Pets as hand baggage?

[pucklechurch 0]

His diagnosis was after he arrived here. It wasn't a feature on his pet passport.

My four are all outdoor cats mingling with many others in the area. They go mad if they find the back door closed. Not only that, but other rescued cats pass through as we find homes for them so it's difficult to keep everyone apart.

[Mags 112]

His diagnosis was after he arrived here. It wasn't a feature on his pet passport.

My four are all outdoor cats mingling with many others in the area. They go mad if they find the back door closed. Not only that, but other rescued cats pass through as we find homes for them so it's difficult to keep everyone apart.

I don't mean to sound rude but I find this terribly irresponsible. FIV is a deadly and contagious disease and is transmitted via cat bites (through the saliva). Cats that are outside fight...so your cats WILL be fighting with others and, consequentially, could be responsible for passing FIV to EVERY other neighbourhood cat they come into contact with.

There is no vaccination for FIV. It is the feline equivalent of HIV, though it isn't spread through sexual contact between cats. But, it severely compromises the immune sytem of the cats it infects. The end result is the same as HIV.

It is great that you care for rescue cats...but you are potentially spreading this disease to many others through your own inability to take responsibility for your FIV infected animals. As well as all the neighbourhood cats, every rescue cat that you pass on could be infected...this cat could then infect many more and so on. Do you see my point?

[Mags 112]

I would just like to add that the chances of FIV being passed on are lower if the cat is not a "fighter" and is neutered. But...you may know your animals very well, but you don't know what other peoples' are like. So in a way, you have to think for everyones' cats rather than just your own.

Difficult I know.

Also, the treatment for FIV is much improved due to better drugs etc.

I'm just adding this as I don't want to sound like I am scaremongering regarding FIV!

P.S. I'm starting to sound like the Chief Feline Protection squad here, so I'll say no more!

Edited November 23, 2006 by mags

[pucklechurch 0]

They are neutered and are not fighters but will NOT be caged up at home because of FIV. Other cats in the area that find there way onto our land have more chance of being run over by a truck than catching anything from my pets. Would you keep a cat indoors because there was a chance it might get hit by a car? As I know the disposition of my cats and how much they love outdoors my wife and I came to the decision that was made, whether you feel it was irresponsible is something that has no bearing on how I will care for them, but thank you for taking the time to present your feelings to me.

In the case of three of my cats, they were found then taken to an animal shelter and if nobody claimed or wanted them then they faced death or we would take them back. That's why they live with us.

[sparkofcreation 0]

We did this with Delta when we moved cross-country. Just be warned that the carriers will probably not fit (even if you get the official Delta brand carrier, which we did) and you will have to let them stick out and drape things over your legs so they can't see the carriers aren't all the way under the seat in front of you. Unless you have a fairly empty flight and get a row of three seats to yourself, in which case one carrier will fit under the aisle seat and the other one will fit under the space between the window and center seats.

Get carriers with pockets to hold stuff, since you can't have a carry-on if you have a pet.

Also you will probably be asked to prove that you and your son live together, because airline rules & regs only allow two animals in the same row if the people who own them live in the same household.

Our vet was against sedation, but they were fine, even though we got stuck overnight in Atlanta. They didn't eat or use the litter box for about three days after the move but they were fine after that.

We bought them harnesses and leashes and they wore the harness all the time we were traveling, then whenever we needed to open their carrier (like to go through security—you need to put the carrier through the metal detector) we put a leash on them as well. That was really good because they totally freaked at all the people. At Atlanta (insert swearing here) we were mis-directed by several people and then when we went through security the security person wouldn't believe all his colleagues had given us the wrong information and thought we were trying to pull something, so he made us go through the terrorist line. Which actually turned out to be better for the cats since it was enclosed and the Atlanta airport's security screening area is huge, but it's rather difficult to be pat-searched while holding a cat that's trying to run away.

We also used the leash when we opened the top of the carrier to let them look around in the airport. One of ours hates being shut up so she was much happier being able to stick her head out the top of the carrier, even though we didn't let her out of it.

[Peggy 1]

I took my small dog with me when I moved here.

She came in the cabin with me and I put her under my seat. I used the soft dog carrier. This was in May 05, it cost me $60 from Nova Scotia to Atlanta.

I travelled on Delta. When I went thru Immigration in Boston, they never even asked me about my dog. I did have her shot chart from the vet with me. I really couldnt believe how good she was on the trip. She never made a peep. She was 10 when she moved here with us. The vet also told me not to give her any seditive, so I didnt. I took her out to use the potty when we were waiting for our connecting flight.

She really gets alot of attention here from everyone. My husband spoils her the most. I am glad I took her with us. When I drive home this summer, I want to take my cat back with me. She has been staying with my parents.

[everandel 0]

What if you have connecting flights with different airlines.

[meauxna 15]

I'm looking for a short term kennel for Herself and found this..of course I thought of this thread!

-----

Attention: Planning to transport your cat by AIR, please visit this site first. As a feline professional I know the hazards of Pet Air Travel. 7 out 10 cats we pick up from the airport have had wetting accidents or water bowl spills and are forced to ride in a cold wet carrier. Unable to sit or lie down the entire trip.

With DRYFUR disposable CRATE MATs you cat will arrive with DRYFUR guaranteed!

http://www.dryfur.com/

http://www.dryfur.com/demo.htm

[Mags 112]

I'm looking for a short term kennel for Herself and found this..of course I thought of this thread!

-----

Attention: Planning to transport your cat by AIR, please visit this site first. As a feline professional I know the hazards of Pet Air Travel. 7 out 10 cats we pick up from the airport have had wetting accidents or water bowl spills and are forced to ride in a cold wet carrier. Unable to sit or lie down the entire trip.

With DRYFUR disposable CRATE MATs you cat will arrive with DRYFUR guaranteed!

http://www.dryfur.com/

http://www.dryfur.com/demo.htm

Shame I can't find a UK branch. Ah well, the vet recommends, to avoid "accidents", that no water should be given for 5 hours beforehand and no food for 7.

What if you have connecting flights with different airlines.

If your animal is in cargo, I presume (don't know for sure) that the animal will get transferred with your luggage. For carry on, you just take it with you, like you would a normal bag.

[Marsha 0]

HI folks, has anyone had experience with taking pets on board with Air Berlin? They have awfully small dimensions for their on board carry luggage. For the pet carrier it has to 35cm x 40 cm x 20cm, and no more than 6 kg including carrier! My cats are both just a year old, and both my husband and I will be carrying them, one each, but I fear we cannot get them into such a small carrier! I wonder how strict Air Berlin is? Anyone know?

[Mags 112]

The smallest Sherpa carrier should be sufficient - it is approved by most airlines for in-cabin travel. 6kg is a good weight limit for a cat and carrier (they are pretty light). Unless it is a Maine ####### or hugely overweight it should be fine.

As to how strict Air Berlin are - I can't comment. My personal opinion is that they probably won't whip out a tape measure (or make you shove your cat carrier into the hand baggage cage size guide thingy).

Edited July 8, 2008 by Mags

[Jeraly 4]

I know that my medium sherpa bag was slightly too large (by a couple inches) for Air France but they just weighed her and it was fine

[~krakatoa~ 27]

I'm so happy this thread was resurrected! I am thinking of taking my cat with me to my travel to New York and I am concerned on how stressful it can be to her.. My cat is pretty anti-social and gets nervous around people other than us.. and I'd be staying in New York for 6 days in a hotel. My husband and I thought about boarding options in a VCA hospital near us but after hearing about other people's review of their own pets--going crazy and not the same temperament as they were before they were left for boarding, etc--that I can't leave her any place safer but to be with me.

My question is:

How were the cats during the flight? And after the flight? I need to reassure myself that my cat will be fine, I guess. Or I'm just a worry-wart.

Edited July 8, 2008 by krakatoa

[Mags 112]

I know that my medium sherpa bag was slightly too large (by a couple inches) for Air France but they just weighed her and it was fine

I'll admit that when I booked my cats' tickets and the fella on the other end of the phone asked me the dimensions I knocked an inch off.

Delta never checked and, considering the carriers are soft anyway and compress slightly where needed, it didn't really seem to matter.

Krakatoa ~ My cats settled down and were quiet the whole way. They just seemed resigned to the fact they were in this carrier and that was that.

Edited July 8, 2008 by Mags

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

You'll be happy to know that based on Mags very knowledgeable posts in another thread, I have made a wiki entry for this very subject. I didn't know of the wealth of info that was in this thread.

Since I actually don't have any pets, and actually don't care for cats (mostly cos in the past they have not cared for me, though I did make an effort) I am handing it over to more interested parties to edit, and update.

It is here: Importing Pets to the USA