pudgygroundhog
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Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
Jun 25, 2014 20:18:39 GMT
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 12, 2018 4:09:12 GMT
UPDATE: I know y'all were just dying to know how this turned out. Once I learned you could request a private screening room to take the cats out of the carriers for security, I decided to take the cats in the cabin with us. The original plan was for my daughter and I to fly both cats with us when we went for spring break to visit. However, for various reasons, we ended up keeping one of the cats here in NY longer and just took one cat with us last week. The vet prescribed kitty Xanax, which was supposed to take the edge off. Not sure how well it worked - he was meowing a lot in the car to the airport. Did fine on the plane and didn't hear a peep from him on our 3.5 drive at the end of the day (at this point I think he was just so exhausted he slept/chilled most of the way or else he just gave up and submitted to his fate). He adjusted quickly to his new place and is fine (except for my daughter and I missing him!). I was worried he would seem scrunched in the carrier under the seat - but the carrier fit fine and he was okay too (I paid for the extra legroom seats on American - not sure if it was their plane or what, but he seemed to have enough room under the seat). I was incredibly stressed before going, but everything worked out. I'm flying back out in June just to take our second cat. She is much more of a nervous/scared cat so it might be harder for her, but I think she will fare okay. Thanks for all the info! Some pics for fun ... last shots with Linus before leaving (sorry, didn't want to go to the effort to embed - just included a link - hope that works): Linus photos Linus in the carrier when doing a test run with the kitty Xanax: Linus in the carrierLinus finding his optimal sunbeams at his new house: solar powered catAnd this is the cutie I'm taking in June: Lucy----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm trying to figure out the best option to get our cats from New York to Arizona, specifically flying them. I've been talking to a pet relocation company that would pick them up at our house, transport to the airport, put them on a plane (cargo), and we would pick up at the destination airport. Of course this is $$$$$ (I will pay what I need to do get our cats there, but with a lot of expenses this year - am trying to be somewhat budget conscious - at least considering all the options). I've thought about various options, but honestly, nothing seems ideal when trying to hit the sweet spot of comfort for the cats and price. I think my cats would NOT be happy flying in the cabin under the seat - particularly it seems uncomfortable for a longer flight to be in a smaller carrier - especially our big cat (plus the time in the car to get to the airport, waiting around in security line and at the gate - so quite a bit of time in the carrier) and taking them out to go through security. They have never worn a harness/leash and I would be worried about them bolting at security (one cat in particular doesn't even really liked to be picked up by us at home). But I like the idea of having them with me. And this is a lot cheaper too (unless I factor in potential therapy costs for both me and the cats trying to navigate security, ha ha). Checking them in cargo is an option, but seems to come with its own complications and logistics (I see a lot of recommendations about not doing it - scarier for them to not be with somebody they know, etc. - although when I look up the data, the rate of incidents of injury or death, it is actually very small). Advantage though is that they would have a larger carrier, which might be more comfortable. So if you have advice or experience to share, I would love to hear it. Or if you just want to virtually hold my hand, that would be great. This is what keeps me up at 2 am at night - stressing about moving our poor kitties! p.s. I didn't want this to be too long, but a few additional details in case anybody has read this far. My husband will be in AZ starting next month and my daughter and I aren't moving until after the school year - so we have flexibility in when we send them and having somebody there to pick them up. However, with flying them - we have to do it sooner rather than later to avoid a potential heat embargo. It will kill my daughter and I to send our cats that early, but we have to be practical (and I figure my husband could probably use the companionship until we move there). Before I thought too much about relocating the cats, my daughter and I had already booked tickets to visit in February. We are booked on JetBlue, which does allow pets in the cabin, but not cargo. Since we are already going, we could potentially take them in the cabin with us (if possible to add on - airlines have limits to how many pets can be in the cabin). My initial thoughts on flying with them in cabin is no, but am willing to consider it. Other option is we can arrange through pet company for our cats to fly the same day as us (different airline/flight, coordinated to our flight) and then we can pick up the cats that night and then make the drive (saves my husband an eight hour round trip of picking up the cats himself). If that doesn't pan out, we can use the service to fly the cats out on any date and my husband can pick up the cats (drawback is it has to be a weekday and it is 8 hours round trip drive for him).
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Post by dewryce on Dec 12, 2018 4:15:38 GMT
I’d talk to your vet. Maybe they could be knocked out? Either flight option seems like a lot of stress to me, but we only ever drove with ours so maybe it’s not that bad. They definitely felt better when we could touch them as opposed to being in the back of the vehicle. If you have until February, that is plenty of time to get them on leashes. We used the small dog halters. But I will say, they were never “trained.” If they didn’t want to go somewhere, they didn’t unless we picked them up.
Didn’t realize you guys were moving, best wishes for a super smooth transfer!
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
Jun 25, 2014 20:18:39 GMT
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 12, 2018 4:21:51 GMT
I’d talk to your vet. Maybe they could be knocked out? Either flight option seems like a lot of stress to me, but we only ever drove with ours so maybe it’s not that bad. They definitely felt better when we could touch them as opposed to being in the back of the vehicle. If you have until February, that is plenty of time to get them on leashes. We used the small dog halters. But I will say, they were never “trained.” If they didn’t want to go somewhere, they didn’t unless we picked them up. Didn’t realize you guys were moving, best wishes for a super smooth transfer! I do plan on calling the vet this week to see what she says. From what I've read, they don't recommend any kind of sedation while flying (riskier). When my daughter and I drive out this summer, we want to take our time and visit family and friends along the way, so didn't want to drive the cats. There are companies that will do ground transport for pets, but we figured one day of travel was better than 4-5 days in a car. We really need to just be able to apparate with them. The move thing is recent - my husband was offered a position the week of Thanksgiving - so still getting used to the idea! I'm not looking forward to the next six months of being a single parent, managing the cats, getting a house ready to sell, coordinating a move, etc. But we are moving to the Grand Canyon - so there is an nice reward at the end, lol.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Dec 12, 2018 4:32:26 GMT
I have flown many times with pets and my experiences with flying cats and dogs has been good. I flew 2 cats from Houston to Jakarta, in cargo (along with 2 dogs) and didn't have any problems. Flew them all back a year later, again no problems. 9 years later we flew the cat and dog (we'd lost one of each by that time due to illnesses) from Houston to Paris, again in cargo. The dog passed about a month before we left Paris (age). The cat got bumped to the cabin then and flew back to Houston, then from Houston to Astana 6 months later, before finally returning home to Houston for good. I know there are horror stories out there, but my experiences were nothing but good. Same for all the other expats with pets that we knew.
When I was shipping multiples pets, we did use an expeditor as it really helped with all the logistics and country requirements. The flights with the cat in the cabin I handled myself. You do need a harness on them to get through security. Xena was usually pretty mouthy in the terminal, but once one the plane she would get quite and go to sleep. If you choose to fly them in the cabin, then I recommend giving them Rescue Remedy before you fly. It does help. You don't want to give them anything stronger as it can interfere with breathing.
Jet Blue would be good because they have decent leg room on their planes. You do want to check Seat Guru before choosing seats though to make sure there are no obstructions under the seat where they would be. Your daughter is old enough to help out with the carriers and cats, so I feel like you could manage it fine. It just sounds worse than it really is! Having driven cross country from Louisiana to San Francisco with a cat (we were moving) was 10 times worse than flying the other cat to KZ.
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
Jun 25, 2014 20:18:39 GMT
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 12, 2018 4:45:10 GMT
I have flown many times with pets and my experiences with flying cats and dogs has been good. I flew 2 cats from Houston to Jakarta, in cargo (along with 2 dogs) and didn't have any problems. Flew them all back a year later, again no problems. 9 years later we flew the cat and dog (we'd lost one of each by that time due to illnesses) from Houston to Paris, again in cargo. The dog passed about a month before we left Paris (age). The cat got bumped to the cabin then and flew back to Houston, then from Houston to Astana 6 months later, before finally returning home to Houston for good. I know there are horror stories out there, but my experiences were nothing but good. Same for all the other expats with pets that we knew. When I was shipping multiples pets, we did use an expeditor as it really helped with all the logistics and country requirements. The flights with the cat in the cabin I handled myself. You do need a harness on them to get through security. Xena was usually pretty mouthy in the terminal, but once one the plane she would get quite and go to sleep. If you choose to fly them in the cabin, then I recommend giving them Rescue Remedy before you fly. It does help. You don't want to give them anything stronger as it can interfere with breathing. Jet Blue would be good because they have decent leg room on their planes. You do want to check Seat Guru before choosing seats though to make sure there are no obstructions under the seat where they would be. Your daughter is old enough to help out with the carriers and cats, so I feel like you could manage it fine. It just sounds worse than it really is! Having driven cross country from Louisiana to San Francisco with a cat (we were moving) was 10 times worse than flying the other cat to KZ. With all your experience, sounds like I should just hire you to be my cat coordinator! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I know there are horror stories and they get a lot of press, but when I looked up the statistics, it's actually a very low incident rate, so that made me feel better. And it's good to hear it worked out well for you. How comfortable was your cat in the cabin? JetBlue has a twenty lb weight limit (cat + carrier), and one of our cats will be awfully close to that, depending on the carrier. I probably also need to check if that is an option for our flight (in case they have already reached the pet limits for the flight). If we end up going that route, I will be sure to get video of the first time attempting to put harnesses on our cats. I'm sure it will go over really well.
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TXMary
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And so many nights I just dream of the ocean. God, I wish I was sailin' again.
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Jun 26, 2014 17:25:06 GMT
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Post by TXMary on Dec 12, 2018 4:52:29 GMT
I have no advice because thankfully I have never had to do this, but I’m a helicopter cat mom and I would never be comfortable letting them out of my sight. Good luck with whatever option you decide to go with!
And congrats on the move! Sounds exciting!
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
Jun 25, 2014 20:18:39 GMT
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 12, 2018 4:54:10 GMT
I have no advice because thankfully I have never had to do this, but I’m a helicopter cat mom and I would never be comfortable letting them out of my sight. Good luck with whatever option you decide to go with! And congrats on the move! Sounds exciting! Thanks! It is exciting, but *phew*, it will take a lot to get there!
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Dec 12, 2018 4:54:28 GMT
I can tell you that my aunt, who is a snowbird, takes her cat with her to and from Florida. The cat goes in the cabin, in a carrier. (It is possible my aunt also buys her a seat, but I never really asked about the logistics beyond the fact that the cat's in the carrier.) I can also tell you that my aunt says the x-ray machine (carrier goes through, cat and all) causes the cat to have a personality change: that cat does not like people at home, but she goes through the x-ray to get to Florida, where she's apparently quite social with guests. Back through the x-ray to come home, back to grumpy cat.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Dec 12, 2018 5:03:12 GMT
With all your experience, sounds like I should just hire you to be my cat coordinator! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I know there are horror stories and they get a lot of press, but when I looked up the statistics, it's actually a very low incident rate, so that made me feel better. And it's good to hear it worked out well for you. How comfortable was your cat in the cabin? JetBlue has a twenty lb weight limit (cat + carrier), and one of our cats will be awfully close to that, depending on the carrier. I probably also need to check if that is an option for our flight (in case they have already reached the pet limits for the flight). If we end up going that route, I will be sure to get video of the first time attempting to put harnesses on our cats. I'm sure it will go over really well. I probably could be a pet expeditor! Those trips were the Cliff Notes version. There were more flights with the big dog (my Belgian Sheepdog). She lived on 4 continents by the time she was 2 years old! My saving grace was that I only have 1 child that had to be wrangled as well. The cat was fine in the cabin. She would talk a bit at first, but once the engines start up and then become airborne, it would just lull her to sleep. Not sure how long your flights are but they shouldn't be too long for the cat. Definitely consider the Rescue Remedy. You might want to try it out beforehand to see how it works on them and what adjustments in dosage you need to make. As for carrier, I'd recommend you get a soft sided one with mesh sides. If you can get one with flaps that roll down over the mesh, that will help make it more secure for them while traveling. I also lined the carriers with potty pads just in case. If you think of any more questions, just send me a pm. I'm happy to help if I can. Definitely looking forward to a video of the first harness fitting!
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Dec 12, 2018 5:04:36 GMT
Start the carriers and leashes right away. Just leave them laying around with the leashes in or near the carriers for a while. Put a favorite toy, treat inside the carrier to get them used to just going in them to 'rest' and/or explore. Make them common things to be around the house. Any way you move them they will need to be confined for a period of time, whether in the car, plane, airport, hotel, even in the new place...
Keep us updated on your whole adventure....
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
Jun 25, 2014 20:18:39 GMT
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 12, 2018 5:06:04 GMT
I can tell you that my aunt, who is a snowbird, takes her cat with her to and from Florida. The cat goes in the cabin, in a carrier. (It is possible my aunt also buys her a seat, but I never really asked about the logistics beyond the fact that the cat's in the carrier.) I can also tell you that my aunt says the x-ray machine (carrier goes through, cat and all) causes the cat to have a personality change: that cat does not like people at home, but she goes through the x-ray to get to Florida, where she's apparently quite social with guests. Back through the x-ray to come home, back to grumpy cat. I read that you can't buy your cat a seat - they have to go under the seat in a carrier. But I love the image in my head of cats in seats, with the tray down, having a snack.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Dec 12, 2018 5:07:40 GMT
I can also tell you that my aunt says the x-ray machine (carrier goes through, cat and all) causes the cat to have a personality change: that cat does not like people at home, but she goes through the x-ray to get to Florida, where she's apparently quite social with guests. Back through the x-ray to come home, back to grumpy cat. They do not send the pets through the x-ray machine in their carriers. You walk through security yourself. Then they send you right back around to take the pet out of the carrier. You have to carry the cat through, while the empty carrier goes through the x-ray machine. It may be swabbed as well. Only after the carrier has been inspected can you put the pet back in.
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Dec 12, 2018 5:14:24 GMT
I can also tell you that my aunt says the x-ray machine (carrier goes through, cat and all) causes the cat to have a personality change: that cat does not like people at home, but she goes through the x-ray to get to Florida, where she's apparently quite social with guests. Back through the x-ray to come home, back to grumpy cat. my aunt says the x-ray machine (carrier goes through, cat and all) They do not send the pets through the x-ray machine in their carriers. You walk through security yourself. Then they send you right back around to take the pet out of the carrier. You have to carry the cat through, while the empty carrier goes through the x-ray machine. It may be swabbed as well. Only after the carrier has been inspected can you put the pet back in. Okay, then she must have meant when the cat goes (with her) through the body scanner. And I'm sure the machines don't actually do anything, but more than one person can attest to the cat's personality shift. On the other hand, maybe cat just likes Florida better.
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Deleted
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May 18, 2024 4:15:41 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2018 5:15:00 GMT
I had to go to NY (from FL) to pick up DD and her 3 cats to bring back with me to FL. We flew back. Two of her orange tabbies are HUGE, so it was tough carrying them in their cases. They require non-hard carrying cases. She put her 2 orange boys together in 1 carrier, and her tiny girl in another (they didn't want it any other way), and we put them under our seats. We did give them a natural relaxant pill and it worked. They were pretty quiet the whole trip down (almost 3 hours). Walking thru the airport was tough--they were heavy. But they adjusted just fine! Cats (usually) are pretty adaptable. I brought my 2 down via car (NJ to FL) and we took our time and took 3 days to drive down. DH had to take breaks. At each hotel, the cats got out of their carriers and played, ate and slept. As long as they saw their toys, they were fine.
I would NEVER put any pets in the cargo area. I've heard too many nightmare scenarios + I'd rather reach and see/touch my pets to make sure they're doing okay. Most people even take their pets out and hold them on their laps with no issue from the flight attendants.
I wish you the best. I'd look into those calming pills for them (for sure). We gave it to DD's cats wrapped in a piece of food and they ate it up......... You don't want them meowing the whole way there! Other than that, they'll be fine. Just get a rolling cart vs. carrying them on your shoulder in their bag b/c they're MUCH heavier than you think!
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Deleted
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May 18, 2024 4:15:41 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2018 5:23:24 GMT
I can tell you that my aunt, who is a snowbird, takes her cat with her to and from Florida. The cat goes in the cabin, in a carrier. (It is possible my aunt also buys her a seat, but I never really asked about the logistics beyond the fact that the cat's in the carrier.) I can also tell you that my aunt says the x-ray machine (carrier goes through, cat and all) causes the cat to have a personality change: that cat does not like people at home, but she goes through the x-ray to get to Florida, where she's apparently quite social with guests. Back through the x-ray to come home, back to grumpy cat. We took Southwest and never had to run them thru any x-ray machine......... They'd just peek in the carriers as we went thru the x-ray. As long as you have their papers, you're fine. And there was no weight limit. We put 2 cats in 1 carrier, and 1 in the other. We got 1st row seating so we had a little more legroom, but DD and I are both under 5' so it wasn't an issue.....
They did better with the airplane ride vs. moving here (a few apartments down, to a bigger apartment). Her cats screamed when we put them in the carriers and moved them here! Nuts!! (We learned a lesson in that----------- we moved 1 more time to a ground-floor apartment, and we did EVERYTHING first and then moved them last. They thought they were in the SAME apartment--looked exactly the same! They were fine).
Cats usually adapt pretty well, especially if you're there. I had an Rx for my cats coming down here via car, but DD gave her cats just an OTC calming pill and they were fine!
Good luck with the move and with your kitties! We'd help if we lived closeby!
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Dec 12, 2018 6:22:07 GMT
On the other hand, maybe cat just likes Florida better. Being a warm weather person myself, I can't say I blame the cat a bit!
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Post by compeateropeator on Dec 12, 2018 6:37:03 GMT
As someone who is very allergic to cats, hopefully they check with people immediately around to make sure there won’t be any issues.
Sorry I have have no suggestions as all of my experiences have been with driving. Good luck and no matter what option you choose I Hope it is smooth and uneventful. Such excitement for your family, I wish you the best with the move and transition.
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Post by mom26 on Dec 12, 2018 6:44:27 GMT
I've no advice as I've never had to travel with pets such a far distance. I do know that I'd never, ever be able to put them in cargo hold. I'd be a hot mess worrying about them the entire time. Even though bad outcomes are rare, they do happen and well, I just wouldn't be able to take that chance. But that's me. I do hope that whatever you decide goes without problems and that you love your new digs. Happy travels!
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Post by gale w on Dec 12, 2018 8:04:34 GMT
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Dec 12, 2018 13:34:55 GMT
As someone who is very allergic to cats, hopefully they check with people immediately around to make sure there won’t be any issues. Sorry I have have no suggestions as all of my experiences have been with driving. Good luck and no matter what option you choose I Hope it is smooth and uneventful. Such excitement for your family, I wish you the best with the move and transition The rules on all airlines are that carryon pets must stay in their carrier at all times, stowed under the seat in front of you (no bulkhead seating, no emergency row and no business class in the new lie flat seating). Unfortunately, there are always those who don't follow the rules and risk ruining things for the rest of us who must travel with pets when moving. If you find yourself in this situation, the best thing to do is alert the flight attendant and asked to be moved.
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Post by gryroagain on Dec 12, 2018 14:10:37 GMT
Ok, Ive been round and round the world with cats (and dogs) and a few years ago flew DC to Korea with my 17 year old cat.
Carry on is not as roomy, also they howl the whole way. I’ve not seen a difference in how they tolerate the experience, so go for excess baggage/ cargo and save yourself the trouble. You cannot buy your cat a seat- they must be in the small bag the whole time and under the seat for take off and landing so no point. Excess baggage is around 200 per animal, they fly in exactly the same place as those going manifest cargo via a pet shipper which is way more expensive so my advice is skip the pet shipper and cargo and take them yourself. Check airlines, not airlines take pets anymore as excess baggage. If you can fly Alaska, they rock with pets.
Sedation- you shouldn’t. But sometimes you must, I have a cat the vet said we just need to sedate. Airlines make you sign a form the animal is not sedated (risks) and I just sign it, I assume the risk (it is less risky than trying to rehome an elderly cat who bites, at least!). Talk to your vet about your specific cat for input- do NOT just decide to sedate on your own. But I’ve done it and some times you have to.
Carry on I took mine to the plane bathroom to stretch their legs and drink (they would not) a few times. I really think a bigger crate in the baggage hold is better.
It seems so daunting, but I’ve sent literally hundreds of animals via plane from Korea to the US and it’s all been fine, as well as hauled ,y crazy crew of 3-4 cats and various dogs all over. It is just one really bad, long day. They do fine.
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Post by MichyM on Dec 12, 2018 14:37:15 GMT
Check out this video by a well respected kitten rescuer. She moved her cats cross country a few months ago. It has all the info you need. m.youtube.com/watch?v=DpUL5ypsr_8
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Post by Basket1lady on Dec 12, 2018 14:56:30 GMT
I’d have them fly with you cargo if that’s an option. I haven’t checked in a few years, but there are ground temperature limits—can’t fly pets over or under a certain temp on the ground because waiting on the tarmac can be an issue. So be aware of that. The weather in NJ in February may not fit the criteria. It’s concerning to fly them cargo, but statistically they will be fine. We flew our lab to Korea and American was great with her, including announcing to the entire flight that she had been boarded and if they heard and barking, they weren’t crazy—it really was a dog under her feet. DD was about 2 and immediately hopped out of her seat and started looking under for the dog. I got the biggest crate I could find and she did great. And that was 3 legs and around 28 hours of travel.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Dec 12, 2018 14:56:43 GMT
We've had to move our previous kitty twice. We always did cabin under the seat. He did better than you'd expect for a cat that isn't use to traveling. Once he figured out that it wasn't a trip to the vet (the only other time we put him in a carrier) he settled down. Good luck on the move!
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bethany102399
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,531
Oct 11, 2014 3:17:29 GMT
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Post by bethany102399 on Dec 12, 2018 15:19:19 GMT
I've never flown with an animal, but DH worked for a now defunct airline in Arizona and once had to oversee the transport of a gorilla coming to the Phoenix zoo. The flight was delayed and the tranks wore off the monkey. He picked the lock and when DH opened the door to the aircraft he was greeted with a gorilla, out of the cage staring at him. Other than that I got nothing.
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Post by farmgirl on Dec 12, 2018 15:25:34 GMT
I have absolutely NOTHING to add except when I saw your subject line, all I could think of was, "Welcome to my life!" Work has been hectic to say the least. I wish you luck and will be praying for you and them
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scorpeao
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Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Dec 12, 2018 15:30:17 GMT
This was over 20 years ago, but I flew a cat from Germany to Ca. She was checked as cargo, and weathered the flight fined without drugs.
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Post by wallyagain on Dec 12, 2018 15:43:05 GMT
Check out this video by a well respected kitten rescuer. She moved her cats cross country a few months ago. It has all the info you need. m.youtube.com/watch?v=DpUL5ypsr_8Definitely check out Hanna’s site. She not only just moved her own cats but has flown rescues to their new homes (very unusual circumstances). Good luck, they really are family members.
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Post by Lexica on Dec 12, 2018 16:20:08 GMT
I am so happy you posted this question. I will be moving next year with either 3 or 4 cats and one small dog. My move is nowhere near the distance as yours, I’m going from California to Oregon and have been back and forth on how to handle moving my critters. I will probably end up taking the 4th cat with me as well. He was abandoned down the street from me and I have been caring for him since I found out his situation. My neighbor has said would like to keep him, but he had a beautiful very expensive exotic cat that he kept letting go outside. I tried to educate him on the dangers, but he said the cat was happier outside. The poor thing was killed a few months later by another neighbor’s Rottweilers. I don’t really feel the cat will be safe in this neighbor’s care. I guess moving 4 cats isn’t much harder than moving 3, right? Except I am making the move by myself. I know the dog would be fine flying, I have been worrying about shipping the kitties and I think driving, although longer being contained, might be easier on them. I haven’t spoken to my vet yet, but the recommendation of the Rescue Remedy may be all I need. I think 3 of them will be okay in crates, but my big male, Tucker, will hate it. I rescued the three as kittens from the same litter. Their mother was feral, and it shows in her babies. My male cannot stand being picked up. None of them really like it to this day, but the girls will tolerate being carried a short distance. When he was a kitten, Tucker darn near tore the cloth carrier apart on his first trip to the vet. He yowled and clawed the entire time. The vet was concerned. I told her their history and that he wasn’t like that at my home. And even now, 12 years later, he will squirm and protest when I pick him up, just nowhere near as violently as he once was, thankfully. He is quite big and strong, and could really hurt me if he wanted to. He’s truly a lover and will spend all day snuggled up and purring on your lap, but only if he jumped up on his own. He is the one I worry about trying to fly with. With everyone’s various experiences here, I am leaning toward driving them with me myself using Rescue Remedy. I’m sure there will be lots of yowling, but if I break it into a 2-day trip, I think it will go okay. I would then have a hitch put on my car so I can rent a UHaul for the things I don’t want to have the movers take. That would leave my car empty to allow bigger carriers to make the cats more comfortable. I can’t see them traveling for two days in their small soft-sided carriers. Too bad I donated my large dog crates years ago. They would have been perfect to move the cats in. I am going to order this Rescue Remedy today to try out on them at home first. Thank you for suggesting it, **GypsyGirl**.
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Post by dudleypippen on Dec 12, 2018 16:45:28 GMT
I’ve driven from Detroit to Atlanta with a cat a couple of times. It was very stressful for her and would take her a couple of days to forgive me once we arrived. Good luck no matter how you relocate your kitty!
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