How To Ship A Cat?

Pets are a part of your family. Whether it is a cat or your dog, you cannot leave them behind when you move homes. Whether you know it or not, moving from one home to another is pretty standard for people. People shift from one house to another in their lifetime. During this time, their families grow and become more prominent. Sometimes, families adopt pets like cats. When the families change homes, the cat also goes with them. However, traveling long distances with a cat is not easy. In the past, some people used to leave their cats behind because it was challenging to take the cat along. 

However, the scenario has changed today. Today, many shipping companies offer to ship a cat. The families who shift can now quickly send the cat without much hassle. The family does not have to worry about it personally. However, you have to find a trustworthy shipping company for the task of shipping your cat. While shipping objects like beds, cupboards, and books are complex, shipping a live thing such as a cat is even more challenging. It is best to go to a professional, reliable shipping company for this. 

If you cannot find a good shipping company for the task, you can always find an excellent airline to step in for it. Moreover, as the cat owner, you have to keep a few things in mind when shipping your cat. Remember that the primary responsibility for your cat is yours. As the cat owner, you have to ensure certain things reach the destination safely. 

How to Ship a Cat Via an Airline in 6 Clear Tips

1. Pick a date for the flight

 For most of the time, it is not possible to book a cargo flight for your shipment ahead of the time. However, it is best to call up your preferred airline helpline and figure out a day of shipping the cat. It is best to contact a person who deals with the process and take advice from him. Work out the schedule of sending the cat and when you want to ship it. Whichever date works best with your schedule and matches with the cargo airline timing can be used for this purpose. 

2. Ship during the weekdays

 When you are shipping your cat via an airline, some days are more favorable. For example, if you choose to ship your cat on a weekday, you can ensure that the cat gets the best-in-class service. When the shipping happens on a weekday, more employees or airline crew are present on the cargo flight. Therefore, shipping the cat on a weekday not only ensures that your cat is better looked after but also ensures its safety. On weekends, you have more cargo flying out. Weekends are, thus, not the best days to ship a cat via an airline. 

3. Know about the airline guideline in detail

 Now, every airline has some guidelines for shipping a cat. They are very cautious with the animals they send. When it comes to living animals, the airline needs to be highly careful. As a pet owner, you need to know the set guidelines for shipping a cat. You must know all the procedures and follow them. If you do this, your cat gets sent quickly. If the proper guidelines are not met, the airline can reject your request to ship the cat. The policies for shipping live animals differ from one airline to another. You should, therefore, be careful about the same. 

4. Use a good kennel 

When you are transporting your cat or getting it ready to be shipped, you need to find a good kennel. A kennel is pivotal to the safe transport of a pet animal. The kennel will hold the animal for many hours, sometimes a day. Therefore, airlines are very particular about the specifications of the kennel. The kennel for most airlines needs to be escape-proof, well ventilated, and rigid in the material. 

These attributes make the kennel perfect for long-distance shipping. Such a kennel will decrease the chances of damage and hurt to the cat. The cat is easier to carry with such a kennel too. The kennel needs to have ventilation to keep the cat alive. During domestic flights, the kennel can have three sides fully covered. The other side can be made of mesh. Such particular details to the shipping requirement help the airline in transporting your cat safely. 

5. Get a health certificate for your cat

When you are shipping your cat, ensure that the cat is in good health. When your cat is healthy, it can sail through the hours of shipping and long-distance travel. For an airline, the health certificates of the cat matter a lot. You need to furnish a health certificate that says that the cat is fit for travel. 

Without the health certificate, the airline cannot be sure of its arrival condition. Before shipping it off, you should get a health checkup done on it. Some airlines refuse out rightly if a good health certificate is missing. Most airlines ask for a health certificate issued within the last ten days of the flight. This indicates the immediate health condition of the cat. 

6. Decide about pet sedation

 Animals, including cats, do not fly well. One way of saving them from the turmoil of high-altitude travel is sedation. You can sedate your cat, and then it will sleep throughout the flight. However, even though sedation sounds easy, it is much trickier. This is because the sedated state is not the natural state of the cat. The sedation medication may affect the cat differently at high altitudes. Therefore, you have to consult a vet and then decide on whether you want to sedate your cat or not. It is best to go forward with medical advice in such cases. 

Shipping a cat can be challenging, but if you are diligent with the guidelines and serious about your cat's safety, you can quickly send it anywhere you move. It depends on a lot of factors, but you can do your bit as the cat owner.

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