Cat travelling overseas

Question
We are shipping our cat from Sydney to Zurich, as it is such a long flight, is there anything specific we should be asking the shipping company to do/arrange to ensure everything will be ok? thank you!

Answer
Hi Sandra, I am going to assume that you have looked into all the requirements for your cat to enter Zurich?? If not, let me know and I can direct you on that.
RE: the flight and kennel. Do not sedate your cat. Cats like to be in control of their senses and being sedated makes them panic. You should start getting your cat used to the carrier you are going to use on the trip. Make it a place to receive special treats and lots of love and attention. Then I would take him out for car rides in the crate so that he can get used to being in the crate in a moving vehicle.
I normally line the bottom of the crate with an absorbant pad or diaper or thick blanket. I then fill the rest of the crate with shredded newspaper or the paper from a paper shredder if you have one. I fill it right to the top and then make a tunnel for the cat to enter. The paper gives extra absorbency and padding during the trip plus it muffles the sound somewhat. It will flatten down as kitty walks on it and moves around. Don't put dishes loose in the crate as they can fly around during turbulents and hit your cat! Make sure there are no sharp edges or anything else that he can bang into if he goes flying around during turbulents. I also block off the metal door as it is possible for a cat to have his paw or tail sticking out of it just as a heavy item comes sliding into the front of the crate. I screen mine with the rubber stuff you put under carpets to keep them in place! Just cut a square to fit and attach it to the metal door with zap straps making sure that no sharp edges are on the cat side of the door.
Make sure you have a good kennel. Large articles can fall or slide into pet kennels and you don't want your kennel popping open or crushing. Some kennels are sold with "airline approved" written on them and they really are not approved or safe. Try to replace any plastic screws with metal ones. Look for a durable plastic shell.. not a soft one that could be crushed easily. Your cat will need room to stand up and turn around. Generally there should be 2 " of headroom between his ears and the top of the kennel. Get dishes that can be hooked on the kennel door. I put the dish in the freezer the night before with water in it. Then you can hook the frozen container onto the door just as you leave him at the airport. I normally only give a few pieces of kibble in the crate but of course this would depend on the flight. If the flight itself is longer than 5 hours your cat will need enough food for a meal left in the crate with him. Do not feed him different food on the day or evening before his flight. Try to keep him on a routine. Don't bother trying to fit a litter box in with him. It will just be a hazard if the crate is moving. It is amazing how long cats can hold themselves.. and if he really has to go there is lots of paper to absorb it!
I hope I haven't forgotten anything, Teresa