Air Travel for Cats

By The Daily Cat experts

Pet air travel is a booming business now, given the global economy, the number of housecats, the available vacation options for pets and their people, the growing need to relocate, and more. Luckily, special services are now available to accommodate you and your pet’s needs with safer and more individualized help.

You might consider contacting Animal Land Pet Movers, based in Atlanta. You would be assigned a “personal move counselor” who’d work with you to schedule a flight, prepare your pet and even arrange for pick-up to and from the destinations.

You mentioned flying, but depending on where your cat has to go, you might first look into ground transportation for your pet. The company Pets on Board Transport LLC, for example, uses custom vans and RVs to move pets.

If you are still interested in air travel for your cat and would like to make the arrangements yourself, you might look into Pet Airways, which puts traveling cats and dogs in the main cabin and not in the cargo area. Here are a few preparation tips:

• You’ll need a health certificate from your cat’s veterinarian that is issued no more than 14 days prior to travel.
• Do not feed your cat within 4 hours of traveling.
• Discuss pros and cons of using a sedative with your veterinarian.
• If you wish to transport multiple pets, each must be in its own carrier.