Airline policies for traveling with pets vary, so it’s critical to plan if you want to take a flight with your cat. Though you may be allowed to fly with a cat, you should make sure you obey airline laws, and your feline companion is as comfortable as possible. So, how can you make sure your cat is ready to take flight?
You’d have to prepare the necessary documents for your cat and pack up cat gear like cat carrier, bed, feeding accessories, toys, wipes, and toiletries for the trip. The records required for your cat’s flight usually depend on your destination and the airline. Generally, most airlines would require a health certificate, as well as some means of identification for your cat.
In this article, you’ll learn about the necessary equipment your cat would need to fly; including what documents your cat would need for its journey and common airline policies concerning pet flight. I’d also highlight gadgets and supplies your cat would require, and talk about how these items will help feed, care for, and carry your kitty through the whole journey.
Health Check at the Veterinary
In most cases, a valid certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI), often known as a health certificate, is required by most airlines. The criteria for a health certificate may change depending on your location, so check with the airline before your appointment. To guarantee your cat is healthy enough for the travel, see the veterinarian to run a check and make sure It’s up to date on all vaccines.
There are deadlines for completing health certificates. Most airlines require health certificates to be completed within ten days of a flight; however, you must check with your airline for specific deadlines. This ensures that you prepare all the papers on time and avoid any delay to your cat’s flight.
Identification
Make it much easier to find your cat if he does get away by making sure he’s appropriately identified ahead of time. Purchase a safe cat collar with ID tags and then write your name, phone number, and address on the IDs. If your cat wouldn’t fly in the same plane as you, ensure to tag it’s carrier to indicate it’s a live animal.
If your pet is located, microchipping provides further assurance that he will be returned to you. Cats can get out of collars, but they are hard to remove because microchips are inserted beneath the skin. Make sure your cat’s microchip tag has your most up-to-date contact information, including your mobile phone number, to enable its finder to contact you quickly.
Pet Carrier
Not all pet carriers are acceptable by airlines, you may need to invest in an airline-approved pet carrier if it’s your first time flying with your cat. Ensure to inquire with your airline about their pet carrier requirements by calling or message. Alternatively, you can look up pet carrier requirements for cabin and cargo travel on the airline’s website.
Many airlines require carriers to be ventilated on at least two or three sides so that your pet has enough air to breathe during the flight. Your cat should be able to stand up and turn around in the carrier. It should be composed of moisture-resistant, and should be leak-proof material.
You’ll also want to make sure your cat is entirely comfortable with her carrier before your travel. Fill her carrier with her favorite blanket, preferably one that smells like your home or you. Bring along her favorite kitty bed to make her feel more at ease, especially if it will be separated from you in an unfamiliar environment.
Cat Food and Water
To avoid vomiting or elimination accidents in the carrier during the trip, cats should travel on an empty stomach. If your flight is delayed for many hours or longer, keep a few morsels of food on hand to discourage your cat from becoming too hungry. Attach a food bag to the carrier with feeding instructions if your cat will be in the cargo hold for a lengthy journey.
Your cat would need to drink at regular intervals throughout the travel to keep hydrated. Ensure that your cat has access to water at all times while you are away. Either connect a dish to her carrier or frequently stop to allow her to drink. Before you go, you may need to spend the extra money on bottled water or bottle it yourself from your house tap.
First Aid Kit and Medication
Some owners want to sedate their cats on long flights, but specialists advise against it since tranquilizers can elevate blood pressure and interfere with body temperature control. When an animal is drugged, it loses its equilibrium, making it difficult to maintain balance. The unsteady balance increases your cat’s risk of damage if the carrier is shifted or shakes during a rough flight.
Instead, avoid giving your cat drugs just before its flight; you should bring any medications your cat may require to keep healthy and relaxed. This includes all of its regular medicines for the number of days you’ll be gone. Also, consider taking some more prescribed medications for your cat in case you can’t get back as soon as you’d want.
Supplies
If your cat needs to travel, make sure it has toiletries, snacks, toys, and a place to store her belongings. Your cat may need to clean up after a spill during flight, go for natural, biodegradable wipes when packing supplies. Toys and treats help keep your cat quiet and collected during your travel by reminding her of home and keeping her engaged.
Your cat will also require storage containers to carry all of the supplies it will need throughout the flight. Resealable Ziploc bags, a small plastic bin, food and water dishes, bags to keep hygiene necessities, toys, and blankets are all necessary cat storage items. A binder or folder to store your cat’s medical records and health certifications are also required.