Help me safely fly my cat!
March 14, 2018 1:36 PM Subscribe
Looking for advice and reassurance moving a cat long distance!
We have to fly our cat across the country for a long distance move. Our boy is a timid, 11 year old, 17 pound cat. He is much too large to fit in a carrier in the cabin, and he's too afraid to act as an emotional support animal. It won't be possible to drive him, so we are working with a pet relocation specialist to help us coordinate his travel. We will be using door to door service between LAX and Dulles.
This morning I found that the only direct flights the company has are on United Airlines, who I am now terrified of using.
Can folks please share:
1) ANY positive experiences flying a cat on United
2) Good relocation companies you worked with that don't use United
3) Reassurance that I am not actually a monster if our only option is using United
4) Any solutions I may not have thought of
Money is somewhat of an object. Please send valium for both of us.
We have to fly our cat across the country for a long distance move. Our boy is a timid, 11 year old, 17 pound cat. He is much too large to fit in a carrier in the cabin, and he's too afraid to act as an emotional support animal. It won't be possible to drive him, so we are working with a pet relocation specialist to help us coordinate his travel. We will be using door to door service between LAX and Dulles.
This morning I found that the only direct flights the company has are on United Airlines, who I am now terrified of using.
Can folks please share:
1) ANY positive experiences flying a cat on United
2) Good relocation companies you worked with that don't use United
3) Reassurance that I am not actually a monster if our only option is using United
4) Any solutions I may not have thought of
Money is somewhat of an object. Please send valium for both of us.
Are you sure he's too big for a (fabric-sided, they fit under the seats better, and don't cramp the cat so much) carrier? He's not likely to be trying to move around during the flight, especially if he's timid.
It's possible I was a terrible cat guardian last time I flew with a very large cat, but I didn't bother to schedule anything or ask anybody, just brought the cat in carrier as a carry-on. When I was exiting the plane, the flight attendants remarked, "oh, you had a cat on?"
The cat was annoyed but recovered quickly.
posted by asperity at 1:53 PM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
It's possible I was a terrible cat guardian last time I flew with a very large cat, but I didn't bother to schedule anything or ask anybody, just brought the cat in carrier as a carry-on. When I was exiting the plane, the flight attendants remarked, "oh, you had a cat on?"
The cat was annoyed but recovered quickly.
posted by asperity at 1:53 PM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
> Reassurance that I am not actually a monster if our only option is using United
I bet that right now is the safest time to be a pet flying on United -- the company knows how much scrutiny they're under.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:55 PM on March 14, 2018 [5 favorites]
I bet that right now is the safest time to be a pet flying on United -- the company knows how much scrutiny they're under.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:55 PM on March 14, 2018 [5 favorites]
I have a positive experience of flying with a cat on United - it was totally fine. I asked a similar question about it and multiple people assured me that they take their large adult sons in the cabin with them all the time. I was worried a lot that they would scrutinize the size of the carrier but they didn't look or care. If you haven't already, I would recommend get one of the recommended soft-sided carriers and put him in it just to absolutely rule it out. In the cabin with you is the safest place for kitty and if the flight attendant asks you to do something unsafe like in United's recent incident (which they won't) just don't do it. But also, if using United's PetSafe program is the only way, then it's the only way. It doesn't make you a monster.
posted by bleep at 2:06 PM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by bleep at 2:06 PM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
No specific answers, but if you have any smaller rescues in your area (or near the start/end locations of your flights) i'd ask them if they have any transport options they'd recommend. Smaller, more local rescues sometimes rescue from across the country and have the animals transported as part of the process.
posted by cgg at 2:13 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by cgg at 2:13 PM on March 14, 2018
My dog is 25 lbs and tall and fits just fine in a carrier under the seat in front of me. We've flown plenty. Your 17 lb cat, while large for a cat, is going to be fine.
posted by phunniemee at 2:23 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by phunniemee at 2:23 PM on March 14, 2018
Response by poster: I should have mentioned that Nosy is a Bengal cat, a very large breed. The size restrictions for an animal in a carrier says the combined weight of the cat and carrier can't exceed 17 pounds. He is easily 17 pounds on his own, and too tall to be able to stand upright in a carrier under the seat, another airline restriction.
posted by Space Kitty at 2:24 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by Space Kitty at 2:24 PM on March 14, 2018
Response by poster: phunniemee - which airline please?
posted by Space Kitty at 2:25 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by Space Kitty at 2:25 PM on March 14, 2018
Don't drive. *See my question history.
posted by k8t at 2:33 PM on March 14, 2018 [15 favorites]
posted by k8t at 2:33 PM on March 14, 2018 [15 favorites]
Because your Mr. Cat is flying through some large airports, I wonder if you could work with private pilots out of smaller, local airfields, or a pet-only airline to arrange for transport. It's a long flight, so it's probably not going to be cheaper than buying a second seat on United, but you never know until you ask!
posted by muirne81 at 2:36 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by muirne81 at 2:36 PM on March 14, 2018
There are no weight restrictions on in-cabin pets for the big three carriers (Delta, American, and United), so your large boy would be okay on that score. American is the only carrier which even mentions combined pet/carrier weight, and it's only a restriction that applies if you're flying first class on a specific type of plane, even then. Standing up may not be an issue -- Delta, for example, makes no mention of standing up as a requirement, and honestly they're not going to try to compel your cat to stand up to test. If he's not physically sticking out of the carrier, and if he's able to turn around, riding in the cabin with you in a soft-sided carrier would likely be your best solution.
posted by halation at 2:42 PM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by halation at 2:42 PM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
If they're not picking up the cat or carrier, they're never going to know how heavy either one are. You've got one time when you'll need to have the cat out of the carrier in front of anyone else (thereby demonstrating the cat's size), and that's going through the security screening. TSA doesn't generally care about enforcing airline luggage restrictions.
The pee pads seem like a great idea. I just put a towel down for my tall, heavy cat for a cross-country flight. It didn't get used, thank goodness.
posted by asperity at 2:44 PM on March 14, 2018
The pee pads seem like a great idea. I just put a towel down for my tall, heavy cat for a cross-country flight. It didn't get used, thank goodness.
posted by asperity at 2:44 PM on March 14, 2018
It depends on your comfort level of course, but no one is going to check the weight of your carrier + cat. I flew Southwest with my extra-large beast when I moved cross-country, and like others are saying, he fit in a soft-sided carrier under the seat just fine. And I'm not totally sure he could stand up, but again, no one was scrutinizing my cat situation beyond making sure I paid the fee. I suppose you could call anonymously and inquire what the process is and ask specific questions about this. But I would strongly consider just going with Nosy on the plane under the seat in front of you.
posted by emkelley at 2:44 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by emkelley at 2:44 PM on March 14, 2018
Our flight was about 2 hours, and did not require pee precautions.
posted by emkelley at 2:45 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by emkelley at 2:45 PM on March 14, 2018
Oh and don't choose an aisle seat as the space is more limited usually due to the power packs. Middle or window is better.
posted by emkelley at 2:47 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by emkelley at 2:47 PM on March 14, 2018
(One suggestion I do have, because Bengals are delightful clever menaces: have your boy wear a harness and leash even while he's in the carrier, and consider bringing zip ties to secure the zippers of the carrier once you are through security. Some cats figure out how to unzip their carriers from the inside, so it's good to be able to grab a leash if he tries to make a break for freedom, and it makes going through security easier as well, since he'll have to come out of the carrier.)
posted by halation at 2:47 PM on March 14, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by halation at 2:47 PM on March 14, 2018 [7 favorites]
They won’t let you go through security with a harness or leash on the cat. I have flown (several times) with my large cat and you have to carry and hold the cat while going through the machines. However no one weighed the cat/carrier and he was ok under the seat. I
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 2:53 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 2:53 PM on March 14, 2018
You'll likely have to carry the cat, but you can definitely have them in a leash and harness for added safety. TSA actually suggests that people do this, though you can get metal-free versions just to be on the safe side.
posted by halation at 2:59 PM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by halation at 2:59 PM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
Yeah, take him in cabin in a soft carrier, and ask your vet to lightly sedate him if you're worried about his tricksy bengal ways.
I've flown with pets in cargo before and some airlines are great about it and some are terrible. United is well known for being terrible, I would not risk it.
posted by InkDrinker at 3:23 PM on March 14, 2018
I've flown with pets in cargo before and some airlines are great about it and some are terrible. United is well known for being terrible, I would not risk it.
posted by InkDrinker at 3:23 PM on March 14, 2018
My experience is on Delta and Southwest. Both airlines have size and weight restrictions but I lie on the phone and no one has ever checked asked or weighed my dog in person. No one cares. It's just a way to bleed more money from passengers.
I will say: there is never any reason for anyone anywhere during any part of the process to hold or handle your pet or the carrier. It is only you. You can avoid the United killed my pet problem by never letting anyone touch your kitty but you.
posted by phunniemee at 3:36 PM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
I will say: there is never any reason for anyone anywhere during any part of the process to hold or handle your pet or the carrier. It is only you. You can avoid the United killed my pet problem by never letting anyone touch your kitty but you.
posted by phunniemee at 3:36 PM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
I asked a question about this before and it turns out that nobody really cares that much about the rules. The only time my dog was weighed was at the Albuquerque airport at midnight, when the place was essentially empty (I always find airline employees and TSA agents to be bigger sticklers in that situation). LAX and Dulles are super busy at all times and aren't going to give your cat a second look. It's really worth the minimal risk to avoid having him in cargo.
posted by cakelite at 4:01 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by cakelite at 4:01 PM on March 14, 2018
Make sure you have the knowledge and ability to say "nope" and stay a couple of days if the airline is giving you problems. People not being able to do what they think is right is a big source of tragedy.
So, have a backup plan or two, a friend's place or hotel you can crash at, a couple of days left on your lease, whatever you can.
posted by amtho at 4:06 PM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
So, have a backup plan or two, a friend's place or hotel you can crash at, a couple of days left on your lease, whatever you can.
posted by amtho at 4:06 PM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
So, I've flown long-distance with Totoro, my ~14 pound cat, twice. Once on Southwest (BNA-OAK) in 2010, and once on JetBlue (SFO-BOS) in 2015. It sounds like your Feline Overlord is a mellow sort (as is my Toti), so he'll probably just blob out in the carrier and sleep on the plane. Both times, I was much more nervous than my cat.
At security, you will be asked to take your cat out of the carrier so the carrier can be swabbed, and so your hands can be (as of 2015). A harness can help, or just a good grip (I've done it both ways, and it's fine with a mellow cat). I'd just get a large-enough soft underseat carrier, book a pet fare, and fly with your cat. It'll be fine.
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 4:07 PM on March 14, 2018
At security, you will be asked to take your cat out of the carrier so the carrier can be swabbed, and so your hands can be (as of 2015). A harness can help, or just a good grip (I've done it both ways, and it's fine with a mellow cat). I'd just get a large-enough soft underseat carrier, book a pet fare, and fly with your cat. It'll be fine.
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 4:07 PM on March 14, 2018
My cat is 18 lbs, I flew with him in an airline approved soft sided carrier 3 years ago on Delta. No issue. I did have to take him out of the carrier and carry him with me through the metal detector at security, but he was so freaked out he just clung to me and it was fine. Nobody weighed him. I did have to pay for him in advance.
posted by curtains at 4:19 PM on March 14, 2018
posted by curtains at 4:19 PM on March 14, 2018
...holding a cat without a harness in place is probably fine with a mellow cat AND no sudden startling noises or movements. Please do use a harness.
posted by amtho at 4:31 PM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by amtho at 4:31 PM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
Joining the large soft-sided carrier under the seat and everything will be fine chorus. I flew from California to New York with my ~20 pound cat and we were both anxious but everything turned out great. I didn't have the advance notice (or common sense) to know that I'd have to take her out of the carrier to go through security, and I was terrified she was going to bolt, but that was the worst of it. I offered her water during the trip but I don't recall her drinking much. Once we got where we were going she was out from under the bed and exploring within the hour, which was usual for her, so there didn't seem to be any lasting trauma.
posted by Ellen Alleyne at 5:04 PM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Ellen Alleyne at 5:04 PM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]
I bet that right now is the safest time to be a pet flying on United -- the company knows how much scrutiny they're under.
They accidentally sent a dog to Japan today, so no.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 5:06 PM on March 14, 2018 [14 favorites]
They accidentally sent a dog to Japan today, so no.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 5:06 PM on March 14, 2018 [14 favorites]
Last year I hosted a cat in the middle of a complicated long-distance move, who ultimately left via United PetSafe. It was not a direct flight. It took forever for them to update the website to show that he had arrived safely and been picked up and returned to his people. But he did, and all was well.
One caveat: if the relocation specialist doesn't provide their own plane-ready carriers/accessories, have them check yours out well in advance. We had multiple people check the guidelines online and via phone, and still had an emergency store run at dropoff. The 17 pounds and able-to-stand requirements are cargo criteria, from what I've seen - they don't match what I've seen in cabins, which is soft-sided carriers that squish under the seat.
As to #4, if the forms I signed were right, United's cargo transport was not much cheaper than a cabin seat. It sounds like humans will be traveling in the right direction at about the right time - is an extra seat an option?
posted by mersen at 9:08 PM on March 14, 2018
One caveat: if the relocation specialist doesn't provide their own plane-ready carriers/accessories, have them check yours out well in advance. We had multiple people check the guidelines online and via phone, and still had an emergency store run at dropoff. The 17 pounds and able-to-stand requirements are cargo criteria, from what I've seen - they don't match what I've seen in cabins, which is soft-sided carriers that squish under the seat.
As to #4, if the forms I signed were right, United's cargo transport was not much cheaper than a cabin seat. It sounds like humans will be traveling in the right direction at about the right time - is an extra seat an option?
posted by mersen at 9:08 PM on March 14, 2018
I flew a 20# cat at my feet in the cabin, multiple times. They don't check their size in the carrier and certainly nobody weighed him, but there was no weight limit for 7x7 jets anyway, just fitting under the seat in a sofy-sidrd carrier -- mine was from Sherpa.
He was freaked out until the engines started at which point he decided the airplane was purring at him and chilled out the whole flight every time.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:00 PM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
He was freaked out until the engines started at which point he decided the airplane was purring at him and chilled out the whole flight every time.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:00 PM on March 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
Do not fly any animal cargo if you can do anything to avoid it. 17 pounds makes this a very easy choice: soft sided carrier, in the cabin. If you make the decision to fly United, bring a printed out copy of the airline's regulations regarding animals.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:18 PM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by DarlingBri at 10:18 PM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
I think I used United when my partner and I moved my cats from Maine to Minnesota, since our layover was in Newark.
I used soft-sided carriers and we each took one cat as a carryon and put them under the back of the seat in front of us. One of my cats is also a big 17 lb round boy, and he fit just fine - your kitty is not too large.
Do the same thing I did and you'll be fine - soft sided carrier, put it under the seat in front of you and you'll be fine. You may have an extra fee to take the cat. Pay it. For me it was like $50 per cat, no big deal.
The other thing to consider is that if you can get a reasonable layover time, it's fine to not take a direct flight - United isn't great on a lot of fronts, and if you're more comfortable with another airline and can get a layover that isn't super long or out of the way, go ahead and do it.
posted by bile and syntax at 5:50 AM on March 15, 2018
I used soft-sided carriers and we each took one cat as a carryon and put them under the back of the seat in front of us. One of my cats is also a big 17 lb round boy, and he fit just fine - your kitty is not too large.
Do the same thing I did and you'll be fine - soft sided carrier, put it under the seat in front of you and you'll be fine. You may have an extra fee to take the cat. Pay it. For me it was like $50 per cat, no big deal.
The other thing to consider is that if you can get a reasonable layover time, it's fine to not take a direct flight - United isn't great on a lot of fronts, and if you're more comfortable with another airline and can get a layover that isn't super long or out of the way, go ahead and do it.
posted by bile and syntax at 5:50 AM on March 15, 2018
If you decide to sedate him do a practice run first to see how he reacts to the drug. One of my daughter's cats turned out to be an angry, LOUD, drunk with sedation so she flew with them un-drugged - two humans, two cats in carriers under seats from Seattle to NYC. Turned out ok but everyone was exhausted by the end of the trip.
posted by leslies at 8:38 AM on March 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by leslies at 8:38 AM on March 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
Cats generally won't urinate while under stress. The pee pad is a good precaution, but the odds it's used are small. Take away the cats water about 8 hours before you fly. They like to hide in new environments so a small fabric carrier that's under the seat will be actually fairly reassuring (not saying pleasant, but that's where a cat would hide probably). I think the big guy under the seat is a good idea.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 9:18 AM on March 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 9:18 AM on March 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
An advantage of the soft carriers -- at least the ones I've used -- is the soft interior bottom. It allows the cat to grip and hold on, so he won't slide around and bonk his nose and tail while the carrier lurches as it's being carried.
posted by amtho at 12:33 PM on March 15, 2018
posted by amtho at 12:33 PM on March 15, 2018
I think flying with Nosy in the cabin should be fine! Especially if that's what it takes to avoid United. I flew two cats transatlantic, ORD - CPH - AMS, in soft-sided airline-approved Sherpa bags. They wore Kitty Holster harnesses the entire trip. One of my boys, Iggy, was about 16 lb. at the time, and everything was fine -- no fuss about him or weighing the carrier or anything. The only drama we experienced was that I and my traveling companion had to split up on one leg because the entertainment equipment was under my seat's foot area, so no room for kitty and they had to reseat me; and after we finally landed at AMS, cleared passport control, collected bags, and cleared customs, Kiyoshi, a quiet and timid cat, decided he had Had Enough Of This Bullshit now that we were off the plane, and started singing the song of his people to everyone within earshot.
Also, we flew on a quiet day and both the ORD security scanner operators and the AMS customs declarations guys were in love with the boys. I don't recall snapping a leash on the harness before going through the scanner with kitty, but the kitty holsters are easy to hang on to, and the boys basically didn't fight them at all they way they usually would figure-8 harnesses.
I did pay extra for the kitties to be in the cabin with me, I think $150 each, but that's got to be cheaper than using an animal transportation service, not to mention that after agonizing over the safest way to get my cats across the ocea, having them right there with me was a relief.
posted by sldownard at 1:12 PM on March 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also, we flew on a quiet day and both the ORD security scanner operators and the AMS customs declarations guys were in love with the boys. I don't recall snapping a leash on the harness before going through the scanner with kitty, but the kitty holsters are easy to hang on to, and the boys basically didn't fight them at all they way they usually would figure-8 harnesses.
I did pay extra for the kitties to be in the cabin with me, I think $150 each, but that's got to be cheaper than using an animal transportation service, not to mention that after agonizing over the safest way to get my cats across the ocea, having them right there with me was a relief.
posted by sldownard at 1:12 PM on March 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
Oh and don't choose an aisle seat as the space is more limited usually due to the power packs. Middle or window is better.
This really depends on the plane. Despite my husbands numerous calls to Delta to confirm we had seats that would accommodate our cats, our middle seat had no space available for a pet carrier (none of the middle seats on that plane could have accommodated a pet carrier). We had to find someone willing to trade an aisle or window for a middle. The attendant's only suggestion was for us to offer to buy someone a meal/drink for the inconvenience. A very lovely fellow passenger cooperated so it all worked out, but it was a very frustrating few minutes.
Other than that, our experience was similar to sldownard's. Security was gentle with our cats and fellow travelers cooed over how cute they are.
posted by ghost phoneme at 2:37 PM on March 15, 2018
This really depends on the plane. Despite my husbands numerous calls to Delta to confirm we had seats that would accommodate our cats, our middle seat had no space available for a pet carrier (none of the middle seats on that plane could have accommodated a pet carrier). We had to find someone willing to trade an aisle or window for a middle. The attendant's only suggestion was for us to offer to buy someone a meal/drink for the inconvenience. A very lovely fellow passenger cooperated so it all worked out, but it was a very frustrating few minutes.
Other than that, our experience was similar to sldownard's. Security was gentle with our cats and fellow travelers cooed over how cute they are.
posted by ghost phoneme at 2:37 PM on March 15, 2018
I definitely understand your anxiety! That said, it is difficult to estimate the actual risk to the animal of flying, compared to other activities. This article from the Guardian compares various airlines in terms of deaths per 100,000 animals transported. While United is somewhat higher than other airlines, it is hard to get a sense of how that risk compares to other risky activities. United transported about 100,000 pets in 2016, 15 of which died.* As a comparison, the Humane Society estimates that 100,000 dogs die every year because their owners transport them in the back of pick-up trucks**, and countless more die as a result of being unharnessed during car accidents. However, without knowing how many hours pets spend being transported by car, we can't calculate the relative risk of the two.
While my heart breaks hearing stories like the one zug linked to, it's very hard to tell whether the number of news stories about injuries and deaths incurred on airlines reflect an increased risk, or greater media attention to particular kinds of accidents.*** Without better data about other forms of transportation, it's impossible to know where flying ranks, in terms of injuries per hour spent in transit.
In short, do everything you can to minimize risk (whatever mode of transportation), but if you do end up flying with your cat in cargo, I don't think you should feel guilty.****
* Nearly half of these are, sadly, brachycephalic dogs, which are at heightened risk of injury or death when traveling by air. Records of all incidents are available here.
** Like flying a brachycephalic dog, reckless.
*** It's understandable that accidents on flights would receive more attention than other accidents, because it's a breach of trust that deserves attention (like a bad doctor). But I wonder if that also results in differences in what kind of accidents we hear about, the breach of trust being much more publicized than accidents attributable to the owner.
**** Source, one (obviously) very anxious dog-owner.
posted by MrBobinski at 6:23 PM on March 16, 2018
While my heart breaks hearing stories like the one zug linked to, it's very hard to tell whether the number of news stories about injuries and deaths incurred on airlines reflect an increased risk, or greater media attention to particular kinds of accidents.*** Without better data about other forms of transportation, it's impossible to know where flying ranks, in terms of injuries per hour spent in transit.
In short, do everything you can to minimize risk (whatever mode of transportation), but if you do end up flying with your cat in cargo, I don't think you should feel guilty.****
* Nearly half of these are, sadly, brachycephalic dogs, which are at heightened risk of injury or death when traveling by air. Records of all incidents are available here.
** Like flying a brachycephalic dog, reckless.
*** It's understandable that accidents on flights would receive more attention than other accidents, because it's a breach of trust that deserves attention (like a bad doctor). But I wonder if that also results in differences in what kind of accidents we hear about, the breach of trust being much more publicized than accidents attributable to the owner.
**** Source, one (obviously) very anxious dog-owner.
posted by MrBobinski at 6:23 PM on March 16, 2018
Response by poster: I appreciate everyone's support! United suspended their 'Pet Safe' program until May, so we're back to square one.
Nosy is a bad traveler, because in previous car relocations he yelled and panted until he hardly had a voice by the end of the trip. I can't get him into a harness or a collar and every time we go to the vet it's traumatizing for both of us to get him in and out of his carrier. I've been trying to acclimate him to the carrier but by 'timid' I mean he's scared of most everything outside of the house.
We'll be using a car service (if we can get a lyft or uber that will transport an animal who does not want to be there) both directions and I'm not sure how to negotiate him and all my baggage through the TSA line, let alone keep him calm under the seat. Quiet is out of the question.
Maybe the focus of my question is some best practices for keeping us both calm? I'll be getting him some anti anxiety medication, but from what the airlines say a sedative is dangerous because of the high altitude.
posted by Space Kitty at 10:20 AM on March 20, 2018
Nosy is a bad traveler, because in previous car relocations he yelled and panted until he hardly had a voice by the end of the trip. I can't get him into a harness or a collar and every time we go to the vet it's traumatizing for both of us to get him in and out of his carrier. I've been trying to acclimate him to the carrier but by 'timid' I mean he's scared of most everything outside of the house.
We'll be using a car service (if we can get a lyft or uber that will transport an animal who does not want to be there) both directions and I'm not sure how to negotiate him and all my baggage through the TSA line, let alone keep him calm under the seat. Quiet is out of the question.
Maybe the focus of my question is some best practices for keeping us both calm? I'll be getting him some anti anxiety medication, but from what the airlines say a sedative is dangerous because of the high altitude.
posted by Space Kitty at 10:20 AM on March 20, 2018
I'll be getting him some anti anxiety medication
Ask your vet about benadryl.
posted by phunniemee at 10:45 AM on March 20, 2018 [1 favorite]
Ask your vet about benadryl.
posted by phunniemee at 10:45 AM on March 20, 2018 [1 favorite]
"I'm not sure how to negotiate him and all my baggage through the TSA line"
As long as you're not there during the absolute busiest time, you should be able to tell the agents you have a nervous cat and they should offer you special handling -- I went off to one side where they do the families with small children and people with scanner-unfriendly medical appliances and so on, and my baggage went through, and then I went through, and then back, and THEN took my cat out of his carrier and carried him through the people scanner while they sent his carrier through as fast as possible. But they gave me a lot of time and control and it wasn't a rushed line; it was everyone getting me through in the least stressful way possible for my cat.
The other people in my area were families with very small children and people with complicated medical thingies who all also needed extended time and a lot of futzing around to fold strollers and arrange babies or handle oxygen devices or whatever, and special treatment to get through scanners without trouble, so nobody was upset or in a hurry (and honestly the little kids were thrilled to see a cat).
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:38 PM on March 20, 2018
As long as you're not there during the absolute busiest time, you should be able to tell the agents you have a nervous cat and they should offer you special handling -- I went off to one side where they do the families with small children and people with scanner-unfriendly medical appliances and so on, and my baggage went through, and then I went through, and then back, and THEN took my cat out of his carrier and carried him through the people scanner while they sent his carrier through as fast as possible. But they gave me a lot of time and control and it wasn't a rushed line; it was everyone getting me through in the least stressful way possible for my cat.
The other people in my area were families with very small children and people with complicated medical thingies who all also needed extended time and a lot of futzing around to fold strollers and arrange babies or handle oxygen devices or whatever, and special treatment to get through scanners without trouble, so nobody was upset or in a hurry (and honestly the little kids were thrilled to see a cat).
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:38 PM on March 20, 2018
Response by poster: Thank you everyone for talking me through this! Ultimately we went with PetRelocation.com, with an assist from Capital Pet Movers and The Kennel Club LAX. Nosy wasn't happy about it, but he arrived safe and sound and is settled in nicely.
Picture here!
posted by Space Kitty at 12:07 PM on April 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
Picture here!
posted by Space Kitty at 12:07 PM on April 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
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If he's an ESA, he can still be crated - both my cats were. The crates just sat at my feet. If you want to be extra cautious you can always purchase a second airline ticket so you are guaranteed extra space - it'll certainly be cheaper than what you are currently contemplating.
posted by zug at 1:49 PM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]