We are moving to Canada probably early march and are facing a bit of a dilemma. We've got a cat, still young and obviously love him very much. We currently live in a small town, on a quiet road so cat has a pretty chilled out life here. We are going to move to Ottawa and ideally live as close to the town centre as possible due to husbands job. So here's our dilemma: what's the best option for him? I honestly don't know what is more unfair: take a 'country' cat to live in a city after a traumatic experience of flying, etc... Or to keep him here but with new owners (we have a few friends interested). I've also heard that some cats completely changed after the trauma of flight/relocation and became a bit vicious (?) Anybody with cats, could you share your experience?
Another question: I got quoted of £650 from Pet air Uk to fly him over. Is it good? The other company quoted £850....
They told me you don't need the rabies done but they recommended. Did you bother with it? They also didn't mention anything about pet passport....
Appreciate any help!

There's no legal requirement for a rabies shot but there is rabies so, if you don't want the cat to die an agonising death from it, you'll likely get the shot. A second consideration is that you'd need the cat to have had the shot should things not work out and you move home. No one is cruel enought to abandon a cat in Ottawa.

Your cats are better off in the UK. If can arrange a good home for them, leave them behind.

There are many needy cats at the SPCA. Get one or two of them instead.

Our cat was fine with the journey but would go crazy if she had to become an indoor cat, she hates it when winter arrives and she has to stay in for a couple of months. If you have people who you know who will take her then leave her behind.

We brought cats, one of them loved the whole experience, the other was permanently changed. Not vicious, but she became very shy and withdrawn, and jumpy So I think it depends on the cat to be honest. I would do it again, but I would only do it with a very confident cat who already liked being in a box for a long time. We've heard good things about petsaway, but I don't think your quotes are a million miles off.

Re: rabies - I'm between 2 schools of thought. I've never known a domestic pet to get rabies here, or even a stray. It seems to be confined to raccoons, but also pretty rare around here (yes, I know raccoons can pass it on, but I've not heard of it actually happening around here, probably because there haven't been any outbreaks that I've heard of). I've been involved with a local animal rescue for several years now too. We're at the point where we don't automatically vaccinate against rabies anymore, it's up to the adopter to do that if they wish, it's not seen as an essential as much as the others are. Plus we have no money, and it was considered the least risky cut.

The other thing to bear in mind is that there has been a bit of fuss on and off, although getting louder, that there is no need to vaccinate cats and dogs yearly, if at all, the shots actually last for a good 5-7 years. They advocate yearly shots for money, and also as a reason to get the animal in for a yearly check up. The Vet College here has recently issued the guideline of at least 3 years between shots I believe.

If you have any doubts about your cat doing the journey though, I would leave them.

I frankly find that a bit rich....most countries in the world are a bit animal dodgy! I brought my 3 cats and one dog with me....however I travelled lots before and sometimes chose the kiss of death, re-homing or depending on the individual animal, I've dragged the 'lucky' individuals from Europe to Africa to Canada...it's all been good so far!

If you are pro Britain, you probably the British as being 'pro' small furry animals...it ain't necessarily so? I am not in anyway anti British, but 'we' by no means have any sensible solution sorted?

I am (or was and no doubt will be again) a dog lover.

Nonetheless, we've had three cats before, over the decades. Two in California, one of which buggered off before we left and another who we rehoused with good friends when we did leave.

As an aside, the one in California who buggered off, was a cute smallish white puffball sort of cat, so we called her/him (never checked) Kareem after the extremely biggish, blackish, bald centre for the Lakers at the time, a certain Kareem Abdul Jabaar.

The Canadian cat, called IIRC, Bonzo, after Reagan's chimp friend, got eaten by a passing coyote in our back garden.

The OP should forget her/his moggie and be leaving it where all be civilized.

Yep, our British moggie does not know that she is no longer at the top of the food chain and complains about being inside at night. Though she has grown accustomed to snacking on chipmunks we don't want her to be a coyote or fisher snack.

I think you've misunderstood what I meant. In the UK an outdoor cat doesn't have to face long freezing winters or coyotes.

We lesft ours with friends, she was a rescue and incredibly timid, I think the flight would have given her heart failure.

I'd say bring him with you. We have two cats, and both are very well traveled with issues at all.

We got them when we lived in the Channel Isles, and the traveled with us by boat, and then a 12 hour car journey to Holland.
They then flew with us from Amsterdam to Calgary, again none the worse for the journey.
Because of the predators here in Canada, we have kept them inside since, and again are quite happy, and haven't changed in their nature in the slightest. Both were previously outdoor cats. The older cat has only had one escape attempt in 5 years (a successful escape, I might add, just so she could prove she could go outside if she wanted! She came back after 15 minutes) Apart from that, they haven't been bothered either way.

Our younger cat was always a bit timid, so I think she prefers being inside anyway.

The both have their rabies injections kept up to date, and both have their passports ( complete with their pictures in them!) Can't comment on the quotes for shipping the cat, I think we paid about 8 or 9 hundred euros back in 2008 to fly them both to Canada.

Anytime we got out the suitcases, our cats get excited as if to say "where are we going now?" The are quite happy as long as they are with us.

They will be moving with us next year when we leave Calgary and head to Nova Scotia.

I should add, that while you don't need the rabies injections to bring the cat to Canada, as previously mentioned, you would need it if you had to return to the UK for any reason.
Friends of our brought their dog over, didn't settle, and returned to the UK. The dog had to spend 6 months in quarantine, both traumatic for the dog, and expensive for the owner.

Speak to your vet, we got a feramon spray that you spray in the cat box, which helps keep the cat calm. We use it whenever they travel. Also, put an old t shirt, or something worn by you that has your scent on it, in with them, again, it helps to make them feel safe.

We took our cat and dog and booked them direct with Air transat $550, £70 time two for vary kennels and a $35 inspection fee on entering Canada. Both pets survived the journey unscathed and so far both have settled in well.

You're moving to NS? Any reason in particular?

We left our tortoise with friends who already had a few of their own otherwise he would have been hibernating for 8 months of the year