Traveling with your furry friend by plane: impossible? Not really. This is part 2 of a two-part story. Check part 1 here.
***This is also long post but you might find it interesting too.***
***There are also pics below!***
Sooooo… we were ready to fly!
When the day came, we took a taxi from my human’s Mom’s home to the airport. The humans had many pieces of luggage, plus us three. At the airport, they had to give the luggage and Milou to the airline staff. They put plenty of “LIVE ANIMAL” stickers on his box. Then Milou was not with us anymore. Ceiling Cat and Milou only knew where he went!
I usually behave myself pretty well when traveling in a car (less so in a train), but of course my human was concerned about such a long trip without being able to go out of our bag.
We had little food or water the night before. My human bought water sprays to spray us from time to time during the trip and they were carrying wee-wee pads just in case. They also had some kibbles.
Grouik may be a hunter, he is an anxious cat and hates to travel. His human gave him a sedative recommended by the vet and that he had tested before to calm him (for fear he would meow all the way from Paris to Frankfurt to New York and be too scared). My human didn’t like the idea of giving me a sedative. She had some my vet had given her just in case, but she gave me a little bit of that HomeoPet Anxiety relief thing she had found in America instead. It seemed to work just fine.
The time was loooooooooong. My human says the trip in plane alone from Paris to New York (including our stop in Frankfurt) took 12+ hours. That’s without the time between homes and airports.
We had to stay in our bags all the time in each plane. That was hard because it was very hot in the plane. Even the humans (not just ours) were complaining about the temperature. Our humans were concerned for us and begged the airline staff to have us get out just a little bit to give us some water. But it was a no-no. Because some people could be allergic to us (!?) we would have to stay inside. Also the staff was concerned our humans would let us go around freely in the plane. Humans can be funny!
They allowed our humans to take the bag on their lap though, which helped calm Grouik that was starting to meow in the last few hours. They gave us a little water and some kibbles. They knew Grouik was doing okay when he tried to grab, from the barely opened bag, some of the pizza the humans had! Me, I was patient.
They didn’t take many pics from the trip because I think they were more concerned for our well being. Nicely trained humans ;-)
When we arrived in New York though, everyone was really tired. Grouik couldn’t be stopped from meowing anymore. The humans had to pick up all their pieces of luggage and… Milou! And then we had to go through immigration (what’s that?) and some people from our new country were supposed to check if everything was okay with us (our health certificate and stuff).
Turned out no one knew exactly where Milou was supposed to be picked up. The humans were being even more concerned. Where was Milou ? They were told that “someone would bring him next to the luggage pick up.” While my human’s husband was picking up the luggage, my human spotted Milou’s box alone in a corner. She ran to pick him up. He seemed and was doing fine! The humans weren’t very happy that he had been left alone like that.
When all the luggage was put on some kind of cart with us on top, we headed for the inspection. It was the end of the afternoon in New York, but the five of us were feeling like it was late evening (like it was in France). We all had been up for 24 hours actually.
The humans had put towels on our bags and Milou’s box so that we wouldn’t be afraid by all the humans around. The customs woman only spotted Milou’s box and asked what it was. The humans answered “a cat.” And she said “go ahead.” And we were out of the airport without any inspection. I think the humans were very happy about that. They were tired. So were we. And I think my human was a little afraid I would bite someone who would examine me. I don’t like people I don’t know to touch me like that!
When we arrived at our new home, we started exploring quickly.
And although there were some initial tensions between us…
…each one of us found a favorite spot and/or position to hide (just in case).
And everything went fine!
A quick note on the humans:
– They traveled back and forth not to leave us behind
– They shrugged at people who told them “What?! You’re taking the cats with you?!?!! Is it really reasonable?”
– They spent some dear money so that we would move with them and do so in the best way they knew possible
==> So it is not mission impossible to move with your furry friends (I do believe our friends at Animalcourriers can tell you about that – the humans didn’t know them then).
Although there are plenty of stories on the Internet about furry friends being depressed and getting lost by trying to get back home after their humans had moved (my human was very afraid of that), we adapted pretty quickly and explored the area in the following days we arrived. There is no fatality (vocab builder)!
So, please, do consider moving with your furry friend if you can! On the other hand, don’t have us take the plane just to go on vacations please, this is not pleasant.
If you have questions I’d be glad to answer them or ask my human to do so.
EPILOGUE
(I promise I’ll be quick!)
We would like to of course thank our humans (even if, well, they acted the way they had to!) and also the airline company Lufthansa. Why? Because my human sent them a letter complaining about how it was hot in the plane and if they, humans, had suffered from that, we probably had suffered too.
Well, to apologize, the company sent my humans a big box of toys and treats for us! Wasn’t that nice?
Thank you Lufthansa!
(My human wanted to add that Lufthansa hasn’t asked us to post this. In fact, my human just wanted to let our discomfort be known because she felt bad for us and any other kitty traveling that way, she didn’t expect this nice gesture)
Awww, sweet Texas you all have such a loving, thoughtful mom and dad. We are so happy you all made the flight and move with everyone in tact and doing well. We hope you enjoyed your gifts…that was nice of the airline to do that…but after all you were uncomfortable on the flight so new toys was a good thing to make that better. Thanks for sharing your very interesting travel story. Hugs and nose kisses
Thank you!
Purrs
That was good PR for Lufthansa to send a gift. I’ve often wondered about moving to France (I have EU citizenship) but the cats have held me back. I did move two cats from Canada to New York in the cabin and it was a nightmare. I hope you share more about your experiences especially behavioral ones. Cats adjusting pre and post travel stress etc.
Thanks for your comment and visit!
I take note and will prepare a post together with my human about our behavior more specifically =^.^=
That was in incredibly long journey for you felines and humans. Well done all of you for coping with the length, the heat and the discomfort ;-) It is always worth writing to a company when you feel something could have been done better – Lufthansa came up trumps! We really like them as an airline, sad the cabin was so warm, it’s usually the opposite problem.
There are very, very few places in the world where it isn’t a good idea to take your animal friends. We do stress the point Texas makes – do try to take your pets with you when you move – they are virtually always happier with you than being left behind.
My human told me almost each single human she talked to about bringing us to America where astonished! Huh!
Thank you for your devotion to helping humans bring their furriends with them =^.^=
Purrs
Back in 1969, my parents flew their 11 year old Alsation x Bullmastif back to the UK from Africa. Everyone thought they were mad. My mother said she wasn’t going back to the UK without him. Poor fellow had to spend six months in quarantine. He lived another six years :D
Purring thoughts =^.^=
This was super interesting Texas……and I too hope that should someone have to move far away, they will strongly consider taking their animal family with them if at all possible – you guys did so well with all that upheaval and as I said yesterday, we are so happy you are here in the USA! :D You gave humans a lot of information on HOW to move and how to keep animals as comfortable as possible in the situation. YAY to Lufthanza for apologizing with TREATS!! That’s special. Just like YOU are….. :D :D
Kitty Hugs, Sammy
Thanks, Sammy! Purrrrrring….
Well written glad you made it safely guys :-) xxx
Thanks!
Purrs
Thanks so much for thses two days post, Texas! They weren’t very long as they were “vraiment” interesting!!! Besides, all these pictures are sooo lovely!!! Especially love the one of Grouik with the pizza!
I really agree with your human about how they left Milou’s box being alone in the corner….. that was not good….Oh no….Milou…you did great job during the flight! *hugs*
However Lufthansa seems to be a nice airline company to appologize with the pretty treats!
I’m glad you enjoy your life in NY!!! :)
Thank you so much! Milou appreciates too!
I think that was very nice of lufthansa. :)
12 hours is really long, for humans ánd animals!
Yes, too long.
Purrs
Whew!! We sure glad you all made it Safe & Sound! ^..^ Especially Milou!! You all were furry well behaved concidering da circumstancez, da mom not sure we would have been dat good ^..^, da mom thinkz she would have had a heart attack by da time we reach owr destination wif 6 ov us ^..^ We glad you all are here and hopez you like NY!! ^..^ Headbonkz~ ♥♥xoxo♥♥
Thanks! Oh yes we like NY very much!
6 would have been a lot more complicated I guess…
Purrs
Wow, what an adventure! But it sounds like you kitties dealt with it very well! And totally worth it to land in an awesome new home!
Yes we did and yes it was worth it! Thanks, Sparkle =^.^=
Purrs
Wow, what a trip! However, rather a couple of days discomfort than being left behind. I fully support taking your cats with you.
Yes that is true!
You have a great adventure to tell future generations. Travel can do that.
Yes, that’s true!
Purrs
You were especially well behaved considering the very long journey! Well done. When our mom was little her family moved to Phoenix AZ and their dog was on flight. The airline staff lost the dog but found her 12 hours later. She had spent most of the day going around and around on an other airline’s carousel. Fortunately some nice airline people took care of her while they located us. Of course, we were frantic and my poor parents had 4 small children to look after too.
Thanks for visiting us! We hope to see you around!
Hiya!
Wow! Must have been really scary for the dog and the humans! I think our humans would have had a heart attack if they had been told Milou had been lost.
Thanks for your visit =^.^=
Purrs
I don’t finks I would like to go on a plane, in a bag and hot! Yooo’s were sooo brave :) I luv’s the photo’s and all those treats, any fink nice in there for meee?? BOL
Big hugs
Mollie xx
Thanks!
You thought after a year there was something left in the basket? ;-)
Purrs
YEA!!! Lufthansa! USA airlines would not have been so thoughtful regards the cat gift basket. Trust me. Mom and Dad are veterans of moving animals at least across the USA, from West to East coast and back again. MOving them both through the air and in a car (3 Sibes from Ohio to Calif over 2 weeks…Mom says never again!!)…Your family Texas did GREAT for you guys. ANd WHO WOULD EVER leave their precious fur family behind???…so many ways aniFamily can travel with huFamily
I know! But apparently some people did’t mind. But me thinks it’s because they don’t have furry friends. They don’t know what it is ;-)
Purrs
Loved the story, it felt like I was travelling with you:)
Thank you. We very much liked telling it.