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Category Archives: Travel with cats
Traveling with cats can be challenging, so My Kitty Care provides some tips that we hope will be helpful. If you’re flying, airlines have slightly different carrier measurements; how to buy a properly sized harness; suggestions on car travel, etc…😺
Traveling with cats usually involves a cat carrier. If flying, as far as my kitty care is aware, all airlines require a soft carrier that can fit under the seat in front of you.
Sometimes cats may not completely pee on the pad, always unintentionally (we assume) so some pee may get on the carrier. The tell-tale smell will let you know if that happens. So what’s the best way of cleaning your cat carrier?
Use dish liquid
Use vinegar. It works!
Don’t use ammonia, because cat pee has a similar scent and will encourage your cat to pee in that spot.
My Kitty Care soaked the carrier, bottom tray and blanket in dish liquid and vinegar overnight. The smell is gone!
A little reminder: each airline has specifications about the size of your cat’s carrier, so always check with the airline you and your cat are flying with.
my kitty care does not endorse any product discussed on The Scratching Post, nor does my kitty care receive payments, or any form of compensation from any company or product on my kitty care.
As much fun traveling is, or if your must travel for business or other reasons and can’t bring your cat, it’s a dilemma for cat parents. Even if you have a trusted cat sitter, there might be a time when they aren’t available. So then what?
a luxury cat hotel?
Cat boarding is an option for some and My Kitty Care researched cat boarding in 2015. Since then, there’s a new option: a luxury cat hotel. At this time, November 2023, the lone business claiming to be a luxury hotel for cats exists in Irvine, CA.
Club Cat is the name, and luxury hotels and resorts are the models. The difference between traditional boarding and a luxury cat hotel, beside the cost, are amenities.
Programs that cats like (which are not specified)
Webcams for cat parents to view their cat(s) 24/7
“CatChats” a cat parent’s opportunity to talk with their kitty.
The cats rooms are 8’ high and a minimum of 3.5’ wide, complete with enclosed balconies. They’re decorated with “whimsical cat portraiture” (that means?)
The Cat Club was opened by Shana Martin who hopes to franchise the business. Whether that happens or not, traveling cat parents who must leave their cat(s) behind want options.
If anyone has boarded their cat, or put them up in Club Cat, the luxury cat hotel, please let us know how it went. We always want the best for our cats, and having quality care in our absence can be particularly challenging.
my kitty care does not endorse any product discussed on The Scratching Post, nor does my kitty care receive payments, or any form of compensation from any company or product on my kitty care.
When we travel, we need to know our cats are being really well taken care of. A dependable, loving cat sitter essentially becomes your cat’s aunt or uncle. So here are some suggested qualities that a good cat sitter must have, according to My Kitty Care:
Love cats
Have time or makes time to spend with our cats
Preferably have their own cats, or have had cats in the past
Understands the importance of kitty litter
Patience with kitty dinning
Likes to play and sets time aside for play activity
A terrific place to try to find a cat sitter, especially if your cat has any special medical needs, is at your favorite vet’s office. That’s where we found the wonderful Bridget. She took care of Bear from January 2014 – February 2015 (R.I.P.) when Bear was sick with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Bridget came twice a day to give her fluids. Bear not only felt better because of the treatment, but also because Bridget was loving and caring and Bear felt it. Bear also knew she was safe with Bridget.
Our regular cat sitter is Monika. We met her many years ago and bonded over the love of cats, and shared our experiences with the cats in our lives. We asked if she’d cat sit for us. It worked out well, and Monika has been our cat sitter for over fourteen years. We trust her completely. Then, as now, she has multiple, rescue cats.
Do you trust your potential cat sitter with the life of your cat?
Are you comfortable giving your cat sitter the key to your house?
Are you confident that if any emergency occurs, your cat sitter will know what to do and be able to handle it?
Is this person reliable?
Can you contact this person easily, especially when you’re away?
Is this cat sitter a kind person?
You must trust your cat sitter, and your cats must feel secure with them. Otherwise, they’ll definitely let you know when you come home. My cats did, before we found Monika and Bridget.
If you’re traveling internationally, from the USA, then the answer to Does my cat need a passport? is yes! You need it to eliminate or minimize possible quarantine, or other complications. A pet passport is really a collection of forms and endorsements validating your cat’s health. I wish I could provide a list of what you need when traveling from the USA to a foreign country with your cat, but unfortunately, it’s complex, because countries vary. In fact, every country has their own requirements for entry with your cat.
I can suggest things you may need to tend to, in order to get the health papers you’ll need for travel to other countries. Another thing, give yourself as much time as you can, because some countries requirements may take months to comply.
Research the APHIS/international requirements for your destination country: they vary.
What rabies category is your destination country?
Does your destination country require an additional blood test, tapeworm test, etc.?
Does your cat have to be microchipped?
Can your veterinarian provide necessary forms and/or certificates, or do you need an endorsement by an APHIS, certified veterinarian?
Do you need an import permit?
To look at an example of what a country may require. Click Australia for traveling to Australia with your cat.
Now, about rabies. It’s rare for domestic cats to contract rabies, and most of the travel information I found about rabies, pertained to dogs. However, some countries DO have rabies vaccination requirements for cats. Confirm which rabies vaccination is acceptable: there’s a one year, or three year type. Also, check about boosters: the timeline between receiving boosters or vaccination, and date of travel. Find out the rabies category for your destination country. There are three: rabies-free, low-risk, or high-risk. These catagories are based on calculations of reported rabies during a two year period.
Japan, Singapore, the UK, are a few examples of rabies-free countries.
Bahrain, Belgium, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Grenada, Hong Kong, Hungary, Kuwait, Latvia, Qatar, Slovakia, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, UAE, USA are considered low-risk countries.
Many countries in Asia, Africa and Central America may be on the high-risk list.
avoid or minimize your cat being quarantined
Next, about microchipped cats. I looked at different countries, and it looks like many require your cat to be microchipped. It’s possible that your cat is already microchipped, in which case, you’ll need documentation to prove it.
Okay, so obviously, a trip to the vet is necessary before you travel with your cat. Once again, check your destination country so you know what your vet must do to prove the health of your cat. And another thing, you must know whether verification from your vet will suffice, or do you need further endorsements from an APHIS vet, credited by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)? Vets in the USA are licensed in the state they practice in. Vets who are additionally credited by the USDA National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP) have voluntarily completed training to qualify to be an USDA Accredited Veterinarian. Here’s a list, If you do also need a USDA credited veterinarian by state. And here’s a useful guide, if you do need an USDA credited vet.
Does traveling from the USA with your cat, to another country, sound complicated? Well yeah, it is. But I tried to provide information and links to help. Sometimes, our cats MUST travel with us.
finally, here’s a checklist, provided by APHIS, it’s 3 pages, or you can access it this way:
A pet passport is basically a collection of documents verifying your cat’s health. Does my cat need a passport? How do you get one? When do you need it? Turns out, typical of bureaucracies, it’s rather complicated, since it varies according to where you’re traveling to.
Travel with your cat within the USA
Domestic (USA) interstate travel appears lenient. Although, from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) the APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inslection Service) has a list of rules for the state you are traveling to. I suspect this has more to do with livestock, and maybe horses. My experience flying with my cats, was about airline travel policies, not so much APHIS regulations. Nevertheless, the APHIS has all the information you need to travel with your cat domestically.
Hawaii is an exception
Hawaii is the only state that doesn’t have rabies, and they want to keep it that way. There is one port of entry for all animals going to Hawaii, and that is Honolulu. That’s where your cat will be inspected and quarantined. The shortest quarantine is 5 days, which costs $224. To qualify, owners must prepare at least four months in advance:
Pets will need a microchip implanted for identification.
The pet will need a rabies shot and a booster, which can be no less than three months apart and not more than one year apart.
Animals should have passed a blood serum test, with results e-mailed to Hawaii officials by the testing lab. Pets cannot enter the state till 120 days after the blood sample is received by the state.
Hawaii officials must receive a health certificate from the pet’s veterinarian at least 10 days before the animal’s arrival, with all test results and health certificates sent by e-mail to prevent fraud.
At the airport, animal quarantine officials will inspect every incoming pet, check its chip to confirm its identity and release the animal to its owner if everything is in order.
Your cats will be taken from the airplane, by airline personnel, and brought to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility. From the holding facility, twice a day, a van runs from the airport to the Animal Quarantine Station, in Halawa Valley. If you arrive after 3 pm, however, your cat will stay at the airport holding facility, until transferred the next morning to The Halawa Valley station. Once there, your cat is let out of their carrier, and placed in indoor kennels. Fresh water is provided, but owner must request food.
If you are able to provide all documentation and microchip verification 10 days BEFORE you and your cat(s) arrive, you might avoid any quarantine, and have your cat released at the airport.
Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Animal Quarantine Station
99-951 Halawa Valley Street
Aiea, Hawaii 96701-5602
Phone: (808) 483-7151
Once at your destination, anywhere in the USA, If something happens necessitating medical attention for your cat, this may be useful, the American Animal Hospital Association. It helps you find accredited hospitals by state. Hopefully, your cat will never need this.
next: Does my cat need a passport for international travel?
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