close the flight to anyone with a cat.

The same goes with any allergy that is bad enough, including things like peanut allergies. One can not expect others to worry about your health. It is up to the person with the allergy to verify it is safe for them.

 

[TwinsinCA]

We have made 5 out-of-state moves and have flown with our cat each time. Unless things have changed, we were required to have a certificate from the vet stating that she had had a recent check up and was up to date on her shots. While there, we did get a sedative for her. My cat is a horrible car traveler too and we didn't want to listen to her howling the whole trip (not to mention no one else would want to listed to that either!) The little pill was not the easiest thing to get down, but she was completely mellow and quiet for the duration of the trip.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Because it is up to you to notify the airline of your allergy ahead of time. This way, they can A) warn you there is already a cat booked ahead of you and you can make a decision to be on that flight or not or B) close the flight to anyone with a cat.

The same goes with any allergy that is bad enough, including things like peanut allergies. One can not expect others to worry about your health. It is up to the person with the allergy to verify it is safe for them.

Yep.

Basically, it's first come, first served. If a person has a cat on board and booked before you, they aren't kicked off and it's up to you to take the chance and/or fly on that flight. Likewise, if there is a person with allergies already booked on the flight, then the person with the cat has to take a different flight, or none at all.

Which comes to the point of, if you have severe allergies you need to take the responsibility by putting it down on the reservation to avoid problems.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

You could also try places like this:

http://www.petairways.com/

that way you wouldn't have to worry about it.

 

[7165red]

I took my cat to Fl and it worked out very well. The vet gave him a sedative and just follow the rules of the air line. They have liners for the carrier so you don't have to worry if you cat has to do his business. All the above posts gave very good advice. Enjoy your trip.

 

[Scurvy]

I flew with my cat several times, and it went much better than I expected. My cat hated the car and would yowl on road trips, but for some reason he was always quiet on the plane. The vet did give me mild tranquilizers in case I thought the cat was getting too wild but but we never actually needed them. I recommend doing a "dry run" with the tranquilizer beforehand if you think you might use it, just so you'll know how your cat reacts to them. I also suggest putting your cat in a harness with a leash so he can't bolt away when you have to take him out of the carrier as you go through security.

I didn't give my cat water just before or during the flight for fear of accidents, but I did make sure to offer it as soon as possible after we got to our car. Good luck! I hope your trip goes well.

 

[Steel_Phantom]

Thanks for all the replies.

I also was surprised that they allowed pets in the cabin, but it seems like they have had many issues with pets flying as cargo. None of the airlines I checked had any other option except bringing the pet as a carry-on.

Well, we are praying for the best and hope that our cat has no ill affects on the other passengers.

Thanks again!