Help! We are moving to germany (air force) and are taking our cat. Any tips on how to keep him calm in flight?

Question

Our cat freaks out on a 20 minute car trip! Now he is going to have to deal with 12 hours+ in a plane. I have been taking him on car rides to get him used to being in his carrier. Has anyone flown internationally with cats before and can share their experiences? Thanks!

Answer 1

Put some Dido on his iPod.

Answer 2

Go to the vet and get the kitty downers mentioned above. He'll take a nice 8-10 hour nap and be pretty groggy for another hour or two afterwards. Depending on where you're flying out of, try to get onto one of the Lufthansa direct flights into Frankfurt. They're a United partner and they dual-code w/ a United flight number. Because of the United number, it's considered a US flight... a loophole in the JFTR. :)

Additional things to think of and plan ahead... Germany requires some intense paperwork & other requirements.

Rabies shots - Germany does not recognize the 3-year shots the US gives. It has to be given every year. Ensure the shot has been given within a year of your departure.

There is a 3 page form that your vet has to fill out in BLUE ink only. Our vet charged $65 just to fill it out.

Once that form is done, it has to be submitted to the US Department of Agriculture for review/approval. They'll stamp it. The German Customs officials have asked to see ours 2 out of three times in the airport.

Within 10 days of departure, you have to get a current health certificate. The airline will check this form before you depart.

Answer 3

I would imagine that the vet can tranqualize him. That would probably be best. That having been said PLEASE look into how best to safely secure a pet for traveling. I'm not an expert on the subject but I know there are a number of good precautions that you can and should take. MOST IMPORTANT: If you are flying commercial PLEASE call the airline NOW and ask about carrying the cat in the cabin with you. Most airlines will allow this but they may restrict it to one animal per flight. It is much safer for your cat this way.

Two other thoughts: 1. Give him the tranquilizer BEFORE he gets in the carrier. You want him sleepy before he realizes there is a trip. 2. Would it help if you covered the carrier with a blanket?

Answer 4

Your vet can prescribe a tranquilizer called Acepromazine. This is your best bet, although OTC Benadryl -(not the kinds with Acetaminophen in them though) will knock the cat out for a while. However, on a 12 hour flight anything you give is bound to wear off. Call the airline and see what their guidelines is for dispensing in flight medications. The Acepromazine is usually give every 4-6 hours.

Answer 5

When I moved from the UK to Cyprus, I brought my 17 year old cat with me. She had to travel in the hold of the aircraft, in a heated area away from the luggage. The vet recommended against using any type of sedative, as he explained that if there is any air-turbulence during the flight, that she wouldn't be able to steady herself in her carrier. Instead he suggested spraying the interior of her carrier with Feliway or placing an unwashed item of my clothing in there, as the familiar scent would be comforting to her. She was fine when we arrived in Cyprus and quickly settled in to our new home.

When I later moved to France for 8 months, I brought her with me again, only this time the airline allowed her to travel in the cabin and I was able to purchase a seat ticket for her carrier. I was a little wary of how she might behave, but she was as good as gold and never made a sound. She even slept for a while, so I figure she was fairly relaxed. She never liked travelling by car and used to be very vocal, but I guess they can feel the motion in a car much more than on a plane.

A lot of people have successfully used Bach Flower Remedies instead of sedatives to calm cats for travel etc. The link below explains which ones to use and how to administer them.

http://www.critterchat.net/bach.htm

Make sure you buy a carrier that's large enough for your cat to turn around and lay down in. Line it with several inches of shredded paper and then put an old towel or blanket on top. That way if he gets "caught short" during the flight, there's enough room in the box for him to move away from the damp patch.

I'm sure that if my 17 year old cat coped so well with 3 flights in a 12 month period, that your cat will be just fine too.

Answer 6

My husband and I took our 2 year old cat with us home for the holidays (11 hour drive each way, both Thanksgiving and Christmas). Everything actually went very well, but I think we also just have a really mellow cat. Some things that worked for us: -Bringing a crate and a harness/leash, so that our cat couldn't bolt out of the car when we stopped. -Bringing our cat's litter box with a small amount of litter (she never used it, but it gave us piece of mind) -We did not give our cat food or water for several hours before the trip (to prevent carsickness and trips to the litter box; although we did give our cat small amounts of water during the trip, and she never did use the litter box) -We also packed a few toys and played with our kitty during the trip; it also provided us with entertainment during the long car ride. Our vet suggested that we take short car rides with our cat first to gage their comfort in the car and did let us know that some cats do travel better with sedatives. You may want to call your vet and ask if that is an option.

Answer 7

I would highly suggest taking him to the vet and ask for a perscription that will make him sleepy.

We have flown with our cat and she does well with this. They will give you one pill to give to your cat a half hour or so before leaving. We were given 5mg of Acepromazine. She will be very groggy..and will probably sleep the whole time, like ours did. This medication can mess with a cats blood pressure though, which is why only one is given every 12 hours or so, and a vet will be able to tell you if this is o.k. for your cat.

Answer 8

Never a good idea to use tranqualizers while in cargo and not being observed.

But you can use product (natural ones) like they have at Revival animal or Pettravelstore

I have clients use the one called "Rescue Rememdy" it seems to help a little.
You might also want to get our DryFur pads since you can almost count on them having wetting accidents for that long of a ride and nothing more distressing than a urine soaked cat locked in a pet carrier for hours

Answer 9

Share your concerns with your cat's vet. A mild sedative may help your cat relax. If a sedative is prescribed make sure you try it well before the flight so your vet can adjust the dosage or change medicines if you cat doesn't respond well.

Answer 10

i havent flown internationally with a cat, but i have travelled with animals before on long trips. something i suggest, is covering the cage with a blanket or towel, and leave plenty of cushion on the inside. that normally keeps the majority of the animals ive traveled with under control.

Answer 11

Speak with your vet about some sort of calming tab or tranqulizer. Or Do a google search. I have 2 cats and neither has a problem with traveling.