Flying with cats and tips on travel sedation

[@liachang126]

"If the airline doesn't allow you to do this, complain a lot and fly with someone else, bc they're bastards and you should only support airlines that allow travel with pets" 🤣

[@g3rmb0y]

I find that level of anger very refreshing. Such a positive channel, but it's good to show that there's things that piss him off too, show's he's human. :)

[@SymphonyTaylor]

Honestly tho 😂

[@mrgreed6382]

well i was surprised to hear that from him but i agree hahaha

[@lunasky5635]

Thanks to the “comfort peacock” someone brought to the airport, the airlines are likely to be less flexible about pets in the cabin - even if caged.

[@moa3810]

I was surprised when he used "bastard" for the airlines but then thought I liked it.

[@borisc6714]

basically, sedation requires monitoring. And, for mental health purposes, (for the human, not the cat) I strongly recommend having conversation with a cat.

[@liachang126]

"Some patients, if you give them a dose of sedatives, they'll actually get really really high, and really hyperactive, and they'll look like they just did three lines of cocaine" 🤣🤣 I love the honesty and humor and phrasing

[@rae6390]

This happened to my cat after she was spayed. She was prescribed medication for the pain after surgery, and once I gave it to her she became super agitated and hyperactive. It was actually pretty scary because I didn't know that could happen!

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Its rare but it happens! On the bright side, it means the pet isn't in pain. I've actually dealt with this often enough in my own practice that I'm thinking of making a video about post operative dysphoria (or scarring your owners after surgery by being so high because you're not in pain).

[@PhanieDaemonia]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet Happened to a friend's cat recently. She was so hyper she almost ripped a stitch!! Thankfully she was fine and that calmed her right down, she was a lot quieter after that.

[@andresraffler]

Lancelot's looking as cute and relaxed as ever!

[@ЕвгенийАвдеев-к7н]

"Don't have a conversation with your pet." How can I not to talk to my cat?

[@PhanieDaemonia]

I have conversation with my pets everyday. She even talks to my friends on the phone.

[@sipos0]

I think it was just this conversation. Talking to cats is a good thing IMHO. I think they understand the tone of voice etc and understand a lot of what we say, despite not speaking our language at all. I think it is just that they have few useful views about medication dosage.

[@youtubeexplorer4570]

Hi doctor uri, my family and I have been heartbroken this week because our kitten passed away during a medical procedure. Your videos and watching other people love cats as much as I do, make me smile. Thank you.

[@missball888]

So sorry 💔

[@rachelb4398]

I'm so sorry about your kitty

[@maddiepilz5711]

I'm sorry for your loss 😢

[@b.f.2461]

I’m so sorry to hear of your loss.

[@EternityRealm]

the inclusion of a shirt that smells like their favorite human while they’re by themselves in a cold dark place just 😭💔

[@annedavis3340]

2nd tip: if you're making a day of flying, bring some litter and collapsible gift boxes like donut boxes with you, give your cats an option to use the makeshift litterbox at rest stops (unfold a half box, scatter litter, let cat on harness into the box, dispose of box and soiled litter if anything happens other than the cat staring up at you). Not all pet areas airports have are set up in ANY way for cats. *NOTE: TSA has flagged the cat litter multiple times as a substance that needs to be very VERY carefully checked (Fresh Step Multi Cat reads on their fast papery swipes as something that goes 'boom,' they bring in an expert who runs a different test and it comes up clear. BUILD IN TIME. If you are flying with someone and one of you has ptsd or anxiety or pain from standing, have the other human carry the litter in their bag, it'll make it easier on the person with a condition.* But seriously. You never know if your speedy flight could be delayed for 6+ hours or whatever, we got in a scenario where our cat dutifully held it because she didn't have a box, for what ended up being nearly 24h. We desperately wanted her to just wet herself instead of hurting herself, but she was a martyr. NEVER flying without litter for her again. And bring the litterbox in the car if you're going on long haul car trips. If you need the rest stop, give the cat a chance too.

[@lunasky5635]

I flew across the Atlantic with a Siamese cat under my seat. She was sedated. Howled and caterwalled the whole way. I tried to pretend the noise was not coming from my seat. The other passengers were not pleased. Three years later on the return trip she was not sedated. No meowing at all. I had to keep checking that she was still alive! BTW, i will never fly united again after they forced me to put her in the pet compartment. This was on checkin. I couldn’t afford to invalidate my ticket and i had to show up for a new job. Worse flight of my life. For six hours i was crazed. I needed sedation. Great tip on adding blankets and something with my scent. Thanks!

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Interesting, sounds like the dose may have been off on the way there.

[@lilactreehouse]

I would add, make sure the container that they travel in is secure: meaning no loose screws, tears, and that all doors/windows can be locked securely. I have heard horror stories of cats escaping faulty carriers on the tarmac!

[@bennu547]

Well I mean that should go without saying but a reminder to do checks is a good thing. Better to check your carrier 5000 times then finding out the hard way a screw is loose

[@sarahschouveller1993]

Oh my goodness the face close up ❤ yes I agree with you, if someone didn't let me fly with my cat I wouldn't fly with them !

[@annagarg7000]

I named my kitten Uri after you, that's how much I love your videos! Please do keep making them, you are awesome.

[@b.f.2461]

Something that travellers with cats may find good to know - security will probably want you to take your cat out of the carrier to put it through the x-ray machine. If, like me, you have nightmares of your fluffy dude escaping and leading a chase through the airport, ask to go to the room for private searches. It will be quiet and enclosed, and much more secure.

[@annedavis3340]

Both of our cats are harness trained. One of our cats Hates the carrier. We've had success with that particular cat sitting on my husband's lap the whole flight (she just flops there and stays the whole. Whole. Time.) Last time the flight attendant didn't let her sit in his lap, the cat was very upset. :(

[@lauriesell7934]

Thanks for the travel tips. I think you are an amazing vet and cutie cat guy.

[@ronwagoner8358]

Yes, pets should be allowed to fly on all airlines. If human children are allowed, our non-human companions should be allowed too.

[@A.K.00]

There should be a separate area in planes only for human children and their parents. They are just pain in the ass. Pets behave hundred times better.

[@Liusila]

Yeah, and I know which one I’d prefer to find sitting next to me!

[@lindseys3708]

My husband is pretty bad allergic to cats, but even he could survive a couple hours on a plane with one in its carrier!

[@micahlanboney7830]

A very useful, informative video. And I love that signature striped shirt! I recently got one to emulate Dr. Uri's fashion sense :)

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Disclaimer: I would strongly caution anyone against emulating my fashion sense.

[@PhanieDaemonia]

Watching this video with my cat on my lap... He's asking when we should feed him for a 8-9h flight, and what happens if he needs to go to the bathroom when he's in the cabin with me?

[@biancalien4577]

Also what about liquids... the air in the cabin is very very dry and humans (I'm sure cats too) get really dehydrated if they don't drink enough. Especially on a long-distance flight, like, 10 hours or more. Also, wouldn't the change in air pressure hurt their ears? Can they pop them like humans?

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

It doesn't seem to be clinically significant. There are regulations about how long a flight can be before food and water has to be available.

[@soundouschannel4388]

Squish that CAT ! Ps : I love Mr pirate.

[@heatherjones6647]

I used to travel twice per year between St. John's NL and Toronto with my cat. I had a 3.5 hour drive to the NL airport. Ginger hated everything about the process even though I took him in the cabin with me (Air Canada). He would vomit and eliminate in the large carrier in the car and then zone out. I would go into a shower room at the truck stop at the half way point and let him stretch, drink, and I would clean out the carrier. At the airport I transferred him to the prepared airline carrier. He was never sedated on my vet's advice. One thing Dr. Uri didn't mention if you are taking him as cabin luggage. YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE CAT OUT OF THE CARRIER FOR THE CARRIER TO BE SCANNED AT SECURITY. HOLD HIM BY THE SCRUFF AND SQUISH FOR ALL YOU'RE WORTH. IF HE GETS LOOSE IN THE AIRPORT LIFE AS YOU KNOW IT IS OVER. Also, take as little hand luggage as possible so you aren't juggling your cat around. 3 months later I would reverse the process. 1.5 hr taxi to the airport with a larger carrier that would be delivered back to my mother's house. Into the plane carrier and then in St. John's back into the larger carrier for the long drive home. Each trip was about 11 hours door to door. Luckily Ginger had a little friend on each end waiting for him, and I suspect it was a great help for him to have a friend to complain to! Remember: YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TAKE YOUR CAT OUT OF THE CARRIER ON THE FLIGHT.

[@MikeBMW]

Years ago, I drove from Central Florida to Phoenix when I moved there temporarily. I had a 1990 BMW 525i with a ski boot opening. I left it open, put food and water, as well as a litter box, in the trunk so my cats could move seamlessly from the front to the trunk. Worked out great! (I have a ton more stories about that, especially when staying New Orleans for a night) Thanks for all your vids, love 'em! :)

[@Yousef-sam]

Just wanted to say, please keep making these videos, your voice is really calming and the cats make my day better :) Really useful videos too, keep up the great work, bud

[@Roope00]

Now I'm just thinking of cocaine crazed cats, great

[@celestemaaneet987]

Dr being lowkey savage!!! 😂

[@vvv7698]

I have no plans to fly with my cat Wassily in the near future, I'm just here to support Dr. Uri and his loveable furry friends🥰 Love from Buenos Aires!

[@samanthalaine8064]

4:33 - "If you're driving for 12 hours and you have one of those cats that won't shut up and will meow every three seconds for twelve hours straight - cause they exist". Can confirm. They exist. My cat is so loud and will not shut up when she's in the car

[@PhanieDaemonia]

Same with mine.

[@brendag1482]

My Morgan had always cried his head off in the car. I thought it would be cruel to sedate him for my convenience when I moved 1400 miles. Surely he'd settle down, right? Um, no. 1400 miles of caterwauling. At the midway point, I considered trying to find a vet to dose him, but I don't trust easily and certainly not with my bestie of 4 years. He actually settled in quite quickly on the other end, having survived the trauma, and went on to live to the grand old age of 22 before lymphoma caught up with him. I'll never forget that trip, though. I'll also never stop missing that noisy cat.

[@enthusedtosing9655]

Yup, Lancelot's an amazing alloy of lazy, fierce-looking and Regal.

[@Jinx-rj7kx]

The dislikes are from people who had their cat crawl on their mouse while it happened to be hovering over the dislike button

[@SymphonyTaylor]

*Lancelot is sooo cuteee I love his fur pattern !!* 🥺🥺💗💗💗

[@reginaromsey]

Love the advice that if the airline won’t let you fly with your pet,:complain and don’t fly with them! I flew back from Germany to Washington D.C. with my Siamese. He was in a case that fit under the seat and spent the flight on my lap thanks to a very nice lady in the next seat. The flight crew was wonderful and offered water and pets!

[@thechopmonster23]

I love these videos, they make me so happy! Thank you for making them. Lancelot is such a handsome baby

[@liachang126]

I would never allow my pet to travel in the luggage compartment. It must be so loud and scary. My cat hates being in a carrier, I couldn't imagine what it must be like to be completely alone, entirely unaware of what's going on. The last thing I want is to severely traumatize my pet at the beginning of a trip/move.

[@sisyphus3841]

Ilysm! your such a good cat dad!

[@caitlincollins5401]

This video has come at the perfect time! I’m moving from japan to Seattle in 2 weeks and flying with my cat with me in the cabin- and I’m SO nervous! 🤯

[@NoEff3x]

I have to make a correction there as an airline loader, pets are NEVER loaded in the same cabin as the rest of the luggage and the cabin in which they are loaded is not cold at all, it's a heated cabin in which the average temperature in flight is 25 to 26 degrees Celsius. it is however noisier than the passenger cabin.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Thank you very much for chiming in! I'm happy to hear that the temperatures are higher than what I read. Maybe it is a sign of improving conditions? I did try to say 'special luggage compartment' but I could have been clearer.

[@NoEff3x]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet it’s actually been around for years now, most airlines front cargo hold is temperature controlled as well as pressurized while the aft one is only pressurized, if there are no pets on the flight they can load both cargo holds but even if there are pets the aft cargo hold has enough space to hold all of the luggage so airlines that don’t allow pets don’t really make sense to me.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Thank you much for sharing!

[@aimeem]

This is such a great channel -- so heartwarming, even if you don't have pets.

[@Nenenerii]

This guy just makes me happy

[@camillanilsson2213]

My sister is flying from USA to germany next week with a black cat called Xena and is very nervous. This video was so helpful. Thanks !

[@sipos0]

I'm not planning a move with a cat, but I watched this anyway because I wanted to watch Lancelot chilling and being petted and listening to Dr Yuri is relaxing, since he clearly loves cats and so is a good person.

[@mamadelosgatos26]

This is so helpful, thank you so much! Love your channel and content and Lancelot of course!

[@elizabethlnu2775]

Thank you for your common sense and kind advice.

[@pastaboinch]

i literally don't have a cat and i have never had a cat but i just love watching this channel

[@movedtoclownaxanthic3987]

I just moved in with my mom and took my two kitties Queso and Molla with me. I hope it wasn’t too stressful for them. Thank you for the moving advice!

[@ww-zd6il]

My cat Cookie meowed Non-Stop from Toronto to Ottawa in 6 hours drive! While I was driving, he peed, pooped several times, and passed gas as much as he could in his luxury large cage! No way I take him with me in the plane, Never Ever!!!! Hahaha...

[@doan2300]

Lancelot is such a beautiful cat.

[@Look_look_at_my_cats]

My husband and I had to fly from Hawaii to Texas (via layover in L.A. because there was no direct flight) with our cat when husband got out of the Navy. Our cat was a native Hawaiian that we had gotten while we were there. It was such a headache too. There were restrictions on what the temperature of our destination could be because of course Hawaii was always warm but the mainland is not... he had to be in the cargo hold for half a damn day or something (it's 3 hours from Hawaii to California, another 2 or whatever to Dallas, another 45 minutes to the much smaller town we were headed to... all the layovers... I was a nervous wreck about it but he made it okay. I would much rather have carried him inside the cabin but I don't think they even gave us the option. I mean, this was almost 11 years ago so I'm fuzzy on what airline it even was. But with all the travel time and layovers, maybe it wasn't possible. Kitteh is almost 13 now, hard to believe. I remember getting him as a wee 8 week old kitten from some lady in Honolulu for free based off a Craigslist ad. lol. He's the cat on the left in my picture

[@shadowedaethyr]

Love your videos! Always tons I can learn from them and enjoy to rewatch.

[@Symbelle]

omg thank you so much for this video. I have been freaking out about bringing my kitty to Spain with me on the plane for months now and it's not even going to happen until next summer. Thanks for the tips and hopefully since my flight is going to last around 2 hours I can keep my little one with me in the cabin.

[@redram5150]

This is a topic I’ve been looking into. I may me moving out of state and my 18 year old cat hates traveling. If he were younger I would be concerned too, but his advanced age has me more concerned

[@ThiccLasagna23]

My cat and I will be moving cross country next year so this is very helpful. Thank you Dr. Uri and Lancelot ☺️

[@natashanat6605]

I will have to take my cat on a plan in a nearest future. Was waiting for such a kind of information

[@libi8496]

I love how chill the cats are in your videos ❤️

[@toastedsniper9248]

Sir Lancelot looking fine as usual, as well as you Dr.Uri!

[@bepriceless]

Hi Doctor Uri, love your vids. Thanks.

[@livvlivingintokyo]

Thank you so much for answering this question!!

[@weird0.0]

Exactly when I needed this!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you 🤗

[@geraldstcyr]

Our cat, Cuckoo, flew from S Korea to Kansas City in the cabin. The trip kept him in the carrier for almost 24 hrs. During this time, he didn't poop, pee, eat, or drink (didn't want anything). That was two years ago. Now, he travels exclusively vis auto. Of course, he doesn't like this because...well... he's a cat.

Nooooo my little cat will be sad and cold if I put him to that compartment :(. Keep them with you if airline allows it, if they don't find another one that does or don'y fly!

[@RhamanaChan]

That's interesting, I take gabapentin as a muscle relaxant, didn't know it was given to animals too!

[@MelindadelosSantos]

I just recently moved, myself, and my decision is based on whether or not pets were allowed. (I’m glad people ask you about traveling with your pet.👍🏼)

[@somaticasia]

Your cats are sooo cute and squeezable!

[@markusfritze]

Planning the move for our 2 Thai cats from San Francisco to Hamburg, Germany was the most stressful time for us (about 18 hours door-to-door). The whole human side (packing, moving company, etc) was easy. But finding an airline which allows 2 cats _inside_ the cabin was a big issue (none of the US airlines did not allow that - especially transatlantic). Then finding a flight with the least amount of stops. Avoid stops in additional countries - in case something goes wrong, you can't just stay overnight in the country with pets (e.g. the UK). The vaccination requirements are yet another issue. TSA checks with the cats are also not fun (you can get a separate room to avoid any escapes). I ended up talking to the airline (Lufthansa) directly and they managed everything: the ground crews expected us, the crew on board as well and so on.

[@burritocatt01]

YOU POSTED WOOHOO 😫👏🏻✨

[@dianestewart893]

This was great, but would you also please do a follow-up with road trips? I'm more concerned with the possibility of moving where it takes more than one day to get there. What's the best way to handle staying in a hotel, especially litter box issues? Our rescue cat is timid, runs and hides, and doesn't like to be picked up. How best to handle a very sensitive cat?

[@thedopeguy.]

Hello im first to comment and nice helpful informations to use for your cat and keep up the hard work

[@stephlrideout]

My boy Oscar is from Australia too! And we've flown back and forth across Canada a bunch. Might give Pirate a run for his money! I always lay a small towel where he sleeps about a week ahead of the trip that I can then put in his carrier, but using dirty clothes is a great idea.

[@dianarv866]

Thank you so much for this video, it’s super helpful!

[@Epark1801]

Thank u so much for making this vid now. I was gonna go on a plane in some days

[@Pigeonbane]

Could you talk a little more about travelling with a cat by car? I'm looking at a potential two-day drive with my cat, and if it's possible to make it less stressful for her, that would be wonderful. Should I plan frequent breaks? Should I let her roam the car's interior? How should I handle her feeding? Should I load her into a largish cage in the back of my SUV with her litter box, some food and water?

[@samanthaskelton8828]

Sir Lancelot is too cute 🥰

[@minimalmiuae]

My cat is not really a meaower but really a very stressed traveler. He is panting panting like crazy even for a short drive to the vet. Is there maybe something that would calm them rather than sedate them?

[@yourfriendlycynic]

thanks this eases my worries about moving with my cats!

[@delta6bluejay560]

Hi Lancelot and Uri!

[@buibuiopolismayor7329]

I have a cat that is scared easily. He gets stressed and meows constantly when we make a 10 min ride to visit the vet and he then meows at the vet loudly. I am scared that he’ll get extremely stressed if he were to take a long plane ride.

[@missball888]

I have two cats, and when I gave them their practice dose of xanax, it sedated one and the other had the cocaine effect. Thank goodness I tried everything in advance!

[@JolieGaronne]

I'm confused here: I was told the temperature in the pressurized cargo hold for pets, is fairly close the one in cabin, since the pilot knows about their presence. Never heard of 4° C (?)

[@TimeLapseRich]

When my wife and I moved we decided that we would fly to transport our cat Colby to our new home. 9 hours door to door with a 4-hour flight, he meowed once. After exploring his new home he took a nap in his carrier. Colby is super chill with travel, he loves car rides.

[@oddcontent5152]

This is super helpful! I'm curious about tips for traveling by car with cats for 10+ hours. Sedation would definitely be preferable for my cats, because they like to meow for nearly the entire duration of car rides. Also thinking of getting carriers that have some form of a litter box in them so they're comfortable. But I do want to move sometime in the future, so I'd love as many tips as I can get!

[@comradedyatlov4143]

Adorable cats, perfect videos. Hugs from California! ❤

[@makingknowsense8979]

I would never put a fur baby in the luggage. Grayce my current cat would go nuts and blame me.. I would prefer to buy a seat and let her ride along with me. And your right bring extra blankets and toys. Also at least 2 large plastic bags. One bag goes under the carrier in the seat. (Make sure you attach the carrier to the seat.) The other bag is to put the dirty blankets. If its a long trip their is a liter tray that you can purchase. They might allow you to take the cat to a quiet enclosed place - as long as they have a collar and leash - to go to the bathroom. Bring a large plastic bag to put it in once it's used. And don't forget water and treats. Thanks for the reminder and information. ❤❤❤

[@meiyuan2134]

great video! i hope you've been doing well lately Dr. Uri :)

[@singhss2820]

I used to go on lot of flights with my cat due to official trips. But now due to pandemic, the company has a "work from home" policy and no official travels, so my cat works from home now.

[@kieranparsons7174]

Wonderful cat! Very helpful video, thanks! ❤️

[@monokuma2554]

Thanks a lot! I actually really needed help with this. My cat hates travelling and gets so stressed. :( I love sir Lancelot.

[@Vi420TTV]

I just came to say SQUISH THAT CAT :D

[@kaileyellow]

wow i had no idea about the increased rates of mortality from sedation if they’re under the plane :(

[@1712katja]

Omg! I just gave my baby a something to keep her calm due to moving in an hour! I gave it to her with tuna and now I’m keeping an eye on her.. She suffers to much if been moved.. Thank you doc!

[@jessicafranzino9581]

Hi Doctor! Since the pandemic, my husband and I have been traveling in the car to visit family with our cat, Spike, as opposed to leaving him with a sitter. Spike’s a pretty good traveler. He likes to ride in a bag while sitting on my lap, so he can look out the window. However, the issue is that he ALWAYS poops, or at least pees. We’ve tried not feeding him for hours before, but he still always finds a way to go to the bathroom in his bag. That results in us having to give poor Spike a bath as soon as we arrive at the destination, which is extra stress on him ☹️ Do you have any suggestions on how to settle his tummy during the ride? It would be much appreciated, as we have a long drive to my dad’s house coming up over Christmas. Thanks!

[@xyfuras]

Words of support.

[@rogerbradbury9713]

A cat I had years ago hated car travel (like my present cat) but seemed to enjoy motorcycle travel, in the cat box on the back of the bike. I glanced back once to see him looking past me in the direction we were travelling, fascinated by the view. this makes me wonder; is it possible that cats are okay with vehicle travel if they can see where they are going?

[@ML-yw4hv]

Thank you

[@MelindadelosSantos]

Hi, Sir Lancelot!🤗 BTW, looks like you survived the move! 😄

[@hollykeenan3053]

What a wonderful video 😊

[@bennaustin6632]

Thank you for this. Will Feliway in the carrier help?

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Most certainly. I thought I'd try to make at least one video without endorsing feliway, clearly I failed :-)

[@AlessandroPasotti87]

I have a 4 yo black cat that i should bring with myself in my campervan sometimes. how can i help him to be calm and relaxed? it's and old van a little noisy from the engine and without air conditioning, so in summer we must keep the windows open and this makes him cry...

[@nana-uf5ql]

that close up shot on sir lancelot's face where he looks super serious made me laugh so hard

[@vanessasherbet]

I'm already having conversations with my cat hahah Anyway, very informative video as always! Thanks ❤️

[@lorri85]

Love from Ireland 💚🇮🇪☘

[@vhlaura97]

Super helpful, thanks!!

[@oobiegooby432]

Great video as always :)