Flying cat from UK to USA

[Maple79 1]

I am probably posting this in the wrong place.. but I am curious if anyone knows why you can no longer fly a cat from the UK to the US in the cabin of an airline?.. (there are a few that offer this service such as Lufthansa, United, KLM and Airfrance) We booked flights on KLM only to be emailed a couple of days later to say they could no longer take the cat.. we have spent all afternoon on the phone calling several airlines and even re-booking with United only after the transaction to be told that yet again they actually can't take the cat! Every airline that offers this service eventually came to the same conclusion.. that it is a UK issue and must be new as not one airline knew this until the very end of the booking process. Can anyone enlighten me!?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Topic has been moved from the Off Topic forum to the UK Regional forum as a more likely venue for the OP to find answers to her questions.

[Darnell 8,478]

If everyone is saying no - would it make sense to get the cat into Ireland or France , handle the vet stuff and docs there, then fly from there?

[TexasHoldEm 0]

Heya,

I am in the same boat as you: you are correct, if you are flying out of the UK you can no longer take your pet in the cabin.

You can, however, book your cat into the cargo hold where you will be charged the standard Cargo rate (volume rather than weight) - this charge differs with each airline but is around 300 - 400 pounds per cat.

I just booked my cat onto my virgin atlantic flight, she flies in the Cargo hold and I paid 320 pounds for a slightly larger kennel.

I hope that helps!

[david'sgirl 134]

When I flew from Boston to Scotland via Amsterdam on KLM the man beside me had a cat in a carrier under his seat.

I am very glad they changed the policy. No one should be subjected to 6 hours of a screetching cat just because the

owner didnt want to pay to ship the kitty in cargo. I would guess the change was made after numerous paying passengers

complained to the airlines. Maybe your cat would be well behaved but the one on my flight was just a nightmare. The guy

kept taking it into the toilet with him. I wasnt sure if he was taking it out of the carrier or if he was worried the other passengers

might silence it while he was gone.

[Maple79 1]

Thanks for the replies all... she will be going Virgin cargo. Everyone of course is entitled to their opinion, and it isn't so much the money difference between cabin and cargo but the fact I want my cat with me not is some dark hold, scared and with a chance of dogs or other animals being with her. She is not a 'screechy' cat, quite the opposite but is prone to coming down with colds when she gets too stressed which is a constant worry and of course I would love to minimise her stress by being with her. As for your experience Davidsgirl, could the same not be said for no one should have to put up with 6 hours of a screaming baby? My last flight back I was sat behind two babies who did just that... I do of course realise that you cannot put a baby in the hold. lol

[Maple79 1]

Heya,

I am in the same boat as you: you are correct, if you are flying out of the UK you can no longer take your pet in the cabin.

You can, however, book your cat into the cargo hold where you will be charged the standard Cargo rate (volume rather than weight) - this charge differs with each airline but is around 300 - 400 pounds per cat.

I just booked my cat onto my virgin atlantic flight, she flies in the Cargo hold and I paid 320 pounds for a slightly larger kennel.

I hope that helps!

What size kennel did you go with? My cat is a Maine ####### so she is a little bigger than most cats.

[Maple79 1]

If everyone is saying no - would it make sense to get the cat into Ireland or France , handle the vet stuff and docs there, then fly from there?

Thanks, we did think of that but were immediately put in our place by the simple fact that we are flying in August at the height of the school holidays. All the trains were fully booked to France and the ferries much the same. Just bad timing I guess.

[lost_at_sea 995]

When I flew from Boston to Scotland via Amsterdam on KLM the man beside me had a cat in a carrier under his seat.

I am very glad they changed the policy. No one should be subjected to 6 hours of a screetching cat just because the

owner didnt want to pay to ship the kitty in cargo. I would guess the change was made after numerous paying passengers

complained to the airlines. Maybe your cat would be well behaved but the one on my flight was just a nightmare. The guy

kept taking it into the toilet with him. I wasnt sure if he was taking it out of the carrier or if he was worried the other passengers

might silence it while he was gone.

I actually wonder if it's not allergy related (rather than noise - they let screaming babies on, afterall ). A cat in a plane cabin would have my husband in hives.

[Maple79 1]

That was my initial thought, that it could be allergy related.. but surely these days that ruling would have to be an EU one and therefor not just limited to the UK? Whatever the reason there is one now so cargo it is! And Virgin are way better than BA for anyone wanting to know..British Airways will only deal with your pet through an agent, I had a few quotes of between £800-£1000!!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

but is prone to coming down with colds when she gets too stressed which is a constant worry and of course I would love to minimise her stress by being with her.

The upper respiratory symptoms exacerbated by stress is feline herpes. If you don't know already, L-Lysine for felines is supposed to help. Two doses a day when symptomatic and one dose a day for maintenance. You probably already know this, but thought I would throw it out. If you haven't tried L-Lysine, you might want to start dosing kitty now.

Something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pet-Naturals-Vermont-L-Lysine-Chews/dp/B006OCG4JY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373381793&sr=8-1&keywords=l-lysine+for+cats

Or this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lysine-Aid-Cat-Gel-50ml/dp/B005AIP796/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1373381793&sr=8-5&keywords=l-lysine+for+cats

[Maple79 1]

The upper respiratory symptoms exacerbated by stress is feline herpes. If you don't know already, L-Lysine for felines is supposed to help. Two doses a day when symptomatic and one dose a day for maintenance. You probably already know this, but thought I would throw it out. If you haven't tried L-Lysine, you might want to start dosing kitty now.

Something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pet-Naturals-Vermont-L-Lysine-Chews/dp/B006OCG4JY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373381793&sr=8-1&keywords=l-lysine+for+cats

Or this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lysine-Aid-Cat-Gel-50ml/dp/B005AIP796/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1373381793&sr=8-5&keywords=l-lysine+for+cats

Yes it is feline Herpes, the vet did mention Lysine when I took her for her rabies shot a couple of weeks ago! Thank you very much for the links, I have bought some from amazon and will give it a go.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Yes it is feline Herpes, the vet did mention Lysine when I took her for her rabies shot a couple of weeks ago! Thank you very much for the links, I have bought some from amazon and will give it a go.

Having gone through $700 and 3 sick cats last month, I am using it. The first one got very sick and her fever was rising so quickly, it scared the vet. The big bill was hers. Then the other older ones, who had never been sick a day, started sneezing and acting sickly. Two antibiotics later and lysine, the one who wouldn't eat the lysine treats was still actly sickly with watery eyes. I started chopping the treats and mixing with wet food twice a day and she perked up in two days. Could be a coincidence but it seemed to help.

[Azsara 110]

Wait what?

Lufhansa wont let you have a cat in the cabin now? I was going to get my parents to fly with her when they come over for my wedding, but is this really true?

I also got a quote for £320 from VA but obviously i was gonna go with lufthansa as they are 10 x cheaper.

Can I ask exactly what cat carrier you guys bought for Virgin?

And also my vet is insisting that my cat needs a rabies shot where as my own research says otherwise?

I have her kitten vaccination jab history and shes getting fixed next month, but does she need other jabs?

I understand she'll need a vetinary check up just before she goes a "fit to fly" or what not, but i dont really trust my money-swindling vet lol

[rjm_cmyk 75]

Aren't the animal import rules state dependant anyway ? I need to revise those myself.

I see you finally got your NOA2 - congrats !