I’m here in Nashville! As I write this up, it’s Wednesday. I got here late Saturday night, so I’m still settling in!
How did Jackson do on the flight? Read on for more!
I’ll have a separate post up in a little bit with Nashville things, but this is enough for its own post!
Let me just start by saying that I was SO nervous for this. I was worried he would be super scared. He’s pretty scared of new people and new places. But I also sort of knew he would be just fine. He’s really good in the car, and rides 2 hours in the car fairly frequently. After some debate, I decided not to use any pharmacological intervention. I really didn’t want to because it just adds another variable, but I was worried he would be terrified. So how did it go? First, we flew Alaska Air. They had a pretty good pet policy: $100 for flying with the animal, and they don’t require any records or paperwork if he travelled in the cabin with me, which was something I DEFINITELY wanted to do anyways.
I was really nervous to go through security, because I wasn’t sure how that would work. They gave me the option of holding him as I walked through the metal detector and his carrier went through the machine, or taking him out in a private room for when the carrier went through the machine. I opted for the private room because I wasn’t sure if he would make a run for it. He was really good for this process. When I took him out he seemed scared but not terrified. As we walked around the airport, he meowed some. Not yowling, just reminding me he was there. The next few hours were a little bit of a nightmare, but he was a champ. We got onto the plane, and then immediately had to get off because there was something wrong with the plane. That led waiting an hour or so to get onto a new plane. Then, once on the new plane, we taxied for a while and then they brought us back to the gate because a warning light came on. THEN they had to change flight crews because due to the delays, the pilots had been working too many hours in a row. So MORE delays. I was a bundle of nerves at this point because it was 2pm, and he had been in the carrier since 8:30am, and we still had a 4 hour flight ahead of us. Meanwhile…he was fine. As soon as we started taxiing the first time (before we got called back to the gate), he curled up and fell asleep. And then was asleep through the whole delay and pretty much the entire rest of the flight. I was worried about the noise at takeoff, and that he would be terrified….nope, he was asleep. He didn’t make a single peep on the plane, and only meowed again when we were off the plane. I put my hand in the carrier a few times to check on him…he purred. So he was definitely not traumatized!
In terms of logistics, I brought a big tupperware container and a bag of litter (which 100% will get flagged at security if you do this), as well as some small paper bowls and a bag of his food. When we got to SFO, I took him out in a pet relief area by the gate and gave him an opportunity to use the litter, which he didn’t. I gave him the chance to drink water on the plane and I don’t think he did at all.
Due to the delays, we got to the house we’re staying at around 10pm…meaning he had been in the carrier for almost 12 hours. I had a letterbox and litter delivered to the place so it would be ready for when we arrived, but not only did he not urinate in his carrier, he didn’t use the litter for a little while.
I was also nervous for how he would be in a new place since he tends to be scared of new places. Nope. He was purring and flopped out on my bed pretty much right away.
He seemed very comfortable and was happy to explore a new place. He especially loves all the window sills! There are critters that he loves watching out the windows on the back deck.
And of course he has been loving hanging out in the sink. I don’t get it.
The one weird thing is that he didn’t eat really at all the first day. That’s really unusual for him. He’s usually constantly eating, and he loves his dry food! He didn’t seem stressed at all, and was behaving normally. And he ate a couple of treats. But then I was unpacking a can of his wet food, and he was instantly interested so I fed him that, and since then he has eaten normally! Kittens…
Overall, despite my own stress, we had a great flying experience. I’m so lucky that he’s so good about this kind of thing, and I think taking him in the car regularly from a young age was really helpful. It’s also SO nice to have him here with me!
Have you flown with a pet before?
go jackson!!