FAQ (Traveling with cats)

For you readers out there trying to find a short list as inspiration/starting-help for your first travel with your darling feline friends, I write this post after having experienced our first travel (and stay) together. 


I will try to make this list as clear and thorough as possible, listing experience and some things to consider! I have written a post about my first experience: (Click here for the story.)


Things to consider before traveling


1a) Do my cat really need to come with me? 
If you are going on a short holiday (1-2 weeks and especially if you need to go by airplane), I would suggest that you leave your cat at home. To travel might be very stressful for your cat and not all manages well to be taken out of their usual environments/territories. So 1-2 weeks might not give them time to settle before they need to move again. 


1b) I decided not to bring them, so what are my options?
If you decide to leave the darlings at home you might have several options:


*The cats stay at home like usual: You get your amazing friends or family to look after them.
*The cats stay at home like usual: You hire a "catsitter" who come by and make sure the cats are ok.
*You leave the cats at a boarding cattery. (The most expensive)
*You board the cats at a veterinary office (The cages look small and might not be great for longer stays!)


Do an internet-search for the possibilities around your home. In Oslo for example, you can hire catsitters on Sentrum Pass. 


1b) I decide to bring them, what should I think about?
Depends on where you are going, and how! Here are some things to think about:

*Are you going abroad? Then you need to get a cat-passport. You'll need to start a rabies-vaccine regime at least 6 months before you travel. So start with that as soon as possible, talk with your vet. (If your cat passes the blood-test taken after the 120 days, you'll need to make sure your cat get a shot against rabies every year. If you forget, you will have to start it all over again.....) You will also need to check with the country you travel to, what other rules they have for bringing cats into their country. (Ticks, worm-treatments, etc.)


*Are you staying at a hotel? You'll have to find a hotel who permit guests to bring cats! Make sure they know about this before arriving. (Write an email or phone them to make sure it will not be a problem). I had to pay about 35£ (400 NOK) extra for cleaning of the room after I left, which I knew of before arriving. (Also had an agreement that I would pay for any damages made.) I have seen that many hotels mentions if they allow animals or not on their website (or on sites like: hotel.com etc), but please contact them anyway!


*How will you travel, and what about carriers? There are some differences on how you choose to travel, but if you go by air there is in theory only vari-kennel who are the universally accepted carrier on all airlines. You might get accepted with another type of carrier at some airports, but then again you might very well be denied on others. So be certain you have a correct one! If you go by car you can see what type of carrier your cat likes, (to have full view, or to hide in a little "cave", etc). If by car it can be any brand of carrier. But DON'T put them in a cardbox with holes, you might get a nasty surprise when your cat bounces around in your car, pooping all over after having clawed his way through the box like it was butter! 


Watch this nice video about bringing pets on your vacation: (and explanation on rabies-vaccinations etc).



*It costs extra to bring pets! The airlines charges differently, but there is most definite a fee. So take that into consideration. (In Norway, Widerø is the cheapest airline).


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Things to bring: 

- Litterbox
- Some litterpearl
- Favourite toys
- Feliway
- Nail scissors (to minimize damage they could do)
- Small scratching post (my cats loved their travel-sized one)

- Ear cleaner + cottonpads. (At least if you have Sphynx & Devon Rex ;)
- A few days rations of catfood (then buy more when you get there)
- Vari-kennel crate for transport (or a Sherpa-bag if you get your cat in the cabin).
- Drinking bowl
- Food bowl
- Floor protector


Other things I would recommend: 


- If you travel by air; MARK the carrier with your name and telephone number! (When the airline lost track of my Amadeus this was essential! Read about the experience here!)


- Bring Feliway! (To spray in the carriers before leaving, and spray several places in the hotelroom to make them feel safer! It doesn't smell anything for our human noses.)


- If your cat likes to play with water (like my Christa) put the drinking bowl in the shower to save the floor ;)


- At the airport: Get there early to prevent your cat (and you!) from getting more stressed than necessary. For example: If you are to bring a cat inside the cabin you will need to go through security with it. This means that you will have to send your normal stuff through the x-ray, then the soft-sided carrier and then you will have to carry your cat through the metal-detectors.


Do you have any questions or other advice I could add?
Please feel free to comment :D


Bon Voyage!
Safe Journey!
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Some links on cat-traveling
Cat Health (How to travel)

The Cat-site 

For the love of cats 

Travel with cat from USA to Europe 

Pet Carriers (all types) 

Cat-world 

Know your cat 

We survived! (First journey with airplane!)

We made it!
We have now arrived in Nordfjord, safe and sound. No one froze or was scared to death. We are now grateful and happy to be relaxing in our hotelroom and look forward to stay a month! Read about the experience!

What I brought for the stay
First I packed all the things needed for a month away from home:

- Litterbox
- Some litterpearl (+ bought a bag today)
- Favourite mouse-toy + cat-wand with feathers
- Tunnel
- Feliway
- Nail scissors
- Small scratching post
- Cat treats
- Ear cleaner (+ cottonpads)
- A few days rations of the normal catfood
- A measuring cup
- Sherpa-bag for transport (Christa in the cabin)
- Vari-kennel crate for transport (Amadeus, in hold)
- Drinking bowls
- Food bowl
- Floor protector

I packed most of these things in my own suitcase, (a VALUABLE buy is to get a Samsonite Cosmolite, it is almost weightless and incredibly strong!) Even the litterbox and pearls went in there, but I had bought a small litterbox, to make it easier to travel with).

The first minutes, exploring the new space!

The Journey
When I had placed the two cats in their crates, I went by car to the airport. We are grateful that a friend drove us, and we didn't have to take a taxi and a train.

First I had to check in my suitcase, then I sent Amadeus off at the special luggage conveyor. It was a strange feeling to leave him there, like he was luggage, but the man behind the counter was friendly and I felt safer for leaving him. (I had put stickers on the crate, stating: "LIVE ANIMALS", my name and contact-information & Amadeus' name and race). 

It was a strange experience to go through security with Christa though. I had to send my bag through like normal, but then I was asked to take Christa up (from the sherpa bag) and carry her through the sensor. Of course it went off, but they were kind enough to let me put Christa back into the bag before they checked me. It was many wierd looks as I carried my little Sphynx (with a little red flanelshirt) through the metal-sensors.

Christa at the coffeeplace, looking out on life

Then I met up with a fellow singers (who was also traveling that day) and had a coffee, Christa was spying out on the people who passed us by. (She didn't make much sound at this point, just the occasional little meow).  I was obviously wondering where Amadeus was at this point....

We went to the gate and I informed the lady behind the counter that I traveled with cats. I was asked to board the plane first (along with the couple with a baby), to be kind we were placed at the back of the plane, in case of any allergic passengers.

The plane was very small though, one of these propeller-ones, so it was VERY noisy. It was a baptism by fire for my two cats. And even worse; we had to have one stop to pick up more passengers 30 minutes in. Christa made many sad noises while on the floor under the seat, so I had her on my lap (inside the bag, holding one hand inside), and this calmed her down. Although she was clearly stressed at times. (Especially at landing, which was pretty loud). I tried to offer her water, but she wasn't calm enough to drink, I also removed the clothing she had on, since it wasn't so cold on board like on larger airplanes.

I only heard from Amadeus once, and of course it pained me. I could hear him when we had the layover, he was making a couple of sorrowful wails. I felt like a brutal animal abuser and a bad "mother". So I was incredibly happy to walk out of the plane 20 minutes later and pick him up as they unloaded the luggage. He was silent at this point but at least he was visible in the crate and not frozen to death!

Hello! I'm curious! (Day one)

We were picked up at the airport by someone from the opera and took the ferry over to Nordfjord. As I offered the cats to join each other in the big crate, Amadeus decided that he wanted to be in the Sherpa bag, so they just changed places. I am sure Christa was happy to have more space!

The trip from the airport was only about 15 minutes all together, so happily not the longest journey. (The flight was 1,5 hour). We left home at 17:30 and we were at the hotel at 21:30.

I sprayed the room with feliway (only cats can smell it, and it calms them down, making them feel at home), and let the cats out to explore. (after I closed windows and made sure the room was cat-safe of course!) I showed them the litterbox and food/water, and I saw it as a good sign that Christa started eating at once. Then they explored, chatted and followed me around as I unpacked my own things.

That night they slept beside me, over and under the blanket.
It was like normal and they have taken the change remarkably well! I am so proud!

Investigating newly bought stuff!

The hotel (Hotel Nordfjord) have been very nice about me bringing the cats, and they gave us a room with a small balcony in case I wanted to give them some air. The room is a good size and have cupboards for which I am very grateful! All in all I am very excited about staying here, the only downside is, that it is very dark when the sun goes down, as they don't have much efficient lighting. But who cares! The cats are here, so we will have an awesome time!

Ps: There is a fly in my hotelroom, they love it. It is the best kind of free plaything, and they run around making funny noises, trying to catch it. hihi......

The food and floorprotector

A sign I saw on the wall outside a shop in Nordfjord

The fjord! 

Water in the shower; Christa loves to play with water

What's all this familiar stuff?

A well used blanket from home. mmmmm....