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icedog - 26 Feb 2005 20:57 GMT

After transporting Chloe (cat) to the Vet I have discovered that our car
(Citroen C3) has a passenger airbag which can be temporarily disabled as
when using a baby seat on the front passsenger seat. Other cars have this
system. The carry box is restrained with the seatbelt.

Should I disable the protection (knob on driver's side of fascia) when
carrying the cat to avoid damage if the
airbag should go off (bag inflation gas.) The box is fitted facing rearwards
as the back is solid.

This is an unlikely situation and I am inclined to continue but I don't want
to injure our puss through gas inhalation.

TIA.

Icedog.

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Cathy Friedmann - 26 Feb 2005 21:04 GMT

> After transporting Chloe (cat) to the Vet I have discovered that our car
> (Citroen C3) has a passenger airbag which can be temporarily disabled as
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Icedog.

I'm mystified re: "gas inhalation" (have I missed something about air bags?
AFAIK, it's the impact of the airbag upon a small being that's the prob).
But... since children under 12 are cautioned/mandated to ride in the back
seat, & cats - & their carriers - are **way** smaller and lighter in weight
than kids under 12, then I'd temporarily disable the passenger airbag if
that option's available.

Cathy

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Priscilla Ballou - 26 Feb 2005 22:00 GMT

> > After transporting Chloe (cat) to the Vet I have discovered that our car
> > (Citroen C3) has a passenger airbag which can be temporarily disabled as
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> than kids under 12, then I'd temporarily disable the passenger airbag if
> that option's available.

Or strap the carrier into the back seat?

Priscilla

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Cathy Friedmann - 26 Feb 2005 22:00 GMT

> > > After transporting Chloe (cat) to the Vet I have discovered that our car
> > > (Citroen C3) has a passenger airbag which can be temporarily disabled as
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> Or strap the carrier into the back seat?

Yes.

But I have to admit (no switch for me to temporarily disable the passenger
airbag) that when taking only one cat to the vet's, I strap the carrier into
the front passenger seat. Reason being, the cat's usually distressed & at
least s/he can see me that way.

Otoh, when my niece & nephew rode with me, before each turned 12, they *had*
to ride in the back seat.

Cathy

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-L. - 27 Feb 2005 01:30 GMT

> Yes.
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Cathy

Safest place for a cat carrier is on the floor behind the passenger
seat - secured (belted, fastened, whatever) if you can do so. I once
posted a guideline for pet travel - I will see if I can dig it up.

-L.

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Cathy Friedmann - 27 Feb 2005 01:36 GMT

> > Yes.
> >
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> -L.

I remember a discussion - or two - along this line here before, & think I
rmember that paretricular post appearing. I know I *should* always put the
carrier in the back, on the floor - if it'll fit - with the passenger seat
up as far as it will go (I have a Corolla), but I still use the front
passenger seat to take a cat to the vet's.

Cathy

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Monique Y. Mudama - 28 Feb 2005 18:55 GMT

> I remember a discussion - or two - along this line here before, & think I
> rmember that paretricular post appearing. I know I *should* always put the
> carrier in the back, on the floor - if it'll fit - with the passenger seat
> up as far as it will go (I have a Corolla), but I still use the front
> passenger seat to take a cat to the vet's.

My carrier is big enough that I place it lengthwise on the back seat, then
lean back the front passenger seat to wedge it into place. It doesn't allow
Oscar to see very much, but I think it will hold her in place in the event of
an accident (the angle of the front seat prevents the carrier from flying up).

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MaryL - 01 Mar 2005 07:44 GMT

>> I remember a discussion - or two - along this line here before, & think I
>> rmember that paretricular post appearing. I know I *should* always put
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> an accident (the angle of the front seat prevents the carrier from flying
> up).

I place my carriers on the back seat and fasten them securely with the
seatbelts (going around the carrier and through the loops at the top).

MaryL

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Suzie-Q - 27 Feb 2005 22:27 GMT

-> After transporting Chloe (cat) to the Vet I have discovered that our car
-> (Citroen C3) has a passenger airbag which can be temporarily disabled as
-> when using a baby seat on the front passsenger seat. Other cars have this
-> system. The carry box is restrained with the seatbelt.
->
-> Should I disable the protection (knob on driver's side of fascia) when
-> carrying the cat to avoid damage if the
-> airbag should go off (bag inflation gas.) The box is fitted facing rearwards
-> as the back is solid.
->
-> This is an unlikely situation and I am inclined to continue but I don't want
-> to injure our puss through gas inhalation.

First, there's no risk of gas inhalation. The gas inflates the
"airbag" (actually a gasbag) and is released where it will do no
harm to the person or animal in the car.

Second, I don't think it matters where your cat carrier is
located. The problem with air bags and children is that the
airbag is designed for an adult. When there is a child in the
front seat and the airbag deploys, it "hits" the child in the
wrong place, which results in broken necks, etc. -- essentially
doing more harm than good. Since your cat is in a carrier the
airbag will hit the carrier, not the cat, and the carrier can
withstand more pressure than your face can, so it's safe.

I have thought about this a bit myself, and think that the
airbag is probably a good thing because it will keep the
carrier from flying forward, which imho would do more damage
to the cat.

The more important thing would be to secure the cat carrier
to the seat so that it doesn't fly forward in the event of
an accident.

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MaryL - 01 Mar 2005 07:48 GMT

> Since your cat is in a carrier the
> airbag will hit the carrier, not the cat, and the carrier can
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> to the seat so that it doesn't fly forward in the event of
> an accident.

Well, I'm obviously not an expert in this, but I think a cat could be badly
injured even when contained within a carrier if the carrier is the
soft-sided type that many of us use. The carrier would provide a limited
amount of protection, but it would give easily under the impact of an
airbag. It's far safter to place the carrier in the back seat and use the
seat belt to secure the carrier to the seat.

MaryL

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MaryL - 01 Mar 2005 07:42 GMT

> After transporting Chloe (cat) to the Vet I have discovered that our car
> (Citroen C3) has a passenger airbag which can be temporarily disabled as
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> Icedog.

Yes, I think you should disable it. As someone else said, the problem is
the *impact* and not gas inhalation. Air bags are life savers in many
situations, but they can be deadly to people who are very light weight
(children and elderly adults who are frail, for example). Pets in a pet
carrier would definitly fit that description. In fact, air bags will not be
activated in my car unless the object weighs more than 40 pounds.

MaryL

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