traveling with a small kitten...a question

[Tina B and crew]

My foster litter is almost ready to be adopted out and It really is a bittersweet experience for me...this crew has been so wonderful, no health problems, no behavior problems, although they are starting to get quite rambuncious (is that how you spell that??) They get vaccinated this week and the vet's office will have space to put them out next week.

Now my question is this. I have posted pics of them on several internet forums in which I post on. One of them I have posted on for quite a few years and really feel like I know many of the people personally. One of the regular posters saw the pictures and fell in love with Mongo and Wicket...and, I thought jokingly, said they wanted them. After a few posts back and forth it was apparent they weren't joking (she and her husband both post there). She has an airline ticket (voucher) that she needs to use and can't think of a better way to use it than to fly here to pick up the kitten. After talking with her husband they are thinking they will take just one of them...and I have given them till this weekend to give me a final answer (I certainly don't want anyone adopting a kitten without giving it much thought) They have a friend who is interested in taking Mongo. They will all have to fill out the application for adoption, and their vets will be contacted before the adoption is OK'd.

Now my question is this....is it OK to travel with small kittens? Or is it too much stress on them? I live in Florida, they are in California...so it would be a longer flight. Should I wait until the kittens are a certain age? Part of me feels like I should tell them "you know, there are plenty of kittens in California you could adopt"....I guess that is me feeling like I'm taking away a kittens chance of being rescued out there. However, if the vet's office approves it then I am going to continue to foster the kitten(s) until they can fly here and pic them up (within a certain amount of time I hope...don't want to get too attached!!)

Any opinions? Advice?

[Traci]

First, never adopt out kittens until they are at least 8-12 weeks old and in good physical shape (vet exam prior to adoption is ideal, including all health certificates, airlines need these anyway).

I hesitate to comment because frankly, I don't like the idea of adopting out kittens to people you've never seen or met or had any social dealings with. Internet and email are not substitutes for proper placement. I've also seen/heard horror stories about internet communication getting so out of hand that ultimately, the cat in question suffers. Problems: you don't know who this person(s) is, or their background; you don't know their full intention (are they sincere or are they hoarding cats?); you don't have a history of this person(s) capability to provide adequate veterinary care and you don't know anything about the cat's potential new environment (other cats? dogs? small children? are other pets vaccinated and healthy? ages?); and regarding transportation: you meet the people once only, first impressions are not always what they seem to be, you may never know the outcome; sometimes flights are late, did you make prior alternative arrangements?; airlines have strict policies concerning pets, carriers and whether or not they allow in-cabin pets as opposed to the cargo hold; weather elements, if pet is in cargo hold, can you ensure adequate water, safety, weather element?; flight length...how long is the flight, how many stop-overs, will the pet be safe between stop-overs? will there be transfer of flights?

Regarding internet postings of adoptions: you are ultimately responsible for a potential adoptee's welfare from beginning to end. If the adoptor is unhappy for any reason, it is your responsibility to correct the situation or take back the pet with no questions asked. In some instances, you may have a legal obligation, in other instances, you may not have a legal hold and may find yourself in a situation where you are trying to get back a cat and the new owner is refusing for whatever the reason........lastly, regarding the internet, your email and contact information will be available for any unscrupulous potential adoptor to harass you should they find any reason to.

I'd stick with adopting out only within your local region, this way, at least you have an equal chance to get references, speak to vets in a timely manner, review any health certificates needed, and to speak directly to the adoptor in question in a more relaxed atmosphere, giving you more time to make rational decisions.

Personally, I don't trust people who frequent pet adoption boards that list pets from other states. There are millions of pets in local animal shelters and humane societies up for adoption, and responsible ownership starts within the local community. Also, many people try to avoid shelters simply because of the adoption fees, and should you meet a potential adoptor using that as an excuse, that should be a red flag that they have no interest in future expenses for the pet.

It's difficult to discern a potential adoptor who is visiting out-of-state adoption lists, and for what reasons. I understand the emotional aspect of it because someone sees a cute kitten on the net advertised as "needs a home right now or else!", and emotions immediately play a role. But after that, it's anyone's guess as to the outcome or the true intention of that inquiring person.

You probably didn't want to hear any of this, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it [-(

[Tina B and crew]

I love those little emoticons!!

It wasn't posted on an adoption board...it is a private, invitation only forum. Many people on there know each other personally, have met and are trusted. I would never even consider adopting out kittens to just anyone off the internet. I am hoping to be in touch with them via phone before we make a final decision..I have corresponded with them via mail long before this...and they won't get adopted out until their vet has been contacted and all records have been faxed over. Believe me I am covering my bases here...I've raised these kittens for 6 weeks and I'm not just going to ship them off to anyone. This isn't a sure thing yet anyway. At any rate it will be a couple of weeks before anything happens. I'll keep ya posted!

[kate & kobi]

Wow... there are LOADS of beautiful kitties who need homes in California, I can attest to that myself!

But it sounds like they really want her, if they're willing to fly all the way out with her.

Maybe you could require that they take the kittens in the cabin instead of in cargo? It costs about $75 extra (per pet), depending on the airline, I think; also it's only one pet per passenger usually. But if they want to fly with her, I would think that would be a must.

[MA]

If they are coming to pick the kittens up and fly them back, they and the kittens need several things (required)


1.An airline approved shipping crate is required. For travel in the cabin a soft-sided carrier may be used, but for travel as cargo or in the baggage area, the crate must be plastic with a metal door. It should be big enough for the cat to sit up, turn around and lie down. In general, the less expensive carriers are not the safest. The higher priced crates are made of studier fiberglass, rather than plastic, and have stronger doors that will not pop open. Each crate must be labeled with live animal stickers, consignee information, feeding instructions, and have two dishes attached to the door. These are federal regulations that must be met.


2.Every cat needs a health certificate and proof of a rabies vaccine. The Animal Welfare Act says the health certificate must be dated no more than 10 days prior to the trip. If it expires a new one will be required.

The American Veterinary Medical Association and the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association do not recommend tranquilizing cats for flying. It is now widely recognized that tranquilizers are the number one cause of illness and death in pet shipped by air. Several airlines will now also refuse to accept a tranquilized pet. Better to have a pet soil the crate, but arrive safe and sound. Travel by air is stressful no doubt; but healthy pets survive a few hours of travel quite nicely.

4.Excessive heat and cold can prohibit pet shipments. Each airline can put an embargo in place to prevent moving a pet when it is less than 45 degrees or more
than 85 degrees at either end or at any stop along the way, when they will be exposed to these temperatures for more than 45 minutes. Professional pet
transporters and airlines must abide by these federal regulations. Therefore, even if you have your cat booked to go with you as excess baggage, temperatures may prohibit it on the day of travel.


I have had luck with people that I knew from the Internet adopting some of my rescues in the past. The people that do this, fly or travel with the animal, to lessen the stress. Because these are kittens, they should be able to go into the cabin with the passenger as long as the other requirements have been met.

I have also had a few cats flown here so I could work with them and not had a problem that way either. But you need to be sure about the people on the other end. I make calls to their vets, and ask for pictures of their homes. Knock on wood, no one has let the cats down yet.

[Tina B and crew]

kate...that was my thought exactly and I almost told them that, but she seems particularly attracted to Wicket...so I'm not going to block it if everything approves. I mean what are you going to do?

MA..thanks for the info. She has already told me she will carry the kitten in the cabin, not in cargo. I will make sure the vets who handle the fosters handle all the health certificates and vaccines. I just got an email from her and she gave me her home phone number to call her tonight. I have seen pictures of their house, as well as pictures of their own cats, who look healthy and happy. They still haven't made there final decision on the adoption, and I'm glad they are taking their time. I'll let you know if it goes through