Yes, you can ship a cat to another state without traveling with it, but not the way you ship a package. Cats cannot be mailed: the US Postal Service lists cats and kittens as nonmailable, and FedEx does not accept household pets. Your real options are a professional ground pet transporter, which is how most cats travel alone today, an airline cargo program, of which Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo's Pet Connect is the clearest one open to the public, or a flight nanny who carries the cat in the cabin.
This guide covers the unaccompanied question only: what is allowed, what each option involves, and how to choose. If you will travel with your cat, our guide to long-distance cat transport compares driving and flying together. For prices, see our breakdown of the cost to ship a cat. Dog owners can find the equivalent answer in can you ship a dog by itself.
The short answer: three ways a cat can travel alone
The table below compares the realistic options for sending a cat to another state without you. Prices vary by distance and season, so use it to compare the type of service, not as a quote.
| Option | Available to the public? | Typical door to door time | Best for | Main limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground pet transporter | Yes | About 2 to 7 days depending on distance and route | Most cats, multi-cat moves, cats that cannot fly | Slower; quality varies, so vet the company |
| Airline cargo (Alaska and Hawaiian Pet Connect) | Yes, on their route network | Usually 1 day, airport to airport | Healthy cats on routes those airlines fly | Temperature limits, breed limits, no door pickup |
| Flight nanny | Yes | Usually 1 to 2 days | A single small cat that fits under a seat | Higher cost; one or two pets per escort |
| Mail, FedEx or UPS | No | Not allowed | Never | Cats are not accepted |
Why you cannot mail or courier a cat
People search for this more than you might expect, so it is worth being clear. The USPS rule is in Publication 52, which covers hazardous, restricted and perishable mail. Its section on nonmailable live animals says warm-blooded animals are not mailable, except adult birds and certain day-old poultry, and names cats and kittens on its list along with dogs, puppies, rabbits and hamsters.
Private couriers say the same. FedEx's page on how to ship live animals states that traditional pets such as dogs, cats, birds and hamsters cannot be shipped with FedEx, and limits live shipments to approved business accounts sending things like fish and non-venomous reptiles. UPS also does not carry household pets. Any listing or ad that offers to "mail" a kitten to you is a red flag for a scam, which we cover below.
Option 1: a ground pet transporter
For most owners, this is the answer. A ground pet transporter collects your cat at your door, drives it in a climate-controlled vehicle with planned stops, and delivers it to the new address. Some run dedicated trips with just your pets; others run shared routes that pick up and drop off several animals along a corridor, which is cheaper but slower.
Ground transport suits cats well. There are no airline temperature embargoes, no breed bans for flat-faced cats such as Persians, no cargo hold and no airport handoffs. A good driver can offer water and a litter box at every stop and keep the cat in the same carrier from door to door. It is also the practical way to move three or four cats at once.
The trade-off is quality control. Anyone can advertise pet transport, so vet the company. Commercial carriers of dogs and cats should be registered with the USDA, and our guide to USDA-registered pet transport explains how to check. Ask how many animals ride together, how often the vehicle stops, whether someone stays with the vehicle at all times, where the driver sleeps, and how you will get updates. Our list of the best ground pet transport companies is a good starting point.
Option 2: airline cargo
Fewer airlines fly pets alone than a few years ago. United and Delta no longer ship general-public pets as cargo, and reports on American Airlines Cargo's public availability have been inconsistent, so call American directly before planning around it. The clearest program open to everyone is Alaska and Hawaiian Air Cargo's Pet Connect, which carries pets traveling without a passenger on those airlines' routes.
Pet Connect's guidelines include several rules that matter for cats:
- Health certificate. A licensed vet must examine the cat within 10 days of travel and issue a health certificate (14 days for Hawaii).
- Age. Cats must be at least eight weeks old and weaned.
- Temperature. Pets are generally accepted when forecast temperatures are between 45 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, so summer heat and winter cold can block a booking.
- Breeds. Short-nosed cats can face restrictions in the cargo hold. Check the current list on Pet Connect's restrictions page before you book.
- Logistics. Service is airport to airport. You drop the cat at the cargo facility and someone collects it at the other end, usually within a few hours of arrival.
Hawaiian Airlines' contract of carriage, Rule 19, confirms that pets checked as baggage must travel with a passenger and that unaccompanied pets go through cargo. Our guide to flying a cat in cargo covers the details and the welfare questions.
Option 3: a flight nanny
A flight nanny is a person who flies with your cat in the cabin, under the seat, on a regular passenger ticket, and hands it to you at the destination. To the airline it is an accompanied pet, so the in-cabin rules apply, but to you it works like shipping the cat alone. It is the fastest option and keeps the cat out of the cargo hold, but it costs more because you pay for the nanny's ticket and time, and it only works for a cat small enough to fit under a seat. Most nannies take one or two pets per trip. Our guide to pet nanny transport explains how it works.
Which option is right for your cat?
Start with your cat, not the price. A healthy young cat that tolerates its carrier can handle any of the three. A flat-faced cat, a senior cat, a cat with a heart condition or a very anxious cat is usually better off on the ground or with a nanny than in a cargo hold, and your vet's view should decide it. Next, look at timing and season. In midsummer or deep winter, cargo bookings are often blocked by temperature rules, which makes ground transport the dependable choice. Finally, count your cats. One cat can go any way. Three or more cats usually point to a ground transporter, because a single vehicle can carry them together.
What any option will ask you for
Whichever route you choose, expect to provide the same basics. A recent health certificate from a licensed vet, often dated within 10 days of travel. Proof of a current rabies vaccination, which most states require for cats moving in. A secure, well-ventilated carrier with your contact details on it, sized so the cat can stand and turn around. And clear written instructions about food, medication and temperament. Some states set their own entry rules for cats, so check your destination state's department of agriculture as well.
Preparing a cat to travel without you
A cat traveling alone cannot be reassured by your voice, so preparation matters more. Get the cat used to its carrier for several weeks before the trip by leaving it open with bedding and treats inside. Put a worn T-shirt in the carrier so it smells like home. Feed a light meal several hours before handoff, and make sure the cat has used its litter box. Tape a small bag of its usual food to the carrier, along with a note giving its name, your phone number, the recipient's phone number and any medical needs.
Finally, update the microchip registration with the new address and a phone number that will work on the day, and fit a breakaway collar with an ID tag. If anything goes wrong during handoffs, ID is what brings a cat home.
What handoff day looks like
Knowing the sequence makes the day less stressful. With a ground transporter, the driver arrives in a window you agreed in advance, checks the paperwork, scans or reads the microchip if they have a scanner, and loads the carrier into the vehicle. Good drivers will show you where the cat will ride and send a first update within a few hours. With airline cargo, you drive to the cargo facility, not the passenger terminal, usually a few hours before the flight. Staff check the health certificate and carrier, and the cat is then out of your hands until the recipient collects it at the cargo office at the other end. With a flight nanny, you meet at the airport or your home, hand over the cat and its documents, and the nanny takes it through security and onto the plane.
In every case, have a person at the destination who is ready on time, has the right ID, and has a quiet room set up for the cat. Late collection at a cargo office can mean extra kennel fees and a longer, more stressful wait for the cat.
After arrival: settling a cat that traveled alone
A cat that has traveled without its people may be frightened, hungry, thirsty and in need of a litter box all at once. Take it straight to a small, quiet room with the door closed, and set up water, a little food, a litter box and something that smells familiar. Open the carrier and let the cat come out in its own time, which can take hours. Expect hiding, little appetite on the first evening and some caution for a few days. Call a vet if the cat refuses all food for more than 24 hours, has not urinated in that time, or shows breathing trouble, repeated vomiting or lethargy.
Shipping a cat to Hawaii or Alaska
These two states change the picture. Hawaii is rabies free and protects that status with strict entry rules: dogs and cats can face quarantine of up to 120 days unless they meet every requirement of the state's 5-Day-Or-Less program, which takes months of preparation, including a rabies blood test. Plan a Hawaii move with that timeline in mind before you book any transport. For Alaska, Pet Connect requires a rabies certificate for travel between the Lower 48 and Alaska, as well as the usual health certificate. Ground transport to Alaska means a very long drive through Canada, which brings its own border paperwork, so most cats bound for Alaska fly.
The kitten shipping scam
Many people searching for this question are not moving their own cat. They are buying a kitten online from a seller in another state who offers to ship it. This is one of the most common pet scams in the US. The pattern is a cheap purebred kitten, a seller who cannot meet in person, and then a series of fees for shipping, insurance, a special crate or a vaccination certificate, often paid by gift card, wire transfer or a payment app. Real breeders who ship use real transporters and are happy to video call with the kitten. Our guide on how to avoid pet transport scams lists the warning signs.
Questions to ask before you book
Whatever option you pick, a few questions sort good providers from bad ones. Who exactly will handle my cat at each stage, and are they trained with cats specifically? Where will my cat be overnight, and is someone with it? How often will it be offered water and a litter box? What happens if a flight is cancelled or the vehicle breaks down? What insurance covers my cat in your care, and what does it exclude? How will I get updates, and how fast does someone answer the phone? A company that answers clearly and in writing is worth paying a little more for.