Should I took my cat with me?

Question

I want to travel but my cat would stay alone. I could give him to my mother but Butter would argue with me on that =) Should I took him to Argentina or not?

Anonymous · Answer

First of all, you can't 'took' your cat anywhere. You may 'take' him places.
My recommendation is to leave the cat at home because of safety reasons.

Ann Marie Hoff · Answer

I have a cat, Samson, that models and is an adventure cat. He just turned 3 and has been to Orlando, Mrytle Beach, Portland, Phoenix, Kansas City, Los Vegas, Twin Cities, San Diego, Los Angeles and we live in Tucson ! I trained Sam to travel with me, and he is great travelling either by car or plane.

If I was leaving for ANY longer amount of time I would bring Sam with me. He doesn't get upset travelling, loves people (he has his therapy cat certification). I think it is absurd that people think cats aren't capable of travel.

If he would have to get shots, or be in quarantine, I would have to talk that over with him. Or if there was an illness in the place we would be visiting that could be deadly to Sam.

It also depends why your cat is with you. If their purpose is to support you, they may just leave instead of waiting around for you to return. If they arent attached to you in that way, maybe leaving them with someone else is okay.

This is where Animal Communicators come in. You can ask your cat what they want, and ask if they would put up with different situations you are going to put them in. There is also medication you can give your cat when you fly. I havent done it with Sam but have recommended to other clients with good results.

By the way, I would NEVER fly a cat in baggage. They aren't safe there.  
If you want to know more about animal communication, go to my website; AnnHoff.com

Solangia · Answer

The earlier poster's point about length and style of travel (eg homes vs. hotel rooms etc) is exactly on point.

But it is also worth pointing out the positives of bringing your furry friend.  I moved overseas for a number of years.  I had two young, adorable dogs who were quickly and enthusiastically adopted by some cousins.  I also had a middle-aged cat who wasn't as coveted a pet, so I brought him with me.

I am so glad I did!  Even though he did end up in a rather lengthy quarantine (bad planning on my part-- it could have been much shorter if I planned his veterinary tests more strategically), visiting him every day, and later having him at home was a HUGE comfort.  I was feeling a little homesick and disconnected for the first several months, but he was a link back to home for me and for my son.

I know this was the right decision for him as well.  Because he was older, it would have been harder on him to adapt to life with a relative (if I'd had one who was willing -- I didn't) or, heaven forbid, an unknown adopter from a pet shelter if he was lucky enough to be adopted.

Many years later, I moved back to the US and that cat had long since passed away, but I had acquired a new dog and two cats.  All three are enjoying life as American pets now.

Madam Clanks when she walks · Answer

There's a lot unsaid here:  how long is the trip?  Three weeks or three years? I move internationally every three years and take my 8-pound dog everywhere.  Just about everywhere you're going to live has a vet; everyone has pets.

If it's a short trip, the paperwork and costs will be overwhelming; you have to have a USDA-certified vet fill out a   form and then go to the actual USDA office to get the certificate you need, no more than 10 days in advance, with the plane reservation in hand (whether in baggage or in cabin), with all the import paperwork needed in Brazil.  You also may have to have a rabies titer test, which is only done in one lab in the US and takes more than 30 days to get results.  If in baggage, you need a hard kennel; in cabin, a soft one.   What's the weather?  Is the flight embargo on yet, or not?  What airline are you using?  Does Brazil let  pets come in cabin, or do they have to go baggage or cargo?

Are you going to be in a home for this time?  Or a hotel room?  Many hotels will say no.  Some rentals will as well.  There's a lot to think about if you do this, so think carefully.  Will you be there with her every evening?  Or will you have social engagements?  You can do this if she is that important to you.  But think about it.

Courtney Klein · Answer

Honestly, I'ma go with no, and that's largely for the health and safety of your cat.

Traveling is EXTREMELY hard on felines, and an unfortunate portion of stowed cats don't make it to their final destination alive. I've known of people who use their cat as their 'personal item' and take 'em on board, but there are complications there, too - not the least of which is finding a flight where you can actually take them. Additionally, care for Butters once you GET to Argentina may also be an issue. Food, bedding, emergency health care. Humans should be up to date on a mess of vaccines before traveling (Hep A and B, typhoid, yellow fever, rabies, MMR, TDAP, shingles, chickenpox, pneumonia, influenza, meningitis, and polio I believe are the current hit list for Argentina - all pretty routine) and many of these ailments can affect your pet, as well. Vaccinations for them, however, aren't nearly as routine AND they're uncomfortable for your pet. While we, as people, can handle being shot up with several things at once, this can cause complications for animals (including death), who are generally only given one or two things over the course of a few years.

Cats, too, aren't always great at change. Moving from one home to another can be an incredibly difficult event for a cat and causes a lot of stress. Moving around a whole bunch, the way one generally does on vacation, will only make that worse. Add into that the new sights, smells, altitude, environment, so on and so on and it's a recipe for a kitty break down.

Should I took my cat with me?

You're invited.

See what women are sharing on Fairygodboss.