What's the best way to take a cat on an airplane? Are natural calming agents like "Rescue Remedy" a good idea?

Question

We will take a long, transatlantic flight from Europe to the USA so metal detectors are an issue. The cats will be on board: one is more nervous than the other. We have read about "Feliway" and "Rescue Remedy" as good, natural calming remedies. We plan to start getting the cats used to getting in the carrier and going for short drives in the car as they will have to go to the airport. Any tips or advice are appreciated! BFG

Answer 1

I've heard good things about Rescue Remedy, and it worked pretty well for my friend's dogs, but it only worked for a short while. If it keeps them calm through airport security though, then it's worth it.

Whatever you do, don't use prescription sedatives. I used those for my cat, and she would up even more nervous because of the effect on her body. She didn't know she was susposed to go to sleep, fought the effects, and would up even more upset than if I hadn't given her anything!

If it's any help, no one will be able to hear your kitties meowing over the roar of the engines. My cat meowed throughout the flight, and even though she was right under my seat, I could barely hear her. Since it's a long flight, your cats may be upset at first, but they should settle down and go to sleep.

Things I learned the hard way: Clip your cats nails right before the flight, or get your vet to do it, because you have to take the cats out of their carriers and walk them through the metal detector in your arms. If you don't clip the claws, you will be shredded!

It really helped me to train my cat to accept a harness and leash. Even though she would not walk on a leash, I felt better knowing that if she bolted, she wouldn't go far, since I was firmly holding my end of the leash. It really did a lot for my peace of mind, and you can find inexpensive figure eight harnesses designed for cats, with a leash already built into the design.

Don't feed or water your cats for a few hours before the flight. They will be less distressed if they don't have to pee or poop.

Don't worry about providing a litter box. They will be too scared to use it. My cat held her bladder and bowels for 20 hours without ill effects.

And, please don't even think about opening the carrier while in mid flight! :)
Once the cat is out of the bag, she's really hard to put back in!

Carry some food and water (and bowls( with you so the cat can have a snack when you land. Soft food in those little pouches is easiest (and less messy) and cats are more willing to eat soft food than hard food, and a meal is important in case their blood sugar dropped.

Make sure you carry all cat related documents (health certificate, immunizations, etc) in one place, so you aren't scrambling to find them at check in.

Good luck with your flight!

Answer 2

Hi there, Oh poor little kitty. Can I just ask - when you say he 'runs about' - do you mean that you don't put him in a pet carrier? Is he running about inside your car? If so, you need to get a pet carrier. Cats will often settle and go to sleep in the carrier - they feel more secure than if they are let free in the car. If your cat is in a cat carrier, but simply hates travelling, I suggest you speak to your vet who will be able to give you advice. 6 hours is a very long time for your cat to be travelling, but I understand that you need to move house! It sounds cruel, but it is best not to feed your cat before a long journey, to stop them from eliminating during the trip. If your vet cannot help, would it be at all possible for you to break the journey up by stopping somewhere half way overnight? Some hotels will accept pets. Another suggestion is to try and train him to get used to car journeys. First, try putting him in his carrier and feeding him treats. Keep him in there for a short while, put him in the car but don't drive the car anywhere. After 5 or 10 minutes, give him another treat and take him home. Gradually increase the amount of time he spends in the carrier inside the car. Once you've reached 30 minutes and he is relatively calm, you can try taking a short drive with him next time. Give him treats and speak to him calmly throughout. Give him his favourite food afterwards and play with him using his favourite toy. Cats often associate objects and situations with pleasure or discomfort. If you can try to teach your cat that going in the car means something good for him, this is the key. Good luck xx Emmie

Answer 3

Some cats travel better than others. Someone sat beside me on a flight and his cat was under the seat for most of the ride. She didn't make a sound.

My cat, on the other hand, hated traveling. He would scream so loud and so much, people in the airport would tell him to hush. I would put him in his carrier and check him in as cargo.

When I did a road trip, the vet told me to give him half a Dramamine to put him to sleep. It worked pretty well.

Answer 4

Hi there...Rescue Remedy is excellent for helping a nervous cat and by getting the cats used to traveling in their crates by going on short drives is perfect. This helps them get used to motion and noise to densitize them as well. Consider also adding catnip to the crates during travel. For some reason it also has come euphoric effects which can then be relaxing for cats.

Here' are some articles on how to fly safely and well with cats: http://pets.yahoo.com/pets/cats/hn/travel_checklist
http://www.fabcats.org/travelling_with_your_cat.html
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/travel2.html

Answer 5

I use Feliway faithfully for it is the best product for calming cats. You would not be disappointed if you try the spray it works the best. I was not impressed with the diffuser.

Answer 6

benadryl is a good way to calm them down.