Pet Travel Routine: Flying with a Cat In-Cabin | What to Expect

Hi everyone! I just wanted to answer one of the most common questions I've been getting which is what to do if your cat needs the litter box. I spoke with my vet for her recommendation with Stella before an international flight when we moved abroad. So, I recommend that you speak to your vet as well but here's what I did: I bought puppy pads, lined her carrier with one and folded up another and put it in my carry-on. I also found a collapsible litter box (linked in the description box) for her to use during our layover and you should be able to bring a small Ziploc bag with a small amount of litter in it OR you can put the puppy pad down in the litter box. During your layover, try to find a 'family restroom.' Generally, these offer a bit more privacy so you can take your cat out of the carrier, allow them to walk around a bit, and try going to the bathroom. I hope this helps!

I am officially terrified to go through security. I will be bringing home two siblings age 10 weeks in October. Alone :/

What about letting them use the bathroom?? Im trying to see if theres a good way for mine to try and use the bathroom in the airport

Lufthansa airline from Germany. Very good with this service.

Gorgeous mine is ginger and black too 😊

How do you handle the urinating?

My cat is perfectly behaved she’s a Devon Rex and happily travels on long drives like 7 + hours without any fuss I just hope when I travel I can take her in cabin I don’t fancy her being on the hold

Our Simba is a disaster. Even a short car ride freaks him out, he would meow the whole trip. He would hide under the bed or somewhere he knows is safe whenever he sees the cat carrier. We'll be moving to to Asia for good from Italy soon. My husband and I are already worried what's gonna happen and how are we gonna handle him. Instead of taking him out of the carrier, is it possible to just pass him through to the x-ray machine?

Thank you for this video, such a help !

I’m planning on traveling from Osaka, Japan 🇯🇵 to Vancouver, Canada 🇨🇦 with my 4 cats! I’ll be getting some help from my sister, niece and her boyfriend. So 1 adult/cat. It will be a very, very long trip. At least a 4-hour drive to Osaka, then about a 10-hour flight. Upon arrival in Vancouver, I’ll have a 12-hour drive on my own with the 4 cats. I’ll admit, I’m not looking forward to the trip with the cats. I just hope they actually survive it and no one claws me and bolts. One of my cats hates the vet so much, I don’t dare take him anymore since the last time, he climbed the walls and really scratched the vet. I’ll be asking for a private room when we go through security. It will be their very first time traveling on a plane. I always take them to the vet on my bicycle by putting their carrier in my bike basket. It’s only a 10-minute bike ride. Hope our trip goes well.

Oh Stella is such a pretty girl. Her mom looks great too!

There is no way you could fly with an oriental shorthair twice. 😂😂😂. Stella is so sweet.

Give your cat experience with the puppy pad in the the travel litter box before the trip

Hi thank you so much for this because I have a 5 month old cat and we are planning to bring him to where I live and it is 2 flights.I have a big issue about what to do for the litter,food,water, and how to calm my cat.

So helpful. Thanks!

It can help to have treats (or the food) when taking off and landing. Similar to how humans might chew gum to help with ear popping, giving your little one a treat or food helps get them to chew which will help that popping in their ears.

I want to travel internationally, but I am so confused how things would go.

Oh my gosh I’m so glad I’m watching this prior to my trip. I’m flying with my 6 month old kitten for the first time on a 3 hour non stop flight with southwest in two weeks. He’s been great on multiple road trips so far and is fond of his carrier, some times even chooses it as his nap spot. I had no idea I would have to hold him in the open during security and boy does it make me nervous! He’s an expert of getting out of his harness and while he’s very good with people, Im afraid this environment might be too much, plus he has his claws of course and I don’t want to be scratched up if he freaks. Luckily our flight is late at night (take off 9:50pm) so maybe security won’t be so busy, but im definitely going to look into the private screening like another comment suggested! I can’t imagine how stressful and awful it would be if he bolted in the middle of an airport.

Do they measure the cat carrier?

I have tsa pre-check, I want to bring my 3 cats to merida mexico. Was planning on buying an extra first class seat and have them with me. It would be a connecting flight through dallas or miami. Wondering if I should drive, but its about 45 hours driving.

This was so helpful and well done!! I’m about to move cross country from Philly to Seattle with my old boy and have been so stressed about it. Your tips are excellent and Stella is adorbs!! 🥰🥰🥰

Hey, nice video. What is the post landing paperwork procedure. What all do they check once you land at the airport.

I feel so much better but still stress out about it haha moving from OR to FL. thanks for the video!

Thank you so much for this video. I'll be traveling to Alaska with my cat because we'll we're moving lol. I'm nervous about the TSA I hope it goes smooth

Did Southwest ask you for proof of cat vaccination? I have the original proof from adoption but its a few years old. Does this work?

this was excellent. I just flew our cat from portland to San Luis Obispo and I wish I had watched this before hand. we had our vet prescribe gabapentin the night before and a couple of hours before the flight and I couldn't tell the difference to much. I can tell you the cat was terrified of the take off and landing although the rest of the flight was without to much stress. after take off I did take the cat out from under the seat in front of me and he hung out pretty good. lots of pettings etc., but not to much yowling, etc.. your vlog was really pretty much right on and as all situations are different you've give a good guideline to follow. thanks

Thank you so much for the video. Now I already idea for how to travel with the cat. Please tell me how to get passport for the cat? Maybe you called make video for it. Thank you so much. God bless you 😻😻😻😻

But what do you need when you pack

What is the best harness to use on cats when traveling?

Hi Stella...nice to see ya being taken care of by an Angel...

Hi Chelsea, how often did you travel with your cat? I took a job that requires a lot of travel and was wondering if getting a sitter is better

Thank you so much! I have some anxiety traveling with my cat in cabin for a two hour flight tomorrow
and this video put me at some ease.

This was so helpful, thank you so much!!

Extremely helpful!! Traveling for the first time with my cat in 2 weeks and your video was so informative and gave me the confidence I needed to bring the newest member of my family aboard a plane. Thank you for making this video, especially the "going through security" part as that is one of the things that I was most concerned about.

What are some good recommendations for escape proof harnesses for your cat? I’m traveling with my cat for the first time next month and she’s very timid and nervous and I’m scared she will BOOK it when I take her out for security. She is also known to wiggle out of her collars so I want to make sure she can’t escape the harness either…

What would you recommend with traveling with two cats?

My biggest fear is there’s someone allergic to cats on the plane.

Thank you so much 🥰
You just explained like a expert🥰🥰

You invited to Brussels with Stella to make a beautiful video with us, me and Aris 😍

Hi, I'm another cat person who has travelled various times on airplanes with my cats. The longest was from the West Coast of the US to Bordeaux, via Paris. House-door-to-house-door = 24 hrs. Yipes. However, my cats were champs! Since then, I have learned that cats don't seem to be bothered by either planes or trains the way some are (mine) by cars. I have Sherpa carriers on wheels, and they made those airports a snap to go through. I would like to make one recommendation, however: When you're ready to go through TSA, you have the right to ask for a closed, private room. I always do this and, boy--does it make the TSA process easier. First of all, it's way quieter, for my nerves as well as for the cats'. Second, if one of them get jumpy and manages to escape my arms, s/he's not disappearing into the farthest reaches of a giant airport, s/he's simply looking, without luck, for a way out of a small, closed room. Another idea I would recommend is to get some LIVE ANIMAL stickers to put on the outside of your carrier(s), with the cat's name, microchip number, and your contact phone or email. Just in case.
It also helps to stop people accidentally bumping into the carrier as you move through the airport, or down the aisle of your plane. And, lastly, I heartedly agree with Chelsea about taking your shoe off and putting your foot up against or very near the mesh of your cat's carrier. They will recognize your scent and welcome it. My cats always seem to do their semi-conscious cat trick in planes and on trains, and it seems to me that it really helps them to tune out noise, etc. They've never made any noise at all on a plane, not even during take-off. Really.
Anyway, after the various airplane trips we've been on, they have always arrived well and amazingly fine at our various destinations. The only "yuck" part is getting all of us through TSA inspection but, again, go for the closed room.

omg this video is super useful. Moving cross country with my furry dude next month. You are an excellent cat mom!

tysm for making this video i am traveling with my therapy cat and its his first time on a plane!

Can you keep the carrier between your legs if it does not fit under the seat ? ❤️❤️ Please reply

In approx 20 days I'll be taking my first flight with with a pet. He's a very anxious kitty and I myself have severe social anxiety which I'm starting to feel already. I hope the vet will be able to give him something stronger than valerian. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the rundown.

thank you for this video! also my cat was on my lap this whole video :)

I’m moving with my cat soon and I was so nervous about going through security with her cause she is a kitten and doesn’t like being held at all so I was worried she would jump out of my hold and run away. Getting a harness and leash was something I didn’t even think about. I’m just worried about her screaming on the plane now.

question please, what about the bathroom?? How does pets go to the bathroom when flying?

I got my very first cat and I took care of it when I was 12

Do you recommend a glass of wine.....before going through security? For the human....not for the cat. This is the part I’m most worried about.

Exceptional video, thank you!