Have Cat Will Travel?

When the idea first came to me to bring Grigio, my Russian Blue BFF, on this next travel adventure (to Rome – read about it here), I got really excited. Normally when I travel for extended periods of time (2+ weeks), I’m on the go, moving frequently from place to place every few days, often leading a tour, so it’s never been a thought or a real option.

But this trip is different, so why not bring him?

Since for this trip I’ll be based in one residential location for the entire stay (apart from a few side trips), it seemed like a great idea. He’s an awesome companion, and while it’s true that cats are very much attached to their surroundings, it seemed like the better option.

What’s the alternative?

The alternative, since I think it would be too hard on him to be boarded for an entire month, would be of course to do what I normally do – leave him at home and arrange for friends to come by and spend time with him and take care of his needs. But unlike some of his feline counterparts, this guy doesn’t have an aloof bone in his body. He’s very social and would rather have company than be alone.

What does it take to travel with a pet?

Since I’m no stranger to traveling with pets, I knew that it takes a little extra planning but isn’t that difficult. When I lived in Italy, I had two kitties. When I moved back to the States, they came with me, traveling together in the specially pressurized pet cargo hold, without any issues. I also took them on several plane trips and long road trips when relocating to different parts of the US.

How do you travel to/from Italy with pets?

It’s relatively easy to enter the US with pets from Italy, and vice versa. You need a clean bill of health from the vet, including docs certifying current vaccinations (originating from Italy, you also need a document from the proper government authority). There’s no quarantine in either direction. You also need to inform the airline and check on their requirements, which in my experience had always been a non-issue.

 So this time should be a piece of cake, no?

Grigio camouflaging himself amongst clothes to be packed.

When I got the bright idea of bringing Grigio, I’d already booked my air travel with British Airways. Turns out BA is possibly the most difficult major airline on the planet for traveling with pets. They hand off pet cargo to a third party company, and the price is steep. One friend told me that when she flew BA to England, her cat’s ticket costed more than hers!

Moreover, they require a minimum four-hour layover between connecting flights, something I do not have on all legs of the journey. Plus, they only have animal cargo inspectors available at certain airports, and not in all of the places my flights will stop.

Such a disappointment!

This info burst my pet-travel fantasy like a birthday party balloon. So much for visions of the little guy padding around exploring his new temporary home, with me to keep him company nights and at least part of each day. Was it game over? After my initial disappointment, I decided to dig a little more.

Could I get a refund or transfer my ticket?

Even though I’d booked my flight as a non-refundable ticket through a travel rewards program, I wanted to at least check on getting a refund to use on a different flight through the same program. The only option, however, was to get a credit (after paying a steep penalty) to use at a later date, only on BA, and not towards a substitute flight on a carrier with less stringent pet travel regulations. I asked if any considerations could be made for an ESA and was told no.

What about traveling with your pet as an ESA?

Declaring your pet an emotional support animal (ESA) has become a pretty common thing of late. [Side note: Abuse of this privilege, as well as avoidable and tragic deaths of inappropriately transported animals, is causing many airlines to rethink their policies.] The only animals BA allows on board are certified service animals. All others must travel in the special animal cargo hold, ESAs included.

How does an animal get ESA status?

These days it seems it’s relatively easy to get ESA status for a pet, either with a note from a doctor, or alternatively, via different sources online. Within certain size limits, an ESA is allowed to travel with their human, in an airline-approved pet carrier stored under the seat. A student of mine recently flew to Italy with her dog as an ESA, and he was given an entire seat of his own.

What if I’d booked with another airline?

When booking air travel, I’d also considered an option with Alitalia: roundtrip, non-stop both ways. The price was good, too. In the end, I’d chosen BA, as the total cost was $170 less – money I could better spend elsewhere. I consulted Alitalia, and had I booked those flights, I could’ve easily taken Grigio in an under-seat carrier for the price of $200 on the way out and €200 on the return.

Island of Ischia: Grigio came with me last fall as a photo cut-out.

What’s the moral of this story?

Check the pet travel requirements of airlines you’re considering flying with before you book. Had I known that I could fly with Grigio on Alitalia for an additional total fee of $425 (plus the $170 higher ticket cost) would I have booked those flights instead? I’m not so sure – nearly $600 extra (for my budget) is a serious chunk of change.

But at least now I know, and I’ll have this insight for future travel planning. Hopefully you’ve found it useful, too. Perhaps he’ll get to come along on a different travel adventure. We’ll see.

What about you? Have you ever traveled with a pet (or considered it)? What was your experience like? Was it expensive? Do you have a service animal or an ESA? Love hearing your comments!