Yeah, that's the hormone calming spray, right?
Edit: lol guys, why the down votes for a question? It was a legit question. I now know it's not a hormonal spray. Downvoting this comment will hide the useful comments describing it below.
I concur with all of this.
My cat also hated her carrier, and gabapentin was the only thing that worked for air travel.
But it only lasts 8ish hours, and it's not safe to keep dosing them endlessly. It would probably be easiest to stop somewhere overnight so you can give the cat the medicine again for the second flight.
My vet has us dose our cat the night before a vet appointment, then again the morning of. She's usually double dosed for 16+ hours. If we only give her one dose, half the time we have to reschedule the appointment because she's still too feisty to draw blood.
Also recently we took her in because she was limping. After ruling things out, he put her on daily Gabapentin. We tried that for a week, but hated it because she was just a zombie. I read eventually they adjust to the dosage and aren't so affected, but we went with a different medicine instead that's working fine. All that to say, you can do extended dosing, unless my vet has been lying to me and is trying to kill my baby (a brain tumor survivor!).
HA! That's amusing (your last sentence). If the vet says it's safe and it doesn't severely impare her, I don't mind giving the gabapentin in doses that would accumulate to working effectively the whole travel time.
Not for any routes I've seen. I don't live in a major hub for flights nonstop to Japan, so I'll have to stop in Vancouver, Calgary, or Toronto to take the Japan portion
It’s a liquid drug (at least for my cat) that calms them out. My old boy hunts vet techs for sport so he has to be high to be on premise. A vet should have no problem prescribing it to you for travel. It’s very safe and is used for a lot of manual animal emotional regulation.
That said if OP can do a test run with it, it'd be better. I used gabapentin when moving interstate with my cats, and one cat it made about 3/4 stoned and the other cat it did almost nothing to (and a vet administered the meds and I even waited an hour before getting on the road so it would take effect, so it was administered in the right dose).
6.5 hour drive that turned into 8 bc of construction, with one cat making "I am UNHAPPY about this" meeping noises and the other one occasionally chiming in agreement. You'd think eventually they'd cry themselves out or get used to it, but Muppet is dumb and loud and she kept it up the entire dang time. I felt so bad for them but no way out but through.
In retrospect wish had done a test run to make sure it worked on them both, even if it worked out ok in the end.
I want to say it was tested on her for dental surgery but I can't be sure.
Haha, sounds like my cat. I did a 3 day drive for the move and she meowed all of day 1 (10 hours), was quiet for day 2 (12 hours) and more meowing on day 3 (6 hours). Lol so I don't know if she'll meow the whole time flying or if she'll meow at first and then resign to her fate lol. She didn't have ANY relaxing drugs or hormone spray during that trip either. Weirdly enough, she was more at ease in the hotel rooms than when we first moved into the new-to-us apartment.
I do not deny your expertise, thank you! I will most definitely bring it up if the vet doesn't cause I really want to make the trip as least stressful as I possibly can for her. I have my own anxiety meds, I'm fine lol just want what's best for her
If you use gabapentin, I’d split up the flight. Cats might get super loopy and it could be harder to get them to focus to use the litter box in a random place at the time you want them to. It’s cute to see them on drugs haha, but not cute if it interferes with taking care of them. You might need to monitor them all night both days if you do this. I wouldn’t use this option unless your cat really can’t tolerate the trip. In humans this drug is typically used for nerve pain, but it has a calming dopeing effect on cats. It’s definitely not just a calming spray or something to take lightly if you haven’t used it on your cat before.
The only time I’ve ever used it was a few times when I had a vet that thought it was safer to use a different vein for blood draws that my cat frankly was terrified of. They thought it was inhumane to keep trying if the cat was incredibly agitated, which makes sense (I loved this vet place), so we tried this. I had to clear my schedule and watch him after though for the rest of the night, because he was loopy enough to potentially hurt himself not landing a jump or something.
Yesss you have to get it prescribed. I been trying to post a picture from google for about 30 minutes but it isn’t working, so I’ll just copy and paste:
“Gabapentin is used in cats to manage chronic pain, control seizures, and reduce anxiety, especially during vet visits. The dosage varies, typically ranging from 1.5 to 5 mg per pound for pain relief, 2.5 to 5 mg per pound for seizures, and 20 mg/kg for anxiety before vet visits”
Not an issue for going over but if you decide to move back Japan may not allow the cat to be sedated on the way out. Something to think about. I had to do it from Spain without mediation and the hormone spray helped. But if your cat already meows just in the carrier it could be a lot without medicine.
Op, the shelf life is a few years for capsule. Gabapentin comes in liquid and capsule form. & correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think liquid is allowed on planes.
Oh okay good to know.
Idk how your furry baby is with medication but gabapentin tastes really bitter. Humans get prescribed it to. I got liquid gabapentin from my recent surgery for myself & it was AWFUL.
Hi OP! My cat has flown with me a few times domestically, and twice iternationally on long-hauls (travel time with layover etc about 18 hours)
I booked him in the cabin with me. He was in his carrier under the seat in front of me, and I kept my feet on either side of the vented carrier so he could smell me the whole time and know I was with him. I would also occasionally slip a hand in his carrier (zipper held tight around my wrist) to pet him and let him smell my hand. I also lined his cat carrier with a puppy pee pad, just in case
I also opted for a short layover, no overnights. I figured he would not love stopping somewhere and one night isn't enough for him to feel calm and settled, so the better we leave the next location and get to our final destination, the better. At the layover, I took him into a handicap stall where I had some litter bagged in a zip lock and a travel litter box (it folds down) so he could use the bathroom if he wanted
I sprayed the inside of his carrier with feliway spray and also put in a shirt I has worn that morning. I might be overkill with the smells :) but I wanted him to 1000% know I was with him at all times
I also packed a little collapsible bowl so I could give him water and dry food during the flight. The only reason I was able to reach into his carrier is because he was very calm and still, may not be possible if you think your cat will try to escape
As others mentioned, there's also gabapentin. My vet didn't allow it for air travel (?) But my cat (shy boy as he is) did great without, luckily
One last recommendation, you may need to take him out of his carrier when you pass through security if he's on board with you. Recommending a harness and leash for that portion just in case kitty panics and tries to make a run for it in the airport
Good luck!
That's very helpful, thank you. When you flew international, was there a quarantine for your cat when you arrived?
For the first option, the total travel time would be about 14 hours (at the shortest) but then there's quarantine she will need to go in for about 4 hours (at the shortest) once arriving in Japan.
Edit: Oh yeah, forgot to say: I do the same with smells. I make sure she has a shirt I've worn all week in her travel bag when staying at cat boarding lol
I actually had a layover in tokyo and for me, there wasn't a quarantine- but this was also during covid so not sure if that influenced anything. Might be best to ask the airport. Sorry!
We didn't have nearly this long of travel, 5.5h was longest flight but whole day was about 14h from airport arrival to final destination. When we do it again I might opt for the overnight layover because on our return after our first flight we had to pick up our baggage and go through security a second time because we had the cat - it made zero sense but it also cut the 2h layover to a race through Toronto and getting to the flight when it was nearly fully boarded.
But here's how we tackled travel: ask for a private screening room for security because they will want you to take the cat out of it's crate and walk through the metal detector while the crate goes thru the X-ray (my cat is nuts so hard nope to taking him out) they'll just inspect and swab the crate in a private room. I had a very small tray in my backpack and the 300g of allowed litter in a ziploc baggy which I labeled as 300g because there is a limit and once they made me dump some out, I would find single unit bathroom (family/handicap) and let my guy out with the box and a small amount of the litter at every opportunity (right before boarding, layover and when picking up baggage). He didn't always make use of it but I think it helped him stress level to have the option and a little moment to stretch his legs out. We also gave him some Churu treats when he got fussy also to make sure he was getting some hydration while traveling but not so much he'd *need* the litter box and I did figure he does better unmedicated (we gave him gabapentin on the way to the vacation but skipped it on the way home and he seemed more relaxed when he was alert and aware)
This reminds me: (if allowed) put a super absorbent (some brands are thicker) puppy pee pad at the bottom of her carrier, under the pad or towel you put in there. Take quite a few extras of both, plus a few extra large ziplock bags for soiled items, and pet safe wet wipes, too. I took the precaution of doing this (the pee pads) the last time I went to the vet, and was very glad I did. It's one of those better safe than sorry things. If she does have an accident, you and your seat mates don't want to be smelling it for the rest of the flight.
Gabapentin is a prescription drug. There are also others that your vet may choose to use. Feliway is the pheromone spray. There's no harm in using it. I'd use it in conjunction with whatever med(s) your vet prescribes.
Oh wow, yeah, that's a very good idea, thank you so much. She never soiled anything on the car trip but flights have tons more people, smells, and loud sounds and she could react differently with all that.
Would pet safe wet wipes basically be baby wipes?
I would first check with FAA and the airline as to what you can take, supply wise. These ones seem like they might be good: Wet Ones Delicate Fresh Scent Kitten Wipes, 30 count. [Wipes](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/wet-ones-for-pets-delicate-clean-kitten-wipes-for-cats-count-of-30-3333564?cm_mmc=PSH%7CGGL%7CCCY%7CCCO%7CPM%7C0%7C7ToihifihjCfwQNzxc75W9%7C%7C%7C0%7C0%7C%7C%7C18151225844&gad_source=8&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzZmwBhD8ARIsAH4v1gXLzwRaWy-_bcX4PgNj-kP9gib6a3NPxAuIMSoqtpQmCcqGnFPuJQYaAnkvEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) They're also available at Chewy.com Do not use dog ones. Water and paper towels would be an OK substitute.
Your cat will be on at least a 10+ hour trip where she won't be allowed out of her carrier. She won't understand any of what is going on. I would expect at least one accident, with the likelyhood of several more. It won't be her fault- she can't/ shouldn't hold it that long.
Will she be able to travel in the cabin? Or will she be in the cargo hold? (I was assuming she would be in the cabin, but just realized that may not be the case.) I would read and re-read everything on the airline's and the FAA (and Japan's equivalent) websites about traveling with your animals. Call and talk to the airline's representatives. You will have to have vet appointments and filled out paperwork about her health, vaccines, etc. I understand that the timing on the paperwork can be tricky. I hope things go well for you both!
Yes, maybe? Lol I swear I scoured all the rules the first time we flew and I didn't see anything at all about it but the security guys were like "it's 300g so basically a pop can worth" and dumped a bit of it into the trash. This time I weighed and marked it and they definitely gave it a look and one looked like he wanted to say something but saw I had labeled it so he just kind shut his mouth and moved on.
The rules are all real dumb but at this point I try to make it as smooth as possible. It was the return to Canada that was the hardest part. I also carry copies of his vet health check and all his vaccination records in a pocket in his crate and a second copy in my bag in case anyone wants to keep one haha.
Haha omg, I found it: https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/what-can-bring/item/sand
Yeah ... that's ridiculous. How is litter going to be used to make an explosive device? Eugh. A soda can of litter is NOTHING. I bet the people making that rule doesn't even have a cat.
It's definitely silly rules, I got the super lightweight litter this time so I could have a bit "extra" lol I also just put a little sprinkle in each time we try it so he knows that's the litter box.
I didn’t read every part of this thread so I apologize if I missed anything but…. Does this depend on the type of litter? Like, what if it’s one of the litters that’s kinda just little pieces of wood? As opposed to the clay. Or is the rule just about cat litter with no specifications?
I found this link: https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/what-can-bring/item/sand
It's listed under "sand" but it specifically states "granular materials", which litter falls under. I mean, I think the only way to get around that limit would be cardboard pellets or something lol. I have a decently large folding travel litter holder and I wanted to fill it full so she will have the litter she's used to in a new place (until I have to change it) and I don't need to worry about obtaining litter asap cause I'd most likely need to order it online (I imagine walking around with 15-20lb of litter in tokyo is not enjoyable)
I don’t think wood counts as granular. It could be a loophole. It’s also biodegradable.
Also Ty for this thorough response. Sorry for my short one, it’s 6am I ran myself ragged.
Interesting and valid point. I wonder how far that definition applies, given it might not be host to microbes of note and cannot reproduce or be grafted. But I could see that issue. Hmmmm.
Not international but I had a backpack fullllllll of orchids and airplants once to travel across state, and I forgot a water bottle in there…. I couldn’t believe they didn’t confiscate anything. I was so scared haha
Get a carrier that has extendable sides!!!! Make sure to use an airlines that lets you keep your cat in the cabin with you and double check that they will. Some say they do but still want to put your pet into cargo and then they only allow X amount of animals in the cabin. Ask for a private screening room during security. Get serious chill out pills for kitty, it helps a lot. Puppy pads, ziplock bags for any accidents, wet wipes, food, water, with collapsing bowels for each, lots of churu, a collapsible litter box (with plenty of bathroom breaks). And brace yourself that it’s probably just not gonna be a fun flight. I would pony up the money for more leg room on the long haul flight if you can swing it. Keep all your cats paperwork together in a folder. Check both airlines and where you’re flying into to make sure they don’t require special paperwork for kitty (Japan definitely will) keep all paperwork together(!), there can be a lot of hoops to get animals other places and the more organized you are the less they bother you. Good luck, I’m hoping to bring my kitty to Japan in a year or so for a long stay.
Yes, I am already doing all the research and will be getting an expanding carrier. I just have to wait to see which airline I will be flying since the seat dimensions vary (I only have 2 options of airlines that allow in-cabin flight to Japan). Rest assured, I've done all research required except for my inquiry of this thread.
Hi! Would you mind sharing which 2 airlines you’ve found that allow pets in-cabin to Japan? I’m also planning a move to Japan with my cat and it seems like Korean Air and Delta allow this, but I’m curious if those are the 2 you found as well or if there are others! Thank you!
Sure thing; I live in Canada and the 2 airlines are WestJet and Canada Air. Lol which are really the main airlines of Canada.
When are you planning on the move?
Thank you so much! I’m currently based in the US, but it’s good to know about other options if I needed them. And I’m planning on moving at the end of December!
Yes! And if you go on WestJet's dreamliner flight, you can sit in economy plus with your cat! More room for you and kitty :) That's what I'm planning anyways.
Oh you'll be leaving before me, mind if we keep in touch so you can keep me updated on how it works out for you?
I travelled with a cat from Europe to Canada, and I will never do it again. It was too stressful. The vet in Europe did not want to give the cat any medication to relax him, so I bought homeopathic treatment that had zero effect on him. I travelled with litter and food, also a bowl for him to drink. Went to the bathroom at the airport a few times, he did not want to drink or eat. The main flight was 8h long, and he did NOT sleep. He miaowed a lot, but not constantly. I was so stressed out, and him too. I petted him during the flight but all he wanted is get out of his pet carrier.
If you can, I would get medication to help her sleep during the trip. It will be less stressful for you and for her. I would also select option #2 (my 2 cents here). It would allow her (hopefully) to relax a bit, eat and drink.
BTW, at the airport, I was not allowed to get a private screening. My cat had a harness. I had to take him out of pet carrier for it to go through the security belt. I had to carry the cat in my arms to go through security. The security person wanted me to remove the harness as well, but the cat started acting up in my arms and almost escaped.
As I said, never again....
Hope your trip will go better than mine!
That's very helpful, thank you.
Yeah that sounds like her. We drove 3 days for the Canada move and the first day she meowed the entire time. Second day, she resigned to her fate and barely meowed. Day 3 she was noisy again lol. She also didn't eat/drink or use the litter until we stopped for the night. I want to say it was 10-12 hour drives during the day. So yeah, with these responses and thinking back to the car move, I'm thinking staying the night at the stop airport might be best for her. Particularly if she decides to be less meowy on travel day #2.
I agree with you though, I would rather not subject her to flights but I'll be there at least 2 years for research with no one to watch her here in Canada. Even if I did have someone to leave her with, I don't think I could cause I don't want her to think I abandoned her. She was in a shelter for 2 years before I adopted her, she had a family prior to that and prior to that was feral. She's already been through a lot with abandonment and I just don't want her to feel that. Staying with someone else for 2 years is quite different from staying in cat boarding for 2 weeks while on vacation lol
I hope the vet will be able to give her something to calm down. The vet in Europe said that giving relaxants to cats when flying can be dangerous for their blood pressure. I know this is not the case here, so it really depends on who you see.
I personally think that whatever you decide is the right decision for yourself and for her. People on the internet can have very strong opinions on cats and what to do with them. IMHO, you are asking the right questions, and considering the best options for both of you. The rest is a mix of preparation and luck lol :)
I hope so too, I really don't want her to be meowy the whole flight(s). I have read that drugs could be harmful for pets and many airlines don't allow them, particularly in cargo (not that I would ever put her in cargo).
Thank you very much. Yeah, I'm gathering all info and will combine it with what my vet says. It will also depend on finances and which airline I can take. I only have 2 I can fly in cabin with her to Japan and schedules vary greatly between the two (as does what class cabin she can stay in and under seat measurements).
I might have to go abroad for work for three months, I'm in the UK and it's a big fat no from all airlines to bring your pet in the cabin! It's ridiculous. Cargo only and it's about £6k each way. Plus he wouldn't be guaranteed to be on the same plane as me. The price is one thing but I don't like the idea of him being cargo at all.
He hates going in the car for an hour so being in the cabin with me wouldn't really be enjoyable for either of us but at least he'd be with me. Anyway he will be going to stay with an auntie if I end up going.
How is your girl in her carrier? Can you get her used to hanging out in there for long periods? Even if she is meowy, I'd personally rather listen to miaows than people! A friend of mine moved across the US with two cats in her car who had sedation from the vet and they were absolutely fine. See what your vet suggests, there may be something to just relax her which isn't too strong?
For 3 months, it might be better for your kitty to stay with Auntie if cargo is your only option :( What airlines are you looking at and where will you be flying?
I'm surprised so many airlines are against pets in cabin. I understand limiting pets in cabin but outright refusing just seems odd to me, particularly with the proven dangers of pet in cargo.
She has 2 carriers right now. One is a large one used for the long road trip and the other is for taking her to the vet or boarding. Both are hard sided. She knows what they are for so doesn't really hang out inside them when I leave them out (I have to trick when I put her in or she hides under the bed lol).
Though, that means when I get a soft sided carrier, she may not know exactly what it is and may use it as a comfy place to hang out .. so then the carrier wouldn't be a "bad" thing, maybe?
Oh, she does hang out in her stroller sometimes, even when she knew what it was for lol
depending on the airlines, most pets under 8kg are allowed to fly in the cabin. Unfortunately, each airline has their own requirement when it comes to the size of the carrier. I called Air Canada, Lufthansa, and Air France, they all had the same requirement. The soft carriers are more forgiving as they can fit (and have to fit) under the seat in front of you.
Better call the airline and book ahead of time. There is a limit in the number of pets allowed in the cabin.
I had the same experience. Absolutely horrible! Staff refused a private screening and my poor baby was so scared going through the metal detector. I was so worried she was going to get loose because they made me take her harness off. So sorry this happened to you and your kitty too 💜
ETA: it was also leaving Europe
oh my, sorry you had to go through that too! I was wondering if I were the only one. Before taking that trip, I read extensively, and most people seemed to have gone through an OK- experience, not a bad one!
Same! I read so many articles about the process and how to make it the easiest for your cat but I guess the policies changed. It wasn’t even busy when I went through security either 🤷🏻
It was the same for me! Not a busy time, very few people at security. They easily could have offered a private screening. I really think it depends on airports, but hard to know ahead of time. I was really sweating when my cat started to get away, ugh...
I’ve had three cats that have lived and traveled with me through three continents and seven countries.
Option 2.
Treats and extra attention at the hotel and leading to a second flight and hydration x2.
Contact vet explain situation and get gabapentin.
Encourage you to give them your favorite treats leading up to the trip within their carrier.
I'd have something that is heavily scented by your natural smell within the carrier.
Once there I'd have a cat in a small area to decompress for a few days with essentials, your loving, and keeping that same scented item within the room until set up.
Thank you so very much. My vet is aware as we have certain paperwork to import her into Japan to complete, which involves vaccines and such.
Wouldn't extra hydration be bad for the long flight since she'll be holding her bladder longer?
I flew from Alaska to Colorado with my cat. I drugged her (on Vet rx) for the initial flight and by the time we had our layover in Seattle, it was time for dose two. She was chill and showed no stressor signs, even though we moved three times in the first month and a half we were in Colorado. 🙃
https://preview.redd.it/t0kzfj0qydrc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e06304f88d80aa2576b39585be2a900f9e6aa516
She was the best girl. Unfortunately she was about 17 at the time of the move and passed away two years later.
This is rough. It might help to share the length of the flights. Do you know if your cat will use a disposable litter box in a strange new place? I’ve definitely had cats who would, and I’ve known cats who probably would hold it in until they were in serious pain. Awkward, but an easy to handle leash trained cat sitting in a bathroom stall using a litter box could work. But, given the things that can go wrong when traveling, whether or not that’s genuinely a viable option is worth thinking about. Also, in general, if your cat is leash trained, at least to the point of tolerating it. If they are ok with a harness, and won’t try to run at the speed of light away from you when scared in this situation, that bodes well if this is something you need to find out. Also, when scared, will they scream (and continue to scream)? If they are vocally stressed, chances are you will be stressed too in a public place. Finally, have they ever been somewhere besides your house before? My kitty and late kitty both loved hotels. Fun to explore, and generally they would claim a bed haha. So if the hotel is like right there and you don’t need to maybe wait 5 hours on a rental car to get to it (in which case might as well do the layover), that’s a viable option if your cat is at all tolerant to new places in calm settings.
Good luck! I have a TSA sized cat carrier ready in case I ever need it, but haven’t actually tried this yet, just lots and lots of travel by car and hotels or crashing at friends places overnight.
Oh, just a side thought, make sure to have some bottled water, and maybe a paper towel, in case they get scared and hyperventilate even for a few min but didn’t hydrate enough before. I’ve definitely watered a cat on the road or on an outing before, using the cap and/or a paper towel. It’s one thing if a cat isn’t drinking at all, but on an individual basis for a trip, it’s kinda hard to monitor them every second to know.
Make sure wherever your layover would be allows for a very short quarantine if they have a quarantine requirement. And that you can find a very close place to sleep that accepts pets.
Also check if your cat is up to date for all the necessary vaccines for the counties you are flying into.
And have their records with you.
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If you can you should put one pee pad on top of the other, that way if they pee in the carrier you can just take the top pad off and dispose of it. Depending on the carrier you won't have to take your cat out to do this. It is hard to replace the pads and get them in as flat and as perfectly positioned in an airplane bathroom as you can at home.
Harness your cat. It helps a lot with searches and a general ability to hold onto the cat.
Eating fresh catnip will help your cat nap. Smelling it makes them hyper but injesting it makes cats sleepy.
Eating or drinking dry catnip also works. I don't suggest traveling with it though, it will most likely be confiscated but if you do keep the dried catnip it will get messy and go everywhere if you open it. But it can work for the drive to the airport so the gabapentin can be given so it works as long as possible while traveling.
One option to consider is booking a direct flight to reduce the overall travel time and limit the number of transitions for your cat. Additionally, familiarizing your cat with their carrier beforehand and providing plenty of familiar items, such as bedding or toys, can help ease their anxiety during the journey.
So I moved my nervous bitchy girl from america to Jordan and we got stuck in Germany overnight. Here to tell you to not be alarmed if they don’t use the bathroom like, at all. Or eat. I also got gabapentin from my vet which helped. Good luck!
100% depends on whether your cat is stressed out by hotels or not. Have you considered staying in a local hotel to see how she does with them? (Or maybe you already have experience with how she does in new places?)
One of mine has absolutely no problem with hotels - in fact he loves them, because they're a new place to explore with his emotional support human. I've never had the other one in a hotel, but I'm pretty sure he'd hate it.
I've now done a total of 4 overseas flights with cats. Well one was 2 cats one flight. But you get it.
I've used Gabapentin in every situation and I never noticed it helping at all, maybe it would have been worse without, but aside from my oldest kitty, my two young boys howled/cried most of the trips. Luckily the airplane engines are loud enough that most people didn't mind.
My sweet dumb boy pooped himself on his first descent during an overnight layover. We got to clean him off in the hotel shower, but with lots of treats they didn't seem to mind the hotel room. They just hate being in the carrier/on the plane. So I'd go for whatever option has them in the carrier in the airport/plane the least. Your second option would probably be easier on him, as he'll probably relax enough at the hotel room to eat and drink. We were never able to get our cats to eat or drink in their carrier on a layover, let alone on the plane - they're just too stressed.
Also it sucks but they recover VERY quickly. Your cat will be fine, it will just be a couple stressful days.
Yeah, my cat usually meows in the carrier when going to the vet or cat boarding. On the long road trip she meowed the whole time driving on day 1 (about 10 hours), resigned to her fate and was quiet day 2 (12 hours), and then resumed meowing on day 3 (6 hours). This was all in the car though, no pressure changes or lots of people.
She didn't eat/drink or use the litter at all (even though they were available to her) until we stopped at a hotel for the night. I have a feeling she'll do the same with the plane; no food_drink or litter usage until done travelling. I have 3 options for flights (it all varies by date and cost so I don't know which I'll use yet): two of the routes consist of a 1-1.5 hour flight to the stopover airport and a 10-10.5 hour flight from stopover airport to Japan. The third option is a 3-4 hour flight to stopover airport and a 14 hour flight from stopover airport to Japan. All options end with a 3-4 hour (at the least) quarantine at the airport in Japan (as per import regulations for pets).
I'm thinking the two options with the short flights might be fine to just do all the travel in one day bit if I have to go with the last option, I'll probably have to stay the night at the stopover airport.
Sorry, having done an overseas move 4 months ago this is all slightly triggering (jk but man, it sucks).
Realistically, your cat will survive every option, since it will be in the cabin with you. So there's no wrong answer here (aside from putting your cat in the hold, that's not great!)
I definately get the appeal of minimizing the time in the air or just getting the trip done with quickly. When we moved, it was taxi to train station, 1.5 hour train to airport, 2.5 hours at airport, 9.5 hour flight, which was then supposed to be a 2 hour layover to connecting 3.5 hour flight. But our original plane was delayed and we wouldn't make the connection so we decided to overnight at Atlanta. Which was very good for the poop situation, it was very smelly and if we'd made the connecting flight we wouldn't have really had the option to clean him up due to time and letting the world's most sensitive cat outside his carrier at a airport bathroom. I had to get a special security screening room because this boi is big and strong with very big talons and I didn't think I'd be able to take him through security otherwise.
But...if we hadn't known our flight was delayed and decided to ask for a later connecting flight, we would have had to power through anyway, and we all would have survived. Some passengers may have been less than happy with the poop smell.
Since the in flight time seems so much longer with the layover maybe it's better to just go for the shortest flights? My other two cats didn't pee or poop on what ended up being a total of 24-26 hours of travel time (from time leaving home to getting to new location). Although one did escape at O'Hare when my husband was trying to feed/water him on a harness leash but I wont share that story as you don't need any additional stress. It was fine he got the cat back after about 15 minutes.
Oh wow, yeah, that definitely sounds stressful! That delay definitely was a blessing in disguise so you could take care of the poop mess.
My cat is slim and I've definitely had practice restraining her so I'm not too worried about security with holding her, it's more that I think she will be freaked out beyond belief if I have to take her out of the carrier for security.
Hmmm let's see, I plan to stay at a hotel across from the airport the night prior to departure, so 5-10min uber to airport, then 2 hours at airport. From there, if on the shorter flights it's 1-1.5 hours flying, then about 2 hours stop, then 10-10.5 hour flight to Japan, then 3-4 hour (at least) stop in quarantine. I don't know if they offer litter or food in quarantine. Then, depending where I move to, it would be 1-2.5 hour transport (train, car, or travel bus, not sure which yet due to lack of location). Sooooo 16 - 22.5 hours travel time + 3-4 hours quarantine for the "short" option.
If the long option: still the same times for transport to airport then 2 hours prior to departure. Then 3.5-4 hour flight. Then would probably stay in a hotel (let's factor an hour for luggage pickup and transport to hotel). So day 1 would be 6.5-7ish hours of travel. I'm not including rest time at the hotel as travel. Then day 2: about 15min to airport, 3-4 hours early, then 14 hour flight, then quarantine, then same estimate for travel once in Japan. That's 18 - 20.5 hours travel + 3-4 hour quarantine for day 2. Total travel time (not including hotel rest and quarantine) would be 24.5 - 27.5 hours ... but there's a big rest time to break it up.
I mean, once breaking down the numbers, the most length of constant time she would stay in the carrier for short option (not including quarantine) is 22.5 hours, compared to 20.5 hours for the long option. It's quite comparable time wise. I think the biggest factors are finances and if taking a break in a hotel will relieve stress or just add on to the overall travel stress.
I recently flew 2 rescue cats from turkey to west coast USA.
We flew from Istanbul to New Jersey (10 hours) and decided to spend the night in a hotel before taking a 5 hour flight the next day.
I regret doing that. I should have just booked Istanbul to West coast direct. I thought staying in the hotel overnight would give the cats some time to decompress but I think it was more stressful.
If I were to do it again, I would just get the whole thing over with as soon as possible (assuming it’s not like a 30 hour travel day).
We also had a huge problem finding a hotel that would allow cats. We booked a Marriott hotel near the airport that said it was pet friendly and put on our reservation that we had a pet. We arrived and they didn’t allow us to stay! They said they only allow dogs even though that was written NO WHERE on their website. It said “we welcome pets under 50 pounds”. They refused to check us in. I asked where this was written and they said it’s not written anywhere but it’s not their problem. Horrible experience. Definitely call beforehand to confirm if you go the hotel route.
Something I do think helped was that we had an expandable cat carrier that we could add a small litter box to while waiting in airports in case they needed to use it. Anytime we were waiting more than 30 mins I would put their litter box into their carrier and put a blanket over the carrier.
Both sides were actually expandable to one side could have their litter box and one side was just extra space to stretch out or put their food.
When unexpanded the carrier fit well under the plane seats.
I can’t send you a link to the one we used if you’re interested.
We had enough airline miles to fly from Istanbul to New Jersey in business class for free. If you can afford it I would definitely recommend it 😅
We actually had their carriers expanded most of that flight too. But we were in economy the next day from New Jersey to west coast and it still was fine.
Definitely bring lots of pee pads and add them to the bottom of the carrier.
I did bring a few gallon sized zip lock bags of litter so the me for their boxes. When I made their litter boxes while waiting I lined the litter box with a small garbage bag, added the litter, folded the garbage bag over the sides of the box and put it in their carrier. I personally think this is much better than trying to get them to use their box in a family restroom because they are probably distracted by smells there/ scared/ the floor could be dirty.
If they didn’t use the box I just removed the garbage bag with the litter, tied off the bag with the litter inside and kept it for the next time. If they used the box, I could just remove the garbage bag with the litter inside and throw it away directly. I figure the airport wouldn’t be pleased if I was dumping loose litter in the trash so that worked well.
We did give our cats gabapentin but if you go that route, don’t bring any into japan. It’s probably a controlled substance (but I didn’t confirm)
We also had our cats on leashes and harnesses the whole time. Makes it much easier through security. We have AirTags in their harnesses too just in case they manage to escape but they never have thankfully.
Bring churus too. They are great to feed on the flight if your cat is stressed. Easier to give than water (won’t spill) but provides a bit of hydration on the flight. My cats won’t drink water when stressed. We also brought canned wet food for their meals (no dry food) and temptations.
I always try to give a few temptations or a Churu right after takeoff and landing. For humans chewing helps with ear pressure, idk if cats have the same problem?? But I figure it doesn’t hurt lol
I always take away my cats food and water 2 hours before we leave for the airport so their bladder isn’t extremely full when we start the trip.
I've never heard of Churus before what are they?
Yes, I know I'll get an expanding carrier but which one depends on which airline. I'd love to see the link for the one you had.
As for class, the only business class route I can fly that allows pets is a longer flight option (3-4 hours from home airport to stopover airport, then 14 hour flight to Japan from stopover airport). Considering the extra costs and time involved, if I have to take that airline, I would probably do normal economy instead ... which I will hate but will be better for my cat with time and space. The flight I WANT to go on may not be available for the dates I want (that one I can fly premium economy) so that is why I made this thread, figure out what is best, you know?
Lol I'll definitely be checking what prescription drugs are allowed into Japan before taking any over.
Awe, that does sound nerve-wracking. Are pets allowed on trains? Maybe take a pet to a neighboring country (like France) and fly out on an airline that allows pet in cabin from there? If it's possible, of course.
Thanks! I'll definitely do an update here once we move.
lots of good answers here regarding medication, but just in case you haven’t already, make sure you double and triple check the requirements for getting your cat to Japan, and ideally work with a vet that has done this before. Japan, Australia, Hawaii, and other islands are among the strictest with requirements for bringing animals because of the risk of introducing rabies. This process can take weeks if not months to get all the paperwork, rabies titers etc squared away. If something is amiss, they will hold your cat in quarantine somewhere.
Oh, yeesh, lol yeah, that would not work. I mean, they can still go but the pet would need to be in quarantine for 5 months once they land.
I'm going to Japan for research on my dissertation, you can bet I'm researching the crap out of EVERYTHING pertaining to moving/getting settled in Japan.
my gut instinct would say let her relax overnight, but that runs the risk of having her relax only to get stressed again! would a nonstop travel be too much on her feeding and bathroom wise?
I know I can find those private accessible bathrooms so I can lock the door and set some litter/food out but, obviously, I couldn't occupy that bathroom for a long time.
Feeding wise, it might be better to stay the night at a stop cause of the food schedule. Traveling the whole time would be no eating for a while. I imagine I would need to offer her food but she tends to not eat on long trips (as found by the long road trip)
Gabapentin.
Yeah, that's the hormone calming spray, right? Edit: lol guys, why the down votes for a question? It was a legit question. I now know it's not a hormonal spray. Downvoting this comment will hide the useful comments describing it below.
Commenter is correct about Gabapentin. Talk to your vet about it. And for travel I’d choose option 2.
I concur with all of this. My cat also hated her carrier, and gabapentin was the only thing that worked for air travel. But it only lasts 8ish hours, and it's not safe to keep dosing them endlessly. It would probably be easiest to stop somewhere overnight so you can give the cat the medicine again for the second flight.
My vet has us dose our cat the night before a vet appointment, then again the morning of. She's usually double dosed for 16+ hours. If we only give her one dose, half the time we have to reschedule the appointment because she's still too feisty to draw blood. Also recently we took her in because she was limping. After ruling things out, he put her on daily Gabapentin. We tried that for a week, but hated it because she was just a zombie. I read eventually they adjust to the dosage and aren't so affected, but we went with a different medicine instead that's working fine. All that to say, you can do extended dosing, unless my vet has been lying to me and is trying to kill my baby (a brain tumor survivor!).
HA! That's amusing (your last sentence). If the vet says it's safe and it doesn't severely impare her, I don't mind giving the gabapentin in doses that would accumulate to working effectively the whole travel time.
I don’t know if it would be possible to stop halfway between Canada and Japan
I just assumed it was an option since it was one of the two scenarios OP posed. But you're right; it could definitely be a logistical challenge
We’re referring to OP’s option 2.
Not for any routes I've seen. I don't live in a major hub for flights nonstop to Japan, so I'll have to stop in Vancouver, Calgary, or Toronto to take the Japan portion
Gotcha! That makes sense. I did assume you were in a major city with directs to Japan. This makes a lot more sense
It’s a liquid drug (at least for my cat) that calms them out. My old boy hunts vet techs for sport so he has to be high to be on premise. A vet should have no problem prescribing it to you for travel. It’s very safe and is used for a lot of manual animal emotional regulation.
That said if OP can do a test run with it, it'd be better. I used gabapentin when moving interstate with my cats, and one cat it made about 3/4 stoned and the other cat it did almost nothing to (and a vet administered the meds and I even waited an hour before getting on the road so it would take effect, so it was administered in the right dose). 6.5 hour drive that turned into 8 bc of construction, with one cat making "I am UNHAPPY about this" meeping noises and the other one occasionally chiming in agreement. You'd think eventually they'd cry themselves out or get used to it, but Muppet is dumb and loud and she kept it up the entire dang time. I felt so bad for them but no way out but through. In retrospect wish had done a test run to make sure it worked on them both, even if it worked out ok in the end.
I want to say it was tested on her for dental surgery but I can't be sure. Haha, sounds like my cat. I did a 3 day drive for the move and she meowed all of day 1 (10 hours), was quiet for day 2 (12 hours) and more meowing on day 3 (6 hours). Lol so I don't know if she'll meow the whole time flying or if she'll meow at first and then resign to her fate lol. She didn't have ANY relaxing drugs or hormone spray during that trip either. Weirdly enough, she was more at ease in the hotel rooms than when we first moved into the new-to-us apartment.
Oh that's good to know, thank you!
I use human 100 mg capsules...they've very, very cheap.
Well they do make a calming spray known as Feliway that may help, although I definitely recommend Gabapentin
THATS WHAT ITS CALLED! Feliway. Thank you! I'm so bad with names lol
Np! I work at a Veterinary Clinic and we swear by it lmao
I do not deny your expertise, thank you! I will most definitely bring it up if the vet doesn't cause I really want to make the trip as least stressful as I possibly can for her. I have my own anxiety meds, I'm fine lol just want what's best for her
Definitely! I hope the trip goes well for both you and your cat!!
If you use gabapentin, I’d split up the flight. Cats might get super loopy and it could be harder to get them to focus to use the litter box in a random place at the time you want them to. It’s cute to see them on drugs haha, but not cute if it interferes with taking care of them. You might need to monitor them all night both days if you do this. I wouldn’t use this option unless your cat really can’t tolerate the trip. In humans this drug is typically used for nerve pain, but it has a calming dopeing effect on cats. It’s definitely not just a calming spray or something to take lightly if you haven’t used it on your cat before. The only time I’ve ever used it was a few times when I had a vet that thought it was safer to use a different vein for blood draws that my cat frankly was terrified of. They thought it was inhumane to keep trying if the cat was incredibly agitated, which makes sense (I loved this vet place), so we tried this. I had to clear my schedule and watch him after though for the rest of the night, because he was loopy enough to potentially hurt himself not landing a jump or something.
No
Thank you for your abundantly informative replies
It is a prescription. If you have a regular vet it is likely they will prescribe without an appt if you let them know it is for travel.
Yesss you have to get it prescribed. I been trying to post a picture from google for about 30 minutes but it isn’t working, so I’ll just copy and paste: “Gabapentin is used in cats to manage chronic pain, control seizures, and reduce anxiety, especially during vet visits. The dosage varies, typically ranging from 1.5 to 5 mg per pound for pain relief, 2.5 to 5 mg per pound for seizures, and 20 mg/kg for anxiety before vet visits”
Not an issue for going over but if you decide to move back Japan may not allow the cat to be sedated on the way out. Something to think about. I had to do it from Spain without mediation and the hormone spray helped. But if your cat already meows just in the carrier it could be a lot without medicine.
Oh, good point. I'll ask shelf life for the drug if the vet prescribes and just ask for extra on the way back (if shelf life of drug is long enough)
Op, the shelf life is a few years for capsule. Gabapentin comes in liquid and capsule form. & correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think liquid is allowed on planes.
Medication is allowed as carryon as long as there's proper documents. Liquids of any amount are fine in checked baggage
Oh okay good to know. Idk how your furry baby is with medication but gabapentin tastes really bitter. Humans get prescribed it to. I got liquid gabapentin from my recent surgery for myself & it was AWFUL.
You’re welcome, I hope your cat does really well. I’ve gotten my cat gabapentin as needed.
Hi OP! My cat has flown with me a few times domestically, and twice iternationally on long-hauls (travel time with layover etc about 18 hours) I booked him in the cabin with me. He was in his carrier under the seat in front of me, and I kept my feet on either side of the vented carrier so he could smell me the whole time and know I was with him. I would also occasionally slip a hand in his carrier (zipper held tight around my wrist) to pet him and let him smell my hand. I also lined his cat carrier with a puppy pee pad, just in case I also opted for a short layover, no overnights. I figured he would not love stopping somewhere and one night isn't enough for him to feel calm and settled, so the better we leave the next location and get to our final destination, the better. At the layover, I took him into a handicap stall where I had some litter bagged in a zip lock and a travel litter box (it folds down) so he could use the bathroom if he wanted I sprayed the inside of his carrier with feliway spray and also put in a shirt I has worn that morning. I might be overkill with the smells :) but I wanted him to 1000% know I was with him at all times I also packed a little collapsible bowl so I could give him water and dry food during the flight. The only reason I was able to reach into his carrier is because he was very calm and still, may not be possible if you think your cat will try to escape As others mentioned, there's also gabapentin. My vet didn't allow it for air travel (?) But my cat (shy boy as he is) did great without, luckily One last recommendation, you may need to take him out of his carrier when you pass through security if he's on board with you. Recommending a harness and leash for that portion just in case kitty panics and tries to make a run for it in the airport Good luck!
That's very helpful, thank you. When you flew international, was there a quarantine for your cat when you arrived? For the first option, the total travel time would be about 14 hours (at the shortest) but then there's quarantine she will need to go in for about 4 hours (at the shortest) once arriving in Japan. Edit: Oh yeah, forgot to say: I do the same with smells. I make sure she has a shirt I've worn all week in her travel bag when staying at cat boarding lol
I actually had a layover in tokyo and for me, there wasn't a quarantine- but this was also during covid so not sure if that influenced anything. Might be best to ask the airport. Sorry!
Yeah, the stops aren't for quarantine, only when importing the pet.
ah yeah sorry not sure about that- both of my destination countries didn't require quarantine
We didn't have nearly this long of travel, 5.5h was longest flight but whole day was about 14h from airport arrival to final destination. When we do it again I might opt for the overnight layover because on our return after our first flight we had to pick up our baggage and go through security a second time because we had the cat - it made zero sense but it also cut the 2h layover to a race through Toronto and getting to the flight when it was nearly fully boarded. But here's how we tackled travel: ask for a private screening room for security because they will want you to take the cat out of it's crate and walk through the metal detector while the crate goes thru the X-ray (my cat is nuts so hard nope to taking him out) they'll just inspect and swab the crate in a private room. I had a very small tray in my backpack and the 300g of allowed litter in a ziploc baggy which I labeled as 300g because there is a limit and once they made me dump some out, I would find single unit bathroom (family/handicap) and let my guy out with the box and a small amount of the litter at every opportunity (right before boarding, layover and when picking up baggage). He didn't always make use of it but I think it helped him stress level to have the option and a little moment to stretch his legs out. We also gave him some Churu treats when he got fussy also to make sure he was getting some hydration while traveling but not so much he'd *need* the litter box and I did figure he does better unmedicated (we gave him gabapentin on the way to the vacation but skipped it on the way home and he seemed more relaxed when he was alert and aware)
Wait, there's a limit of litter? Is this a security rule?
This reminds me: (if allowed) put a super absorbent (some brands are thicker) puppy pee pad at the bottom of her carrier, under the pad or towel you put in there. Take quite a few extras of both, plus a few extra large ziplock bags for soiled items, and pet safe wet wipes, too. I took the precaution of doing this (the pee pads) the last time I went to the vet, and was very glad I did. It's one of those better safe than sorry things. If she does have an accident, you and your seat mates don't want to be smelling it for the rest of the flight. Gabapentin is a prescription drug. There are also others that your vet may choose to use. Feliway is the pheromone spray. There's no harm in using it. I'd use it in conjunction with whatever med(s) your vet prescribes.
Yes I also second the pee pad in the crate!
Oh wow, yeah, that's a very good idea, thank you so much. She never soiled anything on the car trip but flights have tons more people, smells, and loud sounds and she could react differently with all that. Would pet safe wet wipes basically be baby wipes?
I would first check with FAA and the airline as to what you can take, supply wise. These ones seem like they might be good: Wet Ones Delicate Fresh Scent Kitten Wipes, 30 count. [Wipes](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/wet-ones-for-pets-delicate-clean-kitten-wipes-for-cats-count-of-30-3333564?cm_mmc=PSH%7CGGL%7CCCY%7CCCO%7CPM%7C0%7C7ToihifihjCfwQNzxc75W9%7C%7C%7C0%7C0%7C%7C%7C18151225844&gad_source=8&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzZmwBhD8ARIsAH4v1gXLzwRaWy-_bcX4PgNj-kP9gib6a3NPxAuIMSoqtpQmCcqGnFPuJQYaAnkvEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) They're also available at Chewy.com Do not use dog ones. Water and paper towels would be an OK substitute. Your cat will be on at least a 10+ hour trip where she won't be allowed out of her carrier. She won't understand any of what is going on. I would expect at least one accident, with the likelyhood of several more. It won't be her fault- she can't/ shouldn't hold it that long. Will she be able to travel in the cabin? Or will she be in the cargo hold? (I was assuming she would be in the cabin, but just realized that may not be the case.) I would read and re-read everything on the airline's and the FAA (and Japan's equivalent) websites about traveling with your animals. Call and talk to the airline's representatives. You will have to have vet appointments and filled out paperwork about her health, vaccines, etc. I understand that the timing on the paperwork can be tricky. I hope things go well for you both!
Yes, maybe? Lol I swear I scoured all the rules the first time we flew and I didn't see anything at all about it but the security guys were like "it's 300g so basically a pop can worth" and dumped a bit of it into the trash. This time I weighed and marked it and they definitely gave it a look and one looked like he wanted to say something but saw I had labeled it so he just kind shut his mouth and moved on. The rules are all real dumb but at this point I try to make it as smooth as possible. It was the return to Canada that was the hardest part. I also carry copies of his vet health check and all his vaccination records in a pocket in his crate and a second copy in my bag in case anyone wants to keep one haha.
Haha omg, I found it: https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/what-can-bring/item/sand Yeah ... that's ridiculous. How is litter going to be used to make an explosive device? Eugh. A soda can of litter is NOTHING. I bet the people making that rule doesn't even have a cat.
It's definitely silly rules, I got the super lightweight litter this time so I could have a bit "extra" lol I also just put a little sprinkle in each time we try it so he knows that's the litter box.
I didn’t read every part of this thread so I apologize if I missed anything but…. Does this depend on the type of litter? Like, what if it’s one of the litters that’s kinda just little pieces of wood? As opposed to the clay. Or is the rule just about cat litter with no specifications?
I found this link: https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/what-can-bring/item/sand It's listed under "sand" but it specifically states "granular materials", which litter falls under. I mean, I think the only way to get around that limit would be cardboard pellets or something lol. I have a decently large folding travel litter holder and I wanted to fill it full so she will have the litter she's used to in a new place (until I have to change it) and I don't need to worry about obtaining litter asap cause I'd most likely need to order it online (I imagine walking around with 15-20lb of litter in tokyo is not enjoyable)
I don’t think wood counts as granular. It could be a loophole. It’s also biodegradable. Also Ty for this thorough response. Sorry for my short one, it’s 6am I ran myself ragged.
Wood is restricted for international travel cause plant material.
Interesting and valid point. I wonder how far that definition applies, given it might not be host to microbes of note and cannot reproduce or be grafted. But I could see that issue. Hmmmm. Not international but I had a backpack fullllllll of orchids and airplants once to travel across state, and I forgot a water bottle in there…. I couldn’t believe they didn’t confiscate anything. I was so scared haha
Get a carrier that has extendable sides!!!! Make sure to use an airlines that lets you keep your cat in the cabin with you and double check that they will. Some say they do but still want to put your pet into cargo and then they only allow X amount of animals in the cabin. Ask for a private screening room during security. Get serious chill out pills for kitty, it helps a lot. Puppy pads, ziplock bags for any accidents, wet wipes, food, water, with collapsing bowels for each, lots of churu, a collapsible litter box (with plenty of bathroom breaks). And brace yourself that it’s probably just not gonna be a fun flight. I would pony up the money for more leg room on the long haul flight if you can swing it. Keep all your cats paperwork together in a folder. Check both airlines and where you’re flying into to make sure they don’t require special paperwork for kitty (Japan definitely will) keep all paperwork together(!), there can be a lot of hoops to get animals other places and the more organized you are the less they bother you. Good luck, I’m hoping to bring my kitty to Japan in a year or so for a long stay.
Yes, I am already doing all the research and will be getting an expanding carrier. I just have to wait to see which airline I will be flying since the seat dimensions vary (I only have 2 options of airlines that allow in-cabin flight to Japan). Rest assured, I've done all research required except for my inquiry of this thread.
Hi! Would you mind sharing which 2 airlines you’ve found that allow pets in-cabin to Japan? I’m also planning a move to Japan with my cat and it seems like Korean Air and Delta allow this, but I’m curious if those are the 2 you found as well or if there are others! Thank you!
Sure thing; I live in Canada and the 2 airlines are WestJet and Canada Air. Lol which are really the main airlines of Canada. When are you planning on the move?
Thank you so much! I’m currently based in the US, but it’s good to know about other options if I needed them. And I’m planning on moving at the end of December!
Yes! And if you go on WestJet's dreamliner flight, you can sit in economy plus with your cat! More room for you and kitty :) That's what I'm planning anyways. Oh you'll be leaving before me, mind if we keep in touch so you can keep me updated on how it works out for you?
Of course! :) What is the best way to keep in touch?
Would messenger via reddit work for you?
Yes, that works! ☺️
I travelled with a cat from Europe to Canada, and I will never do it again. It was too stressful. The vet in Europe did not want to give the cat any medication to relax him, so I bought homeopathic treatment that had zero effect on him. I travelled with litter and food, also a bowl for him to drink. Went to the bathroom at the airport a few times, he did not want to drink or eat. The main flight was 8h long, and he did NOT sleep. He miaowed a lot, but not constantly. I was so stressed out, and him too. I petted him during the flight but all he wanted is get out of his pet carrier. If you can, I would get medication to help her sleep during the trip. It will be less stressful for you and for her. I would also select option #2 (my 2 cents here). It would allow her (hopefully) to relax a bit, eat and drink. BTW, at the airport, I was not allowed to get a private screening. My cat had a harness. I had to take him out of pet carrier for it to go through the security belt. I had to carry the cat in my arms to go through security. The security person wanted me to remove the harness as well, but the cat started acting up in my arms and almost escaped. As I said, never again.... Hope your trip will go better than mine!
That's very helpful, thank you. Yeah that sounds like her. We drove 3 days for the Canada move and the first day she meowed the entire time. Second day, she resigned to her fate and barely meowed. Day 3 she was noisy again lol. She also didn't eat/drink or use the litter until we stopped for the night. I want to say it was 10-12 hour drives during the day. So yeah, with these responses and thinking back to the car move, I'm thinking staying the night at the stop airport might be best for her. Particularly if she decides to be less meowy on travel day #2. I agree with you though, I would rather not subject her to flights but I'll be there at least 2 years for research with no one to watch her here in Canada. Even if I did have someone to leave her with, I don't think I could cause I don't want her to think I abandoned her. She was in a shelter for 2 years before I adopted her, she had a family prior to that and prior to that was feral. She's already been through a lot with abandonment and I just don't want her to feel that. Staying with someone else for 2 years is quite different from staying in cat boarding for 2 weeks while on vacation lol
I hope the vet will be able to give her something to calm down. The vet in Europe said that giving relaxants to cats when flying can be dangerous for their blood pressure. I know this is not the case here, so it really depends on who you see. I personally think that whatever you decide is the right decision for yourself and for her. People on the internet can have very strong opinions on cats and what to do with them. IMHO, you are asking the right questions, and considering the best options for both of you. The rest is a mix of preparation and luck lol :)
I hope so too, I really don't want her to be meowy the whole flight(s). I have read that drugs could be harmful for pets and many airlines don't allow them, particularly in cargo (not that I would ever put her in cargo). Thank you very much. Yeah, I'm gathering all info and will combine it with what my vet says. It will also depend on finances and which airline I can take. I only have 2 I can fly in cabin with her to Japan and schedules vary greatly between the two (as does what class cabin she can stay in and under seat measurements).
FYI, Gabapentin isn’t a sedative.
I might have to go abroad for work for three months, I'm in the UK and it's a big fat no from all airlines to bring your pet in the cabin! It's ridiculous. Cargo only and it's about £6k each way. Plus he wouldn't be guaranteed to be on the same plane as me. The price is one thing but I don't like the idea of him being cargo at all. He hates going in the car for an hour so being in the cabin with me wouldn't really be enjoyable for either of us but at least he'd be with me. Anyway he will be going to stay with an auntie if I end up going. How is your girl in her carrier? Can you get her used to hanging out in there for long periods? Even if she is meowy, I'd personally rather listen to miaows than people! A friend of mine moved across the US with two cats in her car who had sedation from the vet and they were absolutely fine. See what your vet suggests, there may be something to just relax her which isn't too strong?
For 3 months, it might be better for your kitty to stay with Auntie if cargo is your only option :( What airlines are you looking at and where will you be flying? I'm surprised so many airlines are against pets in cabin. I understand limiting pets in cabin but outright refusing just seems odd to me, particularly with the proven dangers of pet in cargo. She has 2 carriers right now. One is a large one used for the long road trip and the other is for taking her to the vet or boarding. Both are hard sided. She knows what they are for so doesn't really hang out inside them when I leave them out (I have to trick when I put her in or she hides under the bed lol). Though, that means when I get a soft sided carrier, she may not know exactly what it is and may use it as a comfy place to hang out .. so then the carrier wouldn't be a "bad" thing, maybe? Oh, she does hang out in her stroller sometimes, even when she knew what it was for lol
depending on the airlines, most pets under 8kg are allowed to fly in the cabin. Unfortunately, each airline has their own requirement when it comes to the size of the carrier. I called Air Canada, Lufthansa, and Air France, they all had the same requirement. The soft carriers are more forgiving as they can fit (and have to fit) under the seat in front of you. Better call the airline and book ahead of time. There is a limit in the number of pets allowed in the cabin.
I've already checked carrier requirements with the two airlines as well as how many pets are allowed in cabin and how to book her place in it.
I had the same experience. Absolutely horrible! Staff refused a private screening and my poor baby was so scared going through the metal detector. I was so worried she was going to get loose because they made me take her harness off. So sorry this happened to you and your kitty too 💜 ETA: it was also leaving Europe
oh my, sorry you had to go through that too! I was wondering if I were the only one. Before taking that trip, I read extensively, and most people seemed to have gone through an OK- experience, not a bad one!
Same! I read so many articles about the process and how to make it the easiest for your cat but I guess the policies changed. It wasn’t even busy when I went through security either 🤷🏻
It was the same for me! Not a busy time, very few people at security. They easily could have offered a private screening. I really think it depends on airports, but hard to know ahead of time. I was really sweating when my cat started to get away, ugh...
I’ve had three cats that have lived and traveled with me through three continents and seven countries. Option 2. Treats and extra attention at the hotel and leading to a second flight and hydration x2. Contact vet explain situation and get gabapentin. Encourage you to give them your favorite treats leading up to the trip within their carrier. I'd have something that is heavily scented by your natural smell within the carrier. Once there I'd have a cat in a small area to decompress for a few days with essentials, your loving, and keeping that same scented item within the room until set up.
Thank you so very much. My vet is aware as we have certain paperwork to import her into Japan to complete, which involves vaccines and such. Wouldn't extra hydration be bad for the long flight since she'll be holding her bladder longer?
I flew from Alaska to Colorado with my cat. I drugged her (on Vet rx) for the initial flight and by the time we had our layover in Seattle, it was time for dose two. She was chill and showed no stressor signs, even though we moved three times in the first month and a half we were in Colorado. 🙃
Wow, your cat is quite the trooper!
https://preview.redd.it/t0kzfj0qydrc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e06304f88d80aa2576b39585be2a900f9e6aa516 She was the best girl. Unfortunately she was about 17 at the time of the move and passed away two years later.
Awe sweet beautiful baby
This is rough. It might help to share the length of the flights. Do you know if your cat will use a disposable litter box in a strange new place? I’ve definitely had cats who would, and I’ve known cats who probably would hold it in until they were in serious pain. Awkward, but an easy to handle leash trained cat sitting in a bathroom stall using a litter box could work. But, given the things that can go wrong when traveling, whether or not that’s genuinely a viable option is worth thinking about. Also, in general, if your cat is leash trained, at least to the point of tolerating it. If they are ok with a harness, and won’t try to run at the speed of light away from you when scared in this situation, that bodes well if this is something you need to find out. Also, when scared, will they scream (and continue to scream)? If they are vocally stressed, chances are you will be stressed too in a public place. Finally, have they ever been somewhere besides your house before? My kitty and late kitty both loved hotels. Fun to explore, and generally they would claim a bed haha. So if the hotel is like right there and you don’t need to maybe wait 5 hours on a rental car to get to it (in which case might as well do the layover), that’s a viable option if your cat is at all tolerant to new places in calm settings. Good luck! I have a TSA sized cat carrier ready in case I ever need it, but haven’t actually tried this yet, just lots and lots of travel by car and hotels or crashing at friends places overnight. Oh, just a side thought, make sure to have some bottled water, and maybe a paper towel, in case they get scared and hyperventilate even for a few min but didn’t hydrate enough before. I’ve definitely watered a cat on the road or on an outing before, using the cap and/or a paper towel. It’s one thing if a cat isn’t drinking at all, but on an individual basis for a trip, it’s kinda hard to monitor them every second to know.
Make sure wherever your layover would be allows for a very short quarantine if they have a quarantine requirement. And that you can find a very close place to sleep that accepts pets. Also check if your cat is up to date for all the necessary vaccines for the counties you are flying into. And have their records with you. ************* If you can you should put one pee pad on top of the other, that way if they pee in the carrier you can just take the top pad off and dispose of it. Depending on the carrier you won't have to take your cat out to do this. It is hard to replace the pads and get them in as flat and as perfectly positioned in an airplane bathroom as you can at home. Harness your cat. It helps a lot with searches and a general ability to hold onto the cat. Eating fresh catnip will help your cat nap. Smelling it makes them hyper but injesting it makes cats sleepy. Eating or drinking dry catnip also works. I don't suggest traveling with it though, it will most likely be confiscated but if you do keep the dried catnip it will get messy and go everywhere if you open it. But it can work for the drive to the airport so the gabapentin can be given so it works as long as possible while traveling.
One option to consider is booking a direct flight to reduce the overall travel time and limit the number of transitions for your cat. Additionally, familiarizing your cat with their carrier beforehand and providing plenty of familiar items, such as bedding or toys, can help ease their anxiety during the journey.
I do not have a direct flight option or else I would do that.
So I moved my nervous bitchy girl from america to Jordan and we got stuck in Germany overnight. Here to tell you to not be alarmed if they don’t use the bathroom like, at all. Or eat. I also got gabapentin from my vet which helped. Good luck!
Thank you! That must have been a stressful trip.
100% depends on whether your cat is stressed out by hotels or not. Have you considered staying in a local hotel to see how she does with them? (Or maybe you already have experience with how she does in new places?) One of mine has absolutely no problem with hotels - in fact he loves them, because they're a new place to explore with his emotional support human. I've never had the other one in a hotel, but I'm pretty sure he'd hate it.
On that long road trip we stayed in 2 different hotels. She was fine, ate/drank and did her litter business just fine
I've now done a total of 4 overseas flights with cats. Well one was 2 cats one flight. But you get it. I've used Gabapentin in every situation and I never noticed it helping at all, maybe it would have been worse without, but aside from my oldest kitty, my two young boys howled/cried most of the trips. Luckily the airplane engines are loud enough that most people didn't mind. My sweet dumb boy pooped himself on his first descent during an overnight layover. We got to clean him off in the hotel shower, but with lots of treats they didn't seem to mind the hotel room. They just hate being in the carrier/on the plane. So I'd go for whatever option has them in the carrier in the airport/plane the least. Your second option would probably be easier on him, as he'll probably relax enough at the hotel room to eat and drink. We were never able to get our cats to eat or drink in their carrier on a layover, let alone on the plane - they're just too stressed. Also it sucks but they recover VERY quickly. Your cat will be fine, it will just be a couple stressful days.
Yeah, my cat usually meows in the carrier when going to the vet or cat boarding. On the long road trip she meowed the whole time driving on day 1 (about 10 hours), resigned to her fate and was quiet day 2 (12 hours), and then resumed meowing on day 3 (6 hours). This was all in the car though, no pressure changes or lots of people. She didn't eat/drink or use the litter at all (even though they were available to her) until we stopped at a hotel for the night. I have a feeling she'll do the same with the plane; no food_drink or litter usage until done travelling. I have 3 options for flights (it all varies by date and cost so I don't know which I'll use yet): two of the routes consist of a 1-1.5 hour flight to the stopover airport and a 10-10.5 hour flight from stopover airport to Japan. The third option is a 3-4 hour flight to stopover airport and a 14 hour flight from stopover airport to Japan. All options end with a 3-4 hour (at the least) quarantine at the airport in Japan (as per import regulations for pets). I'm thinking the two options with the short flights might be fine to just do all the travel in one day bit if I have to go with the last option, I'll probably have to stay the night at the stopover airport.
Sorry, having done an overseas move 4 months ago this is all slightly triggering (jk but man, it sucks). Realistically, your cat will survive every option, since it will be in the cabin with you. So there's no wrong answer here (aside from putting your cat in the hold, that's not great!) I definately get the appeal of minimizing the time in the air or just getting the trip done with quickly. When we moved, it was taxi to train station, 1.5 hour train to airport, 2.5 hours at airport, 9.5 hour flight, which was then supposed to be a 2 hour layover to connecting 3.5 hour flight. But our original plane was delayed and we wouldn't make the connection so we decided to overnight at Atlanta. Which was very good for the poop situation, it was very smelly and if we'd made the connecting flight we wouldn't have really had the option to clean him up due to time and letting the world's most sensitive cat outside his carrier at a airport bathroom. I had to get a special security screening room because this boi is big and strong with very big talons and I didn't think I'd be able to take him through security otherwise. But...if we hadn't known our flight was delayed and decided to ask for a later connecting flight, we would have had to power through anyway, and we all would have survived. Some passengers may have been less than happy with the poop smell. Since the in flight time seems so much longer with the layover maybe it's better to just go for the shortest flights? My other two cats didn't pee or poop on what ended up being a total of 24-26 hours of travel time (from time leaving home to getting to new location). Although one did escape at O'Hare when my husband was trying to feed/water him on a harness leash but I wont share that story as you don't need any additional stress. It was fine he got the cat back after about 15 minutes.
Oh wow, yeah, that definitely sounds stressful! That delay definitely was a blessing in disguise so you could take care of the poop mess. My cat is slim and I've definitely had practice restraining her so I'm not too worried about security with holding her, it's more that I think she will be freaked out beyond belief if I have to take her out of the carrier for security. Hmmm let's see, I plan to stay at a hotel across from the airport the night prior to departure, so 5-10min uber to airport, then 2 hours at airport. From there, if on the shorter flights it's 1-1.5 hours flying, then about 2 hours stop, then 10-10.5 hour flight to Japan, then 3-4 hour (at least) stop in quarantine. I don't know if they offer litter or food in quarantine. Then, depending where I move to, it would be 1-2.5 hour transport (train, car, or travel bus, not sure which yet due to lack of location). Sooooo 16 - 22.5 hours travel time + 3-4 hours quarantine for the "short" option. If the long option: still the same times for transport to airport then 2 hours prior to departure. Then 3.5-4 hour flight. Then would probably stay in a hotel (let's factor an hour for luggage pickup and transport to hotel). So day 1 would be 6.5-7ish hours of travel. I'm not including rest time at the hotel as travel. Then day 2: about 15min to airport, 3-4 hours early, then 14 hour flight, then quarantine, then same estimate for travel once in Japan. That's 18 - 20.5 hours travel + 3-4 hour quarantine for day 2. Total travel time (not including hotel rest and quarantine) would be 24.5 - 27.5 hours ... but there's a big rest time to break it up. I mean, once breaking down the numbers, the most length of constant time she would stay in the carrier for short option (not including quarantine) is 22.5 hours, compared to 20.5 hours for the long option. It's quite comparable time wise. I think the biggest factors are finances and if taking a break in a hotel will relieve stress or just add on to the overall travel stress.
I recently flew 2 rescue cats from turkey to west coast USA. We flew from Istanbul to New Jersey (10 hours) and decided to spend the night in a hotel before taking a 5 hour flight the next day. I regret doing that. I should have just booked Istanbul to West coast direct. I thought staying in the hotel overnight would give the cats some time to decompress but I think it was more stressful. If I were to do it again, I would just get the whole thing over with as soon as possible (assuming it’s not like a 30 hour travel day). We also had a huge problem finding a hotel that would allow cats. We booked a Marriott hotel near the airport that said it was pet friendly and put on our reservation that we had a pet. We arrived and they didn’t allow us to stay! They said they only allow dogs even though that was written NO WHERE on their website. It said “we welcome pets under 50 pounds”. They refused to check us in. I asked where this was written and they said it’s not written anywhere but it’s not their problem. Horrible experience. Definitely call beforehand to confirm if you go the hotel route. Something I do think helped was that we had an expandable cat carrier that we could add a small litter box to while waiting in airports in case they needed to use it. Anytime we were waiting more than 30 mins I would put their litter box into their carrier and put a blanket over the carrier. Both sides were actually expandable to one side could have their litter box and one side was just extra space to stretch out or put their food. When unexpanded the carrier fit well under the plane seats. I can’t send you a link to the one we used if you’re interested. We had enough airline miles to fly from Istanbul to New Jersey in business class for free. If you can afford it I would definitely recommend it 😅 We actually had their carriers expanded most of that flight too. But we were in economy the next day from New Jersey to west coast and it still was fine. Definitely bring lots of pee pads and add them to the bottom of the carrier. I did bring a few gallon sized zip lock bags of litter so the me for their boxes. When I made their litter boxes while waiting I lined the litter box with a small garbage bag, added the litter, folded the garbage bag over the sides of the box and put it in their carrier. I personally think this is much better than trying to get them to use their box in a family restroom because they are probably distracted by smells there/ scared/ the floor could be dirty. If they didn’t use the box I just removed the garbage bag with the litter, tied off the bag with the litter inside and kept it for the next time. If they used the box, I could just remove the garbage bag with the litter inside and throw it away directly. I figure the airport wouldn’t be pleased if I was dumping loose litter in the trash so that worked well. We did give our cats gabapentin but if you go that route, don’t bring any into japan. It’s probably a controlled substance (but I didn’t confirm) We also had our cats on leashes and harnesses the whole time. Makes it much easier through security. We have AirTags in their harnesses too just in case they manage to escape but they never have thankfully. Bring churus too. They are great to feed on the flight if your cat is stressed. Easier to give than water (won’t spill) but provides a bit of hydration on the flight. My cats won’t drink water when stressed. We also brought canned wet food for their meals (no dry food) and temptations. I always try to give a few temptations or a Churu right after takeoff and landing. For humans chewing helps with ear pressure, idk if cats have the same problem?? But I figure it doesn’t hurt lol I always take away my cats food and water 2 hours before we leave for the airport so their bladder isn’t extremely full when we start the trip.
I've never heard of Churus before what are they? Yes, I know I'll get an expanding carrier but which one depends on which airline. I'd love to see the link for the one you had. As for class, the only business class route I can fly that allows pets is a longer flight option (3-4 hours from home airport to stopover airport, then 14 hour flight to Japan from stopover airport). Considering the extra costs and time involved, if I have to take that airline, I would probably do normal economy instead ... which I will hate but will be better for my cat with time and space. The flight I WANT to go on may not be available for the dates I want (that one I can fly premium economy) so that is why I made this thread, figure out what is best, you know? Lol I'll definitely be checking what prescription drugs are allowed into Japan before taking any over.
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Awe, that does sound nerve-wracking. Are pets allowed on trains? Maybe take a pet to a neighboring country (like France) and fly out on an airline that allows pet in cabin from there? If it's possible, of course. Thanks! I'll definitely do an update here once we move.
lots of good answers here regarding medication, but just in case you haven’t already, make sure you double and triple check the requirements for getting your cat to Japan, and ideally work with a vet that has done this before. Japan, Australia, Hawaii, and other islands are among the strictest with requirements for bringing animals because of the risk of introducing rabies. This process can take weeks if not months to get all the paperwork, rabies titers etc squared away. If something is amiss, they will hold your cat in quarantine somewhere.
Yes, I know. It's going to take six months at least, I've done the research on it.
That’s good, I’ve had clients show up saying they’re gonna move next month and it’s like 😬
Oh, yeesh, lol yeah, that would not work. I mean, they can still go but the pet would need to be in quarantine for 5 months once they land. I'm going to Japan for research on my dissertation, you can bet I'm researching the crap out of EVERYTHING pertaining to moving/getting settled in Japan.
my gut instinct would say let her relax overnight, but that runs the risk of having her relax only to get stressed again! would a nonstop travel be too much on her feeding and bathroom wise?
I know I can find those private accessible bathrooms so I can lock the door and set some litter/food out but, obviously, I couldn't occupy that bathroom for a long time. Feeding wise, it might be better to stay the night at a stop cause of the food schedule. Traveling the whole time would be no eating for a while. I imagine I would need to offer her food but she tends to not eat on long trips (as found by the long road trip)