Has anyone ever traveled to Paris with a cat?
Jul 17th, 2007, 01:12 PM
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Has anyone ever traveled to Paris with a cat?
Hello fellow Fodorites,
I am moving to Paris for two years for business and was wondering if any of you might have some advice, as I am bringing my cat along with me. He has gone through all of the red tape in terms of getting a European microchip, a health certificate and rabies shot (30 days prior to entering the country). Since I will be living in a furnished apartment, he has also recently been declawed.
I was wondering if anyone knew about how strict they are in terms of weight requirements. I know that in order for Beckham to travel in the cabin with me, he and the carrying case together must way no more than 6 kilos (approx. 13.2 lbs). He is currently on a diet, as he weighs 14 lbs! Since I'm flying out of Houston, I'm concerned that, if he does not make the weight limit, he won't be able to go in cargo as it is probably too hot.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I am moving to Paris for two years for business and was wondering if any of you might have some advice, as I am bringing my cat along with me. He has gone through all of the red tape in terms of getting a European microchip, a health certificate and rabies shot (30 days prior to entering the country). Since I will be living in a furnished apartment, he has also recently been declawed.
I was wondering if anyone knew about how strict they are in terms of weight requirements. I know that in order for Beckham to travel in the cabin with me, he and the carrying case together must way no more than 6 kilos (approx. 13.2 lbs). He is currently on a diet, as he weighs 14 lbs! Since I'm flying out of Houston, I'm concerned that, if he does not make the weight limit, he won't be able to go in cargo as it is probably too hot.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Jul 17th, 2007, 01:27 PM
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<<< he won't be able to go in cargo as it is probably too hot. >>>
the livestock cargo area gets the same airconditioning as the passenger bit.
Have you considered the effects on other passengers of having a highly upset moggy sitting next to them - let alone allergies.
And exactly what is pussy going to do for 2 years in an apartment apart from sleep & eat?
I won't comment on the cruelty you've already committed
the livestock cargo area gets the same airconditioning as the passenger bit.
Have you considered the effects on other passengers of having a highly upset moggy sitting next to them - let alone allergies.
And exactly what is pussy going to do for 2 years in an apartment apart from sleep & eat?
I won't comment on the cruelty you've already committed
Jul 17th, 2007, 01:33 PM
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I do have cat allergies but I am also a cat lover with three cats of my own (despite my allergies) so I can sympathize with the op because I would take my cats as well. It was my understanding that many airlines won't allow pets into cargo hold areas. Is this not correct?
Tracy
Tracy
Jul 17th, 2007, 01:46 PM
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When are you moving? I ask because it will likely take several months for your cat to lose any appreciable amount of weight. (After all he only weighs 16 pounds, so losing a pound would be like a 160-pound person dropping 16 pounds. That doesn't happen overnight.)
And be aware you are putting him through TONS of stress. Declawing and a diet just to be able to make the trip?! And an entirely new environment where going outside will never be a possibility and he'll be alone all day long while you work?! I think you would have been better served getting someone to watch him stateside while you were gone, but I know that's not the answer you want to hear.
And be aware you are putting him through TONS of stress. Declawing and a diet just to be able to make the trip?! And an entirely new environment where going outside will never be a possibility and he'll be alone all day long while you work?! I think you would have been better served getting someone to watch him stateside while you were gone, but I know that's not the answer you want to hear.
Jul 17th, 2007, 01:53 PM
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alanRow:
Cruelty? I assume you are referring to the declawing, though that is hardly as cruel as leaving the cat at the shelter hoping someone will take him so he is not put to sleep.
People take their infant children with them when they have to move/travel for business and a child is far more annoying on a plane than an animal.
Unfortunately children on planes are not drugged as a matter of course, whereas animals are.
Cruelty? I assume you are referring to the declawing, though that is hardly as cruel as leaving the cat at the shelter hoping someone will take him so he is not put to sleep.
People take their infant children with them when they have to move/travel for business and a child is far more annoying on a plane than an animal.
Unfortunately children on planes are not drugged as a matter of course, whereas animals are.
Jul 17th, 2007, 02:26 PM
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Why not? Some people love their animals as much as others love their human children.
What time of the year will you be flying? Most airlines now will not accept animals in the cargo hold during the hot summer months.
Your best bet would be to fly Air France, which is more animal-friendly than most of the other airlines.
Check the bonjourparis.com web site; there's a lengthy thread on getting a pet to Paris with much useful information.
What time of the year will you be flying? Most airlines now will not accept animals in the cargo hold during the hot summer months.
Your best bet would be to fly Air France, which is more animal-friendly than most of the other airlines.
Check the bonjourparis.com web site; there's a lengthy thread on getting a pet to Paris with much useful information.
Jul 17th, 2007, 02:26 PM
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Parischick,
I sympathize with you, there is NO way, I would move somewhere without taking my cat. I would also be very wary about not having him with me in the cabin, I've heard too many horror stories about pets being lost in transit.
As far your cat dieting, that's a tough one, unless he is overweight, it makes me crinch..but not as much as if you said you were leaving him behind... I think you know what your cat can handle.
alanRow,
Oh, PLEASE! the cruelty!!!! give me a break!!!! Why don't you come and ask my 14 year old cat who's been declawed for most of his life, who is an indoor cat and weighs about 15 pounds, if I've been cruel to him?
Sundown,
You mention the cat will be alone during the day while Parischick is at work....do you think that she currently stays at home all day long to keep her cat company?!?! And you don't think the cat would be miserable being given away for 2 years!!!
Cats do like their human companions and I don't think would appreciate being treated like a TV that she couldn't bring with her and just dropped off at a friend's house!
Cats are not a toy!!!!
Okay, I'm done with my rant...but people suggesting that just giving away an animal is best is one of my "pet" peeves!!!!
I sympathize with you, there is NO way, I would move somewhere without taking my cat. I would also be very wary about not having him with me in the cabin, I've heard too many horror stories about pets being lost in transit.
As far your cat dieting, that's a tough one, unless he is overweight, it makes me crinch..but not as much as if you said you were leaving him behind... I think you know what your cat can handle.
alanRow,
Oh, PLEASE! the cruelty!!!! give me a break!!!! Why don't you come and ask my 14 year old cat who's been declawed for most of his life, who is an indoor cat and weighs about 15 pounds, if I've been cruel to him?
Sundown,
You mention the cat will be alone during the day while Parischick is at work....do you think that she currently stays at home all day long to keep her cat company?!?! And you don't think the cat would be miserable being given away for 2 years!!!
Cats do like their human companions and I don't think would appreciate being treated like a TV that she couldn't bring with her and just dropped off at a friend's house!
Cats are not a toy!!!!
Okay, I'm done with my rant...but people suggesting that just giving away an animal is best is one of my "pet" peeves!!!!
Jul 17th, 2007, 02:37 PM
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oh, one more rant!!!
I am so sick and tired of people with allergies believing that they can control everyone around them!
I am personally allergic to people with bad hygiene who sit next to me on the plane, with people who stand in the aisle with their butt in my face half of the trip. I'm allergy to screaming toddlers! I'm allergic to bad perfume and people who smell like a chimney!
Whew...well, I should be able to handle the traffic going home without frustration...I think I got all my ranting and frustration out.
I am so sick and tired of people with allergies believing that they can control everyone around them!
I am personally allergic to people with bad hygiene who sit next to me on the plane, with people who stand in the aisle with their butt in my face half of the trip. I'm allergy to screaming toddlers! I'm allergic to bad perfume and people who smell like a chimney!
Whew...well, I should be able to handle the traffic going home without frustration...I think I got all my ranting and frustration out.
Jul 17th, 2007, 02:38 PM
#10
I have moved transatlantic twice, once w/ pets (a cat and 2 dogs) -- and once w/o (a cat and dog) adopting them out to friends.
Unless the animal can go in the cabin w/ me I will never <b>EVER</b> again put pets through that stress. Your poor cat has already been de-clawed and had his diet changed - and it still may not be enough.
(I would never de-claw a cat either)
Yes - having him w/ you will be a comfort to YOU - but at what cost to the cat? A nice family setting will be better for the cat than
dragging him across the world.
IF the cat is guaranteed to be in the cabin then I would consider taking him - but if there was ANY chance he'd be checked in the hold - no way. Anything can go wrong - including weather delays, mis-directed luggage, baggage handlers strikes and more.
Unless the animal can go in the cabin w/ me I will never <b>EVER</b> again put pets through that stress. Your poor cat has already been de-clawed and had his diet changed - and it still may not be enough.
(I would never de-claw a cat either)
Yes - having him w/ you will be a comfort to YOU - but at what cost to the cat? A nice family setting will be better for the cat than
dragging him across the world.
IF the cat is guaranteed to be in the cabin then I would consider taking him - but if there was ANY chance he'd be checked in the hold - no way. Anything can go wrong - including weather delays, mis-directed luggage, baggage handlers strikes and more.
Jul 17th, 2007, 02:41 PM
#11
meant to add - I am the ultimate animal lover and adopting out my two "babies" was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do - but knew in my heart it was best for them after what 2 of my 3 other pets went through over the previous move.
Jul 17th, 2007, 02:53 PM
#13
"And exactly what is pussy going to do for 2 years in an apartment apart from sleep & eat?"
Yeah dammit! If you're nice enough to take them all the way to Paris, they should at least get a day job to help pay their way.
Let's see: I have two rescue cats (declawed before they met and adopted Tracy and me at the Humane Society).
As for the declawing aspect, Cupid and Spencer no longer are able to use power tools, and Cupid wanted to join a softball team, but the bat kept slipping out of his paws. Other than that, they say their lives are perfect.
As for what Parischick's cats are going to do in an apartment apart from sleep and eat. Well, they're cats, not pack mules. Their job is to sleep and eat (and maybe catch a stray mouse).
As for being stuck on an airplane next to the cats, last year I had a guy next to me who picked his nose constantly (no lie) for five and a half hours on a flight from Boston to Los Angeles. If someone was allergic to cats and had wanted to change seats with me, I think I would have gotten quite the better of that deal.
Parischick, I'm glad you're bringing them with you. We would have done the same thing.
Yeah dammit! If you're nice enough to take them all the way to Paris, they should at least get a day job to help pay their way.
Let's see: I have two rescue cats (declawed before they met and adopted Tracy and me at the Humane Society).
As for the declawing aspect, Cupid and Spencer no longer are able to use power tools, and Cupid wanted to join a softball team, but the bat kept slipping out of his paws. Other than that, they say their lives are perfect.
As for what Parischick's cats are going to do in an apartment apart from sleep and eat. Well, they're cats, not pack mules. Their job is to sleep and eat (and maybe catch a stray mouse).
As for being stuck on an airplane next to the cats, last year I had a guy next to me who picked his nose constantly (no lie) for five and a half hours on a flight from Boston to Los Angeles. If someone was allergic to cats and had wanted to change seats with me, I think I would have gotten quite the better of that deal.
Parischick, I'm glad you're bringing them with you. We would have done the same thing.
Jul 17th, 2007, 03:01 PM
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Well, I have no advice to offer, but I'll say that if it were my pet I'd probably bring it along too. OTOH, I am extremely allergic to cats, and would start a rant of my own if I had to sit next to a cat all the way to Paris. There's a huge difference between legitimate allergies and "allergies" to people with bad hygiene and screaming babies.
Jul 17th, 2007, 03:03 PM
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maitaitom,
You made me laugh!!!
Starting today, I'm going to tell my cat we've moved to Paris, therefore, he must do something else than eat and sleep all day. I'm sure he'll be devastated that he will no longer be able to sleep with his declawed front paws on any of the 2 beds, or 4 sofas in the house.
But...we're in Paris!! And apparently Parisian cats have jobs...hey, are they the Fashion Police?!?! They pounce on white tennis shoes, and that's why they need to be able to go out of the apartment and have their claws?
You made me laugh!!!
Starting today, I'm going to tell my cat we've moved to Paris, therefore, he must do something else than eat and sleep all day. I'm sure he'll be devastated that he will no longer be able to sleep with his declawed front paws on any of the 2 beds, or 4 sofas in the house.
But...we're in Paris!! And apparently Parisian cats have jobs...hey, are they the Fashion Police?!?! They pounce on white tennis shoes, and that's why they need to be able to go out of the apartment and have their claws?
Jul 17th, 2007, 03:08 PM
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st cirq,
true, allergies can be awful, I totally agree, but as long as the cat remains in the carrier and didn't touch you, you'd probably be okay.
I have friends and one of my sisterss who are allergic to cats, when they come to my house, I will put my cat in my bedroom and close the door -- he is so friendly, he'd want to jump on their lap. I vacuumed the house and open windows and they are usually okay.
Since a cat's tander wouldn't be all over the airplane already, I think people with allergies would be okay.
And if I was traveling with my cat, I wouldn't be offended if I have to move because it affected someone.
true, allergies can be awful, I totally agree, but as long as the cat remains in the carrier and didn't touch you, you'd probably be okay.
I have friends and one of my sisterss who are allergic to cats, when they come to my house, I will put my cat in my bedroom and close the door -- he is so friendly, he'd want to jump on their lap. I vacuumed the house and open windows and they are usually okay.
Since a cat's tander wouldn't be all over the airplane already, I think people with allergies would be okay.
And if I was traveling with my cat, I wouldn't be offended if I have to move because it affected someone.
Jul 17th, 2007, 03:14 PM
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You folks do understand that the cruelty is not having to live a life as a declawed cat, but the actual act of declawing that is cruel. It's really amputation. Here are the quotes:
WHO SAYS DECLAWING IS A BAD IDEA?
Declawing is illegal or considered inhumane in many countries around the world, including in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Israel, Yugoslavia, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil.
In the United States and throughout the world, many respected individuals and organizations are opposed to declawing.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (www.aspca.org):
"The ASPCA does not approve of the declawing of cats as a matter of supposed convenience to cat owners. It is form of mutilation and it does cause pain."
The Humane Society of the United States (www.hsus.org):
"It is the policy of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to oppose… declawing of cats when done solely for the convenience of the owners and without benefit to the animal."
It has nothing to do with the cats ability to shuffle a deck of cards or type 100 words a minute.
Bill
WHO SAYS DECLAWING IS A BAD IDEA?
Declawing is illegal or considered inhumane in many countries around the world, including in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Israel, Yugoslavia, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil.
In the United States and throughout the world, many respected individuals and organizations are opposed to declawing.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (www.aspca.org):
"The ASPCA does not approve of the declawing of cats as a matter of supposed convenience to cat owners. It is form of mutilation and it does cause pain."
The Humane Society of the United States (www.hsus.org):
"It is the policy of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to oppose… declawing of cats when done solely for the convenience of the owners and without benefit to the animal."
It has nothing to do with the cats ability to shuffle a deck of cards or type 100 words a minute.
Bill
Jul 17th, 2007, 03:17 PM
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Hi, lyb:
I'm doubtful I"d be ok next to a cat on an airplane. I have good friends who have cats, and they are meticulous about vacuuming and always put the cats in a bedroom when I'm there, and after a half-hour I have to go if I havent remembered to take medication beforehand. It's my only medical problem - I haven't even had a cold in more than 25 years - so maybe I'm über-sensitive about it, but I doubt I'd last 7 hours in the air anywhere near a cat.
I'm doubtful I"d be ok next to a cat on an airplane. I have good friends who have cats, and they are meticulous about vacuuming and always put the cats in a bedroom when I'm there, and after a half-hour I have to go if I havent remembered to take medication beforehand. It's my only medical problem - I haven't even had a cold in more than 25 years - so maybe I'm über-sensitive about it, but I doubt I'd last 7 hours in the air anywhere near a cat.
Jul 17th, 2007, 03:18 PM
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There's nothing wrong with taking your cats with you.
Years ago, the Air France weight limit for animals in the cabin was 9 kilos, including carrier. It's now 4 kilos, inc. carrier, so AF is out. However, the weight limit for Swiss is 8 kilos, inc. carrier, so try flying with them.
http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services...s/animals.aspx A soft-sided carrier shouldn't weigh much more than a kilo.
I would take any airline's cabin pet weight limit VERY seriously.
As for allergies, be realistic. A cat, under the seat, in a case, is going to be less of a problem for a pax than sitting next to some human sans cat but in a sweater covered in cat hair.
Anyone who is SO allergic to pets that the mere presence of a pet in the cabin is life threatening should fly on airlines that don't allow pets in the cabin. They are out there.
Years ago, the Air France weight limit for animals in the cabin was 9 kilos, including carrier. It's now 4 kilos, inc. carrier, so AF is out. However, the weight limit for Swiss is 8 kilos, inc. carrier, so try flying with them.
http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services...s/animals.aspx A soft-sided carrier shouldn't weigh much more than a kilo.
I would take any airline's cabin pet weight limit VERY seriously.
As for allergies, be realistic. A cat, under the seat, in a case, is going to be less of a problem for a pax than sitting next to some human sans cat but in a sweater covered in cat hair.
Anyone who is SO allergic to pets that the mere presence of a pet in the cabin is life threatening should fly on airlines that don't allow pets in the cabin. They are out there.
