4 cats:
Sassy (pear-shaped, brown tabby). Hates Oberon and Grisou
Twister (aka detective chief inspector, gray, lightweight)
Oberon + Grisou (bonded pair, black + tuxedo, they will share a carrier)
Asking for advice from anyone who has ever taken a cat on a long-distance airplane flight!
The goal is to travel from California to France. Destination airport will either be in Switzerland or Germany. As far as I found out, import rules are the same:
rabies vaccination more than 21 days before the trip, micro chip implanted at or before the rabies shot, and a government approved vet to fill out a certificate (already found that one). I'll also ask the vet for valium to dose everyone for the trip.
Since there are 4 cats total, the plan is to take them in steps so they can be a carry-on.
First my husband will take Sassy since she doesn't mind being confined indoors and could be parked anywhere.
Then a relative who will do a business trip into the area will take Twister.
Then my husband will come back and together with me we'll take Oberon + Grisou (1 carrier) and the rats (yes off-topic but also 1 carrier).
Question to you: Do you have any tips for air travel with a cat? Will the security people require them to be taken out of the carrier? (that would be real bad because even Sassy who doesn't fear the vacuum will be quite scared .. envisioning a wild hunt among the line for security )
Do I have to worry about them getting dehydrated?
All I know is never to let a carrier out of my sight and never permit anyone to be put in the overhead compartment, I heard of a passenger who was forced to put her small dog in there and the doggie suffocated.
Sassy (pear-shaped, brown tabby). Hates Oberon and Grisou
Twister (aka detective chief inspector, gray, lightweight)
Oberon + Grisou (bonded pair, black + tuxedo, they will share a carrier)
Asking for advice from anyone who has ever taken a cat on a long-distance airplane flight!
The goal is to travel from California to France. Destination airport will either be in Switzerland or Germany. As far as I found out, import rules are the same:
rabies vaccination more than 21 days before the trip, micro chip implanted at or before the rabies shot, and a government approved vet to fill out a certificate (already found that one). I'll also ask the vet for valium to dose everyone for the trip.
Since there are 4 cats total, the plan is to take them in steps so they can be a carry-on.
First my husband will take Sassy since she doesn't mind being confined indoors and could be parked anywhere.
Then a relative who will do a business trip into the area will take Twister.
Then my husband will come back and together with me we'll take Oberon + Grisou (1 carrier) and the rats (yes off-topic but also 1 carrier).
Question to you: Do you have any tips for air travel with a cat? Will the security people require them to be taken out of the carrier? (that would be real bad because even Sassy who doesn't fear the vacuum will be quite scared .. envisioning a wild hunt among the line for security )
Do I have to worry about them getting dehydrated?
All I know is never to let a carrier out of my sight and never permit anyone to be put in the overhead compartment, I heard of a passenger who was forced to put her small dog in there and the doggie suffocated.