Pets
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Relocation: Airplanes and cats
There is a possibility I will be relocating from Japan to the east coast. While living here for the past few years I have adopted two cats. I have never flown with them and I am wondering what the best option would be.
Would you try to do the least amount of stops? More stops? Over the course of a few days and in hotels? I would like to think the less stops the better but again, I've never traveled with pets on an airplane.
Also, on such long flights, how are they able to use the restroom and eat? I would prefer to have them in the cabin but I'm wondering because of the flight length if a bigger carrier under the plane would be better? Worse?
Any help/advise would be greatly appreciated.
Re: Relocation: Airplanes and cats
I have never flown with my pets, so take this as just what my opinion on what I would do. I would personally want to keep my cats in the cabin with me if possible. I am not sure I could trust anyone else with them.
The whole trip will be stressful for them, so I think the quickest way you can get them to their final destination the better. Every transition is another stressor, so I would avoid doing lots of extra stops and just get it over with.
They likely will not eat or use the litterbox, but I would suggest using a layer of disposable pads in the bottom of the carrier just in case. You can use Feliway spray to help calm them.
Make sure you have all of the necessary vaccinations required well in advance as well.
http://www.state.gov/m/fsi/tc/c10442.htm
All of this. I have no idea how long a direct flight is, but if you can do it in 12 to 14 hours or less, I think that's the idea way to go. Even if you schedule breaks/layovers, it's likely to be difficult to convince your cats to eat/go to the bathroom (and I have no idea how you'd figure out a little box situation).
Other thoughts on flying a cats in cabin vs. cargo:
- If your cats are in cabin you can keep an eye on them the whole time and possibly get a prescription for a sedative, whereas you should never do a sedativie in cargo.
- If you have a layover, and the cats are in cargo, they will likely be outside, though under a covered area, but exposed to the elements.
- The cargo is pressurized but not necessarily climate controlled.
- In cabin, there's no risk that your cats' kennel will pop open during transition, letting them escape (if only because of this reason, I would fly them in cabin).
- IMO the softsided cabin kennels look much more comfortable than the hard cargo ones.
- It's a little cheaper to fly cabin than cargo.
Edit: To clarify, the above comment about eating/eliminating in only applicable if you fly the cat in cabin. In cargo situations, once the pet is in the kennel, it doesn't come out of the kennel until you pick it up from baggage claim and usually it is not fed (though you can attach a watering bottle).
You are correct. I have to take a 2 hour flight to an international airport, then from there to the US. The more direct way to fly is small hop to tokyo and then to to a major airport on the east coast. It will take an entire day to get there (done it before but without pets). Flying a route with a layover on the west coast, I leave at noon in Japan and get to the east coast late at night (translates to roughly 34 hours of travel). It sucks for a human so I know it will be worse for them.
It is possible to do a stopover in LA.
The other issue I'm coming up against is I have two cats. From reading online it seems I can only take one pet in cabin. Has anyone had any luck with convincing an airline to waive this? Would I purchase a second seat for this reason? The first 2 hour hop - the airline will not allow them in cabin but will give me hard cases to use in lieu of soft cases I would use on the remainder of the flights.
For all of the reasons another poster stated (possible opening of cages, climate control, exposure to the elements) I'm do not want to put my babies in cargo. I want to be able to be there next to them.
They love their wet food and some isn't terribly smelly but you do bring up a good point about dehydration. Thank you so much for giving me more questions to ask. I have an appointment with their vet next week about the move. These are my kids and I want to make sure I do what is right for them.
I not sure how you get in touch with folks individually on TN, but you should try to talk to the OP from this thread: http://community.thenest.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/63070771.aspx
You both have very similiar situations (trying to get two cats into the States, though she has to do one in cargo due to its size). She might have some other ideas and tips for you (like the discussions about soft carrirers in the thread and her reference to travel kits you can buy if you end up having to do one of your's in cargo). I'm afraid my firsthand experience is limited to flying with a dog and only domestically, so your follow up questions are outside of my experience.