Kitten Transportation - What You Need to Know About Shipping and Pickup

Olga Shatokhina, a cat breeder, holds oriental shorthair cat
painted butterflyCat house Cataristocrat catteryCataristocrat and kitten Cataristocrat cattery

I’m a cat breeder. I’m not a shipping agent.
I am not obligated to organize delivery for you. I can help you with this because I have such experience, but I do not profit from this additional work, and I am not responsible for the service provided by a third party.

If you want the kitten to be delivered by cargo, both the payment for the kitten and the delivery must be made 3-5 days before the kitten leaves my home.

Up to the age of 6 months, two kittens can be shipped in one carrier. The cost for such a shipment is not doubled.

When you personally pick up the kitten, payment can be made on the spot at the time of picking up the kitten.

There are several options available for shipping kittens to their new homes.

Airline Pet Cargo Shipping

Kittens will be transported in a plastic carrier with a metal grated door. The kennel provides adequate ventilation on three sides and is appropriately sized for the kitten's comfort. During the journey, kittens travel in a pressurized, heated, and ventilated cargo hold located below the passenger compartments. Tie-down straps secure the flight kennel to the cargo compartment's deck.

A person holds a specially designed, durable, IATA- and airline-compliant plastic carrier with a metal grated door in the airline's cargo terminal, containing an Oriental Shorthair kitten.
A cargo crate for kitten transportation should be IATA and airline compliant, ensuring it is strong and secure


Please be aware that airlines have temperature restrictions for shipping live animals. I cannot know all temperatures in every state, so please assess on your own whether the temperature in your state will be suitable when the kitten is ready to move to a new home. The airlines do not transport warm-blooded animals when ground temperatures exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit or fall below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This applies to the origin, connection, and destination cities.

Sometimes, at the time of reserving a kitten, airlines have a pet-friendly flight to the airport that suits you best. However, a few months later, when the kitten is ready to go to its new home, airlines make changes, and I may not be aware of all such changes. No one notifies or coordinates with me.

Meantime people, for some reason, think that I initially gave them a promise that delivery is available and then fail to fulfill my commitments. I'll emphasize once again: Delivery is not my professional activity and is not my obligation.

The cost for this option is approximately $500. The airlines do not provide transportation carriers, and it incurs expenses on me. Additionally, I purchase bowls that attach to the carrier door, and their presence is required by the airline. Furthermore, I provide a pet bed/blanket for this carrier.

Oriental Shorthair kitten in a carrier labeled 'Live Animals' at an airline cargo terminal, ready for transportation. The kitten waits patiently inside the carrier, highlighting the careful handling and safety measures in pet cargo services.
An airline cargo facility is usually separate from the passenger terminal area and located in a different building

On the day of departure, I have to wake up at 3-4 am as the journey to the airport takes an hour, and I need to bring the kitten three hours prior to the flight. As I mentioned before, I cannot choose the departure time, and most airlines schedule the flight for 7-8 am.
As you might have guessed, I don't like to ship kittens that way. If you know in advance that you will need cargo shipping, you should let me know as soon as possible. Then, I can sign the necessary documents with the veterinarian during the wellness check after the kitten's neutering/spaying and rabies vaccination. I don't arrange these special documents requested by airlines for each kitten because it costs extra money. If you decide that you need cargo shipping last minute when it's time to pick up the ready-to-move kitten, you should understand that it will take some time to schedule a new appointment with the veterinarian to arrange the required documents demanded by the airline. Keep in mind that these documents are only valid for 10 days from the day they are signed by the veterinarian.

If you want the kitten to be delivered by cargo, both the payment for the kitten and the delivery must be made 3-5 days before the kitten leaves my home.

Pet Nanny Service

You have the option to find a pet nanny online, or I can provide you with the contact information of a pet nanny who has shipped our kittens to various states multiple times. Our businesses are separate entities, and you can directly contact her to inquire about a quote.

In the case of delivery with a nanny, the payment for the kitten must be settled before I hand it over to the nanny. Financial matters regarding the kitten's delivery with the nanny do not concern me, and you will handle this matter with a pet nanny directly.

Oriental Shorthair kitten sits comfortably in a secure pet carrier placed on the passenger seat of a car, ready for transportation. The carrier is safely secured with a seatbelt, ensuring the kitten's safety during the journey. The car's interior is modern and clean, reflecting a well-planned and caring approach to pet travel.
Ensure your kitten's safety during a trip

Personal Pickup of Cat

Alternatively, you can choose to fly to Cleveland or Columbus on your own, and I will meet you at the airport to hand over the kitten. When booking a ticket for yourself, you must inform the airline that you will be flying with a cat on the return journey. I will bring the kitten in a carrier that is approved for in-cabin flight if you don’t want to bring your own.

Another option is for you to visit our home to pick up the kitten in person. In this case, I would appreciate it if you could bring your own pet carrier.

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I have wanted an ebony Oriental Shorthair for many many years, and several months ago we finally started looking for a breeder. The minute I found Cataristocrat’s webpage, I knew we’d found our match. Olga was wonderful to deal with all throughout the process. We received regular updates through photos and videos, and she was always quick to respond to any questions, during the months we waited for our kitten to be ready to come home. We had to have our baby shipped to us, and Olga prepared everything so carefully to ensure she travelled safe and snug. The minute we got the little one home, it was apparent how much care and love went into her breeding and raising. Our kitten is not only beautiful, but sweet, playful, and healthy. At her routine “wellness” appointment, the day after her arrival, the vet tech remarked what a great cat we have adopted, and we couldn’t agree more! Also, the appointment was a breeze because Olga had taken care of all kitten vaccinations, deworming, spay, and even nail clipping. We are so in love with our new addition to the family, and cannot say enough about what a great experience we have had with Cataristocrat! Thank you, Olga!

Sha Ly testimonial for Cataristocrat Cattery

Sha Ly

Detroit, MI

I'd give 10 stars if I could! From the first correspondence with Olga, I knew this whole thing would be wonderful. Olga is knowledgeable, responsive, you can tell she really loves running her cattery too. We just brought Nico home and the entire experience from start to finish was SO professional, SO smooth and so easy. Olga runs her business so well. I love how organized everything is, the updates on kittens down to the pick up and paperwork and supplies provided. I'm excited to be part of the family now! We are in love already and I am so happy that I found this cattery and Olga.

Andrea GiGi testimonial for Cataristocrat Cattery

Andrea GiGi

Lebanon, PA

We are very lucky to live close Cataristocrat. We were able to visit and fell in love with an Oriental and a Bengal kitten. We picked up the Oriental yesterday and will get the Bengal when she is ready. The love they have put in with these kittens shows and we could not be happier with our choice. Thank you for putting so much passion in what you do the quality stands out.

Mike White testimonial for Cataristocrat Cattery

Mike White

Warren, OH

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