The Flying Cat

As the author of 19 books on cats and dogs, I find myself hopping airplanes frequently to make presentations about pets all over North America. Usually, I fly solo and hire a professional pet sitter to take care of my two cats and my two dogs.

Sometimes, however, they travel with me – usually by car. Celebrities in their own right, my “furry fab four” – Chipper, Cleo, Callie and Murphy have appeared on CNN, Fox News and dozens of other news shows with me. Yes, they tend to steal the camera spotlight, but that’s okay with me.

One speaking event required me to bring my 14-year-old cat, Callie, to be part of a satellite media tour taking place in New York City – about 3,000 miles from home in San Diego county. Trying to limit as much travel stress as possible for Callie, I booked a non-stop flight from San Diego to New York City.

Next, I verified that Callie was indeed listed on the flight to travel in the cabin with me. That’s why I’m so jazzed about Pet Airways about to take off. This is the first truly pet airline that ensures all pets fly in the cabin, not in the cargo area. Far too many airlines are limiting the number of pets who can travel in the cabin to as little as one per flight. If you don’t book early, your pet can’t travel with you.

In packing for Callie, I made sure to include a harness, leash, an ID tag on her collar that listed my cell phone number (she also has a microchipped ID), an absorbent pad (in case of an accident), small bag of treats, collapsible water bowl and a small comfy bed.

What I didn’t anticipate was the procedure now in place at the airport security screening areas. Before you get to your gate, you need to remove your shoes, your computer, spare change and other items. But they also demand that you take your cat out of the carrier and hold her as you walk through the metal detector.

This was a crowded airport full of impatient people waiting to get to their gates. I tried to be calm as I removed Callie from the carrier and held her securely in my arms as we were screened.

Once I put her back in the carrier, I realized how fortunate we were. Imagine if Callie had panicked, escaped my grip and ran loose in a large airport?

Lesson learned. Please pass this cat-friendly advice on to your friends who travel with their felines in carriers. Always fit your cat with a harness before putting her inside the carrier – no matter if the trip is by car to the veterinary clinic or in the air to a place several states away. Stash a leash in the side pocket of the carrier for easy access. This way, if you need to remove your cat from the carrier, you can quickly hook the leash to the harness to minimize the chances of running after a fleeing – and frightened – feline.

Callie’s trip to the Big Apple was adventure-filled. She made goo-good eyes at the TV cameras and tolerated being petted by many at the studio and inside the hotel elevator at a pet-friendly lodging. As much as Callie seemed to enjoy her trip, she displays typical feline behavior – hanging out in her favorite place – home, safe home.

-- Arden Moore is a pet expert, best-selling author and radio show host who travels all over North America.
Visit her website: www.ardenmoore.com.