11532 Transporting my cat.

We had our cat microchipped and got her a pet passport and then put her in a large dog cage with a litter tray, food and water and drove her to Italy. She actually slept most of the time! She slept in the boot of the car outside the window of the hotel in France where we had to stay overnight, and then she slept for the rest of the journey! When we arrived we shut her inside the house for two days, and then let her go out and explore. That was five years ago, and she is still an extremely happy cat out here! I would certainly do this method again because she was not stressed because she could hear us in the car.

Try, [url=http://www.airpets.com/]AIRPETS Heathrow - Pet Travel Specialists[/url]
We used them four years ago for three cats and they were very good. Collected from our home in the UK. Had a vet check them out before travelling, put them in special crates (which we saw and were very good).

Good luck with the house purchase!

Hi Mick
I brought my 17 year old cat from Gatwick to Naples in October.
I used a very reasonably priced and good company.
[URL="http://www.jetsetpets.co.uk"]www.jetsetpets.co.uk[/URL]
The lady called Gill was so kind and helpful,especially as my cat was very old.
They deliver the cage to your home in advance (if you need a new one one)
I took her to Gatwick myself,and we flew on the same plane.
You should pay 2 weeks in advance,but will help out if it is needed quicker.
They also send all the documentation you need, to you in advance.
I just had to arrange her Passport, and "fitness to fly" 2 days before the actual flight.
Do give their site a look. I really found them very good.
Any more info...please ask.

You can do it yourself and save alot of money, much as durobird has explained but no middle man, there are previous threads on the forum to search on this subject. We flew Gatwick Bologna with our 2 cats 3 years ago with BA, and then drove down to our home in Marche.The cats went as baggage in a special hold, BA were very helpful with my incessant questions, the cats were my main concern in our move, we all still much enjoy our life here so good luck with your transportation.
What I would say is find a good vet as soon as you arrive, we had an emergency with Oscar a few weeks after we arrived and the guy was horrid, so ask around the forum for a good one near you.
A

[quote=mammamia;109183]We had our cat microchipped and got her a pet passport and then put her in a large dog cage with a litter tray, food and water and drove her to Italy. She actually slept most of the time! She slept in the boot of the car outside the window of the hotel in France where we had to stay overnight, and then she slept for the rest of the journey! When we arrived we shut her inside the house for two days, and then let her go out and explore. That was five years ago, and she is still an extremely happy cat out here! I would certainly do this method again because she was not stressed because she could hear us in the car.[/quote]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]There was a recent thread about transporting dogs and similar applies here. If you have no intention of the cat returning to the UK you do not need passport etc to go out of the UK only in. If you drive find a pet friendly hotel. We have one we use just off the motorway near Strasbourg. Our dogs stay in the room with us - they even said we could bring them into the restaurant if we wanted!! No way - they would go begging at every table. We always use Eurotunnel then we are in the car with them for that part of the journey as well. They too sleep for most of the journey. [/FONT]

I beg to differ with the last message.
My cat was not coming back to the UK. (Far too old) She still had to be microchipped and have a Passport, and have a "fitness to travel" exam 2 days before the journey.
The rabies shot must be done,in order to get a passport,and you must wait 3 weeks before they can then travel. But there is no need to have the blod test confirming the rabies shot,or have boosters if your animal is not returning.
If they are returning,you must wait 6 months before leaving after the rabies shot.
Possibly by car you MAY get away with it....BUT would you risk being turned back on the journey?

I agree with durobird, this is why the EU Pet Passport was created, to allow free transit of pets within the EU. It is not only for pets returning or entering the UK. Chances are you are not going to be asked to present the passport: however, you would be in big trouble if they do. More information here:
[url=http://rome.angloinfo.com/countries/italy/pettravel.asp]Pet Travel & Moving to Italy with Animals - AngloINFO Rome (Italy)[/url]
It also gives you the DEFRA link. If in doubt, ask them.

I found this in Italian

[url=http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/citizen/my_holidays/animals_it.htm]EUROPA - Consumatori - Informazioni per i consumatori - Le Mie Vacanze - Viaggiare con gli animali[/url]

So it looks as if it is a pan-European thing, rather than just involving the UK. (Must now read the link and discover how 'obbligatorio' this stuff is - it is a surprise to me!)

Regarding transporting the cat - I completely agree with those posters who say carry it in the car with you if you are driving!

Reading a further link (this time in English but from the same source) you DO NOT have to microchip the animal (until 2013, except for UK Ireland and Malta) if it is identifiable by a tattoo. I don't know if vets tattoo cats, though. [url]http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/qanda_en.htm[/url]

[quote=Charles Phillips;109467]

Reading a further link (this time in English but from the same source) you DO NOT have to microchip the animal (until 2013, except for UK Ireland and Malta) if it is identifiable by a tattoo. I don't know if vets tattoo cats, though. [URL="http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/qanda_en.htm"]EUROPA - Animal Health & Welfare - Live Animals - Pets and non-commercial - Questions & Answers[/URL][/quote]

Presumably L.O.V.E. on one paw and M.I.C.E. on the other?:laughs: Sorry couldn't resist. I dread to think what would have happened if we had driven our 3 (car sick)cats and Doberman Alsation cross down with us:nah:

Wow a trainspotting cat!:laughs:

[quote=Ghianda;109472]I dread to think what would have happened if we had driven our 3 (car sick)cats and Doberman Alsation cross down with us:nah:[/quote]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]One of our dogs gets travel sick driving to the vets (about a mile and a half) yet came all the way to Italy and back and was not sick once. There must be a reason!! :SLEEP: [/FONT]

Our 20 year old stone deaf moggie was living at a friend in the UK & last year we had her shipped out with Alitalia Freight section. Considering her age, frailty & her habit of voiding copious quantities of foul smelling liquid within a mile or two of the commencement of any car journey we decided a flight would be the least distressing for all concerned.
Beamish was given all the jabs, chipped & given a pet passport although we assured our freind those last two weren't needed, then given a pre-flight check shortly before she was put in a large pet carrier with a water bowl & small plastic bottle of water selotaped to the carrier & entrusted to the nice folk at Swissports the people that handle Alitalia Freight at Heathrow. She flew to Rome Leonardo Da Vinci. Cost was £155 plus an unexpected cost of €20(I think) to collect her at Rome. If you have any other animal welfare etc questions then call Heathrow Quarantine who are very helpful.
We researched everywhere & this was by far the cheapest option & it was a direct flight.
If you are as rich as Croesus go for the full service with one of the many companies out there but if you can get a pal to drop the mog at Heathrow & you to collect at Rome then less than £200 plus UK vet bills isn't bad.
We tried to make the trip more worthwhile & had a day & night out in Rome before we collected our mog & got our motor burgled losing the Sat Nav & expensive camera, but that's by the by.
Pilch