Flying with Cats

Traveling with pets is a big source of anxiety for many pet companions, and we are no different. Our cats Sitah and Duke are 17 and 14 years old now. It's been eleven years since we have traveled any significant distance with Sitah or Duke. In the past year, Sitah has lost a lot of weight, and Duke now has a heart murmur. So we were very concerned about their ability to manage a long journey. Starting about five months before departure we consulted with our veterinarian about their ability to travel. After several regular check-ins, there did not seem to be any major issues to prevent us from going. A big part of the reason we chose to start our next chapter in Mexico was because of the proximity and limited pet restrictions. Mexico no longer requires a Health Certificate for cats entering the country from the USA (Requirements and procedures for traveling to Mexico with your pet | National Service of Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality | Government | gob.mx (www.gob.mx)). So we felt this would be the easiest starting point that wouldn't be too taxing on the cats.

How it went: We had a mid-day flight so we did offer the cats breakfast. I bought a portable litter box that collapses down to fit easily in a gallon Ziploc bag. We packed two, one-gallon bags of crystal-style litter in our carryon bags, along with a few cans of wet food, and some dry food and treats, some of which we could store in their carriers. We also purchased collapsible pet bowls which clip onto the carriers.

Our cats are mainly indoor pets, and they do not regularly wear a collar. So one week before our flight we started practicing putting their harnesses on and encouraging them to walk around in them. At first they were very awkward, and Sitah especially looked like she was drunk-walking. But after a few days they were more comfortable walking around the house with a harness on.

On the flight day, we put harnesses on the cats before we left home, and put a leash in each carrier pouch. Sitah meowed loudly for the first 10-15 minutes of the 40-minute drive to the airport, but once we got inside, both cats were completely silent, taking everything in. They were very patient during the check in process, which took longer than usual due to our luggage being overweight, and the time it took to clear the pets for travel. We had to take the cats out of their carriers to go through security. My husband and I each carried one cat through the regular x-ray machine, then they quickly swabbed our hands, and gave us the ok to proceed. The cats did not try to escape, which is a good thing because we did not end up attaching their leashes, mainly because we felt a bit rushed. If your cat is skittish, it would probably be advisable to use a leash.

Sitah and Duke behaved perfectly well on the 4-hour flight from Seattle to Dallas. They stayed in their carriers under the seats in front of us and mostly slept the whole way. Sitah woke up about half-way through and meowed a bit, so I reached in and gave her some treats. After that she went back to sleep. Duke is very shy, so we were not surprised that he hunkered down quietly for the whole trip.

A month prior to our relocation trip, we had done a scouting visit to Oaxaca and for that trip we flew on AeroMexico via Mexico City. We had a weather delay out of Seattle due to a major thunderstorm, so we missed our connection in Mexico City, causing a 5-hour layover. I felt if that happened with our cats, it would have been more taxing for them. So I saw this itinerary with a four-hour and a three-hour flight on each day as a good opportunity to let the cats rest overnight, eat, drink, use the litter box, etc. We booked a pet-friendly hotel close to the Dallas Ft. Worth airport with a free shuttle service and free breakfast. We had a suite, which was great because it was a bit bigger than a regular hotel room. The cats were very happy to get out of their carriers and explore the room. We did have to cover the couch with the bed comforter to keep them from scratching it, because we knew they would be tempted.

Sitah was not at all excited to return into her carrier the next morning for the second leg of our trip. She hid under the bed and I had to resort to pulling her out by the scruff on her neck (which I'm told is not painful for cats) so that we wouldn't miss our shuttle. On the short ride to the airport, Sitah again let us and all of our fellow passengers know that she was not very happy about the situation. But there was also a fussy infant on the shuttle so I didn't feel so bad about her meowing. By the time we got to the airport she had settled down. We already had our tickets from checking in at SeaTac airport the day before, so did not need to check in again. There was no wait in the TSA Pre-Check line, so we breezed right through, again removing the cats from the carrier. This time they did not swab our hands.

When we got to our boarding gate, Sitah kept pushing her head up against her carrier. It was clear to me that she was very antsy. So I decided to clip on her leash and let her out in the seating area. If dogs can walk around airports on a leash, why not cats? After browsing around the small area near our seats for a bit, she hopped up on one of the chairs and laid down. This is typical behavior for Sitah- our cat who does not like doors to be closed. She will sit in front of a door and meow until you open it for her. Then she may or may not take a look inside before moving on to something else. She simply wants the option to come and go as she pleases.

The three-hour flight from Dallas to Oaxaca also went very smoothly. Sitah again woke up after about 2 hours and I gave her a few more treats. The woman sitting next to me did not hear her meowing and told me at the end of the flight that she forgot the cats were even there. As we de-planed in Oaxaca, I started to get nervous about how the inspection would go in immigration. The immigration officer asked us how long we planned to stay and purpose of our visit. I said we planned to stay up to 6 months (the limit for a US tourist visa), and that we planned to travel around the country and then return home. He gave us a 6- month stamp and waived us on. A few feet from the booth a woman was standing outside a small office marked SENASICA. She waived us over to do the physical cat inspection. She did not speak much English and we do not speak much Spanish. So she indicated she needed a certificate and I offered her the Rabies vaccine certificates. She was satisfied with these; made photocopies and then asked to remove the cats one at a time so she could inspect them. She quickly looked at their eyes, ears, paws and fur, and that was about it. She did not give us any kind of paperwork- just gestured that we could continue on to claim our bags.

After that all passengers also had to pass their bags through an agricultural screening check. When we took the cats out of their carriers, the folks behind us in line exclaimed with many Ooh's and Aww's about how cute they were! I think they were pleasantly surprised to see them emerge in this somewhat stressful environment (for humans, too). I was preoccupied with loading the luggage on the conveyor belt but Trevor said that when he tried to put Duke back in his carrier he reached toward the bottom of the luggage conveyor in an attempt to hide. Duke is our scaredy-cat so this was not surprising behavior, especially at the end of such a long and foreign experience for them.

The only unexpected part of our trip was the one-hour taxi ride to our rental house from the airport. It had been raining all day long, which caused a lot of slow traffic. Normally the ride should take about 35 minutes, but it was a full 60 minutes. The cats were calm most of the way, although Sitah did tell us she was ready to get out of her carrier a few times. When we finally arrived and meet the landlords at the property Duke and Sitah were so pleased to get out of their carriers and explore. However, in the company of strangers, Duke crept around low to the ground for the first several minutes like he was on a secret spy mission. In contrast, Sitah accompanied us on the whole house tour with the owner, leading the way into each room. By the end of our check in process, to all of our great surprises, Duke was rubbing up against the leg of the male homeowner while waiving his tail high up in the air. Anyone who has ever visited our home knows that that's quite brave for Duke!

So from day one, both Sitah and Duke have seemed quite content in their new home. It's a pretty big space with multiple rooms and lounging areas, plus an enclosed outdoor courtyard they like to explore. I'm very happy and relieved that they were so well-behaved and didn't have any accidents or major challenges on the two-day trip here!

A Note About Pet Fees and Logistics: American Airlines charges $150 per pet in the cabin. They will collect the fees at time of check in, which must be done in person. If you have a layover longer than 4 hours, they are supposed to charge you again for the second leg of the trip. Somehow we lucked out and they only charged us for the first leg (Yay for saving $300!)

You must call in advance to reserve a spot on the plane, as most airlines limit the number of pets on board to just a handful. I called immediately after booking out flight, as instructed on their website, and they reserved two pet spots for us. You can only travel with one cabin pet per person on American Airlines.

Our hotel (Home2Suites by Hilton Irving/DFW Airport North) charged a pet fee of about $40 per pet. Whenever I have searched for pet-friendly hotels or Airbnb's in the past, the fine print often says they will allow dogs, but not cats. So be sure to double check. When in doubt, ask in advance!