What To Pack When Traveling With A Cat

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When traveling with a cat, I am limited to what I could fit into one 50 lb suitcase, a backpack as my personal item and my cat’s carrier on planes. This includes clothes and travel items for myself as well as my cat’s necessities. I brought with me some cat items while the rest I banked on purchasing at a pet store upon arrival to save space in my luggage.

For our first trip, Totoro and I flew via Aeromexico from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Mexico City International Airport (MEX). We are staying in Mexico for 6 months while visiting multiple cities.

A portable litter box and pet tracker such as an AirTag are necessities when traveling with your cat.

What I packed for my cat:

• Cat carrier: Travel Cat "The Navigator" Convertible Cat Backpack. When choosing a cat carrier, I needed one that could be used on the plane, for going out on adventures and also for sleeping in. This one fits the bill and Totoro absolutely loves it. It is technically a little too large to fit on Aeromexico but since it is soft sided I was able to squeeze it under the seat in front of me. I received this as a Christmas gift and we used it regularly for about 3-4 months prior to our trip. You can purchase on Amazon or get 10% off your order on Travel Cat.

• Portable litter box: Travel Cat "The Porta-Pawty" Travel Litter Box. It’s waterproof, lightweight and folds up to a size just slightly larger than my hand. The one from Travel Cat is slightly larger than other portable litter boxes on the market and in general cats are more comfortable with larger litter boxes. I introduced this litter box to Totoro about a week before our flight and he started using it right away. Available on Amazon or get 10% off your order on Travel Cat.

• Pet tracker: Apple AirTag 4 pack and AirTag holder from Made By Cleo. Totoro is already microchipped and has a name tag but just for peace of mind, I highly recommend a pet tracker when traveling with a pet. I have an iPhone and used one AirTag for Totoro’s collar and the others for my luggage.

• Calming spray: Feliway Classic Cat Calming Pheromone Spray and Feliway Classic Cat Calming Pheromone Diffuser. A friend of mine let me try a sample and it helped keep Totoro calm when we went hiking on a crowded trail. I went ahead and purchased the spray for his carrier and the diffuser for whenever we change accommodations.

• Cat harness: rabbitgoo Cat Harness and Leash and later upgraded to the Travel Cat "The Lavender" Purple Cat Harness & Leash Set and the Travel Cat "The Day Tripper" Perfect Adjustable H-Style Cat Harness & Bungee Leash Set. I planned to take Totoro to many pet-friendly places when traveling so a harness is a must! He trained for a year with a harness and leash prior to our trip.

• Retractable leash: Fida Retractable Dog Leash, 16 ft Dog Walking Leash for Small Dogs with JERK-EASE Patented Shock Absorber Bungee Dog Leash Attachment. We started training with a retractable leash with a bungee attachment, which is the secret when you have a hyperactive kitten who tended to run after things and get tangled up often. When Totoro got older I upgraded to the Travel Cat "The Captain" Retractable Leash for Cats.

• Treats: INABA Churu Cat Treats are Totoro’s favorite treats and what I primarily use to train him. He usually turns up his nose at other treats. I brought the 50 pack with me and when we ran out I had to order it on Amazon Mexico at double the price. I heard there was another brand but never found it at any of the pet stores I went to.

• Documents: vaccination records and if applicable, a Certificate of Health as mentioned in my last post.

• Other: general cat care items such as nail clippers, brush, toothpaste and toothbrush. I brought way too many toys that he lost interest in quickly. I packed a small bag of dry cat food so my luggage would weigh less and planned to buy more upon arrival.

Totoro enjoying his favorite Inaba Churu treat.

If you are planning to purchase more items for your cat upon arrival, I highly recommend choosing a flight that arrives early enough in the day for pet stores to still be open. After we landed in Mexico City and checked into our accommodations, I cat-proofed the room by putting away some breakable wine glasses, faux plants that Totoro might chew on and a heavily scented diffuser that he definitely hated the smell of. I plugged in the Feliway diffuser and left Totoro behind to go to the nearest pet store.

What I purchased upon arrival for my cat:

• Pet travel bowls: I forgot to pack these, so I had to buy some generic ones. The stainless steel ones from home were too heavy to bring anyway.

• Cat food: I bought some wet food from the local Nupec brand. I’m not sure if Totoro disliked the taste or the food was expired but he wouldn’t eat it. I later went to Petco where they have a lot of familiar brands that you would see at an American Petco store. If your cat is a picky eater you can order most of your cat’s favorite foods on Petco Mexico’s website with free shipping over $599 MXN ($35 USD). You can compare prices on Amazon Mexico or Mercado Libre.

• Litter: I definitely was not going to pack a heavy bag of clay litter in my luggage so I bought a local brand upon arrival. Some of the local ones were incredibly dusty and didn’t clump well. If you’re in a Spanish-speaking country, look for “aglutinante,” which means clumping and “sin esencia,” meaning unscented.

• Litter scoop: I also forgot to pack this and bought a plastic one. Much lighter than a metal one.

• Cat scratcher: I purchased a cardboard cat scratcher but should have known better because little man only likes scratching his carpeted cat tree. He ignored the scratcher even after I demonstrated how to scratch it for a week and sprinkled the included catnip on it.

We miss Totoro’s cat tree, Litter Robot, litter mat, water fountain and window hammock but those are bulky luxury items that he didn’t necessarily need when traveling. I buy food in small amounts only when needed and new litter when we arrive at a new city. Those are all you really need to continue buying when traveling!

How To Fly With A Cat To Mexico

When traveling internationally anywhere with a pet, you must follow the pet policies set by 1) your airline and 2) your destination country. The process is fairly easy if your pet is up-to-date with all vaccines and is in good physical health. Depending on the airline and country, you may need additional vaccines, a Certificate of Health and a pet carrier within a specified size that can fit under the seat in front of you in the airplane cabin.

My cat Totoro had never flown on a plane before so I chose to fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Benito Juarez Mexico City International Airport (MEX) as his first flight since it’s only 3 hours long. We flew via Aeromexico because I heard flights tend to be more on time compared to other airlines and they’re pet-friendly. This was his first trip anywhere with me after about a year of training him with his leash, harness and backpack to go outdoors.

For Mexico, I have flown with Aeromexico with my cat in the cabin multiple times and recommend them. After purchasing your flight online, make sure to call your airline and ask if your flight will accept your pet. Some airlines have a maximum number of pets per flight and they will make a note that you are traveling with one.

Check-in

Since I was traveling with a pet, I could not check in online for my flight. I had to go to the Aeromexico check-in counter at LAX 2 hours prior to my flight where I paid the pet fee of $125 USD. Totoro and his carrier were weighed and inspected. The maximum weight for the pet and carrier combined for Aeromexico is 9 kg. They also checked all his documents.

Totoro in his carrier counted as my carry-on item but I also had a small backpack with all my paperwork, electronics and other important items as my personal item. I checked in one suitcase that contained my clothes, Totoro’s food and the rest of our travel items.

Documents

Totoro had all updated vaccinations including rabies. He received a fresh dose of Bravecto and deworming a few days before our flight. I paid for a Certificate of Health, which cost me $350 USD. The price was astronomical but I got it last minute after not being sure if I needed one and didn’t have time to compare pricing at a different veterinarian’s office.

Note that while your destination country may not require a Certificate of Health, your airline still might. Mexico as of 12/16/2019 does not require a Certificate of Health but my airline Aeromexico did so I got one just in case.

I presented Totoro’s vaccination records and Certificate of Health at the Aeromexico check-in counter with no issues.

Containers or carriers allowed

Aeromexico allows pet carriers and containers up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm or 16 x 12 x 8 in. Totoro traveled in his "The Navigator" Convertible Cat Backpack from Travel Cat, which was a little larger than the allowed dimensions at 38 x 29 x 45 cm or 15 x 11.4 x 17.7 in but no airline staff mentioned anything about the size being too large.

It had plenty of mesh on the sides, front and top for ventilation. The Navigator was also able to be carried as a backpack right-side up through the airport or placed on its side like a carrier so Totoro could comfortably lie down inside for the flight.

Security

After check-in, we went through Security. You have the option to do a private security screening or take your pet out of its carrier and hold it in your arms to go through the regular line. I planned to ask for a private screening but saw a girl with her small dog ahead of me zip through Security so fast like a pro that I decided to just follow her.

Totoro isn’t the type of cat who tries to escape so we got through Security smoothly. He stayed in my arms for the screening and then very eagerly hopped back into his carrier, where he felt safer. If your pet tends to run away when stressed or scared, then I highly recommend asking for a private security screening. It can be a lot if you’re traveling solo and have to deal with removing and retrieving your jacket, shoes, laptop, and other personal items in addition to taking care of your pet.

Boarding

At boarding an Aeromexico staff member gave us the Pet in the Cabin label, which was a paper tag that I attached to Totoro’s carrier. To my surprise, they also zip tied the zippers of my pet carrier together. It was a little concerning in case your pet has an accident or medical emergency during the flight, but my carrier had multiple zippers and they only got one of them.

All pet carriers are required to display a Pet in the Cabin tag for Aeromexico flights.

In general if you are traveling with a pet, you will usually be assigned a seat in the back of the plane. When I got to my seat, I placed my personal item in the overhead bin. Totoro’s carrier was a bit of tight fit but since it was a soft-type carrier I managed to squeeze it under the seat in front of me.

A passenger in my row saw Totoro in the carrier and requested a seat change due to cat allergies. Luckily he was able to move to an available seat. The other passenger in my row was on his electronics the entire flight and didn’t notice Totoro at all until we were getting ready to land.

Arrival

Upon arrival in Mexico, get your passport checked and visa stamped at Immigration. On March 7, 2023, I received 180 days on my tourist visa. After Immigration but before Baggage Claim, go to the airport kiosk with the big sign that says SENASICA to get your pet inspected. SENASICA stands for Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria, or Mexico’s National Service of Health, Safety and Food Quality.

Have the full address of your accommodations, passport, vaccination records and Certificate of Health ready to fill out the paperwork called the Certificado Zoosanitario Para Importación. They may or may not ask to inspect your pet. In my case, they did not ask to see Totoro so he remained in his carrier.

We completed his paperwork, collected my suitcase from Baggage Claim and then got into our pre-booked taxi to our accommodations. Airport staff asked to see the Certificado Zoosanitario Para Importación on our way out of the airport, so keep it on you within easy reach!

For more information, here’s the full U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Pet travel from the U.S. to Mexico policy and Aeromexico’s pet policy.