I am moving my family and I to Berlin next month and we are taking our dog and our cat. Our dog will certainly travel in cargo as she is 60+ lbs. Our cat, however, is a big boy, but still meets the regulations to be carried on board on American Airlines flights (20 lbs and under). We have to fly AA up to JFK and Air Berlin outbound. Our flight to Berlin operated by Air Berlin and only allows 13 lbs in the cabin. Our cat is right around 20 lbs with carrier. So will they weigh him at JFK before we board? Well they dismiss him immediately to cargo for the flight? Just trying to figure out if we should surrender him to cargo on the AA flight to JFK.

Thanks for your advice.