How to take a cat abroad?

Purchase tickets

If you have chosen to travel by rail, you do not need to inform the company about the transport of a cat. Veterinary documents are not required for travel, but it is still recommended to have a veterinary passport with you. More information about the rules of travel can be found on the carrier’s website.

If you book air tickets, then the first thing after buying them is to inform the airline of your intention. Animals can only be transported with the consent of the airline. In addition, already at the airport you will have to issue a special ticket for your pet.

All carriers have different requirements for transporting animals. They concern the pets themselves, their size and even breeds. For example, Aeroflot does not allow dogs belonging to brachycephalic breeds to fly (neither in the cabin nor in the luggage compartment). And almost all airlines adhere to a quota for the number of animals carried in the cabin. Thus, the rules of the S7 airline indicate that no more than two pets of non-antagonistic species can be in the cabin at the same time. That is, a cat and a dog are not allowed to be transported on the same flight. Therefore, the sooner you warn the airline about your fellow traveler, the higher the likelihood that he will fly in the cabin with you, if his dimensions allow it.

Veterinary requirements of the country of destination

Even before buying tickets, a few months before departure, you need to check with the consulate of the country where you plan to go, what are the requirements for transporting an animal. Remember that some countries do not allow pets to be imported at all, while others have a quarantine period. For example, animals can be imported into Australia from only a few countries, and Russia is not one of them. 

Documents for leaving Russia

It will be much easier to prepare for the trip for those pet owners whose pets are already microchipped and have an international veterinary passport with all mandatory vaccinations. Otherwise, you will have to devote a little more time and effort to preparing for the trip.

What to do before the trip:

1. Chip the cat. The chip contains a special code that allows you to quickly identify the owner of the animal. Chipping is a prerequisite for traveling to the USA, European Union countries and Australia. It is desirable to make it earlier than vaccination: some countries pay attention to these terms.

2. Get your pet vaccinated. This must be done no later than 1 month before the trip, but not earlier than 12 months. Remember that two weeks before vaccination, the animal is always dewormed. Marks of all vaccinations made to the cat must be recorded in the international passport. This document will be issued to you by any veterinary clinic.

3. Obtain a veterinary certificate form No. 1. Within three days before leaving on a trip, it is required to obtain another document for taking the pet out of the country – this is a veterinary certificate of form No. 1. You can get it at the state or departmental veterinary station. This veterinary certificate is the main identity document of the cat. It contains information about the owner (his first and last name), as well as about the pet itself (his name, gender, age, dates of rabies vaccination and results of tests for worms). It is desirable to prescribe in this document also the route. You will have to arrive at the airport in advance, as you will need to exchange this veterinary certificate for another document – veterinary certificate of international standard.

Sometimes, to export a pet abroad, you may need a certificate of absence of breeding value (license) or a pedigree. A document for the transportation of a cat can be obtained at any felinological club.

It is also important in the process of preparing documents not to forget about the pet itself. Take care of a spacious carrying, the presence of a veterinary first aid kit, a tray and water during transportation. Then your journey will become truly comfortable and enjoyable.

August 11 2017

Updated: October 5, 2018