This week, I’ll be diving into how I brought my cat, Pop-pop, to New York from Texas.

To start, I’ll say that I understand the hesitation to travel this far with pets; it can be a stressful journey for them, being in a new environment surrounded by dozens of unknown people. However, in my case we prepared for Poppy, and had some medicine to help him relax, as well as having his carrier spacious and covered for his privacy.

How did we decide to bring Poppy to New York?

When I left for college, I wondered if my cat would even care that I was gone. I mean, it’s a cat…? Do they miss their people, or just think about napping and listening for when the food bowl refills?

In Poppy’s case, he began to show some concerning signs that he was depressed/overly anxious. Not only was he pulling his hair out and overgrooming, but also began needing anxiety medication from the vet. My mom and I grew more and more concerned for him, and began discussing the possibility of him coming to join me in my new apartment. (Oh yeah, my roommate and I found an apartment and moved in a week before classes started…stay tuned for my next article!) Not only was there ample space for him to roam around, but I was also struggling to be without my buddy. So, we started planning for his big move!

The Airport:

Of course, my mom and I arrived at the airport at 3:45 am for a SEVEN AM FLIGHT…typical. Poppy sat calmly in his carrier until I had to go through security, upon which he let me hold him while his claws dug so far into my shoulder I still have the marks. Other than my bloodied shoulder, he did great! The poor guy had never seen more than maybe four people at a time, then randomly got whipped out in the airport with dozens of people around. In the past, I’ve tried to put him in a cat stroller and push him around the backyard; this went TERRIBLE and he yowled to go back home the entire time. I’m not sure why, but he was relatively calm and let me handle him fairly easily – he got many many treats for this!

The Flight:

Once we boarded, I put down the tray table and set his carrier on it, then draped a blanket between me and him so we could sleep. BEFORE I could relax, the older woman next to me asked “Oh what’s the puppy’s name?!”, to which I immediately internally rolled my eyes. I replied, “He’s actually a cat!”, which was met with “Oh god”. She then made her husband move seats, to put space between us, and put on some heavy duty headphones in preparation for a yowling, upset animal. Instead, like the angel he is, Poppy made NO noise and slept the entire flight. So yeah, cats are amazing and that lady sucks.

Apartment Life:

For the first week or so, Poppy spent time in my room adjusting to his new home. I had to practice being more responsible, such as ensuring his food and water were filled (and his litterbox was cleaned…). When I saw allllll that snow outside, I was so grateful cat’s don’t have to go outside to use the restroom (another point against dogs). Not only was he getting used to a new place, but also a new person! My roommate, Kas, put in a ton of effort once we were comfortable. She took time to play with him and his toys, gave him lots of pets, and even got to snuggle with him. We’ve tried out multiple cat toys, and found that he loves his cardboard scratcher the best! Of course, the apartment has been “catified” to fit him, so there’s cardboard scratchers all over, along with random strings across the place.

From this experience, I’ve learned how much work being a pet owner is – and all the rewards that come with having him here. I’m really excited and grateful that my cat was able to come with me, and I hope he also loves his new friends and home! It was a huge decision to fly Poppy up, but I would recommend this to anyone who truly believes it’s the best for their situation! As long as you take into account your schedule and have the money needed to support your pet, it can be a great experience. Having a lil cutie to annoy after classes is the best – except when he wakes me up at 4, 5, and 6 am to drag his string around…