Flying or driving animals

Ksahlberg

We are planning a move cross country (CT to CA).

I've heard flying causes an animal a lot of stress. However, a drive that takes about 4 days will be a pain in the ass for my cat who hates to drive 10 minutes, my Maltese, on the other hand, doesn't mind car rides, but gets kind of car sick after 3 hours of straight driving.

What should I do?  

[Poll]

PurposelyVague

I drove cross country with my cat 13 years ago. I will start out by saying that it was not always fun. I had a litter box in the car and would let her out of her crate inside the car to try to use it, but she would never use it until we were stopped at the hotel. I also tried a cat leash to take her outside at rest stops, but that freaked her out. That being said, I think it was probably an easier experience for her than if we had flown and I would drive again if I had the option and needed to move with my pets.

NotJennay

I feel like there was a thread about this recently. 

My opinion (I think a minority around here) depends on how you'd fly your cat. Last time I was waiting to pick up my dog from a being shipped cargo, I saw an AA employee swinging around an empty cat kennel asking who shipped the cat?" After seeing that, I would never fly a cat in cargo, but if you can ship your car and fly with your cat under your seat, in the cabin, and you personally prefer to fly over driving, I think flying is the way to go.

Edit:  For some reason I thought you had two cats, not a cat and a dog, but a Maltese should also be able to fit under the seat.  You and your husband would both have to fly and you'd have to ship both of your cars, because you can't have two different types of animals in the same carrier.  

Shipping two cars ~$1800, airfare one way for two people ~$350, in cabin airfare two pets ~$200, plus shipping your stuff (assuming you don't have a ton of stuff) ~$3,000; total ~$5,350.  It really adds up to both fly and ship everything, but it's much easier than driving.  It just depends on your relo budget and your preferences.   

Temp156375187504535

I worked for a boarding facility in Atlanta and we had a client fly his cats in while he and his wife drove cross country. I went and picked them up from cargo and we kept them for a few days till the owners came to get them. They were fine. If it were my cat I would fly with her and have the hubs drive with the dog.

PurposelyVague

I don't understand why anyone would opt to fly their pets alone to leave with ppl for a couple of days when they could have just taken them with them on the road trip.

ndolehan

Take both pets to your vet. They might be able to prescribe something for upset tummies and car ride stress.

VABeach08

From everyone I know who's done it (we adopted here), flying is pretty tough on dogs.  We're seriously considering x-Atlantic sailing to avoid the stress on our dog when we move back home.

If it were me, I'd drive the dog CT to CA for sure.  I voted for the fly/drive option if one person needs to be out to CA sooner to get settled/sign in to work/whatever.  If you can both take the time, that would be better.  I've done x-country drives (w/o pets) a couple times and while it does get old/long, there's a lot of pretty country to see.

Good Luck w/ your move.

laptopprancer

PurposelyVague:

I don't understand why anyone would opt to fly their pets alone to leave with ppl for a couple of days when they could have just taken them with them on the road trip.

I would never even attempt to drive my two cats cross-country.

There is nofuckingway.

 

WeldersWife

I'm in the minority I guess. I would fly them out, provided they are healthy, vax'd and possibly given something for the stress. We flew our TWC puppy out to us, from CA to MI. We weren't going to take a road trip to pick him up. 

breaness

laptopprancer:

PurposelyVague:

I don't understand why anyone would opt to fly their pets alone to leave with ppl for a couple of days when they could have just taken them with them on the road trip.

I would never even attempt to drive my two cats cross-country.

There is nofuckingway.

 

Ditto this. I wouldn't drive across country to begin with, but certainly not with cats in tow. 

mrs.jacinthe

We've moved cross-country 3x now and it doesn't really get any easier.  Here's my $0.02:

1. Drive both animals.  Flying is so hard on them and everyone else in the cabin, too.  (Imagine having a horrible cat allergy and being cooped up in a tin can with a stressed, shedding, howling cat.  Yikes!)

2. Take longer than 4 days.  I have found that the maximum hours our critters can stand is about 8-10 hours.  We took 5 days last time to drive from OH to CA, albeit with 2 cats and a dog.  You will also want to plan what/how you're going to eat your meals (whether or not it will be cool enough to leave the pets in the car while you eat) and where you will sleep (Motel 6 doesn't charge extra for pets).

3. Look into your restraint options.  Neither of my cats would love being cooped in a carrier 8-10 hours a day for 6 days, but they are both just fine being harnessed in with a blanket and allowed to sleep the days away.  The maximum howling I've experienced is an hour.  Which sucked, but it's better than the horrible sound effects I'd be subjected to if they were in carriers.