Flying tomorrow with Anya -- Vibes

Brian and I are flying to the east coast tomorrow to spend Christmas with our families. Miss Anya is coming with us, and is going to be my "carry on" on the plane.

We went to the vet this morning for a check-up and rabies shot and health certificate. Her vet didn't want to prescribe any kind of tranquilizers for her because she's not an extremely nervous cat. I agree, and don't want to give her heavy drugs unless I have to. My only worry is that she tends to get a little, shall we say...CHATTY once she's been in her carrier for more than 2 hours. I don't mind her of course, but the other passengers might not enjoy her serenading them across the country.

I got a Feliway type spray to spray inside to maybe calm her. And bought tryptophan drops at Petco to give her if she gets restless.
Lets just hope with the new 3-1-1 security regulations that I can get on board with them!

Some vibes and crossed fingers that we get to the east coast and back without a hitch would be much appreciated. Thanks guys!!

Vibes for you and for your girl! I'm sure everything will be fine. Besides if you were sitting next to me, I wouldn't mind a little kitty chit chat while I'm flying.

Sending safe and uneventful trip vibes to you. Hopefully the weather behaves and you don't get stuck someplace.

Vibes headed your way. I hope you guys enjoy your Holidays and we will see you when you get back. Take LOADS of pics, if your can. Stay calm ((((((((Anya))))))))

Sending lots of calming vibes for the lovely Anya. Have a wonderful trip!

Thanks everyone! I've seen TCS vibes work many times before.

Oh, I won't be back until December 31st. Our families have dial-up but I'll try to chekc in from time to time. Happy holidays everyone!!!

Emily, have a Wonderful Christmas with your family, glad to hear you are taking Anya with you, she will do fine! I will be thinking about you all during the Skins game next week, I will look for you on TV!

Have a very merry Christmas! I'll be sending lots of {{{Vibes}}} for chatty Miss Anya! Hopefully you don't get stuck next to a grouch & people understand her lovesongs.

I hope it all goes smoothly for you ((((((Vibes)))))))

I wouldn't mind a chatty kitty or even a kitty singing to me if I was on a plane, in fact I know I'd be really pleased she was sharing my flight!

Enjoy your holidays, and have a safe comfortable journey!

I hope all goes well!!!! I'm sure Anya will do great!

Don't forget to get to the airport early. It sounds like it's going to be a madhouse at LAX. I'm jealous of you. I wish I could go somewhere for Christmas. My Holidays consist of working, and believe me, I didn't WANT to work. I was forced. I work both Christmas Eve and Christmas - the graveyard shift. Bah Humbug to my boss.

Sending many vibes that the flight goes well

Many vibes for a great trip and visit.

Adding my {{{prayers and vibes}}} that the trip goes well! I'm sure that the flight attendants can find some seatmates who are cat lovers, to sit next to you if needed Anya can't cry any louder than those poor babies whose parents forget to get them to suckle when losing altitude.
Enjoy your holidays!! See ya in the forums when you get back

Just a tip I learned from flying with Tryon...

They make you keep the carrier under the seat in front of you (make sure it's short enough), so as soon as you get on the plane ask the flight attendant for one of those little blankets and wrap it around the side of the carrier facing the wall. The airconditioning vents are on the floor next to the wall and will shoot directly into her carrier and she'll get very cold very quick.

Luckily my flight attendant thought about this... it was the first time I ever flew with a cat so it would never have occured to me.

Oh, and they'll also make you take her out of the carrier and hold her so they can run the carrier through the baggage scanner.

Good luck!

Sorry so long......

Got home late last night. Anya was wonderful. Even yesterday. We were up and at the airport at 4:30 am eastern time, our flight was delayed due to weather so when we finally got to Atlanta for our connecting flight it had left without us. They couldn't book us on another flight for 9 HOURS. So we spent a lot of time in the airport. Anya was an angel. She was even quiet and slept the whole time once we finally got on a plane back to LA. She was traveling for over 20 hours yesterday...

Once while we were in the airport I was on the phone with my mom telling her that Anya was being an angel and the woman seated across from me looked at me funny and started looking around and finally exclaimed to her husband, "Honey, there's a kitty in that bag!!!" She was a cat person (she had 4 at home) and spent the whole rest of their time seated with us watching and playing with Anya.

She's very happy to be home now. She came right in and went to the litter box (which the sweet little girl held the WHOLE time yesterday), scratched on her scratching post, had some dinner, climbed to the top of her bookcase and checked the place out, and then played with her Daddy until we all went to bed.

We discovered while we were gone that Anya does very well with other animals. She likes other kitties (my parents have 3, and Brian's have one). She just doesn't understand why other kitties don't always like her. The ones that hissed at her just make her look at them quizzically and kind of hurt. She never once puffed up or hissed at a cat.

She thought my parents dog was just a funny looking cat and probably played with him most of all. Spike is a tiny little sweet dog who is half Jack Russell and half Chihuahua. Brian's parents have a Dachsund that Anya HATED. He was way too barky for her. I have the deep scratch marks in my hand to prove it. She spent most of that three days in our bedroom and bathroom by herself where it was less stressful.



TIPS FOR FLYING WITH YOUR CAT

Okay here's what I learned:

1: ALWAYS pack a small ziploc baggy of food and a plastic dish you could put water in inside your carry on even if you don't think you'll need it. Flights get delayed. Anya enjoyed a meal of part of my chicken fingers and water from an empty fruit cup dish yesterday.

2: Going through security isn't that bad. But the scary part for kitty is often waiting for the carrier on the other side. The conveyor belt is NOISY. People slam things around. If you have the option step aside with kitty to a quieter area and let your travel partner collect the bags/shoes/coats or vice versa then do that.

3: Keep your coat or small blanket with you to throw over the carrier during stressful times like on the plane or high traffic areas of the airport (or shuttle to/from the airport). It makes it dark and warm inside the carrier and very condusive to naptime. But don't forget to leave an airhole!!

4: Don't forget a couple of small toys or balls inside the carrier will keep kitty from getting bored.

5: Pheromone spray doesn't seem to work in this case. And it makes the carrier smell funny. And it's expensive. Skip it.

6: Either Anya was just really good naturally, or the tryptophan drops helped. They're inexpensive so I would recommend giving them a try unless you're opposed to some of the ingredients. I found it's best to find a quiet corner and give them after check in but before security. (In case your bottle size is deemed inappropriate and confiscated. Ours was never even put into question until our last flight. We were hesitantly allowed to keep it.) These can be found for around $5 at almost any pet store.

Anybody who has questions or anything in relation in the future please feel free to PM me!

I am glad that ya'll had a safe and for the most part, an uneventful trip.

Glad to read that the adventure was a success!! Anya, you are a true princess And thanks for the flying tips - I haven't done it yet, but with all the rescues that I've come across in my travels

Great news and wonderful tips! I think the phermone probably would work in the case of mine - they seem to respond to plug in feliway, but my vet did warn me before I bought it (it is expensive) that not all cats respond.