Planning Air Travel with a Persian Cat

Hi PetRelocation,

I am planning to move to the United States in a couple of months. I am thinking of taking my cat with me.

What are the necessary steps to take? I understand that an International Health Certificate is needed, along with Vaccination Certificate.

Also, I am a bit worried about my cat flying such a long way. Is it safe and comfortable? I would appreciate your feedback soon. Thank you.

Regards,
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,

Thank you for your inquiry! Moving pets to the United States requires fewer steps than going to some countries (Australia has a quarantine, for example, and the United States does not). For an idea of what to expect, here are the pet import requirements for the United States.

In addition to working with your vet to gather the required documents (as listed in the above link), you'll also need an airline-approved travel crate. Because your cat is a snub-nosed mix, you may want to choose a slightly larger crate than you think you need in order to allow for more air circulation and a more comfortable trip for your cat overall.

It's also very important to choose a pet-friendly airline. Here is a little more information about traveling with a snub-nosed pet.

If you're interested in finding out more about our door-to-door services, feel free to contact us for a consultation. 

If you'd like to handle the move on your own, we hope our blog and website can serve as helpful resources for you. Hopefully the stories you'll find on our blog will help to put your mind at ease regarding the safety of pet travel, and if you still have questions, we'd be happy to talk.

Good luck with everything, and thanks again for your question!

Pet Travel Question Details:

Name: Jennifer
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Cat
Pet Breed: Persian Cat Mix
From: Singapore
To: Houston, TX, USA

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in October 2014 and has been updated with new information.