Flying with your Cat. Airline Approved Cat Carriers and General Advices for Flying with your Pet.

If you are traveling by airplane and have the want or necessity to make the journey with your pet, there are a few rules and regulations that you, your cat and your cat carrier will have to meet, in order for your pet to be allowed in the flight.

The first thing you will have to do is to get in touch with the reservations division of the airline you are traveling with, to make early arrangements for your cat, as only a limited number of animals are allowed in the passengers cabin; this quantity may vary depending on the company, for example, American Airlines accepts only seven animals in the cabin per flight, so you will have to announce that you are traveling with your pet as soon as possible.

Another factor that you must take into account is that some airlines will not accept some breeds of cats into their flights; American Airlines does not accept Burmese, Persian, Himalayan or Exotic Shorthair cats. Some other characteristics of your feline friend are considered for its acceptance in the flight: the cat must be a certain age before it can travel, AirEuropa requires a minimum age of 10 weeks, while American Airlines requires your pet to be at least 8 weeks old; some airlines will also require a health certificate for your pet, in order for it to be accepted in the cabin, or as checked baggage.

Your cat carrier will also have to fulfill certain regulations, some general for all companies and some specific for each specific airline. Of course, your first concern is the comfort of your friend, so the carrier must be big enough for the cat to be able to stretch, lay down, be seated or standing up, and be comfortable the whole trip; the carrier must also be big enough to contain singular water and food bowls that must be securely attached and that can be refilled from the outside, without any possibility of your cat escaping during the refill process; the carrier must have a small pouch that can holds a 24 hour store of food, in case there are delays.

The carrier also must have sufficient ventilation for your cat to have a comfortable journey; you should purchase a kennel with ventilation on two of the sides and the door to avoid problems. The kennel must be made of wood, metal, plastic, or another leak proof material. The weight allowed for the pet plus container must not exceed a limited quantity, which is around 8 kilograms if the pet travels in the cabin or 45 if the cat travels as checked baggage. The allowed size of the kennel may change between airlines; American Airlines permits 19" long x 13" wide x 9" high and other companies use similar magnitudes.

You can transport more than one cat in a singular carrier, being the range of pets allowed between 2 or 3, but no more than this in a single kennel. However, the animals must be comfortable and safe, so it does not matter if there is more than one animal in the carrier, as long as they travel in good conditions, and have enough food and water for all of them. Another thing you must know is that no airline allows the pets to leave the carrier during the flight.

Finally, on a closing note, always remember to call your airline to be sure that you are complying with all the rules and regulations, which may vary for each company. Remember that making the preparations for your feline friend’s travel in advance will help you avoid last time inconveniences and make your journey more comfortable, knowing that your friend is also traveling in the best way possible.