Tracym

They actually prefer chicken bones - somewhere I have a lovely pic of myself luring them out of a pond for photos by dangling leftover chicken in front of them

Yes, young people are stupid.....

canny scot

Maybe Alli's mum told him that all meat was chicken too! or is that just me?;

Tracym

LOL

btw... alligator does actually taste somewhat like chicken

AutieRene

Hey Canny Scot,

I too am immigrating to America this summer and am looking into how to ge tmy cats over with us. If it is more than 85 Farenheit at the time of travel, they cannot go with you on some Airlines.
If you get anywhere with this, please feel free to let me know, because I am not feeling very happy at the moment that the cats will be allowed to travel with us on the day we fly because some airlines will not make a decision until the day of travel, unless you book them on as cargo. That is the option I am looking into at the moment.

ri_mischief

Flew over with my cat in Feb - she went in cargo UK to US then in the cabin with me for the internal flight. Remarkably stress free - search on my posts if you want to find out the story

Tracym

I'm a little confused - I would think it would be the other way around. I haven't done this lately, but from what I remember....

The issue with cats in cargo (or dogs for that matter) is that the underpart of the plane (cargo section) is not air conditioned, at least not to the extent that the cabin is.

So it would seem to make more sense that they'd be ok in the cabin, regardless of the temperature.

What I do know they cannot fly animals in the hold (is that the name for the underneath of the plane?) when the temperature is too high or the animal could get dangerously overheated.

canny scot

I am certainly no expert, but my understanding so far is that dogs (I assume cats are treated the same?) can go as cargo (ie in the hold) along with you, but during the summer months the majority of airlines will not allow this coz of the heat. However, having read previous threads regarding this subject it would appear that there are a number of companies who will fly your animals as freight, independently of you. They have more control regarding the temperature because they can arrange the flights in the evenings or early mornings. If you go back through the threads you will find quite a lot of good info and other peoples experiences.

I haven't arranged anything yet as we still haven't made up our minds of a definite date, but we will need to be over for the middle of August so looks like our hounds will be travelling freight.

Where are you off to anyway?

canny scot

Sorry but have just replied to you using the wrong quote and sorry to the person I quoted, my reply will make no sense.

I will eventually get the hang of it.

Tracym

Ah, I see. I was confusing the terms, my mistake.

Small dogs and cats can sometimes go in a carrier under your seat - at least they can domestic (within the US). Not sure if that works overseas though. That'd be my personal first choice though, if it were an option.

canny scot

Don't think UK flights allow animals in the cabin, at least I have never seen an animal in a cabin here.
If I had a choice, I'd buy them a seat and put the belt round them- they would certainly make better company than some people I have sat beside

Tracym

I always said my dogs were better looking than most men, and better natured besides

canny scot

As I have always said "the more I see of men, the more I like my dog"!

Tracym

Yep.

AutieRene

We are flying from Manchester to Chicago, but eventually ending up in Indiana. About a 3 hour drive from O'hare airport, but quicker and cheaper to drive than getting a connecting flight into Indianapolis.

AutieRene

Just to let you all know, my husband flew over early and took the cats to live with my inlaws. Everything went really smoothly. They didn't even check our vet's health check letter, and they didn't need rabies shots before arrival in Chicago. However, all dogs do need their rabies shots before traveling.

American Airlines was fantastic and got us through the check in desk very quickly, no hard questions, and with cats my husband didn't have to wait in the long security lines at Manchester, but got escorted through one of the side gates for staff!
Once through security they took the cats to a quiet room, checked one cage and then they took the cats off. They were waiting by baggage claim in Chicago.

Good luck to everyone else looking at this thread who takes any loved pets to America.