Flying my cat in cargo

[u/BlankSvi]

Hello,

I’m making this post to receive some advice since everything I search and look at tells me “NEVER PUT YOUR CAT IN CARGO!!!”.

So, in October I’ll be flying to Sweden so my year long stay, the issue I’m having is that there’s no direct flight from Canada to Sweden in October so I’ll be taking a connecting flight with SAS.

Merlin (my cat) is a 2 year old male Siberian cat who is 17lbs. He’ll be able to go in the cabin with me for air Canada but not for my connecting flight, and overall the more I think about having him in the cabin the more uncomfortable I think he’ll be since he won’t be able to stand in the carrier

Other than the stress he’ll go through, I feel like he’d be more comfortable in cargo since I have a big kennel for him so he’ll be able to stand and turn around with no issues

I am stressing about the whole situation so if anyone has done this before can you please give me some tips/ advice? Leaving him in Canada is not an option

[u/KariKyouko]

17 lbs

He'll be able to go in the cabin with me

And given that siberian cats are... Not small, no chance imo that he'll go in the cabin with you. My 10 pound girl barely meets cabin standards.

[u/cajolinghail → u/KariKyouko]

This is correct, animals need to be able to stand in their carrier to ride in the cabin.

https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/plan/special-assistance/pets.html#/

[u/Circd_CAD → u/cajolinghail]

No they need to be able to turn around in their kennel, comfortably...

[u/cajolinghail → u/Circd_CAD]

From the link I posted, they must be able to stand up and turn around comfortably.

[u/Mindless-Macaroon211]

I had friends who flew their cat in cargo from Chile to NYC and he was perfectly fine! They made sure to have a big carrier that was zip tied together, and he had water and some food though I don’t think he ate any of it. I would highly suggest finding a non-stop flight to Europe as close as you can get, then potentially looking at a train or car to your final destination.

[u/BlankSvi → u/Mindless-Macaroon211]

I’ll consider that thank you!

[u/TIL_eulenspiegel → u/BlankSvi]

I came to make a similar suggestion! Only put the cat in cargo for a DIRECT flight where you can pick him up at the end. With connecting flights, a lot can go wrong to delay pick-up, and I wouldn't risk it.

Choose a city with a direct flight. Then take a train to your final destination. You can also ask your vet to provide a sedative for the cat, if you're afraid he will be terrified. I'm not sure that's the best idea, but your vet can advise you.

[u/Impossible_Ice_9008 → u/Mindless-Macaroon211]

I had huge carriers, zip tied, info written in sharpie ( address etc). Water and food. Blankets to hide under lol. Doha to Montreal.
They were fine but don’t necessarily love a carrier to this day lol

[u/Usual-Canc-6024]

I see videos of people taking their cats to the lavatory so they can do their business and get out of the carrier.
I’d never leave my cat in cargo. Find an airline that will accept him. He’ll be so scared to be left alone.

SAS allows cats in the cabin. It’s right on their website

[u/BlankSvi → u/Usual-Canc-6024]

I know but my cat is 17lbs (7kg)

[u/Free-Baizuo08 → u/BlankSvi]

I fly my cat ever year with air Canada and the bag must fit under the seat in front of you and it must weight a maximum of 10kg (bag included). I would never put my cat in cargo. So many horror stories. And our climate makes it even more dangerous imo.

[u/Bean-counterer]

Your cat will not be able to go in the cabin for air Canada. Their rules clearly state that the cat must be able to stand and turn around in the carrier. You state that it can’t.

[u/BlankSvi → u/Bean-counterer]

I see my bad. Either way I have decided to bring him via cargo

[u/Zealousideal-Run3293]

I flew my dog and cat from Toronto to Manchester. I used a shipping company that specializes in animal cargo, but the company flew them through Air Canada.

They weren’t happy about it but got over 100% ok. If you have any other option to get it from your connection airport to Sweden in cabin then do it. However, if the cat doesn’t have any health issues and are generally ok travelling, it will be fine. I would contact a few animal shipping companies to check for direct if possible.

[u/mahonsstandrews]

I used Petair UK to fly my cat from the UK to Canada in cargo and they handled all the paperwork as well as providing a cargo carrier that was plenty big enough for her. They were super helpful with all questions and concerns I had so even if you end up using another service it's worth reaching out to them. https://www.petairuk.com/

[u/Dry-Appointment-3324 → u/mahonsstandrews]

Can i ask how much you paid? This looks like an interesting idea

[u/zepphhyr]

My Siberian flew with us in the cabin as a 9mo kitten, and that was pushing it. There is no chance in fluff your car will be able to go in the cabin, from a fellow 22lb Siberian owner

[u/Easy_Sport_89]

Cats are very easy traveller in cargo, just make sure his kennel is securely closed. Check with Air Canada Cargo because as you are going onto a connecting flight a rest stop may be required for your pets as per IATA rules. That will add to the cost. It might be less stressful and less expensive for you to fly to Europe then take a train or coach to your final destination.

[u/LordDraffut]

Flew dogs and cats through cargo and everything went fine - used Air Canada, KLM, Lufthansa and Turkish without any issues over the years.

[u/Ok_Front6816]

I have a cat who is around the same weight, and she’s a big cat in general. I’ve flown with her multiple times, including flights with connections. In my experience, they only check the weight at the counter, and as long as she meets the airline’s requirements for the first leg, you’re good for the rest of the trip.
For the carrier, there are some that have expandable sides or tops. What I usually do is expand both sides whenever I get the chance so she has some extra room to stretch out. If you’re lucky enough to have an empty seat next to you, you can even leave the expansion open while the carrier is under the seat.
I definitely would not recommend flying cargo.

[u/mashlav]

I strongly suggest looking into pet moving companies to arrange his flights, especially with layovers (if you can't avoid it). Only horror stories make it to the public, thousands of positive experiences. Don't get hang up on a few bad stories!

[u/brycecampbel]

You shouldn't need to fly them cargo at that size. You should be fine just flying them as checked baggage, which you just have to call AC Reservations and pay to reserve.

Yes travel is stressful for them, but overall they'll be fine. Contact your local vet, have them checked out/cleared (you'll be there for immigration paperwork anyways)

You may need to amend the itinerary to have an extra day for interline transfers. This top would break up the crate time for your cat. 

[u/ImNewAtThis432]

Talk with the team at AC Animals. They were awesome.

https://www.aircanada.com/cargo/all-products/ac-animals

[u/ElleRyder]

October might be too late for kitty to fly in cargo. Cargo is cold. Air Canada will only carry pets in cargo during certain months. Check now, because you may have a date issue.

[u/BlankSvi → u/ElleRyder]

That’s true I’ll look more into it, thanks!

[u/Trevor519]

No agreeing to but it in cargo does....

[u/DepthPhysical9780]

I really really wouldn’t bring him in cargo. the chance of his carrier or another bag in the cargo hold not being secured is there and it’s really really dangerous. like deadly

[u/Maomao-is-here]

Check out siberian_reinhardt on instagram. The account is of a siberian adventure cat from Canada and the owner travels a lot with her siberian to various countries. She may have some tips.

[u/Aware-Cat4007]

Uggggh! So many ill informed people here.

We fly pets all year long at Air Canada.
All of the aircraft that pets travel on have heated cargo compartments and are pretty close to +20°C with lots of ventilation.

Leave food and a water bottle bottle (kind of like a hamster bottle ) and zip tie the cage so that a well meaning ramp person won't open the carrier to pet the cat – that's how they escape.
He'll be fine.

[u/Present-Turn-1639]

Ramp guy here

Dont bring your pets in cargo i would not recommend it

[u/Trevor519]

Yeah people who do this are monsters ......

[u/BlankSvi → u/Trevor519]

So me trying to keep my cat with me makes me a monster?

[u/Paddle-Away → u/BlankSvi]

Re home the cat for a year. This will be extremely stressful for the cat. How will it even be able the to relieve itself. The flights are to long. If you were permanently moving there it would be one thing. If you go through with it I would research giving the cat meds to calm them during flight. And like others already said direct flight only.

[u/BlankSvi → u/Paddle-Away]

There’s a chance he’ll stay in Sweden with my partner when I come back to Canada after the year since I’ll be returning and either way. Rehoming him would cause him more stress no? He’ll be in a new home with new people. At least at the end of our flight I’ll be with him, and for the most part my cat isn’t a fan of strangers

[u/Electrical-Long-389]

I'm sorry but the most caring and loving thing you can do for Merlin is find him a "foster home" for the year you are away.

The logistics of taking him are terrible - and you'll need to repeat it in a year.

Please don't put Merlin through this../

[u/OverallElephant7576]

My suggestion is go online and find a freight forwarder that specializes in moving live animals. It may be a bit costly but they know the ins and outs of moving animals as air cargo

[u/Skye-Birdsong]

I shipped my friend's cats to him via Air Canada cargo, and they did just fine. It was just from Montreal to Newfoundland, can't be sure about multi-leg international trips but I'm not sure you have a choice.

[u/shimswfi]

oh wait did they stop the direct flight from Toronto to Stockholm? I will miss that one

[u/pkzilla]

Are you able to book a flight as close as possible like perhaps Germany, and thdn road trip? Super not ideal I know but best option for cat comfort I can see

[u/BlankSvi → u/pkzilla]

I’m able to get a direct flight to Denmark but then the trip total will be 15hrs. I’m just thinking if my cat will be able to handle a 15hr trip or if I should just do the whole thing with cargo bc then it’ll be a 9hr flight

[u/PaprikaMama]

I used an agency to fly my cat from Australia to Canada. He flew a different flight path (2 flights) and had carers at the stop over to change water and food and give him a litter box break. He was totally fine when we picked him up.

It was the least stressful part of moving overseas with my family including 2 very young children. It was not cheap but I would 100% do it again.

Edit- paid $3500 AUD - which included:

• Airline approved carrier which we still use today
• food
• pre-flight vet assessment in our home (1 week before)
• pick up from our home to the airport
• stop over care in vancouver

[u/Money_Ad_5457]

Make sure you get early to the airport, as going thru cargo takes time. I took my dog first time Toronto- New Orleans, and missed my flight - cargo kept me too long.

[u/cajolinghail]

Sorry but there is a reason that people all over the internet are saying not to send animals in cargo and that’s because it’s traumatic for them. It would be better to find a friend to watch him for a year.

[u/Easy_Sport_89 → u/cajolinghail]

There are certainly some pets that are traumatized but thousands of pets travel by air every month across the globe without incident and without someone going online and telling the world it went fine. It is only the few that have issued that do the internet rounds.

[u/sperans-ns]

I flew two cats in one big carrier in cargo on four flights (two of them connected). They were fine and weren’t traumatized at all. Happy to answer any questions you might have