Conference misery::feline_v1

    Bryan,
    I travel with my cats alot and would be interested in the survey.
    Unfortunately, I don't have my terminal at home up yet and I will
    only be in the office for another 5 minutes (stopped by to visit
    Jan and pick up my pay stubs)  Could you send mail to Jan and maybe
    whe could forward it to me.  
    
    Thanks alot - and thanks again for your help with my terminal at
    home.
    
    Jo Ann

    We will be moving in a month or so and it looks like the easiest way to
    get our two cats to the new location will be to ship them by airline. 
    We have mentioned this to our vet and he suggested tranqualizers for
    the trip (Boston --> Atlanta).  One cat is 2.5 years old, but the other
    is around 15.  Neither like being cooped up in the pet taxis and the
    older one tends to break her claws trying th scratch her way out.
    
    The vet has suggested against giving the 15 year old anything for the
    trip because of her age.  I can understand this, but now we're
    wondering how 6 to 7 hours in the pet taxi will effect her...
    
    The tranqualizer may not be good for her, but neither can 6 or 7 hours
    of stress and fright.
    
    Has anyone 'mailed' an older cat any distance?  What are your
    experiences and suggestions?
    
    Thanks
    Dave

    Dave is there any way you can drive down to Atlanta.  I think it
    would be easier on the cats even in their pet taxis if they were
    with you and you could talk to them and comfort them.
    You'd have to let them out carefully to use the litter box and stretch
    some, but this would be my choice over mailing them.   
    
    Also, some motels allow cats so there shouldn't be a problem with
    resting overnight.
    
    

    I haven't shipped any really older cats, but I extensive experience
    shipping cats.  I never use tranquilizers.  I think it is harder
    on them than just letting them get through it.  Some suggestions
    though.  Trim your older cats nails so that she can't hook them
    on the wire and pull them out.  The pain will make her even more
    upset if she does.  Make a carrier cover out of fabric to protect
    the cats from the cold, and from the airline workers sticking their
    faces in for a peek.  Also, it will shield her from having to see
    other scary things in the cargo, like D-O-G-S.  Get the carrier
    out now, and start taking her around on errands with you.  Try feeding
    her in the carrier at home.  Leave the carrier out in the middle
    of your living room so that the cats can explore it and get used
    to it.  Right now, they have probably only gone in a carrrier when
    going to the vet, so they associate it with that.  You want to try
    and get them to associate it with a positive experience.
    
    Now, on the matter of Airlines.  I have had great success using
    Delta Dash service.  You pay a flat fee of $99.95 per carrier, and
    they hand carry the cat from the ticket counter of the airport,
    to the plane, and then the cat is picked up in the baggage area
    when the plane arrives.  The advantages, the cat only has to be there
    about 1/2 hour before the flight, and you pick her up as soon as
    they bring in the baggage.  The cat will travel on a passenger plane.
    
    With other types of shipping, the cat is part of cargo, and has
    to be delivered to the cargo section of the airport (often somewhere
    other than the terminal), and has to be there at least *two hours*
    before the flight, and then it takes them two hours to unload the
    cat at the destination.  So, you are adding four extra hours of
    carrier time onto the trip.  The only benefit of this type of service
    is that it cost less.  Average about $70.
    
    I heartily recommend Delta Dash.  I use it almost exclusively now.
    
    Jo

Jo is much more an expert on this than I, but I thought I remembered some
airlines (at least) won't CARGO-fly a live animal in the winter due to
the cold.  Especially for an older cat, I would be very concerned about
the temperature the cat is exposed to.  Is there any way you or your
spouse could fly on the same flight with the cat?  That would minimize
the trauma and keep temperatures more reasonable for an older cat.
Other than that, the Delta dash sounds like the best deal yet.
 One other suggestion:  get yourselves to the destination and then
have a friend ship the cats to you.  A familiar voice at the end of
the trip can be very helpful.  I would also wait until you have your
home somewhat settled before shipping the cats to the new destination
if possible.  As much as they might miss you, a cat is a creature of
habit - they get very stressed out with lots of confusion going on.
They would be better off in a kennel for a week or two (a GOOD kennel)
rather than lost out the door at the new home while you try to move
in.

    I flew a bunch of cats last season - Delta, Piedmont, and USair.
    Some of them went with us in cabin, but other went in cargo.
    From what the airlines say now, is that the cargo area for
    pets is very comfortable and temperature controlled.  The
    cats were fine when they came off - didn't seem too upset.
    Keep in mind, that these kids are being trucked around to
    shows regularly - so they were used to some sort of regular
    

    I have heard a number of horror stories about pets freezing to death when
    left in loading areas during flight delays or missed connections,
    or when the cargo hold is unheated (contrary to what the airlines
    tell you on the phone).  Sometimes cargo areas are not even
    pressurized.  Also suffocating if their carrier is packed
    in too tightly by surrounding baggage.  If at all possible I
    would take them in the car (in carriers, and with suitable cautions
    about not letting them roam free in an "unguarded" hotel
    room, etc. or take them in the passenger cabin with you (you have to
    call the airline and make arrangements for this ahead of time).
    

    The last cat I flew went cargo ... American Airlines from Boston to
    SanFrancisco non-stop.  Always use a non-stop flight if you can,
    otherwise, make sure that the cats don't have to change planes.  
    
    The carrier covers are a good idea, especially in the winter time. 
    But, some airlines won't let you use them....American wouldn't let us
    leave the cover on during the flight to San Francisco.  
    
    Good Luck
    cin
    

    Take them in the car with you. By the time you reach the Connecticut
    border they will be settled down and will be GREAT the rest of the
    way. Most Holiday Inns will allow pets, and use disposable litter
    boxes and you will be in Georgia before you know it saying, that
    was a lot easier than I ever thought it could be.
    
    This is the voice of experience talking. New Hampshire to Ohio.
    (space of time has passed) Ohio to Florida, (space of time has passed)
    Florida to Ohio, (space of time has passed) Ohio to New Hampshire.
    
    I know could take my two anywhere.
    
    Barbara
    

RE:  < Note 649.9 by WOODRO::IVES >

>    Take them in the car with you. By the time you reach the Connecticut
>    border they will be settled down and will be GREAT the rest of the
>    way. Most Holiday Inns will allow pets, and use disposable litter

Just a cautionary note, I once drove down to New Jersey with Maxwell who
is a talkative black cat not usually given to very loud noises.  I speak
from my personal experience that a cat can howl loudly for at least 5
hours of a 5-1/2 hour drive!!  He did the same thing coming back, by 
which time I was seriously trying to figure out how to attach his carrier
to the roof  8^)

Not all cats settle down, although I would agree with Barbara that many of
them do.

    
Jan  who_is_only_taking_2_of_10_to_NJ_this_Christmas

    Cin, what about when I took Stripes to Ohio?  He flew cargo I think????
    He seemed to hold up pretty well.
    
    E.

    Yup, Stripees flew in cargo, but the flight was non-stop, and they let
    us keep his carrier cover on...do you remember what airline that
    was...Delta???
    
    I have found that larger cats actually do better in cargo than trying
    to scrunch them up in those under the seat carriers.  
    
    cin...who is still nervous EVERY time she does it!!
    
    

    
    	I have to observe my pets for a while before I give them names -
    sometimes for just a few minutes, one was for a year! Anyhow, the
    names are:
    
    Grizzy - her real name is Griselda, after Cinderella's ugly stepsister.
    	Prunella is the other stepsister, but I don't have one yet! She's
    	a tortoiseshell kitty, mostly black and light orange, but with a
    	*BRIGHT* orange swatch up her nose and forehead, slightly left of
    	center. There was a discussion in this file about markings as an
    	optical illusion, distorting the look of a perfectly delightful
    	cat - well that stripe did it! Hence, she got named after the
    	ugly stepsister.
    
    GB - GayBoy cat...it's a long story, but he was a stray, at least a year
    	old when I got him, unneutered, still had no interest in the females
    	in the area. The guy-cats would come calling at the door at night,
    	yeowling and marking. He just wanted to play with his mouse.
    
    Hoover - a doberman...they don't eat, they inhale!
    
    Spike - a terrier which had been abused; her name before she came to
    	live with me was "Buttons". She hated it, so did I; and I figured
    	that I could give her a tough name to toughen her up! A name to
    	live up to!!
    
    Ray-man - A horse whose registered name is Delta Ray, so his nickname
    	is Ray; but he's soooooo manly! He snorts, flys around the paddock
    	with tail up, and takes good care of his paddock-mate, Candy. And
    	it's a play on Raymond.
    
    Good luck with your search!
    -julie
    

    Looks like we've decided to fly the cats down with us.  We'll skip the
    tranquilizers for both of them.  The younger one (Erm) has no front
    claws so she gets our current pet carrier, and we'll buy a bigger one
    for Misty, the older cat.  We'll also get her claws trimmed very close
    before we go and try to pad the inside of the carrier with something.
    
    Since we're going to Atlanta and flying Delta ourselves, the Delta Dash
    sounds very nice.
    
    I'll try to remember to post something here when we get down there to
    let you know how it went.  Should be around the end of the month.
    
    Thanks for the ideas and stories,
    Dave

    Dave,
    
    If you are flying on the same Delta flight as the cats, you won't
    need the Delta Dash service.  Delta Dash is for when the cats are
    being sent alone, without a human companion.  If you are on the
    same flight as the cats, book them a reservation in cargo at the
    same time you make your reservations.  They will go in the baggage
    compartment, and the cost will be $30 per cat.  The charge is the
    same as an excess baggage charge, and since you are paying for them
    separately, they don't count against your total baggage limits.
    
    Try and get a non-stop flight, or one that you don't have to change
    planes on, that will give you less to worry about.  I have taken
    flights where the cats and I had a plane change, and I have never
    had a cat miss the change, but I always worry about that happening.
    If you have a non-stop flight, then you wouldn't have to worry about
    the cats missing the change.
    
    If I can be any help to you in planning this, let me know.  I travel
    with my show cats quite a bit, and have been shipping cats and kittens
    for years without any problems.
    
    Jo (who flies to Salt Lake City with Limoges and Moody next week)
    

    Thanks Jo, I was going to put in some info - I think Delta does
    not let us put the crates under the seat, am I correct????
    When Dave said he was going to get a larger crate, I was
    going to say to use the smallest blue crate cause it just
    fits under the seats - baggage will work.  
    
    Dave, when you get off the plane, the cats will not, or should
    not be put on the luggage turntable - they should be separate
    from the baggage - check with an attendant as soon as you get
    to the baggage claim area so they won't be alone too long.
    Delta is very good about pets.  I liked them a lot.
    
    Good Luck,
    
    E.T.

    Elaine, 
    
    That is right, Delta will not allow the cats to travel in the cabin
    like some of the other airlines.  They must go in the baggage area.
    When they come off the plane, the airline people will take them
    to the odd sized baggage area in the baggage claim, they don't come
    out with the luggage.  Can you just see the poor cats coming down
    the conveyor belt if they did?!
    
    As for traveling with kitty under the seat on the plane, I have
    stopped flying United.  They allow only one cat per cabin (highly
    unlikely if you are traveling to a popular out of town show), they
    have a fit if you so much as glance in the direction of the cat
    ("don't try to take that cat out!"), and they charge $20 *per
    direction* more than the other airlines.  I have been traveling
    on American Airlines, and they are terrific.  They now allow up
    to 6 cats per cabin, but they must be seated at least ten rows apart
    so make your reservations early.  Also, they only charge $30 per
    direction, where United is $50 per!  And, the last three times that
    I have travelled with them, the attendants came and brought treats
    of roast beef, and chicken for Limoges, who loved every minute of
    it.  And, they allowed me not only to take her out, but to keep
    her out of the carrier for as long as the seatbelt sign was off!
    On the way back from St. Louis, Ken took her out of the carrier,
    and had her in his lap.  I looked over a minute later and they were
    both sound asleep, cuddled up together.  It was precious.  Of course,
    she is very used to traveling, so doesn't get upset or noisey. 
    Not all cats would be comfortable in that situation, so "don't try
    this at home, kids".
    
    My vote is for American and Delta, definitely.
    
    Jo

    That's Cute!  I also had pretty good luck with Piedmont if I remember
    correctly.  
    
    E.

    I just made the flight reservations and the cost for the cats is $30
    each payable at the counter.  The flight is direct and we'll be
    checking a car seat anyway (we've done this before) so I know where
    the cats will be at the Atlanta end.
    
    I tried to convince the wife they send the cats out with the luggage on
    the conveyor belt, but she didn't believe me....:-)
    
    As for the humans on the flight, it was cheaper to buy a discount round
    trip ticket ($249) and throw away half then pay for a full fare one way
    ($351)!  Go figure....
    
    Thanks for the advice,
    Dave

    Dave
    
    They shouldn't take the cats out with the luggage - they are usually
    kept inside and loaded LAST so they won't be outside exposed to the
    weather.  That's been my experience anyway.
    
    E.

    Dave,
    
    Glad to hear that things are going well with the travel plans. 
    Limoges and Moody and I are heading off for Salt Lake City this
    weekend, and have our reservations on Delta this time.  They have
    always taken good care of my cats for me.  I am sure that your trip
    will go well.
    
    Jo

    Everyone made it down here just fine.  We used Delta Dash and did not
    give either of the cats any tranquilizers.  They flew down on the same
    plane we did and were sitting in the bulky luggage area at the Atlanta
    airport by the time we made our way there.
    
    From the airport we took our van to a 24 hour animal care center and
    boarded them for two days while we moved into the new house.  One more
    trip from the vet to the house and they were home at last!
    
    Both cats slinked around the boxes and stuff for an hour or so and then
    settled down.  The first night, Erm was up all night exploring, meowing
    and junping up on things.  When we got up, we couldn't find her.  We
    looked everywhere including around the furnace and in every little
    place we could think of.  Of course the place was filled with boxes so
    it was tough to be sure we found every space she could fit.  It was
    getting pretty worrying, what with just moving in, closing on the
    house, trying to unpack and then losing a cat!
    
    Then, around 7pm, down comes Erm from upstairs....  We figure she wore
    herself exploring the night before and was either sleeping it off or
    hiding to make sure we didn't take her away again.
    
    The cats seem to like their new home, lots of carpet and there's even a
    window low enough right next to the front door they can look out!
    
    Dave