This silly guy will be flying (in the cabin) soon.
I need to get him a carrier. I don’t know anything about this. Help! The airline requirements are:
For pets traveling in the cabin, hard-sided carriers must have maximum dimensions of 17″ x 11″ x 7.5″ (43 cm x 28 cm x 19 cm) and soft-sided carriers must not exceed 17″ x 11″ x 9.5″ (43 cm x 28 cm x 48 cm). They must be leak-proof, have adequate ventilation, and be lined with absorbent bedding.
What brands do people like? Thoughts on hard/soft? I want to get him a soft one? I think he’ll like it better.
Also, people who’ve flown with cats before: anything I should ask for from the vet, other than the usual gabapentin/diphenhydramine/whatever sleepytime drugs?
Lastly, open thread!
seaboogie
Put a harness on Samwise, just in case. When I flew from Seattle to Miami in ‘01, I had my Golden in cargo (watched the cargo load to make sure he was on the flight before I boarded), and kitty as carryon. But going through TSA with the cat, they made me take her out of the carrier and go through the body scanner with her in my arms. I panicked, worrying about her getting loose in the terminal, and then discovered her harness in my jacket pocket, which I put on her while crated for us to pass through security. Soft-sided carrier is probably best – not an option back in our day. She was a champ on the flight though. Drugs.
TaMara (HFG)
If you can find these, they are the best pads I’ve used. I use them around the litter box because my older cat was peeing with his butt out of the box. They really absorb a lot.
seaboogie
@TaMara (HFG): Late kitty of 21 years spent her last 2 arthritic years living on my bed. My pee pad expenditure was kind of a lot, but what a wonderful option to have available to us.
Major Major Major Major
@seaboogie: Sam doesn’t know squat about harnesses but I was thinking of picking one up…
TaMara (HFG)
@Major Major Major Major: I think the kind the Cheryl is using are probably a good choice. Lots of coverage.
Suzanne
OMG so many drugs. I was on a flight once with a woman who didn’t drug her cat. The poor thing was yowling when I first encountered them at security, then screamed all the way through the airport, boarding, and the flight. I had a cat once who used to secrete and shed really severely when she was stressed out (read: in the car), and I was soooooo allergic. Drugs drugs drugs.
seaboogie
@Major Major Major Major: I had one for the purpose of driving cross-country, and was so relieved to find it in my pocket when push came to shove. Cats are slippery. Not sure what current TSA regs are, but you’ll want to be able to control him – chasing a manic cat around SFO kind of less than ideal…
CaseyL
Oh, lordy.
Get a top-loader if at all possible: they are much much easier to get a cat in and out of. Drug him enough to keep him calm, if not asleep, for the whole trip. Make sure you have some way to give him water, particularly at stopovers (if you have any). Take spare bedding, and be ready and willing to simply throw out any soiled/wet bedding at stopovers, or the minute you’re in the arrival airport. (Large pee pads make great bedding if doubled or tripled, and you won’t mind tossing them.)
You also might consider putting a T-shirt or socks or something in the carrier that smells like you. Maybe a favorite toy – not that he’ll play with it, but it will be something familiar.
May you both arrive safely and non-traumatized.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@seaboogie:
For you or the cat?
TaMara (HFG)
I’ve driven 16 hours with two cats in the car. Twice. I think they finally stopped yowling in Utah. Then a few months later I drove them 8 hours to Colorado and they didn’t stop yowling the entire trip. I wished I would have thought of drugs. It was decades ago, so I don’t know if it was an option.
seaboogie
@?BillinGlendaleCA: Exactly. Started smoking cigarettes again for just this reason. My stress levels were off the charts. Also, as the flight was low into the landing, the pilot pulled the aircraft up suddenly, because there was another aircraft on the landing strip. It was excruciating!
Major Major Major Major
@seaboogie: ugh.
Mohagan
Unless they are used to it, cats are not happy travelers. I would recommend a hard-sided plastic carrier with metal closures. You need something very sturdy. Since Samwise is not used to a carrier, he’s going to be freaked out both by being in the carrier and by traveling, unless he is drugged to the eyeballs. Cats are very strong and if he wants to claw his way out of a soft carrier, he will. (It’s easy to forget how strong a cat is when he is at home and relaxed and being your loving kitty boy, but if he gets freaked out, he will turn into an uncontrollable piece of fur covered stainless steel with knives attached at most ends). Please, you do not want him to get out loose while on the trip. You can put soft towels (and maybe a shirt or something which smells like you for comfort) inside to make it comfortable. Also, he does not need to see out of the carrier while traveling. Cats basically do not approve of travel except by their own feet and watching the outside fly by (as in a car) is not reassuring. Basically, get him a little cave (cats like caves) and keep him safe in it until you get to your destination. You might also try getting the carrier ASAP and leave it out around the house (and maybe feed him treats in it) so he can get used to it before the trip. I have never drugged a cat for a trip, but if you plan to, it would be good to test the dosage ahead of time to make sure it works and is not a dangerous level for him. Good luck!
cynthia ackerman
I flew a lot with my Kilo (he also got to ride around in Annie Leibowitz’s lap, but that’s another story …)
Cabin Kennel by Doskocil. I think the hard shell gives cats reassurance. Pad generously with something that smells like home. Kilo liked yesterday’s unwashed t shirt..
The key feature is s small hatch in the top, which lets you reach in for a reassuring skritch as needed. Use it often, especially during takeoff. Kilo:s first flight was as easy as his twentieth. Hr was calm and quiet, and his Siamese heritage meant he could have been a pain. Again, lots of skritches.
Not a fan of drugs. They can be more stressful than not.
MazeDancer
Get the carrier early. Keep it out, with catnio, treats, and soft thngs to lie on in it. So he is used to it.
Have flown cross-country several tmes. The hardest part is getting them in the carrier.
SectionH
First,soft side carrier, cause yeah. Underseat tolerances can be tricky. 2nd, body harness, because, yes, your cat must come of of the carrier and go through the scanner with you
First (sorry I always get to s tiff confused), third, DO NOT GIVE YOUR CAT SEDATIVES YOU HAVE HAVE NEVER GIVEN HIM BEFORE. THis is advice from every vet I’ve ever asked the possibility for meds for any critter I’ve ever worried about transporting. From horses to,cats. Most animals respond to sedatives one way. But a significant enough % get stimulated and if you don’t know how the critter will react, the last thing you want to find to out is abad reaction in the airport or on the plane.
Mohagan
I forgot to mention: I hope it doesn’t come to this, but if you have to hold the cat in your arms at some point in the trip, you need to know about scruffing in order to control him. Scruffing is holding the cat FIRMLY by the scruff of the neck with one of your hands. Support his body with your other hand, but don’t let him get his hind feet on your arm since he can push off using your arm as a launching pad. Scruffing works because it is hard-wired into cats – it’s what makes kittens go limp when their mother picks them up by the scruff to move them. Try it – it really works. Edited to add: I don’t mean hold the cat JUST by the scruff. That’s bad. But scruffing will give you much more control while holding an upset cat.
SectioNH
@cynthia ackerman: Absolutely agree with both side top openings for carriers.
Major Major Major Major
@Mohagan: used to scruff ferrets. Good to know it works on cats too.
@SectionH: was going to get the sedative from the vet, and I’m sure they’ll have the same advice! As for the carrier I was thinking of getting one tomorrow, we have a pet supply store across the street with a good return policy in case something doesn’t work out with it before the flight.
seaboogie
@Major Major Major Major: Yes..but this happened too:
My seatmate was someone I judged a Miami Beach (given our destination) *himbo*. Cute, muscled, a couple of tats. No convo for 5+ hours, but once our flight pulled up hard out of the initial landing, we started to talk.
Miami was my final destination, he was headed to Buenos Aires, and from there to wherever the highest mountain peak in SA is. As it happened, he was a young widower whose wife died of breast cancer. He spent a lot of the time thereafter drunk. Then he climbed Mt. Rainier (also drunk), to spread his wife’s ashes. Then he got sober and made it his purpose to climb the seven peaks (highest mountains on each continent), while raising funds for breast cancer cures.
Just before this trip of his, his best friend and climbing companion had died in an horrific fire. Feeling quite chastened by this information, I got out my wallet and gave him $200. Followed him for a while on google – he was legit. That’s what happened after our plane pulled out of a near disaster. Cat only started to make a fuss as I finally deplaned.
seaboogie
@Mohagan: why the harness.
Mohagan
I tried to edit my last comment, but it doesn’t seem to work, so … please don’t think I’m advocating holding an adult cat just by the scruff. Of course they need to be properly supported and not just hanging by their scruff! But scruffing them while holding them will give you a great deal more control.
Major Major Major Major
@Mohagan: ferrets, interestingly, can be held entirely by the scruff. Puts them in the weirdest paralysis state.
Ruckus
@Major Major Major Major:
Here’s one soft sided that’s the right size, comes in 2 colors and isn’t all that expensive. Has all the bells and whistles.
Major Major Major Major
Would taking Sam for little walks around the block or to a friend’s place in the carrier help?
Mohagan
You might also consider using Feliway cat spray (spraying it in the carrier before you put Samwise in it). It mimics natural cat “happy” pheromones and provides calming reassurance.
uila
Somewhat pricey, but I can personally vouch for this model. We used three when we moved overseas with three large cats. Dear god was that a long trip. The soft case is nice just because you know you’ll be able to cram it in under any seat. I believe the vet gave us valium which we crushed into the food. Wore off about halfway through and had to redose. Even though the trip was 12 hours door to door, there was thankfully no pissing or shitting. Apparently they have ways to shut that whole thing down.
SectionH
@Major Major Major Major: Don’t bother the cat with introducing a harness. Not worth it. When you’re taking a cat onna plane, the harness is a triviality. Seriously. None of the cats I’ve flown with had ever worn one before. I wasn’t trying to take them for walks, it was just back-up. They were in their carriers. None of them even noticed the harness afaict.
Feliway… some ppl swear by it. It seemed to have 0 impact on any of my cats, but it can’t hurt. Again, it might be better to check it out soon – you’ve got a few weeks.
Mostly, from the flying pov, nail down your right to fly with your cat.
Mohagan
@Ruckus: Looks like it would work great for a small dog, but if you read the reviews, you’ll see one where the cat got out and went running up the aisle of the airplane! Sounds like the owner got him accustomed to the carrier first, too. I still say a hard plastic carrier is safest.
“This is a nicely designed and well-made carrier. The removable plywood insert in the fleece pad is a really good idea and it’s well-implemented. I bought it a few weeks ago so my 11-pound cat Oscar could get used to it before we traveled. He seemed pretty comfortable and would climb into it and stay for a while and we made a trip or two to the vet for practice.
But when we flew recently, there was a period about two hours into the flight when he just did *not* want to be in there anymore and he fought to get out . . . like a cat. He pushed so hard that he was able to separate the closed zipper in the top opening and he got out. I ended up chasing him down the aisle. (If you were on a recent Alaska Air flight and saw a black kitty running toward the cockpit, yeah, that was us.) He had it figured out by then and he managed to push out through the zipper a total of 3 times during that flight. (I was simultaneously proud of him for being smart and really irritated at him for being a trouble-maker.) I ended up holding him in my lap for most of the rest of the 6-hour flight. He was happier with that. The flight attendants were not.
Clarification: He didn’t push two zipper pulls apart; I had all of the various zipper pulls clipped to each other. He separated the zipped-closed teeth of a zipper. Also, I didn’t have him clipped to the leash because he’s a 100% indoor cat and he doesn’t wear a collar.
Anyway, I can’t really say if it’s the carrier’s fault or just my little wildcat is too strong. I’d guess that the same thing might happen with any carrier that uses zippers. I wonder what design improvements could be made to fix this issue. By the way, he also managed to chew/rip a few small holes in the mesh panels but they did hold together for the most part.”
I repeat my warning that cats are really strong and can claw or push their way out of a soft carrier that is just held together by mesh and plastic zippers (sorry!!).
Major Major Major Major
@SectionH: I meant walking him around in the carrier, to introduce the idea of leaving home in the carrier.
uila
Also, we didn’t have harnesses, and luckily there was no need (this was at Dulles). After we went through security, the agents had us take the cats, still in their carriers, one by one to a secure room, where they did follow-up checks on both the animal and carrier. So you may like to give yourself plenty of time.
SectionH
@Major Major Major Major: Honest Q – how else do you take him to the vet?
If he’s not actually ID’ing a carrier as the Ebil box which ends up at the vet’s, then leave it alone. Pop him in it when you need to go *harness on* and take him to the airport. Make it simple.
Because Cats. I’m also pretty sure that you and Sam love each other (human to cat but yeah) a lot. You really just need to focus on how to tell him that he’s ok when you’re on the trip – that’s the multi-opening carrier, plus your voice, your smell, just let him know you are there.
I might have ideas about some airport clubs that can be Very pet friendly, but are you just going transcon?
ETA because I can (swoons with joy)
Major Major Major Major
@SectionH:
We use a service that does house calls because we can. And yeah, one flight, domestic.
Mohagan
@Major Major Major Major: I was wondering that myself :-). Lucky cat to get house calls! Much less stressful to have the vet come to you.
SectionH
@Major Major Major Major: Got it.
Samwise will be fine as long as someone he trusts is with him.
Mohagan
@Major Major Major Major: Cool. I’ve never heard that about ferrets. Being a cat lady, I’ve never had ferrets, but they look like they’d be great pets. I saw a movie years ago (Beast Master 1982 – I just Googled it) with pet ferrets and they were beautiful. I particularly liked the way they flowed almost like they were water personified (but with fur and pointy faces).
Bostonian
If you haven’t bought your cat a carrier before, I recommend buying one that’s smaller rather than one that’s larger. The cat should just fit in it, with enough room to turn around but not to walk from one side to the other. If cats have to be enclosed, they want to be well enclosed. A larger carrier causes them more stress, not less. And yes, hard, top opening.
KittyJetlag
We just flew 3 cats overseas. Country we were flying to required all animals to go through cargo, I was a wreck but they survived just fine.
Gabapentin is great. Vet gave us test dosages that we tried at home on a quiet day to make sure they all tolerated it well. It lasted 9 – 10 hours, with the first few they’re just really relaxed and calm and sleepy. I figure it got them through the shipping company bustle of getting the crates prepared, and then through takeoff and half the flight. By the time we landed they were all awake but calm.
If you’re going through TSA I agree with everyone who suggested a harness. Just having something other than slipper cat to hold on to, in case the TSA makes you take them out of the carrier, seems like a good safety net.
Depending on how and when you’re flying I will tell you cats can get jet lag. Ours have definite routines and for the first few days those routines were about 8 hours off. They adjusted pretty quickly, though.
Cheryl Rofer
@Major Major Major Major: The harnesses I use are called Kitty Holsters. I suggest accustoming him to the harness. Cats HATE harnesses, and their initial reaction is to become paralyzed and fall over on their sides. That actually might be a good thing for a TSA inspection, but you should check out Samwise’s reaction first. I found that three or four sessions with the harnesses got my guys behaving relatively normally with them on. Also, attach a leash before you go through the machine – easier to catch him if he runs.
zhena gogolia
@Major Major Major Major:
OMG, house calls are the best — I had to do those with my semi-feral Louis. But it was only possible because our vet is an angel and their office is three blocks from our house.
I’ve never flown with a cat — you’re getting some good advice! Best of luck with Samwise!
debit
Kitten Lady has a video. She recently moved from the east to the west and has all the info, including how to handle TSA.
Barb 2
3 round trip from Seattle to Miami with cat (Japanese Bobtail cat and tiny Chihuahua). Soft carrier because of the size variation in under seat space. My cat was perfect – probably due to his breed. He also wore a harness and he was used to being walked on a leash.
The German trained Vet I went to overseas prescribed drugs for the return trip and cat was ill for a few days after we were state side. Benadryl is recommended by some as a mild option.
If the flight attendant isn’t a snot – you can put your hand in the carrier to calm both you and your fur kid.
The biggest problem could be the TSA jerks. One in Seattle demanded that the cat be nude (remove halter and collar from cat and dog). This same idiot was responsible for the escape of a cat into the airport an hour before I went through the “security” line. It all depends on the airport. My fur kids have racked up thousands of miles of traveling – planes, trucks, cars, jeep and trailers. The cat has been known to complain for 100 miles because he wanted to stop because it was late. He sort of has a rule about not traveling when it’s dark. His other rule is that we must stop at all rest stops so he can take a walk. The cat is great about air travel but he hates the first part of the vehicle trips.
Based on my experience I’d vote for a Soft – well made carrier PLUS a way to secure the zipper. A small lock or secure clip. Make double sure the zipper are secure after going through TSA check points. I’ve used 3 different soft sided carriers, all had double reinforced heavy duty fabric. You can get nail protectors and glue them to the cat’s nails. These are often recommended for cats who can be destructive as an alternative to declawing. It really depends on how badly the cat will react to flying – or the nasty airport.
Samwise will live up to his name. The journey doesn’t need to be terrifying. I personally am glad my cat can walk on a leash – he demands to walk into the Vet waiting room. He will fuss and scream if he a stuffed in a carrier for the Vet trip. But it all depends on the individual cat.
sam
It’s a little pricey (and might be available from amazon or somewhere for less), but I’ve had the red one of these for years, and my cat loves it – she uses it as a bed when we’re home. I get tons of compliments on it, and it’s also really handy at the vet because we can unzip the entire thing and take the sides down when Sadie refuses to, well, stop bunching herself in the furthest back corner for the visit.
I haven’t flown with it, but I have taken it on the train, and it’s pretty comfortable if I have to hold it in my lap due to crowding. I also find it nice that I can unzip it just a little and stick my hand inside for petting (which you can’t do with a hard sided carrier. http://barknbag.com/shop/carriers/carrier-one/
Here’s a pic of sadie in her carrier (voluntarily): https://www.instagram.com/p/1A4imOp13K/?taken-by=samanthadow
Art
Hard vs Soft:
Hard+:
More protection from external mechanical hazards. Like other baggage sliding or falling into it.
Quick to clean/sanitize. Pour any excess out. Wipe.
Openings in gate allow medications and treats to pass.
Long lasting with minimum maintenance. Immune to rot and mold. Often preferred by people who transport animals every day. Tough, last for many years.
Very strong and secure for keeping aggressive and violent critters both in and out. Even frighteningly large animals can’t directly harm your pet inside.
Hard-:
It is bulky and although most will come apart they still take up lots of space in storage.
Animal rattles around in it if it is manhandled.
Hard surfaces are less comfortable. Slippery. Offer little insulation.
Color and style choices are limited.
Gates are pretty much all-or-nothing. Large opening allow fleas and mosquitoes in.
Soft+:
Easier on animal.
Most fold for compact storage.
Tight mesh construction keeps fleas and mosquitoes out.
Comes in many attractive colors and styles.
Zippers can be partially opened to allow contact and medications to pass.
Soft floors are easier to sleep on, give some traction, and offer some insulation from cold terrazzo.
Soft-:
Absorbs liquids and smells and needs to be washed and dried to be cleaned.
You can’t stack luggage on top of it. Offers little mechanical protection.
A vigorous animal may be able to claw their way out. Seams are vulnerable.
Large animals may be able to bite your pet from outside.
Even with gentle handling snags and wear are inevitable. Most last only a couple of years.
Double zippers need to be wired together to resist persistent poking and pressure.
JSPA
We use soft – sided carriers; for longer flights, with two cats, we manage to take along two spare carriers and a litterbox and (bagged) litter by putting the bag of litter and any other cat needs and one folded/mushed carrier into the disposable litterbox, then sliding that all into the second spare carrier. We line all carrier bottoms (and about an inch up the side) with (human) superthin, long maxi pads or incontinence pads. We have thin leather gardening gloves, wear heavy shirts, clip their claws about 4 days in advance, and have modified “kitty holster” cat shirts which we put on them if we’re in an airport where they have to be carried through security. (Modified by switching out the metal ring with a nylon ring so they don’t set off the scanner). We bring a garbage bag (contractor grade) to go under the carrier, too. And a spare in case we have to bag up a befouled carrier between flights / make it unobjectionable for the next flight. And several small plastic bags. For long flights (7 hours or more, nonstop) we take along a plastic dropper so we can put a little water in/on their mouths (they don’t show any interest in eating or drinking). Feed non-stinky food for the last meal or two (not something they’re new to–but if theres a mass market dry food that gives solid, less –
stinky poops, feed that). Our big cat tends to poop and pee–a lot!–when the wheels drop for the landing.) Family bathrooms can be a god-send for transferring and cleaning a cat and changing out soaked pads. But be polite (people take precedence! Clean up after yourself!) And be aware they may have openings into the walls, under the sink area. A cat could wedge in there forever. Especially if the toilet auto-flushes and they freak. They turn out to mostly be ok stepping out of one carrier and into another even out in the open, at a transfer airport, if needed. So move and secure the cat– wiping feet in the process, if needed –then bag your hand, grab the poops, invert bag, remove / bag / replace any fouled pads, tie off well for disposal. You can leave the cat in carrier 2, or return to carrier 1.
If they have a fairly set schedule at home (breakfast, litterbox, morning snooze) ideally book the flight so that you leave home after their normal litter box trip.
We generally do not leave the cat holster or thundershirt on, in the carrier, as soft sided carriers already hold heat, plus they stop the cat from curling up or turning around as easily when space is already constrained. Also, watch out for padded carriers where animals can overheat. Finally, some cats (like some people) have really atypical / reverse reactions to sedatives. Try a half dose at home, a couple of weeks in advance, so you don’t end up with a freaked, hallucinating, yowling cat due to a bad reaction. And do allow extra time if there is a private screening room–most larger airports will allow you to use it if you say your cat might scratch or run– but it can take rather a while. PS the cats will almost never use the litter box when you try them in it at connecting airports… but you will feel a lot better knowing you offered.
JSPA
Forgot the most important part for soft sided: sew or staple all but one opening and cable tie the spare zippers. Have twist ties (plural) on the zipper you’re using.
J R in WV
Lots of experience and good advice here. We traveled by air with a cat once, well twice, to get back after a trip for Christmas, from Pascagoula MS to CRW. Cat traveled with us at first, but different airline into WV required her to be in the hold, which wasn’t so good for her.
Have seen lots of people with soft carriers on board aircraft, their cats seemed to be aclimated to the carrier and not struggling to escape. I can see that if a cat was determined to escape a soft carrier, that would be less impossible than from a hard carrier, which is what we have always used to go to the vet’s with difficult cats.
Other cats seem to do fine riding in someone’s lap being scritched, hard to tell in advance which style of cat you have in hand, though. Good luck traveling to your new home! Hope all goes smooth!
Kent
Last time we did this the cat got severely stressed and pooped in the carrier then got poop smeared on him from squirming around. Created a terrible stench on the cat and in the carrier.
What ever you do, bring cleaning supplies for the carrier and the cat. A big package of wet wipes perhaps and replacement soft bedding for the carrier as well as a supply of plastic bags for disposing and sealing away the detritus of an accident. Be prepared to have to wipe down your cat and the inside of the carrier and be able to dispose of everything you use.
The harness and a leash is good if you have to extract the cat to clean him up and/or clean the carrier in the event of an accident.
mostlygrey
I just flew with a rescue cat from LA to Portland a couple of weeks ago. I was pretty worried about the carrier situation and wound up getting a Sherpa brand carrier. Their website has a section that shows what carriers are approved with specific airlines. I wound up getting a private screening with TSA so I was able to take her out of the carrier in a private room without the hubbub, which made life a little easier. The TSA folks were a bit like the Keystone Kops at first but the guys who did the screening were nice and we talked Portland doughnuts and food during the whole thing. It certainly helped that the feline wasn’t freaked out by the whole affair. The flight was also only a couple of hours so that probably kept some of the other situations to a minimum.
One other thing on carriers. I went to a few pet stores and some of the carriers looked pretty nice until you simulated stuffing them under a seat and then the whole thing kind of collapsed which didn’t seem like an ideal situation. The one I wound up getting mentioned that it was designed to prevent this and worked well in the rather small opening on the Alaska plane.
Barbara
We flew with 4 cats, two of whom were 18 years old. Here is my advice. Get the biggest soft-sided carrier you can and make sure it has lots of ventilation. We started out with an expensive one that didn’t. Then we got one from Mr. Peanuts because I wanted the luggage/trolley strap. Wrap the bottom insert in a pee pad or two. Have more pee pads on hand. Look at Rescue Remedy; we rubbed a few drops into their ears. Check out Feliway individual wipes and wipe the carrier every hour. Put something small but very familiar in the carrier with the cat. Be careful with sedatives or other pharmaceuticals as they can be unpredictable with felines. Drape something over the carrier if you atlre waiting in the airport. It will keep them calm, just make sure they can breathe. Keep ID on the cat and a sheet of paper with detailed contact info in a pocket of the carrier, if you can. Make sure the cat can see you, but try to act ordinary so that they don’t get stressed. I hope this helps.
deianaera
I flew cross-country in July with a cat. I found a soft-sided carrier was better because then I could make sure it would fit under the seat. (I flew out of Vegas in July – the cat had to be in the cabin) I also found kitty melatonin – https://www.amazon.com/NaturVet-Quiet-Moments-Calming-Melatonin/dp/B00VOBPPJA – which worked WONDERS for my kitty’s adventure. This cat who meowed all the time was quiet and calm for a five-hour flight.
Gianduja Kiss
Recommended bag – strong and comfy, I’ve used these for cats a lot:
https://www.chewy.com/sherpa-original-deluxe-pet-carrier/dp/130210
Also, it was mentioned above but just so you’re aware: Kitty can’t go through X-ray (naturally) but the bag has to, so they’ll ask you to take the cat out of the bag (hah) and hold it in your arms as you walk through the body scanner. Be prepared!