# What do I do? (Moving Cats Overseas) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 20, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-moving-cats-overseas/149714 "2003-01-20T01:35:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-moving-cats-overseas/149714/1 "2003-01-20T01:35:42Z")
I’ve got a problem, and it’s somewhat a GQ, and somewhat an IMHO question, so… I already live in Germany. I am getting married in July, and my new wife will, of course, be moving over here with me. She has a cat…I also have two cats that are being taken care of by my ex, and I’m taking them after I’m married. Now…I have to figure out a way to get all 3 cats to Germany. Here’s the deal. We are getting married in Ohio. Her cat is in Ohio. No problem there…we can take him on the plane with us. Now the problem. My two cats currently reside in NY state. We are planning on honeymooning in NY state, but we certainly don’t want to haul around her cat during the honeymoon, and we can’t leave her cat and my two cats (early delivery to my fiancee) at her parents, because her parents have a dog…and one of my cats does not get along with dogs. So…these are our options: 1. Vacation in NY…pick up cats in NY, drive back to Ohio after honeymoon and travel with all 3 cats to Germany. - Problems: 6 hour car ride with my cats before sending them on a plane overseas…extremely traumatic for the cats and a major pain in the ass. 1. Find some way to ship the cats overseas without us. - Problems: I don’t like the idea of me not being around with my cats on a 9 hour flight. What would you do, and is there even a safe way to ship my cats to me in Germany? I’m very perplexed here. Remember that we also need to get her cat to us as well, so we can’t just take my two cats at the end of the honeymoon and leave from NY. Plus, I really don’t want to deal with a meeting with my ex on my honeymoon. Any advice? ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-moving-cats-overseas/149714/2 "2003-01-20T02:20:45Z")
Are the cats going to have to be quarantined in Germany? If so, maybe you can send them ahead of you and take your honeymoon during the quarantine period. My husband and I are moving to Australia at the end of this year and will have to put our dog through quite a lengthy program of vaccinations and testing before we ship her. She’ll have a 30 day stay in a quarantine facility once she arrives in Australia. (We’ve actually done all the stuff, because we thought we’d be moving sooner, and now we’ll have to go through all the vaccinations and testing _again_ because her first round isn’t valid anymore. :smack: ) The quarantine people recommended to us that we don’t see our dog after we land in Australia, until she’s settled into quarantine, because they find that it stresses the animals more. You definitely need to contact the German immigration people - they will be able to help you with all the requirements for taking your cats there. In addition, we had to contact the USDA about part of the Australian animal import application, and they provided a list of kennels near LAX that can help with last minute veternary certifications and getting your animal crated and onto the plane. I think these services will even help you if you ship your animals to them (they’ll pick them up at the airport). I’m sure your local USDA office could provide you with a similar list for the airport you’ll be flying out of. It’s pretty expensive to export animals (at least to Aus.). Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-moving-cats-overseas/149714/3 "2003-01-20T02:54:01Z")
No, they do not need to be quarantined…all they need is valid immunization records in German (or accompanied by a certified German translation). But thanks! ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-moving-cats-overseas/149714/4 "2003-01-20T18:54:26Z")
Boarding kennel. Definitely. If it will be cheaper of easier for you to fly out of New York, bring her cat with you and board it. Kitty will have time to recover from the car ride before flying, and you guys don’t have to haul the cat around during your vacation. Otherwise, you could have your two sent to Ohio a few days before you leave and board them. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-moving-cats-overseas/149714/5 "2003-01-20T22:25:28Z")
Depending on the country you are going to, the length of the quarantine, etc etc., your pet is usually better off being given to a friend rather than subjected to the tortures of international travel and quarantine. It tends to be extremely traumatic for the pets. C3, are you sure it’s only a 30 day period? Last time I checked (admittedly, many years ago) it was closer to a 6 month period of quarantine. That’s absolutely cruel for the animal. When we moved employees, we recommended that they leave their pets with a friend or relative at home, rather than subject them to that sort of torment. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-moving-cats-overseas/149714/6 "2003-01-21T00:11:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Australia has a highly favourable animal health status and is free of a number of diseases of cats and dogs. In order to protect this status, your pet is required to undertake a period of quarantine on arrival in Australia. This quarantine period allows the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) to monitor the health of your pet prior to release. The length of the quarantine period is determined by the country of origin. Source: [http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=BEB2AEFE-3A52-48E1-929A2CA3B13296C8](http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=BEB2AEFE-3A52-48E1-929A2CA3B13296C8) I ran a simple check involving importing a dog to Australia from the USA. > [@](#): > > Category 4 - Minimum 30 days quarantine in Australia > > Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Macau, Peninsular Malaysia, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Sabah, Sarawak, Seychelles, Slovenia Republic, South Korea, Spain, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent Grenadin, Saipan, Switzerland (including Liechtenstein), Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, **United States of America** , US Virgin Islands, Uruguay, Yugoslavia Republic (including Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo). Source: [http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=D2C48F86-BA1A-11A1-A2200060A1B01896](http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=D2C48F86-BA1A-11A1-A2200060A1B01896) Australia does not allow the direct importation into Austrlia from most countries. > [@](#): > > Importation of dogs and cats from non-approved countries can only occur indirectly via a country approved by AQIS. Cats and dogs must be continuously resident in an approved country for at least six months prior to export to Australia. If you intend to import an animal indirectly via an AQIS approved country, you must first contact the quarantine service in the approved country to ensure that your dog is eligible for entry. Your animal must meet all of the pre and post-entry quarantine requirements of the approved country. Source: [http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=BAF7FFAC-BD90-4B89-AF11F3F4F232A0C0](http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=BAF7FFAC-BD90-4B89-AF11F3F4F232A0C0) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-moving-cats-overseas/149714/7 "2003-01-21T00:28:56Z")
MUST…RESIST…ANSWERING… I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I hate cats. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-moving-cats-overseas/149714/8 "2003-01-21T02:06:52Z")
Thanks for answering for me, Duckster! 🙂 The quarantine period for dogs coming from the U.S. to Australia was changed fairly recently, I believe. The minimum is 30 days, but that minimum is fairly easy to achieve if you plan ahead. The length of stay in quarantine is based on how far ahead of time you get certain blood tests. If you get them far enough ahead of time, you can minimize the quarantine stay. Also, I’ve spoken with some on-site staff members of the quarantine station, as well as look at the facilities online. In addition, we know two families that imported their dogs from the U.S. to Oz and were satisified with the level of care their animals received. We’re comfortable with AQIS and definitely won’t be leaving our dog behind. It would possibly be different if we were just going for a year, or some other short period, but we’re planning on going for the long-term. Pictures of where my dog will be staying for 30 days: [http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=76BC88BD-9466-484D-BD71429E05F32079](http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=76BC88BD-9466-484D-BD71429E05F32079) And, owners can visit twice a week. Back to cats going to Germany, though…