Moving my cat from London to LA

[Martin + Amie 0]

i wanted to share my experience with everyone about flying from london heathrow to lax with my 6 month old kitten. When I was getting ready to fly with her I was very nervous and couldn't find enough information on it. So here's my story! It's very detailed but I hope it helps! I am the USC and I was moving back home first without my fiance to get everything settled for him when he arrives.

I flew home about 2 weeks ago (Dec 14) just after all the carry-on baggage drama started to settle down (thank god!). I bought a "sherpa bag" online from target.com and had my mom mail it to me in london. I bought it for $40 from target while selffridges was charging 70 GBP! Fortunately my cat is still small so she had plenty of room in the medium size bag. I can't imagine how tight a full-grown cat would be in those bags. I also purchased some puppy training pads to put in her bag in case she had an accident on the 11 hour flight. I tried to put her in the bag as much as possible before we left so she could get used to it. I don't really think it helped though!

As I said before, my cat is only 6 months old and she had only received one vaccination. She did not have a microchip, rabies vaccination, or any type of blood work done before we left. I read carefully online that cats are only required to have a vet's certificate of health to fly and nothing else. So I spent 75 GBP (argh!) on her "health certificate" which was really just a cheap, photocopied piece of paper with her name filled in on it. Total rip off if you ask me.

We got to the airport and I had to pay another 70 GBP excess baggage fee for her to fly in the cabin with me. (Note: I found that United is the only airline to allow pets in the cabin on flights out of heathrow.) The check-in desk lady then told me I had to take my cat down to some lower part of the airport to have her carrier security screened. Then they said someone would bring my cat up to my gate and I could pick her up once I cleared the security line. I thought this part was really weird. I had to follow this United worker guy into the employee area and down a million barren concrete corridors. I was already paranoid and this was making it much worse. We finally stopped at this warehouse-looking area and he told me to wait while he found the machine he needed. All i kept thinking was, how unprofessional is this? they have to take me down to this dungeon just because I have a cat? So he finally returned with this dust-buster hand-held vacuumm-looking machine. He turned it on and begin vaccumming the entire outside surface area of her carrier (with her still inside of it!) I would say this freaked her out the most. He finished and then went to go check the results. I assumed he was testing for explosive residue or something. He then said the carrier was fine and that I was supposed to leave her there with him. I was very hestitant because it just seemed so shady. I eventually gave in and left to try to make my way back through the maze of hallways to the normal airport and check-in desk.

So I got through security, blah blah blah, and ended up at my gate. I asked the man behind the desk if my cat was there for me to pick up. Of course she wasn't. He then had to call and find her. I couldn't be feeling more guilty at that point. We had been separated for about an hour and half. About 15 mins later he brought her to me. And she was still alive! I was so happy. While we were waiting to board, people started to take notice of my carrier. They would look inside and ask me the same question over and over: "You're allowed to bring cats on the plane???" Most people were surprised.. and not in a good way

We finally got on the plane and I had a window seat next to an old man. I sat down and I tried to stuff the carrier under the seat in front on me except I had one of the seats with a metal box right in the middle of my foot space. So I kind of started freaking out. I could not fit her carrier under the seat and it was too massive for me to leave it on my lap. The flight was completely full so I couldn't move anywhere either. Miracleously, after ages of pushing and pulling I got the carrier to fit right under my legs, going east to west instead north to south under the seat in front of me. I barely had like 10 centimeters of space for my legs to fit over her carrier and then under the seat in front of me. I had no idea how I was going to last for 12 hours of this. And there was no way I could get the carrier in and out easily. I was praying that she didn't make a mess of any sort.

We took off and I was half expecting her to start crazy meowing or something. But she was perfectly still and quiet. I couldn't believe it. After an hour, she was still quiet. And she hadn't peed or anything. I was so paranoid! I kept imagining everyone on the plane glaring at me because I brought a crazy loud cat on board or even worse, if people noticed she went to the bathroom! (I didn't feed her anything a full ten hours before the flight just to make sure she had nothing to pee or poop out!)

So besides my legs cramping up, everything continued going smoothly. After a couple of hours, I thought it was so weird that she was so quiet. I couldnt even feel her move. So then I started getting scared that she was so nervous she was going to have a heartattack and die on the plane! Every twenty mins I would put my hand in the bag and make sure she was still alive. Yah, I am really paranoid. We finally passed the 8 hour mark and I was completely astonished that she hadn't made one move yet. Nothing during 8 hours on a plane! I couldnt believe my good luck. But I knew I still had ages to go.

When we landed at LAX I thought I was going to die of happiness! After almost 12 hours of being cramped like sardines we got off the plane. Nothing ever happened. I just couldn't believe it. Even I had to go to the bathroom at least twice. Yet, she didn't even make a sound! But now came another hurdle - clearing US customs. I went through the line and I set my carrier down hoping the officer wont notice there was an actual living animal in my bag. He blankly looked at my passport, stamped it, and I quickly moved through. Score! One down, one to go. I got my luggage and moved on to the declarations part. I had checked the box on the customs form where it says something like, "are you bringing live animals or meat". The officer looks at it and then looked at me like I was a blond idiot for checking the box. He then asks, "why did you check this? are you bringing meat here or something?" I say "no, i have a cat in this bag". He seemed shocked. Then I started worrying more. He sent to me to an empty screening area where there were 3 officers just chatting to each other, not really bothered about searching people. I told the officers, "i have a cat". one of them casually got up and looked at me, and asked if i had any cat food with me. Cat food? That's what he's asking me? I thought they were going to have a vet examine my cat to make sure she was healthy and all he wants is the cat food? i told him i had some dry cat food in a ziploc baggy in my purse and that i also had about 10 wet food pouches in my checked luggage. He asked for the dry food baggy and then tossed it in the trash. He said I cannot bring dry cat food into the country. I say no problem, and wait there for them to examine me further. He then told me I was done and i could leave. I couldn't believe it! He didn't even LOOK inside the carrier! I quickly gathered my stuff and rushed out of there before he could change his mind.

We got to my parents house and she adapted very quickly. We have been here about two weeks now and she is fully back to normal. It seems the trip was much more stressful for me than her! So to sum everything up, just be prepared for everything you can think of. But overall, traveling with a cat is far less difficult than i antipicated. No one ever asked to see her "certificate of health", no one ever took her out of her carrier to examine her, no one even noticed she was on the plane with us at all, and no one hassled us at customs either. i think the worst part was the cost of getting her ready to fly and the lack of leg room. So if you can afford it, UPGRADE!!!! you will thank me!!

Amie

[Mags 112]

I brought my two cats over on Delta (in cabin) and had no problems. They have to remove the cats from you at the departure airport to x-ray the carriers, nothing more.

It was, IMO, a very stress free experience for both me and my cats. Easy peasey. Quite a few people here on VJ have done the "in cabin" thing too.

Edited December 30, 2006 by mags

[Girona40 0]

I brought my dog and chinchilla from England into Dulles. They traveled in the hold of the plane though. I don't think my nerves could have stood it if I'd have had a cat with me. Just reading your post, I could feel the tension and worry you went through, just in case she pee'd or did anything to upset anyone on the plane. I think you did a great job and seems like your cat didn't stress it at all. Well Done!

[ladybutterfly 0]

Glad you got your cat over safe and sound, sounds quite stressful though with all the worry! lol. I brought my two dogs over from London to LAX a year ago and you are right, they never checked the health certificate or anything!

[Aphidfreak 0]

Just FYI

Rabies vaccinations are required by most states, check witht he state in THE FIRST PORT OF CALL not your final destiantion.

Untited no longer allow animals as carry on. Most airlines do not allow animals at all these days. Do not think it is always going to be this easy getting your cat here- My plane happened to land in Texas, and I had the forseight to call the texas officails- and was told that the animal most CERTAINLY would require a rabies vaccination, and furthermore that the vaccination must be at LEAST 30 days old.

If I had arrived with the cat, no rabies shot, they would have A. Quarantined her at my expense B. shipped her back at my expense or C. make me sign an affidafid that sas I will get her vaccinated within 30 days. So you can see there was a 2 out of three chance that cat wasnt coming with me. I left her here in the end.

[Mags 112]

Just FYI

Rabies vaccinations are required by most states, check with he state in THE FIRST PORT OF CALL not your final destination.

Untited no longer allow animals as carry on. Most airlines do not allow animals at all these days. Do not think it is always going to be this easy getting your cat here- My plane happened to land in Texas, and I had the forseight to call the texas officails- and was told that the animal most CERTAINLY would require a rabies vaccination, and furthermore that the vaccination must be at LEAST 30 days old.

If I had arrived with the cat, no rabies shot, they would have A. Quarantined her at my expense B. shipped her back at my expense or C. make me sign an affidafid that sas I will get her vaccinated within 30 days. So you can see there was a 2 out of three chance that cat wasnt coming with me. I left her here in the end.

Wrong, wrong wrong.

I have spoken directly with the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine National Center for Infectious Diseases (see my copy of one of their emails below) AND the state Veterinarians for my State (and my POE state). If coming from the UK (where there is NO rabies) you do NOT need a valid rabies vaccination. You can get one done once you have reached the state you will be residing in. In fact, for felines, there are MINIMAL requirements for bringing them over into the USA.

I.E. You get to your new home and within a few days make an appointment with your local vet to get the shots done.

Aphidfreak ~ You were either told the wrong information or the regulations have changed since you applied for DCF. I brought my two cats over IN CABIN (as many others have done on VJ) only last month.

Dear Ms. ****,

We are glad to reassure you that there is no quarantine for cats entering the United States, nor are there entry requirements for rabies vaccinations, microchips, or health certificates. Cats are subject to examination at the port of entry to rule out any zoonotic diseases (diseases that can be transmitted to humans) and may require veterinary medical examination, treatment, and/or quarantine if they appear ill.

Although cats are not subject to rabies vaccination regulations, once they have entered the country all pet cats are also subject to state and local vaccination requirements, links to which are found at this website: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/sregs/

Also you should inquire of your air carrier about any requirements they may have for your animals during transit.

We hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

Division of Global Migration and Quarantine National Center for Infectious Diseases

Edited January 1, 2007 by mags