Airlines are well prepared to take care of feline and canine friends and offer them a safe environment while flying. They follow a guide for pet-friendly travel and ensure a stress-free experience for you and your pet. However, as a pet owner, you also need to address your pet’s physical and emotional needs. If you’re planning to fly with your cat, know that it is a complex and costly procedure. You can either put them under your seat or in the cargo hold.

A guide for pet-friendly travel includes tips to take you through the process of booking, advance fee payment, and other formalities. With basic research and preparation, both you and your cat can fly safely. Though your cat may not be very interested in taking a flight, ensure that you work to calm their nerves adequately to ensure that they feel easy during the flight in case you must travel with your feline friend.

Pet rules vary for each airline, so find out the pet flying rules for the airline you’ll be flying by. The following are some tips from a guide for pet-friendly travel to keep your cat calm while flying with them:

• Know your options of pet flying – cabin or as cargo
  If your cat can fit into a carrier under your flight seat, you both can travel in the cabin together. You must check with your airline on their pet flying conditions and the size of their carrier or crate to ensure that it is large enough to comfortably seat your pet. The other way is to fly as cargo in a pressurized and air-controlled compartment. The finer details of flying like cargo must also be checked with the airline before choosing that option.
• Research well for health requirements
  Get a thorough check-up of your cat done by a vet before booking a flight. Some airlines insist on a health certificate before your date of flying, so obtain it from your vet well in advance. You can also check the airline’s website for any other information.
• Prepare your cat for security checks
  Anxiety is a critical factor in the flying process, but removing the cat from the carrier and holding it during the security check is difficult. Since it is an open and unfamiliar environment, swaddling the cat is the best way to deal with anxiety. Swaddle your cat in a well-fitted harness for an extra layer of protection.
• Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)
  In many situations, passengers check their pets under the “Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)” category to save the charges of checking an animal. To avail this benefit, you must obtain a letter from a mental health professional certifying that the pet performs a necessary function for its owner. You must also research the ESA policy regulations by the airline in which they are due to fly.