Taking beloved CAT!

[Guest Leanne]

Hi Everyone!

To all those who have already made the move and have taken a beloved pet with them... I'm wondering if I can have some advice/reassurance..?

 

I have to say I am DREADING taking my gorgeous cat with us, because I'm terrified that the travelling and quarantine will just break his heart! I know that sounds dramatic, but he's more like a dog than a cat, very attached to us. I'm worried he would go buzzerk in transit and make himself ill/hurt himself (he used to go buzzerk in the cat carrier when taken to the vets, I now have to have him on my knee and my husband drive!). I wish I could just have him with me on the plane! It's awful having no control over it all if you know what I mean.

Then the Quarentine... (even the word sends shivers!) he's soo affectionate and loving and attached (more like a dog), he won't understand where we are and that its just temporary, I'm worried it would traumatise him and change him forever, especially if he's not treated well.. dramatic again I know! How are they treated in transit and in particular Quarentine.. are they cuddled at all in Quarentine..? Or just fed and ignored..?

 

I'm getting to the point where I'm looking into rehoming him, which would break my heart, but I'm not sure which is the lesser of the two... taking him and risking the negative affects it may have on him vs. letting someone else care for him in the UK.

 

Am I being silly, or am I right to worry..?

I'd be really interested to hear what other peoples experiences have been of taking pets with them.

Thanks in advance, sorry for the panicked rant,

Leanne

[snifter]

I don't think you are being silly, but I do think you are perhaps worrying overly. You are putting your human emotions on to a cat and they don't think or feel like we do. Its easy to forget or not recognise this as we love our pets and of course think of them as family. But they will not be thinking they same as us.

 

OK he might not like his pet carrier, but a crate for shipping is slightly different. Also you can use those herbal solutions to spray on bedding etc which can have a calming effect on them. Generally once they are in and gotten over their grumpiness at being in a smaller space they apparently tend to bed down and snooze the flight away. Its very different to being in a pet carrier going in the car to the vet. They of course associate that experience with the vet and generally most animals are not impressed with being taken there. I know many cats turn from fluff balls into demon hell cats when taken to the vet but when going into a cattery cope fine, eat well, are settled well enough and return home after 2 weeks on holiday.

 

I cannot comment on quarantine but I hear very good things about the one in Melbourne.

 

Also be aware it is possible the regulations for pet shipping from the UK may change in the not too distant future and the period of time needed to be spent in quarantine may drop from 30 days down to a shorter stay provided all the bloodwork/paperwork and requirements have been met. Although this is not definite and may well remain at 30 days. But worth keeping an eye on.

 

Perhaps give Bob from Pet Air a shout? They have a forum over on our sister site, PIO. He may be able to reassure you.

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/shipping-pets-ask-pet-air/

 

Also depending on when you are planning to depart, make sure your bloodwork for your cat is up together and the rabies jabs etc are done well within the time frame needed to only spend the minimum 30 days in quarantine.

[Guest deardos]

Leanne,

 

We are also taking our cats (x3) and had the same deliberations as you. Costly and emotionally draining but we cant bare leaving them behind. He have a problem with housing them over here as we have sold the house and furniture gone, so nobody will house 3 cats so we will have to look into a long term cattery. Till march .....

 

We dont want to stress them out ... but we dont want to be selfish ...

 

I bonus is that quarentine rules are changing at the beginning of the year, (but still has to be clarified) down to 10 days

[Toni]

We've had two cats for a while now. A few years ago we had "Jimmy" (who has passed away) and my current cat Anna and they didn't like each other very much and we had to be careful that we didn't leave them in the same room. We took Jimmy and Anna to a Cattery when we went away on holiday for a week and when we came back Anna was quite vocal and demonstrative about her disklike of being in the cattery. She took a swipe at me and I had to make it up to her for the next few days. Poor dear, she suffered in there, you know and how dare I go on holiday without her. Jimmy on the other hand got quite "depressed" about being in there. They did treat him well and went in and spoke to him and patted him etc but as they described it he "withdrew into himself" and they made sure to give him extra attention and extra food treats. They even have some treats that stimulate their appetite. My cats are part of my family and they "talk" to me every day and I couldn't imagine being without them. I personally think that you should bring your cat with you. It will be hard for both of you but you will be able to make it up to him when he comes over on this side. There are a lot of people on here who bring their pets with them and I think you should check out which "Pet Movers" will go the extra mile to make your pet's trip over here more comfortable. Talk to the pet companies and hear what they have to say because if they are worth their 2 cents then they will have pet lovers working for them who understand what you are feeling. I hear that the quarantine people are excellent with the pets that are brought over here. He will miss you but I think that he will miss you more if you leave him there. Pets are forgiving, I know because mine are (eventually). My cats are a bit twisted....they hiss and cuss when we do something they don't like but then they are remorseful and the cutest, cuddliest kitties. (They were abandoned kittens and we got them at a very young age and so their manners have been slow to develop). Good luck, look at the bigger picture of you being settled here with you family (including your pets of course).

[Guest Leanne]

I love this forum, its been a godsend so far in dealing with our various worries and questions!

Thanks to everyone for sending your thoughts and experiences about moving pets! I do feel a teeny weeny bit better about dragging my poor furry boy with us and how fantastic it would be if they do reduce the quarantine time to 10 days - fingers crossed!!!!!!!

Its very reassuring to hear that the animals are treated well in quarantine and I shall hunt for a caring pet moving company for sure!

Thanks again everyone! (Winky (daft name, long story!!) says thanks too, he's on my knee as we speak)

 

x

[Guest Leanne]

QUOTE He will miss you but I think that he will miss you more if you leave him there. Pets are forgiving,

 

Thanks Kris, really appreciate that, you are right! bless their hearts x

[moggies2]

Hi Leanne

We took our two cats to NZ from the UK a few years ago when they were both 14 and they were fine. There wasnt any quarantine but it was a very long way and I was very nervous for them but they do sleep for most of the journey and time doesnt mean much to cats! We brought them over to Australia in 2010 and they coped with that too. We knew we probably only had two years more with them both and as long as they were with us they would be fine. Sadly we dont have either of them now due to cancer but we dont regret bringing them over to NZ or to Australia. They are more resilient than dogs and are well looked after on the trip. I'm sure he will get a lot of extra cuddles and treats when he is back with you!

best wishes

Mariane

[Guest ed999]

We brought our 2 cats over. One is generally very nervous and we were similarly worried about her during during transit. In the end they were both fine and seem to enjoy it here now ->http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/adelaide-photos/31966-spiders-sa-3.html

Cats forget quicker than we do.

[Guest Shandalina]

Hi Leanne,

 

Try PetAir - we are going to be using them in Jan 2013 for my cat and had really good feedback to date. Quarantine is in Melbourne.

 

Cheers

Shan

 

 

 

I love this forum, its been a godsend so far in dealing with our various worries and questions!

Thanks to everyone for sending your thoughts and experiences about moving pets! I do feel a teeny weeny bit better about dragging my poor furry boy with us and how fantastic it would be if they do reduce the quarantine time to 10 days - fingers crossed!!!!!!!

Its very reassuring to hear that the animals are treated well in quarantine and I shall hunt for a caring pet moving company for sure!

Thanks again everyone! (Winky (daft name, long story!!) says thanks too, he's on my knee as we speak)

 

x