Plane Rides

[John Popp]

Nice post Kim! That's like an instruction manual for a product not made in the pacific rim. For us it's kind of a coin flip between driving and flying when we pick up our new kitten, 5 hours on the road or a 4 hour combo of driving, waiting, flying. Either way it's tough on the kitten, but hopefully it will be easier on them following your tips.

 

[admin]

I have flown twice now to pick up F1s. I've learned the following with my limited experience:
-Soft Side SMALL carrier for under the seat in front
-Ask the breeder to put a small square of fleece(or other cloth) with the baby at home a week or so before you pick kitten up. You can then put the cloth in the carrier with the kitten and they at least get the smell of their original home.
-Make sure you have kitten's health certificate with you at check in. They may OR may not look at it.
-Ticket was inexpensive in the grand scheme of the cost of your kitten. $140 I think, maybe less.
-Don't feed the kitten the morning of your flight.
-At security you will need to remove the kitten from the carrier. Don't put them down...even for a second. Be prepared to be asked A LOT of questions by complete strangers.
-Your kitten will likely cycle through being calm and sleeping to crying and scratching the carrier to get out. This is normal!
-Once in the air I was able to put the carrier on my lap and slip my hand inside to pet/calm baby.
-Pack in your carry on: unscented baby wipes and plastic bag IN CASE of an accident (We never had one either time), a small baggie of dry kibble IN CASE you are stranded at an airport for longer than anticipated.

That's all I can think of! Picking up your kitten in person is a MUST IMO!

Also, if stranded, having some litter and a small litterbox helps....

 

[Coolcat]

I have flown twice now to pick up F1s. I've learned the following with my limited experience:
-Soft Side SMALL carrier for under the seat in front
-Ask the breeder to put a small square of fleece(or other cloth) with the baby at home a week or so before you pick kitten up. You can then put the cloth in the carrier with the kitten and they at least get the smell of their original home.
-Make sure you have kitten's health certificate with you at check in. They may OR may not look at it.
-Ticket was inexpensive in the grand scheme of the cost of your kitten. $140 I think, maybe less.
-Don't feed the kitten the morning of your flight.
-At security you will need to remove the kitten from the carrier. Don't put them down...even for a second. Be prepared to be asked A LOT of questions by complete strangers.
-Your kitten will likely cycle through being calm and sleeping to crying and scratching the carrier to get out. This is normal!
-Once in the air I was able to put the carrier on my lap and slip my hand inside to pet/calm baby.
-Pack in your carry on: unscented baby wipes and plastic bag IN CASE of an accident (We never had one either time), a small baggie of dry kibble IN CASE you are stranded at an airport for longer than anticipated.

That's all I can think of! Picking up your kitten in person is a MUST IMO!

Thanks, Kim! (Coolcat's wife here) Sounds like you're one busy woman! Did it take quite awhile for your cats to get used to one another? You wouldn't happen to be the owner of Tater Salad, would you? Coolcat told me about the SV...I got such a chuckle over the unique name (I just love potato salad) that I wanted to see a photo.

 

[Wyldthingz]

I have flown a few times to pick up a kitten, flow with cats and kittens to shows etc. It was more stressful on me than on the kitten. I found areas where I could take the kitten out, with a walking jacket, while waiting for connecting flights and play with them. Southwest is more allowable to this than United. United squacked at me once in front of the boarding area. Some smaller airports are less picky. If they get on you, just walk to a different area as most airports are large enough to do so. I have never had one poop, pee, or get worked up on a flight. Sometimes they meow a little but a tired kitten is a sleepy kitten so playing is key here.

My second F1 was very young and I flew with her from Chicago to California with no issues. Everyone loved to see her and ask about her, but some old lady that said she looked like a wild animal with a killer instinct and moved away from my seat. I think she was the sweetest cat I have had since so not sure where the "killer instinct" comment came from?!

 

[Wyldthingz]

Also, if stranded, having some litter and a small litterbox helps....

Sturdi makes a small collapsible litter box that is ideal for travel. Mukee (F5) will use it without litter but paper towels. Joyce Pierce of Mirage cats likes to find the "family bathrooms" to let her cats out to run and do their thing. I don't know if I would do that with a young kitten whose immune system is still developing but an older one definitely.

 

[Coolcat]

I have flown a few times to pick up a kitten, flow with cats and kittens to shows etc. It was more stressful on me than on the kitten. I found areas where I could take the kitten out, with a walking jacket, while waiting for connecting flights and play with them. Southwest is more allowable to this than United. United squacked at me once in front of the boarding area. Some smaller airports are less picky. If they get on you, just walk to a different area as most airports are large enough to do so. I have never had one poop, pee, or get worked up on a flight. Sometimes they meow a little but a tired kitten is a sleepy kitten so playing is key here.

My second F1 was very young and I flew with her from Chicago to California with no issues. Everyone loved to see her and ask about her, but some old lady that said she looked like a wild animal with a killer instinct and moved away from my seat. I think she was the sweetest cat I have had since so not sure where the "killer instinct" comment came from?!

She probably wasn't a cat lover. Looks like Triton will be about 4 1/2 months old before he makes his first flight. Does age make any difference when it comes to traveling? I like your comment on it being less stressful for the kitten. Coolcat gets antsy on a flight from PA to the West Indies. Guess I'm thankful that I'm not going too...a stressed kitten and husband would probably be too much for me to handle!

 

[Coolcat]

Sturdi makes a small collapsible litter box that is ideal for travel. Mukee (F5) will use it without litter but paper towels. Joyce Pierce of Mirage cats likes to find the "family bathrooms" to let her cats out to run and do their thing. I don't know if I would do that with a young kitten whose immune system is still developing but an older one definitely.

That's what we were thinking...restrooms are so nasty, no matter how hard the poor custodian tries to keep up. Will have to check out the collapsible litter box. I know airlines have a 3 oz. restriction on liquids, but what about litter? Is it best just to use paper towel/newspaper?

 

[admin]

That's what we were thinking...restrooms are so nasty, no matter how hard the poor custodian tries to keep up. Will have to check out the collapsible litter box. I know airlines have a 3 oz. restriction on liquids, but what about litter? Is it best just to use paper towel/newspaper?

When one of my kitten buyers was flying to the Netherlands with one of my kittens, they had all the items Kim mentioned, but I had given them litter and a small litterbox as well, just in case...they were at JFK for seven hours and then had a seven hour flight.

You can use litter at the airport and that may be best, since the kitten is used to litter. Ask Arden what type of litter she uses and then have hubby buy some or get some from Arden before the flight.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Exactly as Paige says, get a small ziplock baggy of whatever type of litter Arden is using to take with you. The Sturdi folding litterboxes are great, but we tend to have them because we use them for shows etc... there are folding cardboard ones that I've gotten free at shows, not sure if you can buy them anywhere. Feline Pine made some of them, and IAMS logo was all over some others...

 

[Patti]

Pet Club usually carries the folded cardboard litterboxes, if there is one near-by...