Cat on a Plane

Gozer the Cat has been reunited with her family in Maryland, but it was a near thing.

For those of you following the story, we have been foster-owning a cat, officially named Sparks but known to all as Gozer, for the past couple months. Her owners, Charles and Tammy, were relocating to England, but needed someone to look after Gozer and ship her along after the quarantine period was up.

Planning changed over time, and instead of shipping her to England (which would have involved getting her to Vancouver first), we instead were able to send her to Philly, where Charles and Tammy could pick her up. So late last night the Lovely Bride and I put her in her carrier to take her to the airline baggage claim with the proper paperwork to send her on her way via a red-eye.

And we were informed that the cage was too small to ship her. The cage is supposed to allow her to stand. A regulation we didn't know about. Fortunately the Lovely Bride knew we had a larger cage at home. Unfortunately she didn't quite remember where the door to that cage was. So I minded the cat at the airport while she drove home at high velocity to fetch it.

Gozer took everything in stride - she was in a safe carrier. I, on the other hand, was sweating bullets since there was a chance that we would miss the flight entirely. Finally, with about ten minutes to go before the flight closed, the Lovely Bride arrived with the carrier, the cat-transfer was made, and Gozer sent on her way.

And I slept badly. Had we gotten all the paperwork right? Would they get Gozer on the plane? There was a changeover in Houston between planes, would something go wrong there?

Anyway, we got word that Gozer arrived safe and sound and is now with her loving family. And when we got home last night, both of the other cats, who spent the past couple months following Gozer from room to room, wanted to know what happened to her.

We tried to explain, but you know cats - they're always suspicious of anything humans say.

More later,