Cat on a Plane

He is sleeping sweetly in the photo above, but last Tuesday was not so relaxing for poor Mr. Odin. Thankfully, though, the day I have been dreading for months is over. I took Odin back on the plane with me after helping Tom pack Memorial Day weekend (which I was more than happy to do since Tom is single-handedly dealing with our move), but the anticipation of it created a nervous knot in my belly that lasted for many weeks leading up to the day. The most difficult part was getting to SFO and paying to have him in the cabin with me then going through security. The security line was INSANE! I have not seen it like that in years. Tom waited in the line for me while I dealt with paying for Odin.

Tom was thankfully at the front of the line when I was done getting my boarding pass but the woman behind the counter had forgotten to give me the receipt for Odin, so I had to run back with him to get it. The jostling alone of my dodging the crowd and running all the way back to the woman I checked in with must have freaked him out completely, but when we finally got up to the screening machinery, the agent told me I had to take him out of the carrier so it could be scanned. I had spoken to numerous people on the phone at United and asked at least two of them if I would have to take him out and they said no, but that was not the case. So I took off my shoes, belt, sweater, etc., and, sweating bullets, I unzipped the carrier.

The poor little guy. There were people on every side of me. He was both clawing me and trying to get away at the same time and at that moment the TSA man told me to wait to go through the metal detector. And I had to wait at least a couple of minutes with Odin desperately trying to get away from me and get somewhere safe! I gripped him as tightly and gently as I could. Tom was standing on the other side of the security area, watching, horrified, I'm sure. At one point I noticed he had climbed the steps to look down on us from above. I could tell he was just feeling my pain and trying to send me strength. I would pay money to have seen what I looked like going through that process.

Thankfully I made it through and got Odin back in the carrier with the help of a kind Dutch couple. Wow. He was amazing the whole day after that. I felt so bad for him, but he didn't cry once despite the noise of the plane, the crying babies, the delays, the layover, etc. I got a glass of wine on the flight to calm my jangling nerves, but he did really well. Friends had been telling me nightmare stories about cats yowling for hours in carriers, peeing and pooing all over the place, etc., which is why it had come to be a day of dread for me.

Now he is sleeping on the floor next to me, safe and sound in Vermont, a little skittish but getting used to our temporary apartment. He does not seem much worse for wear. For those of you who may have to take your pet on the plane, I would suggest a really good carrier that does not let in too much light so that they feel protected, especially for a cat. It's almost better that they can't see out so that it doesn't scare them too much. The vet told me to get Rescue Remedy and put a little on his ears every few hours, which I did. I have no idea of it worked for him, but I believe in homeopathy and flower essences so it made me feel better to be giving him something for stress relief. I'd open the carrier a bit every once in a while and give him lots of pets. Always try to take your pet with you in the cabin if he or she is small enough and check and double check with the airline to make sure that you have a reservation for the pet and that you have the right size carrier, etc. I had the idea to use miles for an upgrade, but I thought of it too late and there were no fancy seats left. It would have been nice, though...

I do think that most of why he did so well is just plain luck. Somehow we were fortunate enough to adopt a cat who travels well. Hopefully we won't have to take him cross-country again but if we need to take him on a long car ride I will be far less anxious about it. Now he has to endure one more move to our permanent place but at least that will be just a few blocks versus thousands of miles!

The Dutch couple who helped me through security told me about their experience with taking their dog on the plane. This was in the seventies and the airline actually let them take the dog in the cabin with them with no cage, no nothing. And it was a Golden Retriever! It sat on the floor next to them and the flight attendants ooooh'd and aaaaah'd over him. Wow. When I imagine this then think back to last week and the security situation we deal with now at airports it makes me really sad. Seriously, what has this world come to? Why can't we all lighten up for crying out loud!