I've flown with my cat many times (20!) and while it is not fun it can be managed. Number one tip is find a (soft sided) carrier that will fit under the seat and that has a pocket so you can pack extra pee pads (you will need them I promise you) harness, leash, portable collapsible water dish (I never used these but they were for worst case scenarios) garbage bag and a baggie with antibacterial wipes (always used these) Also I pack proof of rabies vaccine. I always covered his carrier when under the seat in front of me with my scarf that I wore just for that purpose. Once the plane takes off and levels off the cat should settle down. Try to ignore the cat unless he is screaming because generally they kind of hunker down and don't try to get out if you just leave them alone. It ain't fun though, haha. Carry a small shoulder strap or fanny pack type purse because carrying a cat through an airport is heavy going and you only have 2 hands. Wear a coat with deep pockets too! Plus there is only a tiny bit of room under that seat in front of you. Sit as close to the front of the plane as possible so you can be one of the first to get off. Also board as the very last passenger so all the jostling around by other passengers is over. Your aisle mates will be thrilled when you show up! Haha The middle seat has the most room in front for the carrier unfortunately. Get used to sitting in the middle seat.
Years ago, I sent a cat belonging to a friend who’d moved to California, unaccompanied, in a plane’s hold, to that friend. The vet provided a medication (don’t recall what it was) to help calm the cat, and the cat arrived in California, none the worse for the experience. In those days, people and things were not scanned, so it was easier to do. I don’t think I’d subject my cat to unaccompanied travel these days.
We moved from North Texas to Kansas City (approx 581 mile) with 4 cats. Luckily we had 2 cars so 2 cats per car. We did sedate the kitties and withheld food til we arrived. We had a lot of cat talking going on, but it was relatively smooth.
@@judithpearson3968 My move will consist of just me and my three cats, so flying isn't really an option :( I think it's like a 25 hour drive from NYC to Colorado, so I can split that up into two days and find a pet friendly hotel to stay in for my cats to stretch out and stuff. There's just a lot that can go wrong on the road but I have to think pawsitive, haha :)
@@AllAboutCatsYT i definitely am! I love going hiking and there isn’t much of that to do here in the city. I end up walking about 12-16 miles on my days off and am always wishing it was spent out in the woods haha. A few years ago I spent two weeks hiking in Colorado and I loved every second of it. Finishing each journey with a burger from In n Out was the cherry on top 😂 The real reason I want to move is because I’d have a lot more space to build things for my cats to enjoy. It bums me out that they can’t enjoy the grass, fresh air and climbing trees. I’d like to build a giant catio for them to do whatever they want in. Im sure they’d find it super relaxing to snooze with a breeze going by
I have a go bag for my cat and keep important travel items permanently packed. So all I have to do the night before is put her bag and my bags in the car. I have a travel cat litter box that I had to modify for her going potty style. She likes to put her front paws on the side so I had to put a little extra card board on the sides so it’s sturdy for her. So pack that with a smaller scoop and poo bags and pee pads in a ziplock. I have a bag with towels snd rugs that I bring as well to put under her litter box to catch some of the grit if I’m forced to put her box on carpeting. Otherwise I have a small hand broom and dustpan to clean up after her. On the day I leave I only grab her premeasured raw food from the freezer and put in a ziplock inside an insulated bag for the days I’m on the road and/or out of town. If I stay longer like when I visit family I just get her raw food there for the days I’m staying there. It takes two days to get to my moms house. So I travel with her quilt which I put in the car the day before as well. I’ve found she travels easier when I completely cover her carrier so she can only see me, otherwise she can’t see outside. She does much better that way. Travel lodge has the best cat friendly rooms cuz they block the unders so I don’t have to turn the beds upside down to get her when I leave the next morning. Cuz tho she does well in the hotel rooms cuz I bring her treats snd toys snd spoil her with treats snd fun she knows when it’s time to go and tends to hide cuz she doesn’t care for car rides. She just tolerates them. But once we get to the hotel room her first order of business is to pee. Then crawl under her blanket snd decompress. I’ll get my dinner out and chill. So once I’m done eating she’s ready to play. At night she will often cuddle with me. But sometimes she just finds a spot to sleep on a chair or couch or behind the bed which is easily moved to get her in the carrier in the morning after we both have breakfast and she pees. I bring her scratching post which seems to make her happy. It’s tall with a wide base but fits well in the backseat. I’ve tried taking her out of the car in her carrier but I don’t notice that it helps. On the road I get gas and run in quickly to go potty while leaving her in the car completely covered. And I put reflectix in the windows that keeps the car cool the 5-10 minutes I’m in the restroom. I find certain gas stations and rest stops are best cuz you can get quickly in and out so the animal isnt baking in the car. For food and drink I use drive thru places so can keep the ac running. I will look for a shady place to eat and depending on the weather roll down the windows or keep the ac going while I eat. I started out just taking her to get food with me at a nearby drive thru and back home. Then for longer drives. Then stayed overnight in a hotel. Then booked a cabin for two nights. Then three nights. At my moms 1000 miles away for 3 weeks. She does better staying in one place longer. I also take her camping. She knows the routine. She has her own sleeping bag. That’s about the only thing I bring different for her when we camp besides camping gear. She loves the big tent cuz she can hunt bugs and watch birds and squirrels. Or get under the sleeping bag where it’s pitch black snd nap. Or under the cot on a warmer day. She travels very well now. But I think she’d hate the plane. So we drive. So far three years and running, it’s worked. I got her when she was four years old so older cats can be trained too
When I moved across the country, I got a large wire dog crate that would just fit in the backseat of my car. For a couple of months, the crate lived in my bedroom with blankets in it and a small litter pan. The cats got used to the crate, so that was a help on the day of the move. A friend made me a couple of catnip filled snuggle mats that I could put in there, as well. I had a prescription from the vet for "happy pills" that I gave them starting 12 hours before we started out. They fussed a bit when I first put them in it, but then they got settled in and were pretty relaxed for the whole 30 hour trip. I gave them food and water several times, but the small litter pan stayed in their crate. They curled up together and rested comfortably the rest of the trip. Overall, I was amazed at how well they traveled.
Could you do a video about recommendations for travelling with cats while at your destination? Like, do you have recommendations for a good travel litter box, how to make cats comfortable in a new place, etc.?
When we moved I custom build a kennel to be the maximum size I could make it to fit in the back of my car with the back seat folded down. This allowed a bit of room for them to move around as well as accommodating a litter box and water. We set in food every time we stopped. I drove the U-Haul and Slothgirl drove my car with the cats. This enabled the cats to have all their basic needs without the risks involved of us taking them out of the car at any point on the trip. Battery powered fans assured they had fresh air and maintained a constant temperature even when the car was parked for us to take a meal break.
we've travelled with my cat since she was little (train with a bit of car to and from). We got a carrier some years ago that's on wheels, and while she doesn't *like* travelling, she is a lot more "tolerant" than anything else (especially on the train she wants to come out of the carrier to lay on the table between us). We've recently gotten her a new carrier, which is larger but still on wheels (even if I could carry her, she doesn't like being carried in the carrier), and we've actually set it up in the living room, presenting it as yet another hide for her. She's been sleeping in it from time to time, so hopefully she'll continue to feel it is a home-away-from-home once she's had her first trip in it (Christmas).
They probably enjoy licking eyelashes because makeup contains oleic acid, which is often derived from animal fat. Oleic acid is a significant constituent (43-65%) of the pheromone that cats emit from their facial glands. It has a calming effect on them, and when they encounter it, they can't resist it. It's also the reason why they enjoy smelling, licking and eating crushed ants (they contain the highest amounts of it).
I bought my Luna a harness, mainly for vet trips and for walks around her new home before I let her out. I would love to see a video about how to properly use a harness. I haven't tried her with it yet, I've been putting it off!
i would love to see a full review of the porto carrier from you! Maybe even some carrier recommendations for cats that hate carriers. I've been feeding my rescue cat in the carrier everyday for every meal. I leave the carrier out for her, and done a lot of work to desensitize her to the carrier but she's still terrified of going in the carrier. Carrier recommendations that make it easier and more enticing to use at home as a bed would be great. The porto seems like that, but that's quite the price tag.
The cat can smell the eye lashes. And bacteria normally live there. But cats' mommas lick the baby eyes. Maybe the cat loves you like a pet or baby and wants to keep you clean and fresh. Just my thoughts, no science to prove it. Lol
Good question! No, it isn't really necessary to trim a cat's claws, but it can be helpful if you'd like to avoid snags and make kneading sessions more comfy.
Personally. . .while my boys don't generally snag their claws on things. ..they play with claws out a lot, and rarely full retract them when wandering around the house. As they're both pretty playful and cuddly we prefer trimming the murder needles so that the daily 'climb over shoulder to get down' routine doesn't lead to torn clothes, bloody flesh.
I'm really enjoying your content and education! My question: my kitty (Sawyer) often drinks water by putting his paw in his water bowl and then licks water off of his paw. I'm curious how common this is and best guesses as to why he does it this way at times (it is usually in the AM).
Great question! I've marked this one down for a future video response, but for now, that is a quite common behavior, and there are a few possible reasons, including that the bowl isn't particularly comfortable for your cat to put his head into and that it feels more comfortable/safe for him to go paws-only, allowing for a fast escape if needed.
I've noticed my cat doing the same thing. I've come to the conclusion that my cat washes it's paws in the water bowl to get the cat litter that may be on it's foot or toes washed off.
Soft sided carrier not allowed in European Union (public transportation) and they need to have specific measurements, which you should check out before the travel. Thanks for sharing❤
My cat gets very scared only when the plane accelerates on the runway. I wonder if by chance the jets produce a particularly high-pitch noise that scares him and that we cannot hear. As soon as the pilot reduces engine power at altitude he gets very quiet, and sometimes he falls asleep quietly until landing.
I have a question about which (if any) baby wipes are safe to use on cats. I don't give my cat bathes but sometimes she needs a little clean-up beyond what just a brush and a little water can do. I know there are special spray and wipe cleaners made for cats but they are more expensive. I was looking at the "water wipes) and wondered if they would be ok for kitties. Thanks for your help!
In general, it's best to choose the wipes made for cats, as they are formulated to be ingested. Even the natural "water wipes" can contain components that could be harmful to cats.
My question : one of my cats seems to not know how to bury her "waste" in the litter box, once she's done she scratches the box walls for 5-10mn (I had to buy a covered box because she was damaging the house wall 😱). It's not a change of behavior, she's 9 months old and always did that. Her adoptive brother is doing things normally. Is there a way I can teach her not to scratch the plastic walls ? It's waking me up every night, help ! :( (I still love her❤). PS : i tried buying a jumbo sized box, but it didn't really help. Sorry for the long question, a big thanks from Québec for all your videos and web articles !
Hey! Thanks for being a part of the Cats.com community! Sounds like she's quite a scratcher! How much litter do you put in the box? Is there a lot of space on the sides for her to scratch? I wonder if you might need to put a little bit more litter in the box to make it nice and full for her. Some cats also do this because they don't like touching the waste in the box, so make sure you're keeping it super-clean. Other than that, this may just be a quirk that some cats have, and it's not necessarily a bad thing...! All the best!
I will travel with my cat, (Frontier Airlines) but I am a little scare cause they told me, that they don't let pets use the Oxígen mask in case of an emergency. Is it legal? How to deal with it?
I'd be stressed, too! Here's an article with some tips for successful travel in the cargo hold: citizenshipper.com/blog/shipping-your-cat-as-airline-cargo-is-it-safe/
I would think cats lick eyelashes or eyelids because they want the minerals that are secreted from human tear ducts that will gradually accumulate on surfaces around the eyes throughout the day.