by Eric Miller
I have a problem with flying. I don't like it. When I first moved from Pittsburgh to San Francisco, I mailed most of my things and flew my cats. I got a medium sized cage where they would feel comfortable, attached food and water dishes to the floor with bolts, gave them the necessary drugs and put them on the plane.
I couldn't stand the thought of them in the cargo hold. They were likely asleep and would be fine, but I had heard horror stories about the temperature and air quality down there. Worse, there's the occasional tale of the pet that's mistakenly sent to another destination, or worse, lost.
When I arrived in San Francisco, it wasn't too long before the cats arrived in the baggage area. It was clear they were just waking up. One looked as if she had slept with her face in the water. They were fine, but I made the decision then this would be their one and only plane trip.
Since then we have made two cross-country trips by car. The second went much smoother than the first, which involved an accident and many hours waiting in a convenience store.
My experience has taught me that you can't be too prepared when traveling with pets. The road can be a hazardous place, and unforeseen events can be hard enough to handle when you are alone; pets only add to the difficulty.
My driving companion and I had been up through the night trying to make good time through snow storms and hazardous road conditions. Early the next morning we had reached Wyoming from California, and since the weather had improved we decided to continue driving throughout the day. Little did we know that invisible ice that covered much of Interstate 80. As we approached a slow moving truck, my friend tapped the brakes and sent the car spinning off the side of the road.
One of the cats had been on my lap, the other in the cage. When the car came to a rest after sliding off the road, the startled cat went under the seat. Seconds after the accident, the severity of what happened was yet to be determined. There could be another calamity waiting, such as a gas leak, and it would not be possible to get the cat out of the car quickly should we need to. More, with freezing temperatures outside, it would also be harder to prevent the cat from going outside where her white fur would make her impossible to find.
After determining the damage was minor, we waited for a helpful motorist to call the police who called for a tow. The cats rode in the disabled car back to the station.
Once at the station, we asked if the cats could wait in the warm convenience store, inside the cage, while the car was repaired. The owner, allergic to cats, agreed as long as they stayed in the cage.
A few hours into the day it became clear the car could not be repaired and so we had to begin the process of getting the rental car company to send us a replacement. Into the evening we were still waiting. After about twelve hours with the cat in the convenience store, we went to a nearby hotel, which did luckily allow pets (actually finding a hotel which allows pets is much easier than you might expect.)
The car had arrived overnight and by morning we were back on the road.
As many people have commented, and you too may be thinking, a five-hour airplane ride has got to be a lot less traumatic for an animal than all this…. And you may be right, but to me there is just something unnatural about cats in the air. Their instinctual abilities are no good there. And so this would not be their last car ride.
The next car ride was a couple months later, in better weather and going the opposite way. We did have a problem with extreme temperatures at the other end of the scale. While hotels are welcoming to cats, most restaurants are not. This pretty much limited where we could eat to fast food because we couldn't spend more than a few minutes inside so the cats wouldn't be without air conditioning. Here the water dishes came in handy.
They are pretty old now, but we still may have one more cross country trip to look forward to together. Going to the car can be traumatic, but once in the car they are pretty much fine until its time to get out again. All the different hotel rooms seem more cause for alarm than the actual car ride, but every cat (and dog) is different.
Here are some tips, some of my own and some from "Traveling With Your Pet," the AAA PetBook.
The Carrier:
- Make sure the carrier won't become damaged on impact. Plastic is better than metal.
- Make sure the door can be latched.
- If flying, place food in compartments on top. Mark it as such.
- If flying, place LIVE ANIMALS stickers on the cage. These are available in most pet stores.
- A wet sponge placed inside instead of water will provide a source of moisture. Make sure the sponge you purchase does not contain detergents or chemicals.
The Car:
- Bring along plenty of food and fresh water
- Bring along relief supplies like cat litter, bags, etc.
- If your cat is prone to making noise, place it so it can't see outside.
- For especially anxious pets, ask your vet about tranquilizers.
- Bring along documentation showing the pets have required shots. This is especially important if crossing national, or even state, borders.
- If your pet is a dog, map out roadside stops that allow pets before you go. Make sure to stop and let your dog stretch often.
- Pay close attention to your pet's condition. Know the symptoms of heat stroke and hypothermia before your travel.
The Hotel:
- If your pet is a cat, bring along several box lids, such as from a case of sodas. Inside the hotel room, slip a trash bag over it and pour a small amount of litter in. In the morning, simply turn the bag inside out and toss away.
- Most hotels charge a pet fee of about $25.
- Your pet is in a strange environment. Be extra careful about opening the door. Getting a room that opens into an interior hallway is a good idea if you think your pet might try to get out.
The AAA Book, "Traveling With Your Pet," also provides a list of animal clinics should your pet get sick on the way, as well as outdoor recreation areas that allow pets on a leash.
