Taking a cat on a plane

[Imdanny]

Um, not be blunt- but is there a way she can be drugged?

Should I talk to the vet about this? What should I say?

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Yes.

I actually asked my vet for sedatives on my flight home for my two cats. I really hate sedating my cats but it was a long flight and they don't handle flying super well (they're loud and unhappy). I don't have the pill bottle next to me, but I can look tomorrow and let you know what my vet gave me.

ETA: Sorry, forgot to answer your question. Definitely talk to him about it and ask what he thinks. Many vets hesitate to give sedatives in case something goes wrong on the flight and obviously, there's no doctor in the house. Mine had me do a test run a few days before we left to make sure there were no adverse reactions. I would definitely recommend that. As for what to say - is this because your cat reacts badly on a flight? Panic? Noise? Just tell him you're flying and your cat hasn't handled flights well in the past, and you'd like to discuss the option of giving her a mild sedative.

If you don't want to go the medicine route, you could always try Rescue Remedy. It's supposed to be calming, though I've never tried it (but I've seen it recommended by other cat owners here on PS).

 

[honey22]

I think it's def something to ask your vet about. My Mum has an absolutely crazy, psycho, skitzo cat and she was worried about her flying so asked the vet for a sedative and his response was that they don't like to sedate animals for flights for a few reasons. Something to do with the lower O2 concentration can have an effect on a sedated animal, and other effects. Sometimes they don't always make it to their destination if they have been sedated. Apparently, some airlines will request that you don't sedate them and others won't take responsibility for a sedated animal. I don't think it would be a walk in the park for them, but they will survive the flight. If my Mum's cat can do it, any cat our there could. She done 3-4 flights and she has been totally fine. Not a happy camper by the end of the 4 hour flight but she was ok. I guess you have to weigh up the pros and cons but I would rather have a stressed out animal for a few hours than have an adverse reaction and me (or the vet) isn't with them and can't help them.

Good luck!!!

 

[nice ice]

my vet strongly advised against sedation ~ i followed his advise and all went well

 

[Rhea]

Ask the vet and the airline. When my kitty moved from the US to England, an 8-9 hour flight, she was not permitted to be sedated for several reasons.

 

[dcgator]

My vet is fully supportive of sedation when flying, as it can be a bit much for a cat to handle. I do sedate my two boys when we fly with them. The little one doesn't handle flying well (hates being confined for any reason, so will otherwise try to scratch out of his carrier), so the sedation is definitely the only way to fly with him.

Talk to your vet about it, and see what he recommends, but do a trial run with the sedative before you use it on a flight, just to make sure the cat doesn't have any adverse reactions to the drug. That way, you don't have to worry about that part of the equation.

Good luck!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Um, not be blunt- but is there a way she can be drugged?

Should I talk to the vet about this? What should I say?

Last year I flew twice with a cat... once IN the cabin from oregon to georgia and then we brought a cat to China via the cargo (I also shipped a cat and a dog via cargo from oregon to georgia in 98 before we moved to ireland). Anyway, if the animal is going cargo they on't LET you tranq it because if the cat is unable to stand well it could be injured and if it has breathing issues there is no one to identify this or aid the animal.

When I brought the cat in the cabin she as such a good cat - I never needed any meds for her and she never made a noise, people were surprised she was there at all. The cat we brought to china is 20 pounds so he couldn't be in cabin and some of the flights prohibited it so he went the whole way in cargo and it sucked to be him for about 24 hours. He's fully recovered from it, in fact I think he's better now lol

 

[Circe]

Traveling with cats is, um ... special.

I've flown cross-country with two cats. In both cases, the vet was leery of sedating them, so I gave them some of that Rescue Remedy stuff, to no visible effect that I could see.

My first cat was pretty well-behaved - no yowling or anything, but the poor thing was terrified. She messed her carrier, which was deeply unpleasant for her - lining the carrier with newspaper/towels made it much easier to clean. And she hyperventilated, so trying to keep her hydrated was a challenge: I resorted to dabbling my fingers in water in basically dripping it into her mouth.

My second cat was vocal the entire flight unless I had my hand in the carrier with her, which made for an unfun trip. So I kept the carrier on my lap, petting her to comfort her - awkward, but doable.

One thing I do when I fly with cats is pack enough allergy medicine for a battalion: that way, if somebody starts sneezing or complaining, I can at least offer them some relief - Benadryl, Chlorotrimeton, Zyrtec, you name it. I myself am allergic to dogs, so I know the feeling.

Danny, how long will your flight be?

 

[princesss]

No advice, but I wanted to say when I read the subject line, I read "Talking to a cat on the phone" and I wondered why anybody would want to do that. The actual subject makes a lot more sense.

 

[MissMina]

I read that too and actually we do it quite often

 

[princesss]

Really? Do they respond? (Obviously it's not like they can talk back, but does the person holding the phone notice their behaviour change?)

 

[kelpie]

I always have convos with my cat and she's quite the talker, she clams up on the phone though. Poor thing, I don't want to subject her (or others) to the 20 hr flight we are making for the move, esp since she'll be 15 when we come back, so I think she'll stay with a friend. I'm too nervous to sedate her and she yowls and messes. I wish there was a better way.

 

[Imdanny]

- is this because your cat reacts badly on a flight? Panic? Noise? Just tell him you're flying and your cat hasn't handled flights well in the past, and you'd like to discuss the option of giving her a mild sedative.

Thanks, No. She's never flown before.

I would rather she not get upset.

I think she can go in the cabin with me.

 

[Imdanny]

Danny, how long will your flight be?

Actually, short. Like 1/2 hr - 45 min plus all the airport stuff.

 

[honey22]

I don't mean to sound pushy, but for such a short flight I wouldn't risk sedating the animal. It's not like it's a long haul flight or anything. I totally understand how you would be concerned though, my two doggies are my babies and I would hate them to be upset for any length of time.

I just thought you know, when I have had to have sedation for ops etc, it's made me really frightened, so it could actually make the poor kitty feel worse anyway.

 

[sillyberry]

I've been really lucky with my cats - they're well-seasoned travelers, are okay for 14 hour car trips (they hang out in the passenger seat), and are perfectly happy together in a carrier that fits under the airplane seat without making a peep.

But my mom's cats? I would drug the heck out of them, and then maybe drug them some more. She has one that can barely go to the vet because she freaks out SOOOO much and starts to lose all her hair from the stress.

You know your animals best. I would not drug if possible, but drugged is better than howling at the top of their kitty lungs the whole time.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Danny, how long will your flight be?

Actually, short. Like 1/2 hr - 45 min plus all the airport stuff.

Hmm, in that case, and since she's never flown before, I would take her in the cabin and not drug her and see how she does. What I would do is make sure there's a small blanket or something that has her scent on it (for comfort) in the carrier, and maybe go so far as to spritz it with Rescue Remedy.

I only sedated my cats because we were going on a 4 hour flight, followed by layover, followed by another 2 hour flight. For a shorter flight I would let her be.

 

[Imdanny]

She's very sensitive to loud noises and strangers. One day a crew came to cut down some trees. What I didn' tknow is that they were going to be setting the woodchopper six feet outside the window. When I got home she was crawled under the bed croched by the same wall, in the same corner, where the woodcopping machine was- this must have gone on for 4- 6 hrs. I felt so badly about it. The next time (and last time) they came, I put her in the car and she drove around in the car with me.

She's very shy in general except with SO and me.

I know a plane ride (although right now it looks like I can keep her in the cabin) is going to be extremely upsetting to her.

Either way, she'll survive and get over it. Into every life a little rain must fall. I don't really have a choice but to take her because I'm moving.

I would rather she was drugged (safely of course) than upset again.

 

[waterlilly]

Never have, but when I was in Costa Rica earlier this year there was a couple from Texas that brought their cat with them on vacation

It was on a leash hanging out in the open air seating area and then she just plopped him in her carrier/bag on hopped on the plane when it was time. This cat was obviously used to it, didn't make a peep the whole time.

I thought - in one way, that's great, so easy for her to bring along her cat. On the other hand, I am so surprised that pets are still allowed in the cabin of airplanes. I would think the liability for a potential allergic reaction by one of the other passengers would have put that practice out of commission a long time ago. I personally think it's great. If I had a child that was severely allergic though, I'd question why it is allowed.