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[mdwlark]

Crazy question, but I'm serious.  I'm about to apply for jobs in Europe--probably UK and Germany.  If I get one, can I take my cat?   Are there added expenses, hang-ups in customs, laws against, etc.   

[the_walrus]

For the UK, at least, since 2004, there's apparently a way to bring dogs and cats into the country without having them pass through quarantine. 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm

I've got my fingers crossed that all will go well with me and my two dogs...

[euro_ir_nerd]

For Germany, maybe this page by the customs authority will provide some guidance:
http://www.zoll.de/english_version/faq/a0_passenger_traffic/d0_pets/index.html

[expatinuk]

If you want to bring your animals into the UK make sure you do the chipping early. I believe that it has to be done 6 moths prior to your move.

Good luck.

[wegie]

If you want to bring your animals into the UK make sure you do the chipping early. I believe that it has to be done 6 moths prior to your move.

Good luck.

All chipping and testing must be done at least six months prior to the move, and (fairly obviously) the animal must not travel in the interim to a country not covered by the PETS scheme. Oh, and you're pretty limited as to the carriers who can ship the pet, as well.

[uksquirrel]

Plus you might want to check that your little fuzzy guy is not one of the breeds of cat which are 'protected' in some way - apparently there are some which the US and/or UK authorities classify as being close to wild animals and that can really hamper the process of transporting them unless you have some kind of family tree for them going back several generations.  Sorry not to be more precise but there was a story in the Grauniad here in UK about just such a scenario, US to UK, where one partner in an academic couple ended up going back to the States to live with the 'wild cat' pet who couldn't leave while his wife finished her fellowship here.

[porcupine]

I've moved internationally twice in three years with two cats. It is expensive (roughly like paying for an extra plane ticket per cat, though the little fuzzy guy is of course priceless!), but I would really encourage you to give it your best shot to make it work. I have absolutely loved having my cats with me, and they travel very well, much to my surprise and considerable relief.

The DEFRA site mentioned above includes an email address - I've had good responses from the people there. The sooner you get started on the process, the easier it all is. Your cat will need an ID microchip as well as the usual vaccinations and paperwork.

If you hire a specialist pet removal company, it will be a bit more expensive than arranging everything yourself, but I've found this takes most of the stress and worry out of the whole experience. International moving is stressful and unpredictable enough, and I do recommend you hire a professional company. During my first move I ended up being in transit and basically out of touch for three days, during which time my cats' international flight was cancelled, upsetting transport arrangements in the new country - but the pet remover was easily able to rearrange their travel on my behalf, and everything was sorted out before I even made it to my new location. I used a company  called World Care Pet, and they were wonderful.

One last thing: you'll probably need to have a new address organized before you leave the US, as you'll need an address to which your cat can be delivered.

[qrypt]

Here's a site for advice on making this process work:

http://freespace.virgin.net/passports.forpets/

There are lots of details one has to get right.  It's not an impossible process, but it's the sort of thing where you can't make assumptions about how it works.  For example, even though many airlines allow you to take a cat as carry-on, that is not allowed for this process - you have to throw mountains of money at one of the official carriers.  If you remember that Britain is essentially a Stalinist country, you'll be fine. 

[mdwlark]

These answers are all so helpful!  The guy senses somethings up because I'm packing.   Thank you all.  No word on jobs, some I'm counting my chickens.   

[mdwlark]

He is a standard American Tabby.  I hope that is not a wild animal.  He was purchased at a pet store, but the pet store is out of business and I don't have the receipt. 

[porcupine]

Yep, he'll guess there's something up when he sees all those cardboard boxes! Mine always try and pack themselves in the boxes - they like cardboard...

I don't think your little guy counts as a wild animal, but you could always check with your vet or with the DEFRA people. Better to know in advance.

Good luck with the job search!

[falada]

I brought my cat to the UK from the US a little over a year ago, so I can offer the following advice if you go to Britain:

1. Keep the six-month rule uppermost in your mind; you've got to wait six months from a successful rabies test (not the initial injection) before you'll be allowed to bring him over.

2. Chipping and inoculation have to take place in a specific order so check with Defra on that. Also make sure that he gets both a brand of chip and a vaccination strain that are Defra-approved.

3. Make sure you have the sample tested at an approved lab; when I moved my cat, there was only one approved lab in the US and I believe it was in Kansas - the Defra website has a list.

4. Take the carrier size rules seriously; I have a large cat and arrived at the airport with a carrier that didn't allow him sufficient space according to their rules. Luckily I was able to trade mine in for a dog crate they had laying around, but it cost me much more for the freight.

5, If you are traveling on a connecting flight, make sure all airlines you use and all hubs the cat will pass through are approved by Defra; I didn't have this problem as I was flying straight from New York, but I know people who have had to drive many miles to get to an approved airport because their local airport was not part of the approved carrier route.

6. Don't forget the final vet check. I thought I had everything together, made a checklist, was very careful, but found out when I landed at Heathrow that the paperwork was supposed to be signed not only by my own vet, but by an USDA-approved vet as well. Luckily the holding place at Heathrow had such a vet on hand to go over the paperwork, but it cost me another £60.

7. Don't take any word but Defra's as the final word on the rules. Airlines and local vets are NOT the best place to go for information; even BA gave me mistaken info at one point.

8. Beware traveling during hot months. Many airlines will not carry animals in the hold if the temperature rises above a certain point.

9. For your own peace of mind, if it's at all possible, travel to the airport with a friend you can trust who will take responsibility for the cat if something goes wrong and he can't get on the flight. That way you can sort it out later knowing the cat is safe.

Sorry for the length; this might sound nuts but moving the cat was the most stressful part of our move. Getting my own paperwork in order was a walk in the park compared to that nightmare. If I ever have to do this again, I'm hiring a pet removal company, even if it means I have to eat Spam for a year to save up the dosh.

[brummagem]

I'm pretty sure it's just Bengal cats that have special requirements.

I moved two cats from the US to the UK recently and I agree with falada that this aspect of moving to Britain was by far the most stressful.

In addition to the carrier size rules, pay close attention to the other carrier specifications. I purchased carriers that were included on a list provided by British Airways World Cargo, and that included tags indicating their readiness for int'l air travel, but failed to notice that ventilation holes were only on three sides (not four, as required). Like falada, I was able to pick up some used carriers at the airport (this happens all the time, apparently).

Also, Defra requires an official third country certificate, which my vet refused to fill out, insisting that the form they use works for every country. When I arrived in Manchester it became clear that indeed I really was meant to have the official third country certificate (available on the USDA website). The lovely man at the pet facility allowed me to fill it out and staple to the signed form, but it was a pain for him and for me. The lesson here is that vets (even those, like mine, that are accredited and do not require an additional vet signature) don't necessarily know about the intricacies of moving pets to the UK either. And if you do not do everything correctly, there is a chance that your pet will be quarantined until it's worked out, which is horrible and expensive. Go through the check list a million times.

Mine are happily settled in now, probably developing Brummie miaows.

[cattoys]

My cat was chipped by our vet when she was a kitten, which is standard where I live in the US. Does anyone who did this process know if those regular ID chips count, or would I have to get a whole other chip put in?

Kitty is also up to date on her rabies shots, which are all done and recorded post-chipping. So...does that count, or do we have to do all these things over again? I read the DEFRA site in detail, but it has no provision for the possibility that one's pet is already chipped.

[expatinuk]

Just check the UK website to make sure that the chip use is the one that is required. Do NOT do NOT do NOT NOT NOT NOT try and bend any rules when dealing with the UK.

They don't bend.