Cat Travel

Cat Transport:

Cats travel in the aircraft holds and have similar conditions to deal with as Travelling Dogs.

Cats also generally travel well, but as with dogs, having familiar bedding (old t-shirt, towel etc) inside the travel box would help them to feel secure. Again, bedding must not block any ventilation holes on travel box. This would apply to cushion type beds.

As with dogs, old cats should be fine to travel if they are still healthy. Vet check before traveling, again, is advised.

Cat Travel Boxes:

Not a cat travel box

Cat travel boxes should be big enough for the cat to comfortably stand, turn and lay down. Water bowls are to be attached to the cat’s travel box and would be attended to before flights. We recommend no food before the flight.

Cats litter trays are not practical to place in the travel box due to lack of space, thus affecting the cost of the travel quite considerably.

Cat Travel Tranquilizers:

We recommend that no tranquilizers are used adverse reactions to drugs and breathing problems due to the change in air pressure in the hold can cause problems. Speak to your local vet about natural calming remedies.

Another idea to help keep a cat settled in the travel box is to place some catnip inside.

Some airlines will not accept snub- nose cats (Persian cats) or dogs (pekes, pugs etc) due to the increased ‘breathing’ risk.

It is advisable that a cat due to travel should be confined to a room at least a day before the flight as they are known to disappear. Cat intuition is a story in itself.

Cat collars are best removed for the flight.

16 Responses to Cat Travel

liezl on April 28, 2011 at 4:01 pm

Cat travelling from kimberley to cape town
Ruan on September 4, 2011 at 6:58 pm

kitten from Belfast Mpumalanga to cape town
jeandre on September 10, 2011 at 4:45 pm

Is there any way to get our cat from Johannesburg to the UK by sending her through a European Country that doesnt have as strict/long quarantine periods ? For both SA to European country and from European country to the UK ?
Di van der Westhuizen on September 15, 2011 at 5:31 pm

Hi

I am visiting friends in Dubai until 8/10 (I am from SA). My friend feeds and looks after stray cats that have been abandoned here and we found a Himalyan Persian that was abandoned on the beach. I have decided that I will adopt this beauty and take him home with me to SA (I am an avid cat lover). Could you please let me know:

a. Whether Emirates Airline will allow the transport of this cat (he is snub-nose persian).
b. What document the vet in Dubai must complete to satisfy the SA authorities (we are having him chipped and he will have his rabies shot).

Many thanks

Di
Josh Selvadas on October 8, 2011 at 2:50 pm

Hi,

I would like to transport a kitten from Pretoria to Cape town. Culd you indicate how much this would cost please.
Barbara on October 17, 2011 at 1:08 pm

Good Day, I would like to transport my cat from Cape Town to Pretoria as I am moving there. Which airline transports pets?
Mitch on November 3, 2011 at 9:44 am

Hello,

My wife and I will be moving from Johannesburg to Calgary, Canada toward the end of 2011 and will be bringing our healthy 21 year old ginger pusscat, Rogers.

Has anyone experienced a long haul, 2-stage flight with their cat?

Would be happy to har positive reactions to my mail.

Mitch
Marybeth on November 13, 2011 at 6:25 am

Hey i would like how match is it gonna cost me to take my 2 kats from east londen to joburg?One is big male cat and ather is baby female kitten.What do i all need to take with me to pic up my 2 babys at the airport.Thanks
Johannes J A Bornman on November 22, 2011 at 2:44 pm

hi there

I would like to find out what the costs will be to transport 2 cats from Stellenbosch to Molteno (Eastern Cape) asap.

Please respond.thanks
rob on November 30, 2011 at 2:03 pm

We flew from Melbourne to Cape Town. The pet travel people placed her on a different flight despite my special arrangements. We were separated for a week. When she arrived in CPT she hadn’t been fed for two days, her water was black, and she was terribly traumatised.
Lisa on January 10, 2012 at 3:33 pm

Hi,
We may be moving to Nairobi, Kenya for 3 years. I would like to know what i need to do to take our cat with and is there a quarantine period in Kenya?
Thanks
Yvette Breedt on February 3, 2012 at 7:46 pm

HI there. My husband and I are thinking of moving to California and would like to know if there will be a quarantine period if we take our cat with. She is healthy and about 9 years old. Many thanks Yvette
Luzane Bruwer on March 5, 2012 at 7:28 pm

I am immigrating to New Zealand and I want to know how I must go about to take my cat with?
Ester Toua on March 7, 2012 at 1:56 pm

I would like to transport a kitten from Nelspruit to Cape town. Could you indicate how much this would cost please.
Vivienne on March 10, 2012 at 10:10 am

I’ve been referred to your company, and to Duncan in particular, by a very good friend of ours. We’re considering moving to Ecuador in the next six months or so – and want to take our two cats with us. One is a two year old neutered male bushcat and his sister is spayed, and approximately 14 months old. Apart from their one trip to the vet for sterilisation (three hours away from where we live) they’ve not been tranported anywhere.

I am very concerned that they will be unduly distressed at being caged & subjected to excessive noise.

a) will they travel in the same container or do they have to be in separate ‘boxes’ ?

b) who monitors the animals in transit on the aeroplane? Is there someone with them all the time? what’s the level of noise in their compartment?

c) approximate transit time from Joburg to Guayaquil? Will they be on a direct flight or are there going to be stopovers?
Rosemary Ashton on March 25, 2012 at 9:37 am

Good morning

Please let me know how I can transport a kitten from Dundee South Africa to Johannesburg and the cost involved. ASAP DELIVERY
Thanks
Regards
Rosemary Ashton