Pet Travel Question: Exporting a Cat From France

Name: Ratto
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Cat
From: Paris, France
To: Denver, CO, US

What do I need to do to move in three months with my cat from Paris to Colorado? What vaccines, health certificate, etc., will I need? My cat doesn't sleep when traveling even with pills, so I am not sure I can travel with her in the cabin because she will cry the whole time. It will be a long flight... Will she travel safely in the hold of the plane? Will she be traumatized ?

Thanks a lot for your answer,

Ratto

 

Hi Ratto,

Thanks for your question -- your concerns are certainly understandable. Most cats will not love the experience of flying, but you can do a few things to make everything go as smoothly as possible. Here are a few tips for crate-training a cat, and please note that you should not sedate your pet during flight. Sedation can be dangerous and many airlines will not accept a pet that shows signs of being sedated.

Also, there are many misconceptions about flying with pets, especially related to cabin vs. cargo. We've seen that the temperature and pressure-controlled cargo area is actually often better for pets, as there is less commotion. Many people find it comforting to read the customer testimonials we publish on our blog, as they tell the stories of real life pet travelers who have landed safely and found that their pets are able to adjust to their new environments pretty easily.

Now that you know more about that, here are the cat import requirements for the United States. Please contact us if you have any questions about what is needed, and good luck with your trip!