Flying With a Cat: What We've Learned—and Why We Created Our Own Travel Kit
When you travel with cats for a living, you learn that it's often the little things that make the biggest difference.
An extra layer of security on a carrier zipper. Having cleanup supplies within reach when something unexpected happens. Knowing what to expect at airport security before you ever leave home.
Over the years, we've accompanied cats of all ages, breeds, temperaments, and personalities on journeys across the United States and around the world. Along the way, we've developed our own collection of supplies, techniques, and routines that help make those journeys smoother, safer, and more organized.
And if you're a cat owner, we're willing to bet you've noticed something we have, too: so much of the advice and so many of the products available for traveling with pets seem to be designed with dogs in mind.
Cats, of course, have their own ideas about how things should work. They aren't small dogs, and traveling with them calls for a different set of tools, strategies, and preparation.
We thought it was time to create something specifically for them.
Cats Aren't Small Dogs
Cats have their own needs, sensitivities, and ways of responding to unfamiliar environments. For many, an airport is a bewildering collection of unfamiliar sounds, smells, people, and activity.
And no two cats respond quite the same way.
We've traveled with confident, curious cats who take new experiences in stride, and more cautious travelers who need extra patience and preparation.
That experience has reinforced something we believe strongly: successful cat travel isn't about finding one trick that works for every animal. It's about understanding the individual cat, preparing thoughtfully, and having the right tools available when you need them.
Consider some common pet-travel advice. Visiting an airport pet-relief area or spending time outside the carrier before boarding might work perfectly well for a dog. But for a frightened cat, those same activities can create unnecessary opportunities for escape.
We want fellow cat lovers to have the knowledge, tools, and strategies to recognize these differences, reduce avoidable risks, and make every journey as safe and comfortable as possible.
The Little Things Really Do Make a Difference
Preparing to fly with a cat involves much more than purchasing a carrier and booking a flight.
There's choosing an appropriately sized carrier that meets the airline's requirements, getting your cat comfortable with it, confirming airline reservations, and arranging any necessary veterinary documentation.
Then there's the travel day itself.
What happens if a carrier zipper opens unexpectedly? Cats are natural escape artists, and even a small gap caused by a faulty zipper or one that wasn't completely closed can create an opportunity for escape.
What if your cat has an accident during a layover? Do you have the supplies to clean your cat, the carrier, and yourself so you can comfortably continue your journey?
And what about airport security? At TSA checkpoints, you'll need to remove your cat from its carrier for screening. How do you handle that safely when you're dealing with an animal who's frightened by unfamiliar surroundings?
These aren't necessarily dramatic situations. But when you're already juggling luggage, boarding passes, and a cat who's wondering why you've disrupted a perfectly good day at home, small complications can feel considerably bigger.
Through our travels, we've learned the value of a few simple preparations.
We carry different types of zipper locks and ties to help reinforce carrier closures. We keep cleanup supplies organized and accessible rather than buried at the bottom of a suitcase. We bring comfort items and treats, and we prepare for the possibility that a journey won't go exactly according to plan.
We've also learned ways to make airport security safer, including requesting a private screening room so a frightened cat doesn't have to be removed from its carrier in the middle of a busy checkpoint.
And we carry cat-specific first-aid supplies. Injuries during travel are relatively uncommon, but a torn claw or small cut can happen. Having appropriate basic first-response supplies available is useful, even though they can never replace veterinary care.
None of these things is particularly glamorous. But every single one has a purpose and a place.
And sometimes the least glamorous things are the most useful.
Turning Years of Experience Into One Travel Kit
After years of accompanying cats on flights and ground journeys, we realized we were relying on many of the same supplies again and again.
So we decided to put them together in one place.
But there was another reason, too.
Some of the supplies we rely on are sold in quantities that make sense when you travel with cats for a living, but considerably less sense when you're making a once- or twice-in-a-lifetime journey with your own cat.
After all, you probably don't need a giant package of zipper ties or a mountain of pee pads for one flight.
We wanted to take the guesswork out of finding those supplies and provide practical quantities of the items we've learned to rely on—without making cat owners buy half the pet-supply store.
The result is our VIP In-Cabin Cat Travel Kit.
Designed specifically for cats, the kit brings together the travel essentials we've found useful through our own experience.
It includes a dedicated In-Cabin Carrier Security Kit with zipper locks and ties, an adjustable harness and leash, an Accidents Happen Cleanup Kit, comfort essentials, and a personalized luggage tag for your cat's carrier.
We've also included our Cat Travel First Aid Kit, developed specifically with feline needs in mind.
Everything is organized in a reusable navy VIP Travel Day Bag, making it easier to keep supplies together and within reach.
And because we believe a little fun belongs in every journey, there's a mystery travel-themed cat toy.
And snacks. Naturally.
For families traveling with two cats, we also created a Two-Cat VIP Travel Kit with additional supplies for each cat and carrier, without duplicating everything in the original kit.
The Supplies Are Only Part of the Story
One of the most important things we've learned is that having the right supplies matters—but knowing how to prepare and what to expect matters just as much.
That's why every VIP kit includes access to our complete DIY Pet Travel Video Library.
These practical lessons draw on our firsthand experience traveling with cats. They cover preparing your cat and carrier, navigating airline check-in and airport security, reinforcing carrier closures, boarding and flying, handling delays, and arriving at your destination.
Our goal is to share more than a list of things to pack. We want to help cat owners understand the process and feel more confident about making the journey.
Of course, every trip is different. Airlines and destinations have their own requirements, and no travel kit replaces the need for proper reservations, veterinary documentation, or individualized planning.
But having useful guidance and thoughtfully selected supplies is a very good place to start.
Helping More Cats Travel Better
At Cabin Companions, we spend much of our time accompanying pets on journeys with their families or transporting them when their people can't travel.
We love that work. And it has taught us a tremendous amount.
But we also know that many cat owners want to make these journeys themselves. They may not need a professional escort beside them. They just want to know they're doing everything they reasonably can to prepare.
And we don't think preparing for that journey should mean spending a small fortune tracking down specialized supplies, purchasing far more than you'll ever use, or trying to figure everything out on your own.
That's ultimately why we created the VIP In-Cabin Cat Travel Kit.
It's our way of sharing some of the experience we've gained traveling with cats across the United States and around the world, while making the supplies and guidance we rely on more accessible to the people who need them.
Because whether you're traveling with Cabin Companions or heading off on an adventure of your own, we believe you and your cat deserve to feel prepared for the journey ahead.
And perhaps even enjoy the adventure along the way.
