shipping kitten in cargo

Question
hi,
i'm planning to travel to the USA and want to take my kitten with me! she is now 8 weeks old and by the time I travel she will be 4 and a half months old. I contacted the airlines and they told me that they ship animals with cargo only. I'm kindoff worried because it will be a long flight for about 4 hours transit and 14 hours from transit to the USA! is it safe to ship my kitten in cargo?? I dunno what to do I'm kindoff worried she might die or get ill in this long flight and I can't leave her behind as well. I even can't afford official pet shipping services, its way too expensive for me.
any suggestions??

thanks in advance

Answer
Blaze,

Shop around, some airlines allow you to have your cat restrained in an airline approved carrier in the passenger cabin. If you choose to fly with your kitten then I recommend that you speak to the airline beforehand and find out about dimensions of carriers and what types of carrier are acceptable. I would also recommend that you travel with the biggest carrier possible so that your kitten can stand all the way up, turn around, stretch and take a few steps with ease since you mention that the trip is about 18 hours all together. Airline policies differ on whether food and water are allowed in the crate with the kitten. If you find that there is no way to have at least a water dish in the crate then I would recommend that you speak to your vet to be sure that the kitten's nutritional needs are met and that she stays adequately hydrated. I would suggest that you not sedate your kitten if you opt to have her travel as cargo. Flying causes a decrease in blood pressure and so does the sedative which can be lethal. If you are flying with Westjet they actually allow cats to be in the cabin of the plane. So long as you aren't permanently relocating you could also speak with your vet about boarding your kitten for the time that you will be away. Some vet clinics offer boarding as a service while most can refer you to a good cattery. Pet sitters that are bonded and insured are also good choices as they will care for your cat in your home which means that the cat will not have to deal with changes in her environment. Cats are territorial and they don't like to be uprooted. What I mean about territorial is that places are important to cats, if you are going for a vacation, family function or business trip then it is probably best for your kitten to have a friend or bonded and insured pet sitter to take care of your little one. It is less stressful to the cat if you are gone for a short period of time and she is allowed to stay in her territory which is familiar and comfortable for her. There is a risk of losing your kitten if you take her somewhere unfamiliar, she may slip out of a door or have her carrier pop open which can mean that your kitty is lost in an unfamiliar place. If you can have someone take care of her needs, feed her, clean up after her and play with her in her own territory it is a better choice...If you would like more specific recommendations I will need you to write back with more details like: how long will  you be away?, Is the travel because you are moving?, What is your kitten's temperament like?...these questions as well as other insights into your kitten's character are helpful to me because I have a bit more knowledge of the situation. I hope that this information helps. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me again.