by Santi Meintjes

Created on: September 24, 2007

In January 2007 I flew six cats from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Victoria, Canada, via Amsterdam and Vancouver. It took three days. They arrived safely, all of them, no injuries, thank the gods, but very thirsty and tired.

How can you prepare cats who only ever travel in a car when going to the vet 1.5 km away for a journey of over 20,000 km in the hold of an airplane? You can't really - can you imagine making little breaking-in trips on a small aeroplane or something like that? It would have the opposite effect I think.

So, my main preparations, except from getting the necessary veterinary examinations done, were the following:

Travel Agent.
Scour the web, local phone directory, and vet's offices for information about companies that specialise in pet travel. And take care, many companies transport mostly dogs and horses - get one that has extensive experience with cats. It may be a good idea to contact cat breeders who regularly show their animals - they are bound to know who to avoid and who to trust with your cats. You will also find testimonials on the Internet.

Find out exactly what services the company performs, e.g. do you have to bring your cats to them or do they pick them up at your house? Do they have a cattery where your cats are removed from the cages and into a large enclosure (not another cage) where they have to change planes? Is this enclosure sufficient to prevent them from escaping? I kept having nightmares about running around the Schipol airport calling my cats' names

If possible and necessary visit the premises of the travel agent you are considering and have a look at their facilities. If these facilities are up to standard they will let you tour the place - do not consider engaging an agent that will not allow you to inspect their facilities. Make sure that they have a resident or contracted vet that assist them.

Cat's comfort
Picking the best travel agent is the best way to ensure that your cat travels in a comfortable cage that is regularly cleaned and provided with fresh water.

I also picked six T-shirts that I was willing to sacrifice and slept in them one by one, for at least a week each, before the journey. On the day, I placed one T-shirt in each cage before loading the cat. The theory is that they are calmer when they have something in the cage that carries your smell.

To dope or not to dope? I did not. I believe the experience is traumatic enough for the cats without them being woozy as well, and what if they react to the drug while

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