Many people worry that they won’t be able to travel if they get a cat. However, you may travel the world with your beloved pet. If you want to travel together, it is important to follow a number of rules, which we will discuss in this article.
Globally, preparation for travel can be divided into three parts – document checks, health checks, and mental state checks. To successfully prepare a cat for travel, it is important to take into account his health and heredity. Conducting a cat breed DNA test can help identify potential genetic problems that may show up along the way in any cat breeds. Thus, knowing your pet’s genetic makeup, you can better plan his trip and ensure his comfort.
Psychological comfort while traveling
First of all, you need to check whether the cat is psychologically ready for the trip. First, it’s worth assessing how it will behave over short distances. For example, take a carrier, put the cat in it and just go outside and sit in the sun for a while. You will immediately notice if the cat reacts extremely negatively to this. Next time you can walk a little further. Next, you can take the carrier in the car and drive around the area. Don’t go far and watch the cat. If the animal experiences visible stress, it is better to stop the experiment. If your pet remains calm, then you can try other means of transport – for example, a bus or train. At first, you should not travel long distances. Even if your cat is slightly restless, he can gradually get used to it if you start with small distances. In general, it will be better to start training a cat at a young age.
Preparation of documents
Remember that you should start getting ready for the first trip about three months in advance – this time will be spent collecting the necessary documents, and certificates, microchipping, and checking the health of the cat.
An international veterinary passport that contains details on the pet, the owner, and the required medical care and vaccinations is the most crucial document for your cat. It is administered to the animal during its initial immunization at the clinic.
Also, do not forget the veterinary certificate, which is issued on the basis of a veterinary passport. When exporting an animal abroad, you will replace the certificate with an international veterinary certificate or a European certificate if you are flying to Europe. It is issued at border veterinary control.
A cat must be microchipped to travel. This is usually done in state veterinary clinics for kittens at 11-12 months. You can also microchip an adult cat. Information about the implanted chip is entered into the animal’s veterinary passport and electronic database. Before leaving, check whether the chip data is entered into Animalface – this is a database combined with the international Petmaxx chip search system.
After microchipping your cat, ensure he is vaccinated and treated for internal and external parasites. It’s important to get the rabies vaccination only after microchipping, as many countries require this sequence for travel. Therefore, if you plan to travel with your cat, do not vaccinate him against rabies beforehand; install the microchip first. This step-by-step process ensures compliance with international travel regulations and keeps your pet safe.
As it happens, the chip has not yet been implanted despite the rabies vaccination having already been completed. In certain situations, the immunization is administered again, sometimes even on the same day as the microchipping. Medical professionals declared that it was dangerous and not worth doing to the animal twice a year. I think it would be preferable to cancel the vacation with your cat.
Furthermore, most responsible pet proprietors vaccinate against panleukopenia, viral rhinotracheitis, and calicivirus in their animals. Cats can contract these deadly illnesses from you if you unintentionally bring the infection home on your shoes. The veterinarian stamps the cat’s passport with every immunization mark. After that, the animal must be quarantined for 15–30 days to allow antibodies to build before being sent overseas. Quarantine lasts 21 days in accordance with EU regulations. Verify the regulations of the nation you are visiting.
Health check
Even if the cat looks completely healthy, and the state veterinary service doctor easily issued all the certificates after the examination, I recommend separately checking the animal’s health before the trip. This way you can avoid unexpected difficulties on the road. Examine the animal’s heart and lungs before boarding an aircraft. Some cats with flat faces are not allowed to fly at all because of the way their respiratory systems are structured. Donate blood as well to rule out anemia and inflammation.
Thus, if you prepare all three stages, then your trip with your beloved cat will please both you and your pet, and will also go smoothly and without problems.
