Hi,
we are taking 2 17 year old cats over to spain .T hey have been microchipped and had vaccinations. We are using the pet relocating service Pets on the move based in Chorley Lancs. They have arranged to pick up, board for 2 days take to Manchester Airport cost £700. I also feel they are part of our family so where we go they go. I have been assured they are well looked after. First on the plane first off, the hold is dimly lit and they are kept warm.

Sue

I don't know where in the UK you are travelling from but we can fly with British Airways from Manchester to Gatwick and then transfer to GB Airways (part of BA) to fly to Alicante. They will transfer the cats at Gatwick to GB Airways. The cost from Manchester to Gatwick is quite high so we have decided to travel by road to Gatwick. If you travel on the same flight they travel as excess baggage and the cost is dependant on the weight of the cat and carrier together. It works out quite reasonable. There is a very helpful man at GB Airways who deals with the pet transport called Peter.

I was hoping she would but she's too closely nitted to her family who all live locally unlike mine. She wouldnt be happy in spain, emmigrating is not fo rher which i totally understand. Plus she has a 1 year old son whom family help out a great deal with. So its not as easy for her. I respected that which is why i basically gave up on the idea of going myself... until i found her cheating on me...

We are taking 4 cats, ages 11, 12, 13, 14. They all had to be microchipped, £12 each, had rabies jabs £39.90 each, pet passport (export certificate in book form and you can even put a photo in, your choice ) £34.64 each. You cannot travel for a minimum of 21 days after the rabies vaccination is done.

Budget airlines do not carry animals, you have to use a main airline such as BA. Depending on the airline some airlines allow you to take 1 cat per person into the cabin with you as hand luggage. But other airlines insist they go in a pressurised hold. The charge per animal is as excess baggage x 2 (combined weight with pet carrier). Check in at least 1+1/2 hours before flight with cats. Do not sedate cats unless vet recommends it (if sedated letter from vet required).

Cats will travel on the same plane as you, if room, if not enough room they will be put on the next flight. Cats and dogs do not travel together.

If the cat becomes distressed it will not be put on the plane and you will be called if this happens.

Defra phone number - 01189 596695
BA phone number - 08708 509850

Blood sample required only if pet returning to the UK.

We have recently had one of our cats diagnosed with a kidney problem and she has become blind, now she is on regular medication and a special diet so I do not want her to be apart from me. We have decided to travel by road with the cats.

Thanks for all the info, i'll make a few calls tomorrow and see if i can do it all in time.

just as an update we relocated 2 cats 6 weeks ago. they settled absolutely fine both being 17 years old. I can throughly recommended the company Pets On The Move from Lancaster. We had a problem with one of our cats and they sorted everything out for us. cost £700 to include collection from home, boarding, vets visits, taking to airport, container, flight costs.

Sue

i am in the process of arranging pet passports for my 3 chihuahuas and i don't find the process that complicated. i have been told the process should take around 5 weeks from getting the rabies injections, blood tests and then waiting for the results. It costs around £150

Bear in mind it can be incredibly stressful for the animal ...... ours was 11, and only lasted just less than 3 months here after the journey. Our neighbour bought their old dog and it met the same fate.

I didnt bring mine in the end for that reason, he went to live with a friend of mine and is happy sitting in her garden relaxing, i just decided in the end that the journey would be much more stressful for him than moving happily down the road to my friends house, although we all miss him loads.

We used our local Cattrery, and they kept them in kennels until we had somewhere to live.(10 weeks)
They arranged Pet Insurance and all Rabbies Jabs etc , and arranged special carriage box all of which is essential requirements to take Pets into another country, also transport to the Airport ,and we arranged at this end to have them delivered to out place.
Cost a fortune but worth every penny when delivered to us after 10weeks
it was like they saw us yesterday ,so obviously they where well looked after. Ask at your local Catterry. Our friends just took them with them
on the same flight, and they said it was quite funny, because they come around on the carousel with all the luggage ,but you still need passports, vets certificate for proof of vaccination, and they must be in a special carriage.

We brought our then nearly 11year old cat out, she just had to have rabies jabs & wait a month, then we flew her out. Didn't bother with the pet passport, which of course would have taken much longer to organise.

It was all very straightforward, no after-effects, and she loves it here!

cats don't have to be chipped

Don't they need a Pet Passport then? Do they need to be up to date with the normal flu, enteritis vaccinations? My 14 year old cat hasn't been vaccinated with those since she had a bad reaction a few years ago. It hasn't mattered here because she is a house cat.

We brought our two five year old cats with us, no chips, no passports and £84 excess baggage (British Airways, Gatwick/Valencia).

They shared a basket. No paperwork checked in Spain. They just came round on the carousel.

Settled down really quickly.

Looks like the rules might have changed since we came in 2003. This is the up to date link:-

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quar...u_regq&a.htm#2

Seems it's now microchip, passport etc.

I always thought they only needed the passport to return to UK ?