Step two should have been to book our tickets on a cat-friendly airline. However, we had taken care of step two way before we started to investigate taking the cats back to the US with us. Up until about March, we had thought of leaving them here with nice new families, but nice new families who are willing to take former wadi cats are few and far between, so it looks like we are stuck with them.
Step 2 for us, therefore, has involved buying suitable crates and figuring out how to get the cats to the US with us, short of making them swim the Atlantic.
Crates
We bought a lovely set of crates at the mall for 22 OR each. However, Silas the Mathwhiz mismeasured the crates and, when we got home, we realized they were not IATA compliant (too small). Upon attempting to return the crates, we realized that we were not charged for both of them. So we returned one, but the other is still sitting in our front hall, useless.
Alternatively, the vet has some snazzy green IATA compliant crates that we will go out and sink some cash into this weekend.
Cost: 30 OMR/cat for IATA-compliant crates. However, subtract the 10 OMR I might get if I sell the extra crate at a yard sale before we go. So let's call it 25 OMR/cat.
Hassles?: Yes. Don't let the 11 year old do the measuring. And watch those shop checkout people carefully. Or not and get free stuff!
What to expect?: Expect to have to check the IATA website like a zillion times to get the measurements for the crate right. Then expect to totally mess it up and have to measure again.
Timeline: 2.5 months prior to departure
Step 2 for us, therefore, has involved buying suitable crates and figuring out how to get the cats to the US with us, short of making them swim the Atlantic.
Crates
We bought a lovely set of crates at the mall for 22 OR each. However, Silas the Mathwhiz mismeasured the crates and, when we got home, we realized they were not IATA compliant (too small). Upon attempting to return the crates, we realized that we were not charged for both of them. So we returned one, but the other is still sitting in our front hall, useless.
Alternatively, the vet has some snazzy green IATA compliant crates that we will go out and sink some cash into this weekend.
Cost: 30 OMR/cat for IATA-compliant crates. However, subtract the 10 OMR I might get if I sell the extra crate at a yard sale before we go. So let's call it 25 OMR/cat.
Hassles?: Yes. Don't let the 11 year old do the measuring. And watch those shop checkout people carefully. Or not and get free stuff!
What to expect?: Expect to have to check the IATA website like a zillion times to get the measurements for the crate right. Then expect to totally mess it up and have to measure again.
Timeline: 2.5 months prior to departure
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