If I'm moving across the country, is it better for my cats to fly or drive?

Question

And is there a sedative my vet can give me? How would I take care of litter needs if I drove?

Answer 1

have the kitties travel with you--they'll be scared by themselves--and want reinforcement during their torture session. some kitties actually get along ok in cars. in airplanes, they travel in an unpressurized area called baggage hold--it is cold, it is nasty and better for the kitties to be with momms and popps--you can cuddle and speak with them as needed.

Answer 2

Driving with cats presents problems. They might get out and run away, and you might be unable to catch them again. It will be much safer to fly them in cat carriers, and yes you can get a sedative from the vet if you think they need it.
If you really want to drive, you could rent a truck. Then you could stop now and then and let them out of their carriers to use the litter box and eat. You wouldn't have to open the door and risk their getting loose.
I drove my pets (but no cats) from Seattle to Los Angeles in a rented truck. My daughter and I slept on a foam mattress in the truck also. We stayed in campgrounds, and once in a church parking lot. It worked fine. The thing was, I had so many pets that it would have been rather expensive to fly them all.
I'd recommend bringing bottled water or water from the home you are leaving, to make sure they don't get upset tummies from unfamiliar water.

Answer 3

I just flew across country with my dog. I don't know what area's of the country you are coming from or going to, but you will need to contact the airline to find out if they accept pets this time of year at all of your connections.. Delta, American Airlines are the only two airlines that I could find that would ship a pet in October. If your cat is small enough to fit into a small carrier then you can carry it on board with you and it can sit under your seat. If your cat has to go into the cargo section I would suggest freezing small water bowls that will fit on it's cage so that it will have something to drink. You can't feed an animal during travel, I put a blanket and a toy in the cage with my dog and he did just fine..
You may want to check the www.delta.com for more tips on traveling with animals.. Good Luck
And for everyone who says the cargo area isn't pressurized-- It is!! It may not be on all airlines, but with Delta and American it is.

Answer 4

We drove form Britsh Columbia to Ontario with a cat. We kept her in a crate and when we stopped for a rest we took her out of the crate and let her use the litter box. We put it on the floor of the car and cleaned it as soon as she did her business. I'd get a harness made for cats so that you could let her out to get fresh air. There is an all natural sedative called Rescue Remedy.

Answer 5

If you do fly your cat, make sure you can take it on as hand luggage and put them under your seat. Like someone previously said, although the people would take good care of your cat if it was in with cargo, the cabins it would be taken in are not pressurised. The cat may not be able to get enough oxygen, especially if it's sedated, and will quite possibly not make it. When sedated the cat can't conciously control its breathing, and so suffocation or whatever you call a lack of oxygen is incredibly likely. It is not worth the risk, and the risk is a big one. Either drive the cat or take it as hand luggage. Please don't risk its life.

Answer 6

I wouldn't let the cats either fly or drive. They don['t have the attention span to do either safely. Also they are dangerously stupid.

As for the sedative, I recommend that if you need one, to go to your Dr. instead of trying to save a buck by taking animal tranquilizers

It's best if you avoid litter. Most communities frown on the practice nowadays.

Answer 7

On a bypass from Oregon to Alaska..... We had 2 dogs and one cat ! the first morning my spouse's cousin knocked on the inn room door to wake us ! We were on Pacific time and he change into on Mountain time..... so we were an hour previous due ! The dogs all started barking, and at the same time as the spouse opened the door the cat change into waiting and made a smash ! My spouse spent 40 minutes searching for him ! I stated allow's bypass ! had to get our luggage packed and moved to the vehicles, plus the dogs ! I stated "If he does no longer opt for to cooperate will purely leave his *** the following !" He ought to of heard me...... As I carried the luggage out to position in the vehicles, the following he got here a crying ! Then my spouse blended-up her meds and the puppy downers................... She change into no longer any help with the utilising that day ! From that I discovered.......... One......... keep meds separate ! 2........Get a reliable comfortable harness for the cats and leave on them till your vacation spot ! also, the cat continues to be in his cage ninety p.c. of the time ! Sorry pal ! Amtrak isn't an option ! they received't enable your 4 cats !

Answer 8

Holy smokes, you have cats that can drive? Amazing. LOL

Now that I had some fun, I say they just need to be in the back seat, at least mine were driving from NY to Sand Diego. They were very welbehaved also.

Answer 9

If you fly a pet, they get loaded in with the cargo, in a non-pressurized cabin. It's really bad for them, and I'm told alot of animals don't make it through. You'd think they'd have fixed that problem by now, but they haven't. Check with your airline to see about their arrangements for pets, but personally I would figure out how to drive with them.

Answer 10

hmm i'm sure cats in a car is better. I'm not sure about this but I think that airlines usually don't allow pets..but maybe if they are in a carrier. hmm ask the airline what your options are. If they aren't that great then driving is best.