[2LeftCleats]

Not particularly relevant to anything and not seeking advice—just thought someone might be interested.

Just retired and currently traveling from the home we sold yesterday in Indiana to Eugene Oregon. We’re traveling with our dog. We also have a 15 year old Calico cat. We chose not to take her with us because the car is already too crowded, the dog and cat aren’t best friends, and the pet-friendly hotels/air B&Bs are less friendly to cats. So we decided to send her by air cargo to our son in Portland and we’ll retrieve her from there. Turned out to be an expensive ordeal.

We purchased an airline-approved crate several weeks ahead to see if she’d get used to it. To our surprise, she spent most of her time in it. We took her to the vet within the 10 day window before the flight and the vet thought it was fine. Got all the forms signed and immunizations updated.

I dragged myself out of bed at 4AM to get her to the air cargo facility 2 hr. before her 8AM flight, having checked to be sure the temperatures at all the airports were within the allowable range. I was told the crate was too small. Even though it was by now her favorite spot, when she stood up, her head grazed the top. Not big enough. Had to drive her back home, reschedule for same time next day and buy her the next larger crate, which was cavernous for a 9 lb. cat.

Next AM took her back, and this time all was good. Submitted all the paperwork, paid $270 and drove home.

Shortly after getting back I got the phone call: “I’m really sorry, but your cat didn’t make it.” My response was something along the lines of “are you effing kidding me, how did she die?” Then the apology for word choice. She didn’t travel the quarter mile from the cargo facility to the airplane due to ‘human error’. Missed the flight.

That was American Airlines and they had no other suitable flight out same day, but Delta did. Drove back to the airport, while frantically getting cargo space on that flight within the required 2 hr. window. Even though they had my credit card info, I still had to be at the airport (for the 3rd time) to sign papers. And Delta charged $380, which is why I went with American initially.

At the end, she arrived safely, though later than planned, and my son and gf had the pleasure of bathing a soiled cat in their sink. And apparently it’s terrorized their dog.