How long before a flight should I stop feeding my cat to avoid messes?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Orcan. It would be fine to give him a small meal about an hour before his flight. Then be sure to walk him so he has an opportunity to defecate if necessary. Then you can feed him the remainder of his dinner after the flight. A dog his size can easily be fasted 12-24 hours. So you flight time will be fine for him. Be sure to provide him with water. I hope this information helps!

Don't feed her after midnight the night before you travel. Take up the water that morning and walk her just before you go to the airport and before you board or load her (if possible). When you get to your destination, wait an hour or two then feed and water half what you normally offer. Feed the remainder after an hour if there is no vomiting. This can happen with travel.

Considering what you described, I would suggest to withhold food for the next 8-12 hours and then start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken/white fish and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice diarrhoea, more vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!! You ask a very good question and I can tell you thought about this for a while. I think what you are suggesting is interesting and I think it's a great idea. Cats and dogs both will need to have a bowel movement after they eat. Dogs usually pretty quickly and cats sometime thereafter, but can be quickly when they are stressed in a carrier in your car going to the see the vet!! So great idea. That is if you can stand the constant crying in the car which could be the car ride and hunger. No seriously, great idea. I think it's completely safe to try. I hope I answered your question and I wish you and Sweetie the best of luck for her upcoming veterinary visits.

I know how you feel. I just flew with 5 of my own pets for a flight that was over 7 hrs. So you are a bit limited here, but there are some safe things you can do to ease the stress for Moka. 1) No sedatives- these are not safe and also not permitted due to the vast temperature ranges that your fur baby can be exposed to. Also if she is going in cargo pressure changes can make her at risk for serious injury if she is on any type of sedative/tranquilizer. 2) Stress reducing natural remedies- there are lots of options here at your local pet store. Get an associate to help you find some that will work for you. 3) Place a clothing item with your scent on it in the carrier with her 4) Don't stop giving her food or water for any period of time. You want her well hydrated and well fed. Most cats won't eat much in transit, so letting her eat is a good idea. 5) Place a pee pad or towel at the bottom of the carrier in case of accidents. You will be surprised to know that most cats hold their urine and feces well during transit, unless of course Moka has a diagnosed separation anxiety condition, in which case she may have an accident or two. 6) Relax- your pet picks up on your mood! So if you are stressed, she will be stressed! Just relax and things will be just fine.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 56 hours is a long time to go without eating. Now that it is approaching 3 days with little to no food, I would concerned there is something medically wrong that is causing Magin's inappetence. Sometimes stress (coming home from the trip in this case) can be a cause but I would expect that to last for a day or two but not longer than that. I would recommend taking Magin into see his veterinarian for an evaluation and exam so you can find out what is going on. I hope this helps!

Hello! Talk to your veterinarian about what time she will need to stop eating the day prior to anesthesia. She may need an earlier dinner the night before her dental cleaning. Anesthesia requires an empty stomach to prevent aspiration, which can lead to pneumonia or death. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.