We live overseas and are relocating to U.K. in the summer. I have an elderly cat - he’s a rescue, so don’t know his exact age, but think at least 14. He’s on blood pressure tablets and medication for struvite crystals in his bladder - which means he has periodic episodes of incontinence, and he’s on a special diet. The vet also thinks he is going senile. He shouts all the time if he is left alone.
The U.K. has banned the import of “commercial pets” from this country (it was a source of rescue dogs and cats). No airline will fly him direct to U.K. as a result of this, despite the fact that he’s my pet. There are companies that drive to U.K. with animals, but due to the market for rescue pets drying up, these are now limited and infrequent. They also take 3-4 days, and I am not sure they would take an animal on medication.
He is my best cat, and I am his human. I am stressing because I don’t know how I am going to get him home, or if a stressful journey for him is the right thing to do. He’s not in pain (as far as we can tell), but is obviously not going to get any better. My dilemma is, do I put him through the stress of a long journey back to U.K. or should I consider “putting him to sleep” before we leave. I love him so much, I can’t bear the thought of life without him, but equally don’t want to cause him any more stress. We’ve even looked at chartering a private plane to fly him back, but the cost is prohibitive.