I'm in college, and I did what every pet lover wants to do when they leave home to go live on their own. I adopted a furry companion. When it came the time for me to go on Thanksgiving break, I decided to take her back home with me. I can barely make my own flights on my own when I'm flying, but now I was in charge of getting myself home and my cat. It may not seem that complicated, but with the experience I had, I wish I knew more about flying with pets before I went to the airport that day.
I missed my first flight, but that was because I woke up late like usual. The second flight I tried to make, I was rejected from, because my cat carrier was not airline approved.
After getting to the airport with my terrified cat, I had to take her all the way back to my apartment, then to petco. I got her a new carrier and headed to the airport, again, as we were too late for another flight. After her throwing up in her new carrier, me carrying her through security, and four missed flights later, we finally made it home. It was an exhausting day. So to help any other pet lovers have an easier trip, I'm going to give you the steps and some tips for taking your cat or small dog on a plane.
1. Before your trip, call your airline and reserve a spot for your pet. The earlier you do this the better because only a certain amount of pets are allowed on board as a carry-on.
TIP: Your pet can be checked and travel with the luggage, but I prefer carry-on because there have been accidents due to turbulence, temperature, etc.
2. Make sure your carrier is airline approved: different airlines might have different size requirements. You can check online, or there are carriers guaranteed to be the correct size at your local pet store. Your carrier must fit under the seat in front of you.
Link to guaranteed-approval carriers:http://www.sherpapet.com
3. At your local pet store, they sell medication, treats, and mists to lower your cat or dogs stress and anxiety. It might sound funny, but believe me, most of them really work, and it will help your pet stay calm through their travels.
Links to these calming aids:
http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/c...
http://www.petsmart.com/cat/food-and-health/vitami...
TIP: Bring treats or mist with you on your trip /on the plane for when your pet gets anxious.
4. Do not feed your cat the day of your flight or at least not for a few hours before, because in the car or on the plane they do get nauseous, and they will throw up or go to the bathroom.
5. Put a towel or blanket down in the carrier so they're comfortable and put in a few toys they can play with.
6. Once you get to the airport you will have to pay a fee for your pet to fly. The cost is different depending on your airline, but it is usually in the range of $75.00-$150.00.
7. When you go through security at the airport, you will need to take your pet out of its carrier and carry them through with you.
TIP: It's a good idea to have a collar and tag on your pet, and maybe a small leash or harness on them just in case.
8. Good luck, and fly safe with your furry friend!