Airplane cat carrier: your experience?

[grey12]

Hi!

I am considering taking our lovely pet cat when we move abroad. (Just so you don't freak out, I'm currently living with inlaws so the cat could easily stay in the same home 😉)

I am reading about pet carriers and I would like to hear your opinion and your experience 🙂

Airline ask for leak proof?! But it has holes 😳 I don't understand. Maybe you do.

Soft or hard carrier?

Please let me know 🙂 what shall I put in the cage with the cat? I really am clueless on this.....

btw she does her business in the garden. Don't know how it would affect things....

thanks!

Bump?

There are minimum legal requirements of size, but there are also requirements for the individual airlines. You are best off following the advice of your export company who will have detailed knowledge of the legal requirements and the additional requirements of each airline.

It will almost certainly need to be a hard carrier as pets are not allowed to leave the UK in the airplane cabin.

It must be hard sided and IATA compliant. Leakproof means no holes in the bottom or mesh sides. It has to have one door only, and a water dish that is accessible from the outside (the kind that attaches to the door is usually fine.)

It has to be large enough that the cat can stand up and turn around comfortably.

Here are the IATA regulations. We have shipped our cats several times but they've never really changed.

I am in Germany and Lufthansa lets cats fly inside the cabin to all destinations: however, the carrier must not exceed a certain side. As far as I know, the UK is not excluded.

@Mia184 they can fly into the UK as cabin baggage, but not out of the UK.

Lufthansa and some other non-UK airlines allow cats in the cabin when flying out of the UK; check their individual requirements. However, animals (apart from registered assistance dogs) are never allowed in the cabin when travelling to the UK and have to fly as cargo, as per government regulations.

My cats flew from USA to France many years ago and they had to be in hard containers of a certain size and had to be approved by the airline. They also both needed medical before they were allowed to fly. Best check with the airline.

@gwenneh only one door?! 😨 I was looking at open top carriers because the they're easier to put a cat in. So far we took the cat to the vet in a neighbour's cat carrier, and the top opening made it soooo much easier!

It's outside of the EU so I don't think she can go in the cabin. Maybe she can..... Something to contact the airline then

The roof must be solid. It can’t open. It can have ventilation holes or stationary wire mesh but it can’t be a door.

@gwenneh thanks for letting me know 🙂 I would have definitely bought the wrong carrier

My cousin runs a pet transport company in Dubai. I think they arrange a suitable box and all the paperwork.

I moved two cats from USA to UK in August without an agent to keep the costs down. Any animal flying in and out of the UK need to be in the hold not the cabin (and with cats this is the best place for them).

For an average cat, the carrier needs to be a minimum N200 size. it should be made of firm plastic and only front door opening (top openers aren't allowed). There should be ventilation on all sides (i had to drill holes on the back of one), a water bowl should be attached to the door which they can top up without opening the doors. I put an absorbable puppy training mat at the bottom. One cat always poos when we start a journey and she did in the taxi on the way to the airport so i replaced the mat before handing over. I also had to cover the door and ventilation holes with a mesh as they should not be able to stick their paws out.

When you book them on the flight, they should give you all the requirements. I bought the crates on a local neighborhood site for $15 each as they are over $100 new and they are massive!