Anybody taken their cat abroad?

[MrsMills]

We are leaving the U.K. to live in Sweden in January. Oure cats are causing me more problems than the children.

We have 2 cats aged about 12 years and want to take them with us, however it is turning into a minefield of paperwork and I'm beginning to think it's not meant to be. DH says putting them to sleep is not an option but I don't think they can be rehomed easily as they are quite old. I'm worried that they won't be able to cope with the cold over there, though they are more outside cats.

I don't think the children will notice if they're not there with us.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I've known people take their pets to Switzerland with relatively little hassle, and return, but nto done it myself. I understood once you have a pet passport you just need a certificate of good health and fitness to travel issued within so many days of departure.

back in the days before pet passports we took our cat (only 2 at the time) to the west coast of the USA... and then back again for 6 months in quarantine.

No way can I persuade you she had fun, but she was absolutely fine. I think the flight(s) was scary for her but she was her usual self within hours. She had always been an indoor cat though which helped I think.

Are you planning to fly? We had to buy a special wooden box which I had to go pick up from Heathrow. It was about the size of a tea chest.

It was 10 years ago now, but the airline needed a letter from the vet saying she was healthy dated no more than a week previously.

Al the ino need to get your catsa pets passport are
here .
There should be no problem for them to re-enter UK without quarantine later.
I don't know anything about Sweden requirements though.
I have pet passport for my animals, is ureocratic but pretty straightforward. It sounds worst than it really is....

Thanks for all your replies. I've checked out the DEFRA website and a few other too. I've booked in to see our vet on Thursday as there's a bit of conflicting advice.

I think I'm just starting to panic about the whole thing, and am not coping too well!

Just got back from the vets after getting their passports.

£180 bloody hell. Onto that I have to add the actual transportation costs!