Importation of two cats to the United States?

Question

Hello!

I found a darling little affectionate shorthair male silver tabby cat in the parking lot near my workplace. He had no collar at all. He's underfed and needs some caring for, and I'm going to take him to the vetinarian's office later today to see if he has an ID/Owner microchip under his skin (around his shoulderblades). He also needs a vet check anyway, because if he has any underlying conditions/infections, he will need some caring for treatment.

If he has no owner, I'd really like to keep him. However, I already own a cat and I am worried about one thing - it is my intention to move to the United States one day and I was intending to take my pet cat with me (I live in Australia if this helps the answer). Does anyone know rules and regulations (as well as fees) for importing cats to the United States? Does it cost a lot more for importing two cats?

Also, how much does it cost to ship one plus another cat into the United States?

Thank you!

Answer 1

There are many companies that can do all this for you and in Australia they include; Australian Air Express 1300368747, Jet Pets 02 9693 5760, Sky Pets 02 960659551 etc However I coudn't afford this nor could I afford to keep my cat in a kennel for my intended study period of one and a half years in the USA. Nobody I knew was prepared to look after my cat for such a long period. So I decided to take him with me and go through the import/export process myself.

A few essentials are: a credit card, mobile phone, access to the internet, at least medium organisation and research skills and lots of patience.

THE RULES AND FORMALITIES ARE ALWAYS CHANGING SO CHECK

www.aqis.gov.au (the Australian quarantine site ) In fact since I took my cat to the USA in 2004 they have changed the rules such that only cats being re-imported back to Australia require the rabies test prior to leaving Australia.