Shipping cats by air

[Stephen Tashiro]

When a cat is sent by air freight, is it best that it be tranquilized? The case in hand would be a 3 year old cat in good health from TX to TN. No doubt there would be several changes of plane between El Paso and Johnson City.

Many years ago, two of my cats came from NC to NM by air. They seemed in a daze for half a day afterwards. I don't know if they had tranquillizers or whether the experience did this.

[Dan Hintz]

If they're high-strung animals, give them tranqs. Otherwise, they'll consider it just another experience.

[Lee Schierer]

Have you transported the cats by car? If so how did they react to car travel? If they were cool with it then the air ride shouldn't be much bother to them except there will be lots more handling. Be sure to check with the air carrier if they will be in a pressurized and heated compartment or not. Air temp at 30,000 feet is sub zero.

You may need to bathe the cat before shipment in which case you should follow these simple instructions:
1. Thoroughly clean the toilet.
2. Add the required amount of shampoo to the toilet water and have both lids lifted.
3. Obtain the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.
4. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids (you may need to stand on the lid so that he cannot escape). CAUTION: Do not get any part of your body too close to the edge, as his paws will be reaching out for anything they can find. The cat will self-agitate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from your toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this.
5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "power wash and rinse" which I found to be quite effective.
6. Have someone open the door to the outside and ensure that there are no people between the toilet and the outside door.
7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can and quickly lift both lids.
8. The now-clean cat will rocket out of the toilet and run outside where he will dry himself.

[Ted Calver]

Not an expert, but have shipped a few cats while in the military. I think a lot depends on the cats personality. They don't really like changes in their environment and a few of ours did not travel well. We asked the vet for tranquilizers and used them on a Siamese cat that went from Italy to the US. She was mellow at the start, but by the time she hit JFK the pills had worn off and we (and everyone else in the terminal) could hear her squawking when we landed. It took a week for her to settle into her new home. We just brought two other Siamese cats from upstate NY to VA by car and they traveled so well we didn't use the pills. One has settled in nicely, but the other has gone psycho on us (we think it was psycho anyway). They were SWMBO's 88 year old mom's cats and didn't get socialized--borderline feral. How does your cat react to being in the pet cage? If it is used to the cage and going to the vet then maybe it will be ok. If not then pills are in order.

[Michael Schneider]

When a cat is sent by air freight, is it best that it be tranquilized? The case in hand would be a 3 year old cat in good health from TX to TN. No doubt there would be several changes of plane between El Paso and Johnson City.

Many years ago, two of my cats came from NC to NM by air. They seemed in a daze for half a day afterwards. I don't know if they had tranquillizers or whether the experience did this.


In the air, you might give them tranqs. Unless they are very very mellow and handle noise and other animals well.

They may be next to a howling cat, barking dog etc.

Here is a test if you are thinking of no drugs.

1) place cat in carrier
2) leave cat in carrier for 30 minutes
3) run vacuum cleaner in front of crate
4) place barking dog in front of crate
....... :-)

Thinking of the flight crew, they may not appreciate a howling cat.

The call is yours, do what you think is best.

Are you going on the same flight? If so, have you thought about an under the seat box (don't know if that is allowed)


We have never flown with animals, but regularly travel in cars with dogs and cats. We do give the animals rescue remedy to calm them (works, but not as strong as tranqs). You might give them rescue remedy even if you tranq them. (that is what our vet suggested in the past).

What does your vet think?

http://www.rescueremedy.com/

Good luck,
Mike
Good luck,
Michael

[Jerome Stanek]

Michael

I like your picture Is that a Great Pyrenees sort of looks like my daughters picture.

[John Coloccia]

Or you could try this:

http://www.addictinggames.com/kittencannon.html

Doesn't matter if they're tranquillized or not.

:D

Honestly, though, I'd ask my vet. He knows your cat's history, any potential problems, etc, and go with his recommendation for tranquilizer or not.

[Bruce Volden]

What a bunch of cat bashers. My trap shooting friends always used a service called PULL! :D

Bruce

[Michael Schneider]

Michael

I like your picture Is that a Great Pyrenees sort of looks like my daughters picture.

Jerome,

Yes, it is a Great Pyrenees. One of our crew is a Great Pyrenees. She is a wonderful dog.

Merry Christmas,
Michael

[mickey cassiba]

Or you could try this:

http://www.addictinggames.com/kittencannon.html

Doesn't matter if they're tranquillized or not.



:D

Honestly, though, I'd ask my vet. He knows your cat's history, any potential problems, etc, and go with his recommendation for tranquilizer or not.

John,
You're a twisted man...abtw my wife and I are having a ball!!

[Russ Filtz]

It's why they're called CATapults!

http://www.gifbin.com/bin/1239024473_squirrel-catapult.gif


J/K, I have 2 cats myself.

[Curt Harms]

...........
It took a week for her to settle into her new home. We just brought two other Siamese cats from upstate NY to VA by car and they traveled so well we didn't use the pills. One has settled in nicely, but the other has gone psycho on us (we think it was psycho anyway). They were SWMBO's 88 year old mom's cats and didn't get socialized--borderline feral. How does your cat react to being in the pet cage? If it is used to the cage and going to the vet then maybe it will be ok. If not then pills are in order.

A week? You're fortunate indeed. We have two females that have inhabited the same space for 18 months and they're still working on coexisting.

[Don Alexander]

:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d

[Jim Rimmer]

Are you traveling with them? Southwest allows you to carry them on.

[Scott T Smith]

Stephen, I posed your question to my wife (she's a veterinarian), and she advises against tranquilizing. In her words, it's better to be just scared versus drunk and scared.

She also advises that you keep an eye on the weather, and not ship them when it is too cold or too hot, and to provide them with lots of blankets in their carrier so that they can hide themselves.

Her first choice would be to take them in the cabin with you (some airlines allow).

[Belinda Barfield]

Stephen, I posed your question to my wife (she's a veterinarian), and she advises against tranquilizing. In her words, it's better to be just scared versus drunk and scared.

Can't offer any advice on shipping cats, although I take care of 4. Just wanted to comment on how wise Scott's wife is . . . just scared is much better than drunk and scared!:D

[Stephen Tashiro]

It's interesting that she recommends blankets. As I recall from over 20 years ago, when my cats were shipped, the rules did not allow anything to be put into the cat carrier except the cat. There had to be a water container that was built in or attached to the cat carrier.

Taking a carry-on cat through airport security must be an interesting experience. Do you keep the cat carrier in your lap? Must it fit under a seat?

[Don Bullock]

Consult with both your vet and the airlines. Some animals don't do well on tranquilizers and the airlines I've flown dogs on recently don't like to ship tranquilized animals.

[Brian Ashton]

When a cat is sent by air freight, is it best that it be tranquilized? The case in hand would be a 3 year old cat in good health from TX to TN. No doubt there would be several changes of plane between El Paso and Johnson City.

Many years ago, two of my cats came from NC to NM by air. They seemed in a daze for half a day afterwards. I don't know if they had tranquillizers or whether the experience did this.

When we dragged our cats to australia we were told not to sedate them as they can't adequately regulate their body temperature. Now in your case the duration of flights won't be near as long but you're also flying them in winter... so you'll need to take all that into consideration.

We had two cats fly: one was a very calm well adjusted cat that took it all in stride. The other cat has cerebellar hypodysplasia (result of a mother with distemper) so he's prone to wig out severely at the slightest thing. They were in transit for about 30 hours and then 30 days in the hole (quarantine) and then 12 hours driving from sydney to the sunshine coast. They came through it well without any drugs (that we now of, you never know what the other convict cats smuggle in...) They both seem to come away with a couple quirks though. Both have a passion for collecting tats and making license plates...

[Ted Calver]

Both have a passion for collecting tats and making license plates...

:) :) :) :)

[Jim King]

My wife and I have traveled to several countries with cats and dogs. We did give tranquilizers to one high strung pointer on his way from the Amazon to Wisconsin but the rest no. They all did well.

Most important is to have the papers, health certificate from a vet and shot records ready on arrival and the airport people are always very nice and helpful with animals.