I have hauled cats across the country in a flight before. In fact, when my mom moved out to California, my husband and I got a free (for us) trip out there to visit, as the rule was one cat per passenger - and mom had three cats. We each got the drugged cats. Mom's cat couldn't be drugged (she was 18 years old!) and the vet said that the flight trauma would be less stressful on her system than the drugs would be.

Luckily the poor thing slept most of the trip anyhow. However, she did NOT like getting taken out of the carrier and she has all her claws. Mom lost some blood even though the cat (Blossom) was well harnessed. The TSA guy wanted to take the cat through himself, but mom insisted she needed to. After seeing she was probably going to need a transfusion, and it was HER cat, the TSA guy agreed.

The cats all survived the trip, though Blossom moaned a bit on ascent and descent. She lived for another year after that (old frickin cat)