ok to travel with kitty on planes domestically?

i haven't gotten my kitten yet, but i was thinkin of taking her to alaska with us in summer. we live in NYC. i have a friend there with a maine coon and thought the cats (mine is an egyptian mau) would have fun playing. is that too crazy to even contemplate? i prolly dont want to leave her by herself at home. she'll be 4-5months then. advice? What will a plane ride be for her? I think i will put her in a carrier n take her about for a few minutes-few hours to get her accustomed, initially.

Well, I take it that the kitty will have to go in the hold of the plane with the rest of the cargo and stuff?

IMO (and this is only IMO) I couldn't do it. If you think how scared your kitty might be anyway as it would still be young and just getting used to you and leaving it's mum. I think a plane journey would be 100 times worse. The plane taking off / landing, the motion, the noises of the plane, the diff. temperature in the hold and there might be other animals placed nearby in the cargo area all add to the scary situation your kitty could be in.

I just couldn't do it. I would rather leave my kitty at home and ask someone to look after it while I am away. At least it would have it's own surroundings and things would be familier etc...

But then that's what I think though, and I am sure everyone feels differently about this Hope that you decided what to do.

It depends on the route and the airline, but sometimes you can take cats in the cabin with you in approved carriers. But I would not do it unless it is absolutely necessary - cats don't 'go on holiday' like we do, and the whole experience, travelling in a box. strange places and a strange cat at the end of it, would be way too much for her. You would probably be stressed out too! It takes time to introduce cats to each other at home, maybe months, and to try this on holiday when you are meant to be enjoying it, would be silly, IMHO. You could not be sure they would not fight on sight. Can you not leave her at home with someone to look after her daily?

Personally I wouldn't get a cat now and then start travelling with them in a month or two. I would wait until my vacation was over and then adopt a cat where I could spend three months building a close acclimation between us.

The decision to take a cat with you on vacation is mostly dependent on that cat's temperment. It would be an unwelcome ordeal for the vast majority of cats. That was why I was so happy when Nano accepted my girlfriend. If I need to go out of town for a few days, she can step in and do a decent job in my place.

But as to the general question, if I was going a far distance and Nano needed to go with me, I would accept taking her with me on a plane. But there is no confusion that 99% chance it wouldn't be a "fun" experience for her -- more like a very uncomfortable and extremely stressful imposition required by the circumstances.

We had one cat that as a kitten she would travel with us everywhere. We lived in Alaska and I traveled with my hubby extensively as he did his job (calibrating the earth stations) Smudge was found just days old, frozen and almost dead. I pouched her so I could feed her easily and keep her warm and off she went. She went everywhere with us and our german shepherd. In the truck to the grocery store, the bank, you name it, she loved to travel because that was her life- it was our life. She went camping with us to Denali and met a moose and a bear up close and almost personal. We never left her alone, we were always in motion.

But that being said, if they are not used to traveling, then leave them at home in their comfort spot. Hire a good pet sitter, or talk to the girls at your vet office to recommend one. But air travel is scary and stressful. At least in a car or motor home you have minimal noise and you can keep a close watch on your cat. Not so on a plane-