Read About Choosing Air Travel Supplies

When you and your cat are preparing to travel by air, choosing air travel supplies is a necessity. ImageWhen choosing air travel supplies, be sure to include the following items: carriers; food if usual variety not available where you are traveling or at least enough to acclimate your cat to the new food; water from home to at least to use to acclimate your cat to the local water; harnesses, leashes, extra collar with identification; grooming supplies; toys; cat litter; cleanup supplies; and first aid kit.

Some type of travel carrier is the number one purchase when choosing air travel supplies for your cat. Most airlines will allow you to take a cat into the cabin of the plane if the flight is under six hours in duration. So when making reservations, ask exactly which carriers, size and weight are accepted. Soft-sided and hard-sided carriers are both made of waterproof materials and are easy to clean if an accident does occur during traveling, but need to meet the dimensions of the airline you have booked to travel. Select a carrier that has secure door latches with plenty of ventilation holes. The following identification should be prominent on the airline approved cat carriers – your name, phone number, destination and phone number when traveling.

If the flight is longer than six hours it is probably better to check your cat as baggage and fly your cat in the heated hold of the airplane in a hard-sided carrier. Choosing air travel supplies for a cat traveling in the cargo hold will be a little more extensive than for a cat traveling in the cabin. With a long flight, your cat will need a place to eliminate and have access to food and water. You can purchase small bowls that can clip to the door of the hard-sided carrier. A small amount of food can be placed in one bowl. Pre-freeze water in another bowl. ImageThis will allow the cat access to water as it thaws during the flight. Additional food and water should be provided in bags attached to the carrier with care instructions in case the flight is delayed. You need to purchase or make a small litter box containing a little amount of litter and secure this to the corner of the carrier. This will allow your cat a place to go bathroom during the trip and still not be lying on the waste.

Supplies like cleanup items and first aid kits can be carried in the pockets of the cat carriers. You should always keep harnesses and leashes on your person so they do not get lost during travel especially for cats that are traveling in the hold of the airplane. Items attached to carriers in the cargo hold do sometimes get separated from the carrier.

Traveling with your cat is very similar to traveling with a young child. A little preparation in advance with choosing air travel supplies for you cat can alleviate the added stress of traveling with your cat.