Top 10 hilarious traveling cat photos

by Annie Scott on

When I took my cat Pistol on the airplane for the first time, it was a pretty crazy experience. From clutching her fearfully through the metal detector to meeting all the kids in the airport lounge, we had a fine — if somewhat stressful — time. Pistol did an outstanding job, and managed to remain adorable throughout the process.

It’s Friday, so I decided to focus my energy on writing about what really matters: traveling cats in their cases. Here are the top ten I found.

Top 10 Traveling Cat Photos!

1. Stitch, by ASurroca

Stitch looks a little less than thrilled about the prospect of travel.2. Truman, by John Morton

Truman is all ears and ready for action. He will wait patiently until you are ready to go spelunking with him.

3. Pirate and Kilgore, by Firepile

These two have been commiserating in their carrier and have decided to let you live if there’s a cheeseburger in it for them.

4. Maine Coon Cat, by Rockmixer

This little geriatric looks like he wants to tell you all about his back problems and make up stories starting with “When I was your age …”

5. Artemis, by A.M. Kuchling

This glamorous feline will continue pouting until she gets her martini and kibble at the hotel.

6. Gus, by Cjc4454

Gus may look like a cautious traveler, but get a little catnip in him and he’ll be the first one to suggest bungee jumping.

7. Mac, by Ewen and Donabel

Mac is king of his carrier and wants to know what time he should be ready for the opera.

8. Molly and Sydney, by SomeToast

Molly and Sydney are travel pros. Molly wishes you’d picked a nicer hotel, but she’ll try to be polite about it.

9. Pajamas, by Bochalla

Pajamas doesn’t know if you knew they were going to put her in the belly of the plane, but she has her suspicions.

10. Meatwad, by Allygirl520

Meatwad wants to tell you how many frequent flier miles he has.

[Top photo by Annie Scott. Additional photos by Flickr users as credited.]

Guaranteed on Board program gives pet owners peace of mind

by Katie Hammel on

Passengers flying with their pets have always had a rough time navigating the tricky rules surrounding pet carriers. And many have been frustrated to find that carriers that they thought were approved for travel in the plane’s cabin were deemed unsuitable by gate agents. When that happens, many pet owners find themselves out of luck – unable to board the plane, but not eligible for a refund on the flight.

To help, the Sherpa pet carrier company has teamed up with eight pet-friendly airlines to offer the “Guaranteed on Board” program, a sort of insurance policy for those traveling with their pets. The GOB website details the sizes and types of carriers allowed on each airline. Passengers who purchase an approved carrier can go online to register it (after making arrangements to bring the pet on board directly with the airline they are flying) print out the Guaranteed on Board certificate and bring it with them to the airport. If they are then refused boarding by an airline official due to the carrier, the program will reimburse them for the cost of the missed flight.

Airlines participating in the program include American, Midwest AirTran, Continental, Northwest, Delta, Southwest, and Alaska. American and Delta have even designed their own bags, which they sell on the Sherpa website. If your pet can’t fly on its own airline, at least you can have some assurance that your carrier will be up to spec, or you’ll get your money back for being bumped off a flight.