My cat and I are moving to England and she has to be placed in the luggage compartment?

Question

My cat and I are moving to England and she has to be placed in the luggage compartment?

Answer 1

I have shipped and received cats from Europe before. The airlines are very good at ensuring your pet's comfort. I recommend that you do not feed your animal before the trip. Some airlines require that you provide their cargo department with a small container of pet food for them to be fed on layovers or in Customs. You may buy dishes that clip onto the metal grate of the carrier. Keep them empty; the airline will fill the dishes with water. As for "going", if you don't feed your animal that day, it might not have to go. Do provide her with a roomy kennel to move in and so that, if she messes in the corner that she can move away from it. Line the bottom of the kennel with disposable Depends pads. On layovers and/or in Customs, they will check that your pet is clean, healthy and has water. She'll be fine and happy you didn't leave her behind.

Answer 2

If you are moving to England, I take it that your vet has already applied for the necessary documents for your cat to travel under the PETS scheme? If your cat doesn't fully comply with these regulations, she will be placed in quarantine for six months upon arrival in the U.K. If this hasn't been done, then check out the link below from DEFRA which is the official government body dealing with this. You will find all the information that you need there.



http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/vets_proc.htm



When I moved from England to Cyprus, I brought my 17 year old cat with me and air-line regulations stated that she travelled in the hold, which is a heated area away from where the luggage is stored. (That had been one of my worries). The carrier will have to be airline approved, and should be large enough that she can lay down in comfort. Furrari make good ones with plastic food & water dishes which clip to the bars of the door, see the link below.



http://www.petco.com/product/2080/Petmate-Furrarri-Pet-Carriers.aspx



Your vet can advise you on the timings of the last food and water for your cat, dependent upon the length of your flight. My vet in the UK recommended against the use of any kind of sedative whatsoever. He explained to me that it can make the cat feel disorientated and that if there is any air turbulence during the flight, that my cat wouldn't be able to steady herself in her box. (Some cats have been injured during flights because of this). Line the box with several inches of shredded paper and an old towel, so that if she does get caught short, the paper will absorb any urine. If the box is large enough, she'll be able to move away from the damp patch.



My cat was fine after a 5 hour flight, and quickly settled into our new home with no problems whatsoever. If my shy 17 year old cat got through it without being too stressed, I'm sure yours will be okay too.



Hope everything goes well for you and your cat in your new home.

Answer 3

I really understand your concern! I personally would 1st check the airlines and inquire about 1st class, ask if they would allow a cat in a carrier to be seated with you or under you. If that is not an option I would go to my vet and request the morning of the flight a "mild" tranquilzer only if your cat is completely opposed to being in a crate and travel. This might make it easier for her (and you). Also, if you have to transport her in the carrier dept. please do get her a pet carrier that is big enough for her to turn around in (to give her comfort) and possibly do her business without having to prop her head next to it. I would only supply a dish for water, no food. It's my experience that cats generally do not like a ton of room to move about in during cases of stress, much like a newborn. They feel safe in confined spaces. In any case, I would just give her alot of love when you finally get to your destination just to reaffirm that she was not abandoned! Have a good & safe trip!

Answer 4

Cats do not need any food or water to travel - they will be stressed - I'm sure they will not eat.

Answer 5

She won't be in the main luggage compartment. Animals and some other items go in a pressurized temperature-controlled separate compartment, usually below the cockpit at the front of the plane.



Get an airline-approved cat carrier, and it will have food and water dishes that clip on to the door. Attach an extra bag of dry food and a water bottle to the outside of the cage for refills, in case the flight is delayed or rerouted. (The airline will unload live animals from the plane and care for them if this happens.)



Put a little dry food in her dish inside the carrier, and freeze ice in the water dish the night berfore you depart. It won't spill that way, and as it melts it will give her fresh water.



She won't need to use a litter box during the trip, and won't want to.



Be sure to mark the carrier LIVE ANIMAL.



You will need a health certificate from a vet issued within a certain time period before the flight. Check with the airline -- there is some variation between them. Fortunately, the 30-day quarantine on incoming animals has been relaxed by the UK.



Have fun in England.

Answer 6

Make sure that your airliner is pet friendly in the luggage compartment. Some luggage compartments are not pressurized, and your kitty will not survive the trip. Check it out and change airliners if this is the case.

Answer 7

whoa in luggage? wierd... when my parents brought my cats from russia they were allowd to be in carrier under the chairs.... they used some drug to make cats calm down... i dno what it was but im sure that they did

Answer 8

Anyone is taking a HUGE chance on their pet traveling in the luggage compartment of an aircraft. The record is NOT good.

Some airlines will allow small animals to travel with you in an airline approved carrier that will fit under the seat or if you purchase a ticket for the pet on the seat next to you. If you want to be certain your pet arrives safely and alive at your destination that is what you must do. Call the airlines and find one that will allow this and when you find one that does get the information you will need on what constitutes an approved carrier.

Answer 9

It's a cat, she'll sleep for most of the trip...

luggage compartments are at room temperature, no need to worry about this... For food and water, dunno, u should contact the airline company and ask them about it

Answer 10

I am not sure what you mean by the "luggage compartment". Do you mean your cat will have to be in cargo?



At any rate, I recommend www.jetpets.com. I brought my cat from Australia to the US through JetPets. They are great people, will answer all your questions, and take great care of your cat.



It costs quite a bit (it was about $1200 for my cat), but is worth the price. They will come and get your cat, provide the container for the cat and take care of it every step of the trip.



I was worried that my cat would get stuck in a freezing cargo, without food or water, or would be next to tiger or something awful like that. They don't let that happen. Your cat will have water and JetPets checks out that no other animals that would stress out your cat will be in cargo.



Every airport the cat arrives to, Jetpets has a person waiting for your pet's arrival.



Also, when my cat arrived in the US, she was inspected by a veterinarian, was fed, bathed, and had time to run around and exercise.



When she got here, she smelled great!



JetPets are very communicative as well. If you are anxious and want to know where your cat is, just give them a call. They will tell you how things are going.



I highly recommend JetPets.



Good luck!



PS: I respectfully disagree with one of the other posters who said they would not allow their pet to travel in cargo. I tried desperately to find an airline that would allow me to have my cat travel with me in a carrier under the seat in front of mine, but no international airlines would do it. It is allowed within the United States on some airlines, but overseas flights simply will not do it.



Also, do not give the pet any tranquilizers. I cannot remember the exact reason, but at high altitudes, it can hurt your pet. JetPets can give you information about this.



By the way, in your pet's carrier, put a t-shirt that you have worn about a week or so in with your cat. It gives them the smell of you and makes them calmer.



Again, good luck!

Answer 11

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Answer 12

I would not allow a pet of mine to be put in the cargo hold. Pets are not cargo! A cargo hold is not pressurized either! Would you want to ride down there? A standard cat size carrier will fit under your airplane seat, and is allowed on virtually every airline..

Your vet can provide a mild tranquilizer to keep her calm. I've used them for long car trips, cause my cat hates travelling by car. I just crushed the tablet into a fine powder and mixed it with a very small amount of canned cat food, to make sure he ate it all. If your cat is very finicky, you may have to resort to a bit of tuna. You need to administer it about an hour before departure to give it time to work.

I provided a litter box in a large wire crate for my cat on long trips, but he never used it. Put a clean towel in the carrier. It will make it more comfortable for her and if she has to go, she will "bury" it under the towel. She will most likely just wait, though. Alternately, you could use newspaper, but the towel makes a soft place for her to lay.

She probably wouldn't give a hoot about eating or drinking during the trip, even if food and water were available. As long as you give her access to adequate water before you leave, and as soon as you reach your destination, she'll be fine. Be aware, a sudden change in her water source can cause Montezuma's Revenge, just like it does in people! Provide her with bottled water or take along a Brita pitcher, or some sort of filter, if you can.

Make sure the address of your destination is on the carrier. Even though she will be carry-on, separation is always possible. I would also put a harness on her with her new address, and a contact number, just in case. Don't use a break-away collar for this, it would do no good if she loses it. If she is micro-chipped, have the information updated before your trip. With furry little kids, just as with the fur-less variety, you must take every precaution to keep them safe.

If you have friends who've flown with pets, ask them for tips. I have never flown with my cats, but long car trips are similar in some ways, and other stuff I've read.

Hope I've given you some information you can use. Good luck, and have a safe trip!

Answer 13

um they don't need any food or water wen traveling because they will be all spazed out!