Traveling questions

[Clarissa]

Hello, not sure if this is the best place to ask but any opinions/advice would be greatly appreciated... I am moving all the way to Japan very soon from California and I am just wondering if there would be any problems taking my 12 year old (almost 13) cat with me on the plane. I believe it is about a 12 hour flight and I’m just worried about prestos health. Presto is doing fine right now, his blood sugar is regulated. I have a cat carrier for Presto but I’m just not sure how he would handle being in a plane for so long, especially being in a cat carrier. I would like it if he could stay with me in the plane instead of being in cargo. (I read that they charge a fee for bringing pets in the cabin with you). I don’t want Presto to stress out too much. Right now I live with my family and I’m usually the one taking care of Presto but I’ve asked my family if I’m not able to take Presto if they’re able to take care of him for me, but I would hate to leave Presto, I’ve had him since I was 6 years old. I’ve heard stories about some pets passing away after plane rides I don’t know if I would be risking prestos health. Would it be better for Presto to stay at my families house? My sister already knows how to do the insulin shots if Presto ever needs it again. And I can always visit sometimes. I will be living in japan for 2 years only, and then I will be returning home afterwards. I just don’t know which is a better option for Presto, I just want him to be as healthy and happy as he can be.
Important side note: ...Presto is not updated on any of his vaccines. The last time he was every vaccinated was when my mom first got him, which was about 12 years ago when Presto was only a few months old. Presto was my first pet, or my families first pet as well. Years passed by and I still didn’t learn that you’re supposed to update their vaccines. Presto is an indoor cat, he rarely ever goes outside, and I understand that if I want to take him with me to japan, he would need to get his vaccines so he is better protected. This might be a dumb question, but would getting all of prestos vaccines done affect his health at all? Like would it make him feel sick for a while or would it just not affect him?
Also, the vet that I used to see, I no longer see anymore because It seemed like my old vet didn’t really care about Presto, I didn’t have a good feeling about my old vet, especially after a time when I picked up Presto from the vet and he was soaked in his own urine and I could just see more stress coming from prestos body language. I have a new vet but I have not made any recent visits because Presto seems to be doing good right now. I’m also concerned about who to see or go to if Presto needs to see a vet in japan. I will be staying inside a naval base in japan. I don’t have much knowledge about vets in japan

 

[Candy&Company]

Oh boy complicated question! If at ALL possible I'd keep him with you on the plane which MIGHT mean buying another seat - which airline? You'll need to ask A LOT of questions about that. Yes on vaccines, he'll need them - you also need to find out which ones Japan requires, as with or without them they might quarantine him. Some countries can hold up to 6 months, so get ALL the info you can. From you vet on leaving the country, the airlines policies, Japan's incoming policies, customs, etc.

Depending on how MANY vaccines he needs, it could effect him yes - just the number and build up if he's never had that many at once before it's good to be prepared. How soon are you going...?

You can split vaccines into batches - X amount at a time, come back in a week or 2 weeks, etc. and monitor him. USUALLY it's totally safe but some animals can have reactions.

Naval base - are you visiting someone, or married to a service member? I'd say to try Base Command Information Center - it might've been renamed in all these years, but if you're staying on base you know a service member, and they should know. Talk to them - have them get you know numbers, etc. Some bases have their own vets, some you need to go outside base but they could also mean a familiar/same country vet, not necessarily Japanese. Ask questions, a lot of them.

I agree on switching vets if your baby was coated in urine - even if it happened as they were trying to package him up for you to take home they should've taken the time to clean him up, etc. Good choice there.

But yeah, ask A LOT of questions.

12 hours, is it a direct flight, military flight....? Any additional info will help us help you.

 

[Candy&Company]

Also, is it Okinawa? Your baby might be an indoor kitty but bugs can still get in - sand fleas, ticks, etc. We can help you on a list of questions and who to contact, we just need to know some additional info.

 

[Clarissa]

Also, is it Okinawa? Your baby might be an indoor kitty but bugs can still get in - sand fleas, ticks, etc. We can help you on a list of questions and who to contact, we just need to know some additional info.

Thank you for taking the time to read and offer really helpful advice! I am moving very soon, on the 26th of December, and I am married, I will be moving in with my husband in a small naval base in Atsugi. Yes it is a direct flight, no stops and my airline is Delta (I’ve heard a lot of negatives from delta..), but I still have a lot to research. I should have done more research months ago. back then, I was just thinking it would put too much stress on presto if I bring him on the plane, so I was thinking of having him stay with my family for the time I’m gone even though I would miss him terribly

 

[Candy&Company]

Thank you for taking the time to read and offer really helpful advice! I am moving very soon, on the 26th of December, and I am married, I will be moving in with my husband in a small naval base in Atsugi. Yes it is a direct flight, no stops and my airline is Delta (I’ve heard a lot of negatives from delta..), but I still have a lot to research. I should have done more research months ago. back then, I was just thinking it would put too much stress on presto if I bring him on the plane, so I was thinking of having him stay with my family for the time I’m gone even though I would miss him terribly

Oh wow that IS quick for a move, well for planning and questioning and stuff but it can be done.

Atsugi IS small, but it's connected if you don't mind a bit of travel. Is your husband there now, did they send him early or are you going together...? If he goes first it would help with a lot of the leg work, finding a vet, learning about local problems (bugs/vaccinations for incoming pets, etc). You also need to see if they prescribe the type of insulin that Presto needs and if it can be filled in-country. If it can't but they DO prescribe, you can order it online.

Yeah Delta can be problematic but if you do as much as you can before hand, it helps A LOT - like questioning their policy on pet travel, fines, fees, anything and everything you can know ahead of time the better. You can also call ahead before leaving home for the airport to remind them you're bringing a pet and run down the list of things they told you you needed to have/do in case whoever you spoke to missed something, etc.

Flying with cats is stressful, but it depends too on your family and friends - are they knowledgeable enough where you'd be comfortable leaving Presto in their care? If not, it might be worth taking him with you. 12 hours of stress, give or take, versus 2 years of it potentially? Only you can judge that, you know your baby and family/friends best. Plus money is another factor, I hate to bring it up - but if they'd say it might be a bit of a hardship for them money wise, keep in mind sending money home goes through a conversion rate plus fees, depending on the banking situation so just something else to keep in mind, depending.

If it was me, I'd ask a million questions of family/friends, the airline, hubby/the base, etc. then see what your gut tells you is the best option.

Once you have as much info as you can, trust your gut. *nods*

 

[Smokey and Jessica]

You can quarantine in home as long as you stay on base, so while getting updated vaccines is important, you don’t have to worry about him not being with you.
I started my can on insulin in Japan (Okinawa though) and found them very agreeable with my choices. Reasonably priced too. Not sure about the insulin you use, but I only paid $98/ bottle of prozinc. For the traveling part, I’ve found that my cat travels better actually in cargo. When I went from Okinawa- Toky- Oahu I tested him whenever I had access to him and his glucose barely raised. I was more stressed than he was! If it’s still the same, they used to process all pets at Yokota and the vet there was pretty good. My cat wasn’t diagnosed while I was there, but they treated my dog for various things, and the cat for routine stuff and I never had any issues. They can be busy, but besides a little trouble getting an appointment they treated the animals well.
All in all I’d say bring him with you. Dr. Fosters and Smith is where I ordered all my syringes and they ship pretty quick to APO addresses. The exchanges carry FF.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

There is a lot to cover here in a short time.
First off thank you to @Smokey and Jessica who might have some thoughts on this. About six months ago we had a non English speaking new member who made it clear her mainland vet, and supposedly all vets in Japan do not support at home testing. I wasn't part of that thread for long as it was getting clogged up with too many members trying to use Google translate with bad results. You might be able to get your supplies from on base medical.
We did have another member who lived in Okinawa trying to care for a feral diabetic and he did not have the same horror stories. His name escapes me but I don't think it's worth the effort of digging up.
If you're living on a base you may not be subject to every last detail required for vaccinations. Call the nearest Japanese consulate as well as a liaison from the military. You can't be the first person bringing a pet abroad. The consulate probably has a web page for this.
This year we had a member who flew with her diabetic cat from the U.S. to Ireland. She flew with her cat in a soft sided carrier under the seat and got lucky with cooperative seat mates. We've all seen videos of people going berserk on aircraft, in your case it could be someone who is allergic to cats. Since it's dander that most people are allergic to you might be able to wipe down Presto with wet paper towels. Noah and a few of our other cats adored this.
As for the trip itself please do what you can to have presto with you. I have flown cats and dogs in cargo and it was not fun. It can get hot, cold, noisy, their water tips over, they tip over. And it can take forever to retrieve them once you've landed.
Get everything in writing. If you think Delta is bad wait until you fly Air Canada. The Ireland cat story; I warned her about how nasty Air Canada staff is and sure enough she presented all her official forms and still some wanker delayed her because her supervisor had to get involved. It all ended well but this is why I hate travelling. I love flying, the more turbulence the better but the people on the ground are just miserable. It's a cat, not a cake that can't be x-rayed on religious grounds. If you have all your paper work you're allowed to stand up for yourself.
Your fellow passengers might appreciate some real food, magazines, just about anything. A cat can't be any worse than a crying baby.
Most airlines have a few rows in economy with a few extra inches of leg room for a small fee. You may be able to look up your flight's seating arrangement and get a seat next to the emergency exit, that would be a huge bonus.
If I think of something else I'll let you know. Good luck.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

This is the thread I was looking for by Jenna & Kitsu. Kitsu is the cat and her trip was a lot more complicated
The advice she got
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...a-diabetic-kitty-mission-accomplished.196999/
And Kitsu's new life in Ireland.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/kitsus-new-life-in-ireland.201872/
You did ask if Presto might be better off staying. You need to ask yourself some unpleasant questions like what will happen in an emergency and how much they value Presto's life. We all have different ideas about when enough is enough and when it's time to go. It's not much fun to think about but Presto will be 15 by the time you get back.
Your family has to better than mine. I came from a world where it was cheaper to get a new dog than having one single tooth pulled, pretty sad. The next few years are Presto's golden years and you don't want to miss them.

 

[Smokey and Jessica]

There is a lot to cover here in a short time.
First off thank you to @Smokey and Jessica who might have some thoughts on this. About six months ago we had a non English speaking new member who made it clear her mainland vet, and supposedly all vets in Japan do not support at home testing. I wasn't part of that thread for long as it was getting clogged up with too many members trying to use Google translate with bad results. You might be able to get your supplies from on base medical.
We did have another member who lived in Okinawa trying to care for a feral diabetic and he did not have the same horror stories. His name escapes me but I don't think it's worth the effort of digging up.
If you're living on a base you may not be subject to every last detail required for vaccinations. Call the nearest Japanese consulate as well as a liaison from the military. You can't be the first person bringing a pet abroad. The consulate probably has a web page for this.
This year we had a member who flew with her diabetic cat from the U.S. to Ireland. She flew with her cat in a soft sided carrier under the seat and got lucky with cooperative seat mates. We've all seen videos of people going berserk on aircraft, in your case it could be someone who is allergic to cats. Since it's dander that most people are allergic to you might be able to wipe down Presto with wet paper towels. Noah and a few of our other cats adored this.
As for the trip itself please do what you can to have presto with you. I have flown cats and dogs in cargo and it was not fun. It can get hot, cold, noisy, their water tips over, they tip over. And it can take forever to retrieve them once you've landed.
Get everything in writing. If you think Delta is bad wait until you fly Air Canada. The Ireland cat story; I warned her about how nasty Air Canada staff is and sure enough she presented all her official forms and still some wanker delayed her because her supervisor had to get involved. It all ended well but this is why I hate travelling. I love flying, the more turbulence the better but the people on the ground are just miserable. It's a cat, not a cake that can't be x-rayed on religious grounds. If you have all your paper work you're allowed to stand up for yourself.
Your fellow passengers might appreciate some real food, magazines, just about anything. A cat can't be any worse than a crying baby.
Most airlines have a few rows in economy with a few extra inches of leg room for a small fee. You may be able to look up your flight's seating arrangement and get a seat next to the emergency exit, that would be a huge bonus.
If I think of something else I'll let you know. Good luck.

I believe in Okinawa it was G & I. Me too actually. He had just starting going to the same vet I went to before my Smokey went into remission and we moved. My impression of the vets there is that while they may not support certain things, they aren’t as confrontational and are therefore easier to work with.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

aren’t as confrontational

Cats in Japanese culture are not the third class citizens they are here. That can only be a good thing.