Cath

I am emigrating in August and have a much loved cat. Is it fair to her to put her through the process of coming with us or should we leave her behind. She is 10 years old. Are there lots of cat lovers in Aus or are they considered to be pests.

Sandy.l

We are also in this predicament, there was a thread a couple of days ago, with lots of information, it will be worth you doing a search on this one. People have posted about licensing, pests and costs involved previously, very useful information that may help you make this painful decision.

sandy

Cath

Thanks Sandy,
I will check that out, Really dont fancy leaving her behind but we are worried she might end up being eaten by something big and hairy.

TraceyW

We were in the same boat as you...until today...when I've found a really great, loving home for my beautiful moggy


He's at least 12 years old and I've had him for 10 years. I got him from a rescue centre and there was no way he was going back to one I got all the details from various pet cargo companies and weighed it all up. The cost is pretty hefty, my pussy cat is fairly old and I was worried what the stress of it all may do to him, also we will have to rent when we get there and having a pet will limit us.

But, all of these things can be overcome...many cats travel without a problem, there are rental houses that allow pets...the costs still darn stupid though!

The lady my Joshua is going to is a dear friend of a friend. A widow and animal mad, she lost her cat last year and wants another to love. She lives on a little road and has a huge garden. How could I turn this home down for him. i personally think it's in his best interest to go to her rather than us dragging him over to Oz. But as I said, I would deffinately have taken him had I not been able to find a good home for him.

Good luck in your decision....it's so hard isn't it?

speissi

Hi Cath,
agreeing with the others, it´s a hard decision.
I have two little buggers and was really uncertain what to do with them either.
I decided to ask my veterinarian for the best move. He meant, if i don´t have someone around, whom my cats are really fond of to stay with, i´d rather consider to take them with me. Well,maybe to add that my cats are 2+ and nearly 2 years old...
So, the only person, my cats are that fuzzy about, is my mum and she couldn´t get into the idea of taking them for a life-time - so the decision was made: I´m going to bring them with me.
Not that i´m not worrying about all the stress this will bring to them, but it seems better to me than not knowing exactly where they would end up otherwise.

Good, that they still don´t know what they will face in a few months....
but they made the first stage - the results of the blood-samples were perfect: antibodies against rabies!!!

Anyway, good luck for you, whatever decision you come to!!!
Sonja

janeyray

I have two cats and they came over to Perth with me. They were three years old when they made the journey last year. They didn't seem to notice the distance they travelled and were just the same when they came out of quarantine (30 days) but slightly skinnier!!

Lots of people have cats over here, I think it's the same in the Uk as here, that some people see them as pests and others love them. You an buy them from any pet shop, they are all put in glass cases in the windows!!:scared: Horrid!!!

you have to prepare your pets well in advance, microchips, vaccines etc. I used a carrier in Matlock in Derbyshire and the cost for a container (cat size) was around 800 pounds. My cats travelled together.

We are returning to the UK this year and they are also coming back with us, I couln't leave them here! They only thing I would advise you to do if you decide to bring them, is to have the Rabies vaccine done incase you decide to return to the UK with your pets. if you don't have it done it takes 7 months until your pet is able to travel back to the UK without going into quarantine.

Hope this has helped?!

Ceri

I have cats, I can't help with the costs sorry as I brought them from Singapore with me and not the UK, and it was almost 7 years ago, so prices then are probably not relevant today (although it cost me a fortune even then)
Regarding the laws, it differs from city/state and council to council. Every place I have lived the council laws say that you must contain your cat on your own premises (same laws that apply to dogs), in reality most cat owners don't take a blind bit notice of this law, and I have never ever seen a "dog catcher" rounding up cats, although they have the power to do so. If you know the area that you will be going to, find the local councils web site, pet laws for that area should be on their web site.

Where we live now most of my neighbours have cats and let them run free each night (incidentally I don't agree with their actions as we living next to a reserve/bush land that houses a koala population and various wildlife) . My cats are kept in, although last area we were in (non bush land) I used to let them out only in the day(never at night).

on the issue of what do most people over here think of cats, it differs from person to person. Like jayneyray has said there are plenty of cat lovers here, and also people who dislike them same as in the UK.

Not quite sure about "licensing" for other states -but there is no licence in QLD, the only restrictions are you can only own two cats, if you want more than two you have to apply for permission (a licence) from your local council.

wish I could help more, one of my cats is 10 (going on 11) like yours. The one thing that worries me a bit is going back to the UK with them - the age of my cat. When I brought him to Aus he was just 4 year old so coped quite well with the flight ( around 8 hours from sing) and quarantine (1 month)... I intend to go back to the UK with my cats of course and the age of my ten year old cat is a bit of worry to me. It seems to me most people who here who have done the long flight have young cats, be interested to know if any one has ever done the flight with an older cat (uk to Aus, or aus to uk - it doesn't matter)

I wouldn't worry about how they are treated here, I've never had any probs (except for one incident years ago where the old git next door threatened to shoot my cats, didn't say it to my face, just loud enough so I could here - coward! so I went over and said to him if he puts one finger on my cats he'll be wiping himself of the ground - that was the only incident I have encountered in almost 7 years of living here. That occurred in NSW) The same scenario could have happened in the uK or anywhere else for that matter - some people hate cats others like them.

Good luck

kittenlips

Hi Cath

We too are emigrating in August and we have 2 cats. I've agonised over this decision myself, but at the end of the day I know it would break my heart to leave them behind. I would miss them more than my relatives! There wasn't anyone I could think of to take them for us, so the decision was made for us really.
Good luck with your decision

Vegemite Kids

Jane,
do you mean they were both in the same travel cage or that they were in two separate travel boxes that were side by side ?

Regards
Mairi

jtipping

Hi all
I bought my cat over 8 weeks ago. He was 13 1/2 years old. I worried like crazy about the decision but it was simple in the end - I couldnt be apart from him - we have history and he has been with me through some difficult times in the past. I got the rabies vacine done and he was checked by my own vet before he came. The company I used were so helpful and reassuring. That being said it wasnt cheap. He was worth every penny.
I am in Brisbane - he was in sydney and the 30 days seemed so long. But my partner and I made good use of the time and sorted our lives out. Finding a rental wasnt difficult we went into a pet friendly furnished rental - short term. Have just found an unfurnished rental to move into soon with no difficulty whatsoever - while our house is being built. He came out of Quarantine and was fine. He didnt ignore me or have the sulks and was clearly over the moon to see us.
In the UK he ran the house, had his own flap and came and went as he pleased. Things are different here. He in not allowed out at night and I have trained him (slowly) not to leave the garden where he is safe. I only allow him in the garden when I am in otherwise he sleeps in the house till I get home and then let him out to get fresh air. This proved easier than I thought - it took patience and I was firm with him but he learned if he wanted to go out then I had to trust him. He has learned and we have had no problems.
I hope this helps. Im glad that I bought him with me and we have both adapted well. I do believe in being a responsible pet owner.
Jan

janeyray

They travelled in the same container/travel cage. It's a 'Vari kennel' and I had a bigger size to accomodate both of them together, they are brothers and have never been apart.

Vegemite Kids

Thanks for the info.

We have 2 cats also brother and sister that have never been parted and I was a bit worried about the journey for them but you have put my mind at rest a lot.

just one more question - where did you get the Vari kennel from ?

janeyray

Got the Kennel from the people who organised the transport. They are in Matlock(Derbyshire) but you can buy them from any pet carrier company. Vari Kennels are American and very robust. I think our cost around 50 pounds which I thought was a bargain!!

Snitzy

We came to Melbourne from London 4 Months ago and brought our cat with us and it was fine although she was a bit pissed off being locked up in a pen for 30 days especially when we visited her. She is fine now and loving it.
Anyway in there was a cat in the pen next door who was reportedly 23 years old who came out from England.
Regards
S.

Moonstar

You have put my mind at rest about my two cats now, I was getting a little concerned about their lives if moved over there and also couldn't face leaving them behind.

Thank you.