How to safely travel with a cat

After a week in Belgium, mom is coming home tomorrow.  I'm purring in anticipation.  Dieter took good care of us cats, but the place wasn't the same without her.
The last time mom went to Belgium was for the funeral of her mother and she came home with a cat ... Mickey.
In the following, mom tells the story of how Mickey come to us.

When my mother died and my father applied to go into a nursing home, a new home had to be found for Mickey, their ten month old cat. It was not easy. If Mickey had been a kitten he might have had a chance, but as a fully grown cat, nobody was willing to give him a new home.

Taking my parent's beloved cat to a shelter was, as far as I was concerned, not an option. There was only thing left to do; I decided to take him back with me to Canada.

My research brought a few surprises.
I started off by phoning KLM and asking them a few questions:
Would I be able to keep Mickey with me in the plane or would he be traveling in the cargo space?
What sort of carrier was required?
If Mickey traveled in the cargo space, would there be heating and was there some kind of supervision?

The representative asked me some questions:
How heavy was Mickey?
In what sort of carrier would he be traveling?

Mickey, I told her, was about five pounds and had a spacious hard plastic carrier. This qualified him to travel in the cargo space.
In the cargo space there would be suitable air pressure, heating and some supervision. One of the flight attendants would check up on the animals during flight.

The only time an animal qualifies to travel with the other passengers is when the animal is less than 2.5 pounds and travels in a soft carrier. In Mickey's case this would not be a good idea. He would be much more comfortable in his spacious carrier, where he could stretch out and sleep in peace and quiet.

One last question was if Mickey would need any sedatives on the day of the journey. "No," I was told, "sedatives do more harm than good with a cat. Dogs need sedatives when traveling, but cats can handle a plane journey very well."

To be on the safe side I decided to get a second opinion and phoned a veterinarian. She told me exactly the same thing as the KLM representative. Mickey did not need any medication.

Next I checked his passport. To my relief I saw entries required by law- inoculations and a Rabies shot.

On the day of the journey I placed some food, a bottle of water, and two plastic containers in his carrier and we were all set to go. I was in for a bit of an adventure. Lugging around the airport with a suitcase (on wheels), a heavy bag, and a cat carrier was not exactly a walk in the park.

Still, at Schiphol, Amsterdam's airport, I found a trolley where I could load my suitcase, bag and carrier and this set of wheels made the walking and standing in line at the luggage check-in a lot more comfortable.

Once my suitcases were off my hands it was time to send Mickey on his merry way. For this I had to be at another counter where a KLM representative took Mickey's details and prepared the carrier with safety handling instructions.
"Not to worry," she told me. "Mickey will be well looked after." And, he must have been, because when we landed at Pearson's airport in Toronto, Mickey appeared completely relaxed. I, on the other hand, was not quite so relaxed.

Once again I was lugging around a suitcase, a bag and a heavy cat carrier, but without a helpful trolley. Suitcase trolleys were available, but required $1 for use. I didn't have $1. I had plenty of Euros, but no Canadian dollars.

Hot and sweaty I went through passport control and was then asked to present Mickey at "Live Animal Control" for inspection. Lucky this didn't take long and required no effort.
Mickey was healthy and alert and with his passport in order, he was let into the country with no problems.
Mickey was, at last, on his way to his new home.

More of mom's articles can be found at http://www.helium.com/users/edit_show_articles/380634

Cat Toys

I'm feeling a little bored, so perhaps this is a good time to talk about cat toys.  Cat toys serve more than one purpose. Not only are they entertainment for your cat, they keep kitty mentally stimulated and provide exercise.

Popular Cat Toys

What do cats like to play with? Just about anything and everything. Anything that can move is a potential cat toy. Like people, no two cats are the same; but fake mice and balls are the two most popular cat toys. Some cats like toys stuffed with a little catnip, others are completely indifferent to the herb.

Cats are not the most active creatures and have to be encouraged to play. Not only is playing a much needed distraction, playtime benefits the cat's health. The physical activity of running and jumping gets the heart rate going, the blood pumping and is exercise for the muscles. Playtime is also a vital part of relationship building. While cat toys are great, your cat will most appreciate you taking part in the game too.

Cat Toys That Challenge Your Pet

Cats are clever and need to be mentally stimulated. Some popular cat toys are:

* Rump and Roll

* Crackling Hide and Seek Sack

* Leopards Den Kitty Cat Teaser

* Laser Mouse and of course the

* Cat Tree

The Laser Mouse in particular will provide hours of fun. Cats are predators and even the most docile cat feels the need to hunt. Trying to catch the red dot of the Laser Mouse presents the perfect opportunity. Whether directed to the floor or a wall, a cat will chase this dot and never grow bored of this game. A clever pet owner will allow kitty to catch the dot, and praise her for its accomplishment.

For those who don't have a lot of money to spend, Wal-Mart and on-line pet stores always have discount cat toys. An excess of a certain brand of toy, a new shipment, or a special promotion usually is the cause for discounted items. Interacting with members of a cat forum can also be a great way to pick-up on special offers and ideas.

One has to be aware of dangers in discounted pet toys though. You may question why the price of a cat toy seems low. Are the eyes, nose, whiskers or feathers on the toy secured, or can kitty bite them off? You don't want these small items ending up in your cat's throat. No matter the price, choosing quality items is always preferable.

Handy pet owners with a sewing machine can make their own creations. Whether it's a mouse or a bird or even a simple pillow, if stuffed with a little catnip it's sure to have you cat's attention.

With a little ingenuity, you can even make a cat tree yourself. All it takes is a few pieces of left-over carpet, some wood, and if you lack the expertise, a conversation with a knowledgeable handyman at your local hardware store.

Not willing to spend any money? The packaging of your new lamp or new pair of shoes will fascinate your kitty. They can hide in them, push them around, and after playtime curl up in them. Some form of paper is probably the cheapest of all cat toy possibilities. Whether it's a brown paper bag or a scrunched up newspaper, for you it is a cast off, but for your cat it is a toy.

Cats are quickly bored and more than one item should be available to them. Another good idea is to rotate their toys. When they appear to become bored with a toy, put it away for awhile and then re-introduce it at a later time.

Keep in mind that your love and attention is the most valuable and the best cat toy of them all.