In general, I recommend getting a soft cat carrier if you'll be flying internationally as your cat needs to fit underneath the seat in front of you. If your cat is larger, you'll want to get a larger bag to ensure they have room to move around.
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Adult dogs and cats easily make it through the night without having to relieve themselves, so your pet should also be OK on most very long flights. Regardless, you'll have to line their carrier with something absorbent - a Dry Fur pad works nicely under your pet's own crate pad or thin blanket.
Consider a soft-sided travel carrier.Many airlines allow either a soft-sided or a hard-sided carrier for cabin travel. However, the soft-sided carrier can be more forgiving and give your kitty a bit more room to turn around and get cozy, according to Sheen.
While a crate is a great option for shorter road trips, it's not ideal for a trip longer than six hours. Your cat needs access to water and litter, and anything more than six hours is a bit unfair. To give your cat a little more room, try a large dog crate.
You won't always know if your cat even needs to go as some cats will stay silent while others might meow to alert you that they're feeling discomfort. Most cats will be able to hold it in for shorter flights that are around 1-4 hours while some cats may even hold it for longer flights that extend to 8-10 hours.
Undeniably, cargo is the more dangerous option for pet travel. The safest way for any animal to fly is in the cabin as carry-on luggage, provided that's an option.
Sedatives can interfere with regular breathing and other bodily responses, and pets may react differently and unexpectedly to medications when they are in the air. In fact, most airlines will not fly a sedated pet, as over-sedation can be a cause of animal death during air transport.
Pets are treated as a priority and should be put on last and taken off first. In the case of the long-haul flights with transfers the pets are checked at any refuel/transfer points and their water bowls are replenished.
While cats have been known to fall from over 30 stories and survive, it's not very common or thoroughly researched. That being said, studies suggest cats can fall as far as 20 stories, over 200 feet, and survive with little to no injuries.
With some research and preparation, both you and your kitty can fly safely and in comfort. The rules are much the same as when flying with a dog, but as with canines, you should still talk with your vet and your airline ahead of time.
Medication prescribed by your veterinarian: Buprenorphine (brand names: Buprenex®, Simbadol®), gabapentin (brand name Neurontin®), and alprazolam (brand names Xanax® and Niravam®) are examples of medications that are sometimes used to reduce the anxiety that some cats experience when traveling.
Pros: A flight is much faster than a drive, so you can get it over with pretty quickly! Plus, if you fly with your cat in-cabin, you can still be next to your pet and provide it with comfort. Cons: In many ways, flying can be more stressful for cats.