Reply #13: The pads do sound like a good idea.

[Dangerously Amused]

I just lined the carrier with some old towels, and brought towels to spare in case they soiled the ones already in there, and a plastic bag to put the dirty towels in. I never had to change the towels on the plane, but if I did I probably would have taken the carrier to the bathroom and done it in there. I never had to change the towels much either, maybe once or twice and that was usually in the car en route to the airport.

For the record I didn't withhold water from them, just food. In fact I would offer them water before, during and after the flight, but they never drank it anyway until we got home again and they were getting settled in.