How to transport a cat on an airplane?

Moving to another country often means transporting pets, most often cats. However, you cannot just show up at the airport and load the animal into the luggage compartment - you first need to collect a package of documents, get vaccinated, properly prepare the pet and find out the rules for transporting a particular airline.

Air carriers allow you to transport a cat on an airplane both in Russia and abroad. Of course, this can only be done for an additional fee. According to the law, the specific requirements of carriers are determined depending on the reasons for transporting a cat, but in fact, in order to transport an animal from one city of Russia to another, one veterinary passport with a valid rabies vaccination is enough. All requirements can be easily clarified in the relevant order of the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as on the website of the selected airline.

Usually, a week or 10 days before vaccination, you will have to give the pet anthelmintic drugs. A qualified veterinarian will easily advise the medication and the required dosage. In pet stores, you can take not only a whole package, but also one tablet, complete with a sticker, which is then glued into the veterinary passport. The vaccination itself is also accompanied by the appearance of a mark in the document.

The rabies vaccine must be repeated every year. After vaccination, you will have to wait three weeks, and then the animal is allowed to be transported in any way. It is important to mention that it is possible to transport a cat in the cabin if several conditions are met. The total weight of the animal and the carrier should not exceed 8-10 kilograms, and the exact limit is determined by the carrier himself.

The dimensions of the container can also be seen on the company's website. The cat should not be dangerous either for the staff or for the passengers, otherwise it will simply not be allowed into the cabin. In addition, the animal must not smell bad or be infested with parasites.

The pet must be accompanied by a person who is over 18 years old, and his legal capacity is not in doubt. To send a cat unaccompanied, you will have to contact certain companies that offer this service. In this case, the pet, as a rule, is transported in the luggage compartment, and at the place of arrival it must be met by a special person who has received the owner's power of attorney. By the way, a sick animal cannot be transported by air either.

Moreover, some carriers set a limit on the number of animals on the plane - usually 5 pieces... At a cost, traveling with a cat in Russia will cost 3.5 thousand rubles, and around the world - 5 thousand rubles.

The main document that is required for transporting a cat by air in Russia and in the CIS countries is a veterinary passport. It contains all information about the owner and about the animal, as well as marks about the vaccinations delivered.

If the cat needs to be taken to the exhibition or given to a new owner, then in addition, you will need a veterinary certificate No1... It is issued after contacting a specialized veterinary institution, where the examination is carried out, the data of the veterinary passport are studied, and a certificate is issued.

In the event that a cat is sent abroad, the package of documents is slightly expanded. In this case, the passport will have to be made international; you also cannot do without a veterinary certificate and a certificate of chipping. In addition, you should prepare two certificates: that the cat has no breeding value, and that antibodies to the rabies virus have already been determined. The second certificate is issued within three weeks, so you should not postpone it until the last moment. Finally, the owner of the cat receives an international certificate at the airport.

The cat is allowed to be transported on the plane only with a carrier. The requirements for the container are more or less similar for different airlines: its weight with the animal should not exceed 8 kilograms, and the sum of three dimensions should be equal to 125 centimeters. Some carriers also set certain requirements for the height of the cage - for example, it should not exceed 20 centimeters in order to fit comfortably under the seat.

Carriers are not allowed to be installed in aisles, near emergency exits, in the vicinity of children or other animals. The flight attendant can tell you about other prohibitions. In the selected container, the cat should be able to lie down, sit, stand up and stretch out its legs. However, it is considered a significant violation when the pet is able to stick its legs, muzzle or tail through the grill.

The cat can be transported in either rigid or soft construction. The soft one costs less, it does not take up much space, but it is only allowed to take it into the aircraft cabin.It is very important that the carrier is carefully closed and that the cat has no opportunity to escape, but the animal has access to fresh air at all times.

The lower part should be waterproof and additionally covered with a special material that can make the process of going to the pet's toilet free of any difficulties. Absorbent diapers sold in a regular pharmacy will do the job just fine.

Rigid structures are made of high quality plastic. As a rule, latches are located on the door and on the sides. The bottom of the cage also requires additional covering, the main function of which is to absorb fluids. Whether it is allowed to carry such a container into the cabin is determined depending on the rules of the air carrier.

Experts recommend to owners of pets transported in the cabin, additionally, take with you a clean diaper, already cut to the required size, as well as double-sided tape, with which you can fix it. Wet wipes will also come in handy for quick cleaning of the pet.

During the flight, the owners are not allowed to get the cats or take them in their arms. With the consent of the airline representatives, a drinker can be installed inside the carrier, especially if the flight is long.

Before you pay for your travel tickets, you need to find out if a cat will be taken on board. To do this, the first thing you have to do is simply book them, taking into account the class of purchase. Preference should be given to those firms that allow changes to be made at no additional cost. The cat itself is usually checked in as oversized baggage. Next, it is important to call the carrier himself and issue a request for the transportation of the cat.

The operator specifies the parameters of the animal and where it needs to be transported - in the luggage compartment or in the cabin. After agreeing on all the information, representatives of the airline will call the owner of the animal, after which you can pay for tickets.

It is recommended to arrive at the airport in advance, about a couple of hours before the flight. During the inspection, the carriers are checked by the scanner, and the pet goes through the frame in the owner's hands. Next, you will immediately have to go to the veterinary control, which puts the necessary marks in the passports and issues a certificate. At the check-in counter, the cat is checked in with the luggage, but unlike the latter, it stays with the owners. Payment for transportation of a cat is carried out at this stage, right at the airport.

The flight is a rather stressful situation for any animal, especially if it is a small kitten, so some preparation for the trip should still take place. In principle, it is recommended to transport your pet on a half-empty stomach to avoid vomiting or diarrhea.

Ideally, it should take 4 hours from the last meal to the immediate departure. If the flight is with a stopover, then during a break it would be good to give him a drink, even if by force. There is no need to offer additional liquid during a short trip.

It is strictly forbidden to use a sedative before flying. It is better not to put additional stress on the cardiovascular system of the animal, which already has to experience significant changes in atmospheric pressure.If the animal is weak, then it is important to provide him with a flight in the cabin, and not in the luggage compartment. In the second case, the temperature around is much lower, despite the included heating.

In principle, a sedative course can be drunk a few days before the planned flight, especially if the animal is nervous. In addition, it is worth forming a veterinary first-aid kit, the transportation of which in hand luggage is not prohibited. A couple of weeks before the planned trip, the cat should start getting used to the container, bag or cage.

It is important to achieve such a state when the pet remains absolutely calm in it, he does not get nervous, does not shout and does not worry. Unfortunately, if the cat behaves restlessly, then the owners will have to refuse to transport the pet in the cabin and send it to the luggage compartment.

For the rules for transporting a cat on an airplane, see below.