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I brought my two cats when I moved overseas. Never again. I would rehome them before ever putting them through that again. They were traumatized for about a week. Travelling in the cargo hold (which is what we HAD to do flying into the UK) was not a pleasant experience for them, to say the very least. One of the cages had the water funnel smashed - which means something fell on the cage during the flight. Add to that hours in cargo at the airport before the flight, hours of riding in a noisy cargo hold, hours getting through immigration, and no litter box for way too long, etc. I would NEVER do it again to a living creature and I feel sick inside when I think about having done it.
My advice: Think of the cat and find it a loving home where it currently resides if you don't have the option of bringing it in the cabin.
Concerning the part where you have to take the cat out of the carrier for the security screening, my advice is to firmly scruff your cat.
She will already likely be at least semi-freaked out, and my feeling is that the scruffing will help calm her. You just have to be ready to hold on to her inthat position for awhile!
My calico cat flew in cargo in 1990 when I first adopted her. She was homeless so I had to fly her back with me. I didn't know better back then, but she made out fine and the attendant told me was okay, too. Back then, it was a bit more personal than it is now. I probably wouldn't do cargo again, unless there was no other way. But, I'd check and re-check everything and talk to everybody involved to make sure pet got best care.
There was another time me and calico were in an airport and they wanted me to take her out of the cage so they could examine her. Well, I made a fuss (before the current days of airport scrutiny) and there happened to be a cat handler/woman who showed cats who helped me. It went okay, but don't be afraid to use your voice!
Location: Los Angeles>Little Rock>Houston>Little Rock
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When I moved from Los Angeles to Little Rock I contacted a cargo company that specialized in shipping pets and they flew my SIXcats to Little Rock for me. I picked them up the day after I got there and they were fine and very vocal.
Concerning the part where you have to take the cat out of the carrier for the security screening, my advice is to firmly scruff your cat.
She will already likely be at least semi-freaked out, and my feeling is that the scruffing will help calm her. You just have to be ready to hold on to her inthat position for awhile!
FWIW... make sure your finger nails are short/blunt.
I recently heard that the best or strongest position for scruffing is for the human to place his hand so that the thumb and forefinger are closest to kitty's shoulders. This seems counter-intuitive, but the explanation was that this positioning enables the most firm grasp.
Anyone?
Sorry if this is slightly off topic, but conceivably the OP could be helped by it.
When I moved from Los Angeles to Little Rock I contacted a cargo company that specialized in shipping pets and they flew my SIXcats to Little Rock for me. I picked them up the day after I got there and they were fine and very vocal.
It's a whole different ballgame for international flights and cargo.
Mine had to be at Air Canada cargo four hours before the flight. Then went in the cargo hold for the flight for 9 hours. Then took another 4 to clear DEFRA and immigration in Heathrow. I am standing by "never again".
AA doesn't allow pets in cabin on transatlantic flights. That is why I have always referred to cargo travel as checked baggage. Extract from AA pet travel regulations:
Quote:
Carry-on pets are NOT ALLOWED to/from Hawaii or Transatlantic/Transpacific or Central and South America.
As for going on the xray belt...this practise has been observed overseas, not in the US.
I got the rabbit water bottle that goes on the cage. AA says they provide releasable ties to secure the carrier door, but I will also get some in case.
Thanks for the link!
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