I'm going next month to pick up my new SLP boy!!!! So so so very excited!
But we are flying back from Orlando to Phoenix, which is a 4 hour flight. I'm a bit nervous to fly back with him.
I have an airline approved soft carrier.

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions?

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Archer- Born March 8, 2016 gold with amazing ink jet rosettes
DiVinci- Born July 31, 2016 charcoal seal lynx point

I considered flying when I was moving from NY to CA, but then I ended up driving with 2 cats in the car. Driving was a dire experience: constant meowing from the 2 cats for hours and hours. By the time, we finally arrived in CA after 5 days of driving, my older cat retreated to a closet and hid alone in the back of the closet for a couple days.

Even though, there are downsides to flying, it really lessens the trauma on the animals since it's a much shorter uncomfortable experience. Especially since you are traveling with the animals in the passenger section of the plane.

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Cat Friend

Many people have flown with their bengals. The best option is to have the cat with you in the cabin. Usually you need to get approval from the airline in advance as they allow only a certain number of animals in the cabin per flight. You hope your bengal will be quiet as a crying cat is as annoying as a crying baby. Hopefully, your carrier has a viewing area where the kitten can see out. My suggestion would be to put a harness on the kitty and attach a leash. In the event you have to take it out of the carrier at some point (like security clearance), you do not want a cat roaming free, especially around an airport or among the passengers. I don't know that flying is any harder on a cat than a road trip, but cats do not seem to like the motion or the droning noise. Four hours may not seem like much if the cat is behaving, but if I took Raiden on a plane, we would be escorted off at the nearest airport. He doesn't just meow, he howls at the top of his lungs.

I wish you luck! Know that this is a worst case scenario and your baby may do just fine on the plane and nobody knows it is even there. Good luck.

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Archer- Born March 8, 2016 gold with amazing ink jet rosettes
DiVinci- Born July 31, 2016 charcoal seal lynx point

Jackson Galaxy may have a Spirit Essence product that would help. I can't believe you can't find any calming aids at the pet store. Hopefully, your baby will just want to sleep on the plane.

I flight from NJ to FL once and NJ to CA once with delay (almost 24 hrs). Mercury did quite well. My experience is do not let cat spend too much time in the carrier, there are too many ppl and noise around, my cat get panic when there is no way to run. But after put him on may lap, he start to calm down and eventually start to venturing around the airport and drew a lot of attention. Although airline policy usually request you keep your cat in the carrier during the flight, its better have a leash on and hide your cat under a blanket on your lap, be a good actor and pretend there is nothing. The engine sound and vibration will not do any good to calm the kitty under a seat.

Bring some food with you, preferably wet food b/c it will be hard to feed water. Take the food out of can and keep in a zip bag. Or some dry food and a plastic droper to feed water(glass one may be considered as sharps so can not pass the security).

But sounds you have a new cat which may not feel safe even with you. Its better go to the vet and ask for advice, sometimes they will give you some kind of sedatives so the kitty can sleep over the flight, not sure if that is doable with a kitten.

I plan to go to the vet on my next day off. Can't guarantee when that will be tho :P But definitely before I leave to pick him up!!

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Archer- Born March 8, 2016 gold with amazing ink jet rosettes
DiVinci- Born July 31, 2016 charcoal seal lynx point

Vets are not likely to give a sedative to a cat they have not previously examined! Too much liability on them if something happens to the cat and it ODs. Try something a pet store would have and make sure you use the proper dosage. Actually, I would prefer to not give anything to the kitty. It will already be stressed out enough. Mine would not do well in a carrier or around a lot of people. I'd drive 10,000 miles with him before I would put him on a plane. Trust me .... the passengers would be grateful!

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Archer- Born March 8, 2016 gold with amazing ink jet rosettes
DiVinci- Born July 31, 2016 charcoal seal lynx point