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Original poster

Anyone have experience of travelling by ferry from/to Ireland with cat

39 replies

Moln · 18/10/2014 12:41

I'd quite like to travel to stay with my family this Christmas however having recently got a cat there's him to think about also!!

My family would be more than happy for him to come to, and I've no concerns about his staying there but I do about the travel part, seeing I've never done that before and nor has he.

I've checked out both ferry companies and they are currently very similar prices and the only difference appears to be with Irish Ferries there is the option of a kennel (will call them shortly and find out if this is for just dogs) otherwise the cat stays in the car.

Also I have the concern about him being in the travel box for so long and there's food and toileting requirements for him.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has done this and can share their experience with me

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 12:50

Not those particular ferries themselves but I've travelled by other ferries (on longish journeys) with a cat and without incident. I'd suggest that you check out the 'kennel' notion - on at least one ferry I've been on, there was a space with seats and lino floors where you could take a dog (or a cat in a carrying case) but you pretty well had to sit with them throughout. (I don't remembers whether you actually had to sit with them but I wouldn't have left them there alone anyway because the space was fairly open and on these ferries, people sometimes roam around out of boredom.)

cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 12:52

PS - it's useful also to keep an animal under your eye. In most ferries nowadays, you're not allowed to visit the car deck during the journey so you couldn't check on the cat if it was in the car and the journey was long.

Lonecatwithkitten · 18/10/2014 13:15

You are aware that the cat will need a rabies vaccine and a passport to travel to Ireland?

cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 13:18

Gosh - is that just for the Irish Republic or for Northern Ireland also?

3littlewomen · 18/10/2014 13:21

Hi Moln, we have often travelled with our cat from Ireland to the UK via the ferry. We did not use the kennels, finding instead that the cat preferred to be housed in her cat box in a familer car. We brought some none expensive towels which could be disposed off in case of accidents and water to drink. They never wanted to eat on the journey.

It is total nonsense re pet passport and rabies vaccines. Both UK and Ireland are rabies free and pets have free transport across the borders :-)

Lonecatwithkitten · 18/10/2014 13:25

Sorry 3little women there are now passport requirements for The Republic of Ireland see here the only exemption for the Republic of Ireland is that you do not have to use an authorised carrier. Last year regulations were changed to harmonise the whole of the EU to be the same.
So yes you absolutely need a rabies vaccination and a passport for a dog, cat or ferret to travel.

cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 13:26

I'm not so sure about that latter 3littlewomen. Here are the Irish Ferries guidelines.

cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 13:27

Sorry - x post.

Original poster
Moln · 18/10/2014 15:05

Yes know about the requirements though thanks for mentioning it (though rabies does seem crazy seeing Ireland and Britain are rabies free - on a tangent it reminds me of when I was younger years ago and rabies was a theme of many a movie (like zombies now) and the media hysteria about the channel tunnel leading to rabies be rife throughout Britain!)I'm at the vets soon anyway so was planning on talking to her/him then.

There's a video on Irish Ferries re the kennels and they do look like reasonable things - though obviously it all depends on which ferry the video was taken on. Also it will make a difference to there being dogs around, my cat hasn't en countered dogs yet as far as I know.

I was more so asking about the actual logistics of travel, I live in Dublin so travel to the port here would be very short and then it's a 3 and a bit hour ferry journey which will be followed by a 3-4 (if we stop) hour car journey.

3littlewomen did you leave your cat in the box in the car when on the ferry? I was thinking this would be the better option as he might run out on our return if he was let loose.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 15:35

I've done that sort of journey several times and I kept the cat in the carrying box the whole time - I'd do that within the car if I left him there as well. I have got one fairly large carrying crate though and I use that where I can.

Last time I used a ferry, I took the cat up but we had a dog as well - and the cat was Seniorboy who, being a fanatically bonded cat, is more or less of the view that 'Where Mummy is, there's my home'. (Sounds like there ought to be a song there somewhere. Wink)

I'd just treat it as a long car journey, taking food and water/bowls (although he likely won't want to ingest) and having a tray available in the car for use if needed when the car was off-road and stationary. Plus kitchen roll and plastic bags in case of accidents. Etc etc.

It should be no problem.

cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 15:38

PS - he would probably go to sleep if left on the car deck. They're actually quite soothing places with the throb of the engines etc and no people around.

Lonecatwithkitten · 18/10/2014 15:50

The concerns I would have is that the vast majority of cats are very strongly bonded to their territory. So putting them in the car, in cage on a ferry and then in someone else's house asks them to cope with three new territories for a cat.
If I was going to do this I would pretreat with zlykene for 7 ads before the journey, then spray car and carrier 15mins before cat got in and then do the same with ferry kennel. I would take a towel or blanket to cover the front of the ferry kennel to reduce upset from other animal noise.

Totally personally I wouldn't do it with my own cats. I do have one client who cross to mainland Europe with his cat firstly the cat is oriental so bonded to his owner rater than territory and secondly Italy is their second home for they go to familiar territory for a month at a time.

Original poster
Moln · 18/10/2014 15:52

Thanks cozietoesie.

This little guy is only young - I think about 13 weeks right now, so will be about 5 and a half months ish when we travel.

OP posts:
charleybarley · 18/10/2014 15:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Moln · 18/10/2014 15:57

Are you a vet lonecatwithkitten?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 16:00

Maybe take on board what Lone said about the Zylkene etc? I'm lucky in that most of the boys I've travelled with have been Siamese so bonded to me above anything else. (I was even wont to take one of them on (UK) holiday with me and he thought that that was just swimmingly good.)

I suspect that Lone meant to use a Feliway spray on the car inside and carrier etc - have you got any of that around?

cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 16:00

Yes, she is.

charleybarley · 18/10/2014 16:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lonecatwithkitten · 18/10/2014 16:26

Yes I am a vet. Yes Cozie I do mean Feliway not enough sleep and too much animal fixing last night. Living onBrew.

cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 16:29

Hope the animal is OK.

(And its nearly time for Wine so hang on.)

Smile
Lonecatwithkitten · 18/10/2014 16:31

Animals (a very busy night and the end of a week of busy nights) if I have a WineI will fall asleep in my dinner.

Original poster
Moln · 18/10/2014 16:54

I've not heard of Feliway. Shall look it up, though i'm at the vets next week so can chat then

Would you say that a cattery is preferable to travel?

He isn't striking me as an anxious cat, nor does the to the person I look to for advice on having a kitten, she's had many a foster kitten/cat and thinks he's quite the adaptable sort.

OP posts:
TarkaTheOtter · 18/10/2014 16:57

The Irish Ferries fast ferry (Holyhead-Dublin) is 1.5hrs max.

cozietoesie · 18/10/2014 17:06

Would you say that a cattery is preferable to travel?

That's a difficult one. My own boys would go into a despond if I was away from them for more than an overnight so I'm prejudiced a bit but:

Christmas can be a bit hectic so adjusting may be awkward for that reason/doors being left open etc; and

If he's going to be 5 and a half months by then, have you thought about his neutering? Unless you're having it done at, say, 4 months and he's well-recovered by Xmas, he could be coming into his first hormones by that age - and what would happen if he got out and headed for the hills?

How long are you planning to go for?

NameChange30 · 18/10/2014 19:26

Moln how long are you going for?

Personally I would take my cats to a good cattery where they will be comfortable and secure, I think they would be much happier there than having to do a long stressful journey to an unfamiliar place and back.

As your cat is still a kitten he is still getting used to your house and getting confident exploring his surroundings. Personally I wouldn't want to mess that up.

Your choice but whatever you decide he will need to be up to date on his vaccinations (and you'll need to show certificates to a cattery, probably when travelling too). A microchip would be a good idea if he doesn't have one yet. And yes get him neutered, he will be old enough by then.

DH just got two kittens, they're a bit younger (just under 9 weeks) and we're going to stay with his parents in France for a week over Christmas. I'm booking them into a cattery, just need to visit them first!