Fellow American expat bloggers with cats....

....I need your help!

I'm taking my cat with me on a really long flight in a few days. I need some advice about maintaining him calm, helping him feel comfortable, how to feed him, give him water, and how to deal with him having to make a bowel movement or urinate. I'm taking him in a carrier that he's already very comfortable in and bought dog training pads in case he needs to use the bathroom it'll be easier to clean up.


The vet told me to just give him breakfast in the morning, the day of our trip, (we travel overnight) and then don't feed him a regular meal until we arrive. She stressed the importance of feeding him a little as we fly and she also prescribed him a sedative, but I'm sure there's more I can do. I'd like advice from Americans who have already traveled to South America with their cats. 


Sebastian is only 2 years old and he's normally a pretty well behaved cat. He only cries when he's in the car (maybe he gets car sick?); the rest of the time he's quiet. I want him to be comfortable. It's going to be a long trip - probably 24 hours from when we leave our current apartment until we arrive at our new apartment in Brasilia.


Suggestions? What worked for you? What would you have changed? By the way, he'll be in the cabin with us. Thanks in advance!

A quick visit to the USDA

This morning I made a very quick trip up to Gainesville to get Sebastian the cat's health certificate endorsed by the USDA. All I had to do was present the health certificate (4 pages) completed by the veterinarian along with the detailed rabies shot certificate to the woman at the USDA office, along with a $36 payment, and in about 5 minutes I was out of the office with a receipt. From a quick look at the paperwork that was returned to me, the health certificate was signed and stamped with the raised symbol of the USDA. Sebastian is now really officially ready to travel to Brazil. 


Again, for anyone planning on taking their pet to Brazil, according to the Brazilian consulate's website (Miami), the pet owner traveling to Brazil with a dog or a cat needs to do the following -

International Health Certificate for Pets (dogs and cats only) issued by veterinarians must be certified by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). The International Health Certificate must show that the pet identified was examined by a veterinarian in the ten days prior to shipment, not showing any clinical sign of disease

US Department of Agriculture
6300 NW 36th Ave, Miami, 33147
Phone: (305) 526-2926 - FAX: (305) 526-2929

If Gainesville is closer to you then Miami, here is the address for the USDA in that area -

USDA, APHIS Services

8100 NW 15th Place
Gainesville, FL 32606
Phone: (352) 313-3060
Fax: (352) 313-3063

Vet Visit #2

Today we took Sebastian to his second, and final, veterinarian visit before moving to Brazil. For more information regarding taking a cat to Brazil ,read on here and then about my first vet visit just click here. This morning's trip to the doctor's was at the ungodly hour of 7:30 a.m. Apparently I thought when I made the appointment that since I was a high school teacher my body would be accustomed to waking up when it's still dark, regardless of the fact that the appointment was on a Saturday during the summer. Not the best idea, especially after a late night. E went along, but he was sleeping until the vet started including him into our conversations - she was good like that.

Note: If you're taking a pet with you to Brazil I suggest reading the consulate's website and calling the USDA for more specifics, as well as your airline. 

This final exam was to get the International Health Certificate, make sure Sebastian is still in good health, check his weight (gain?), and ask the doctor some questions about his imminent trip abroad. Sebastian IS in good health; the vet said that his teeth are beautiful and his lymph nodes are healthy. He IS 15.5 lbs (only .1 lb more than his May visit), but he is a big boy - tall and long from head to toe. However, this vet said that she'd like to see him lose a bit of his belly...maybe just a pound. 

The vet today was excellent. She was friendly and informative and knew how to talk to pet owners. She gave us the certificate, which I verified and signed, and then she even filled out a health certificate in Portuguese/English. I don't know if that's standard procedure or if she just did it to be kind, but I'm glad I have all of the forms completed and signed, and that she is an accredited veterinarian (otherwise the USDA won't accept her signature). Nice touch that there is a bilingual form, if you ask me. She also noticed that the rabies certificates that we showed her were not signed by the first vet, Dr. Hart. Hence, my trip back there to see that doctor later in the afternoon. I had noticed he didn't sign it either but didn't think much of it since it does have his name written on it, but it's better to be safe than sorry, especially with Brazil so I stopped by his office. It's too hot for that. With that being said, it wasn't so bad stopping by his office because it was nice to see a pet owner so grateful for all that that he has done for her pet. A lady there was thanking him and his secretaries a million times. He was also a good vet and Sebastian really seemed to like him.

Dr. Krampotich (from today) took her time to talk to us and answer our questions, despite the fact that it was before 8 a.m. on a Saturday, and to be honest, that is what I appreciated the most. Oh yeah, and that she called Sebastian "munchkin" - so cute :). My first question was about Sebastian's behavior on the plane. Turns out we have an 8 and a half-hour flight from Orlando to Sao Paulo and then another 1 and a half-hour flight from SP to Brasilia (and that doesn't include our layover which can be up to 5 hours, if not more). I was thinking about buying a spray that is made to calm cats. The only issue with that is that each cat is different. What if it didn't work on Sebastian? What if he went crazy(ier)? So what did the doctor suggest? Sedatives. Sure, I'll take them. She gave us a bottle (of 5) and told us to try one out today. Which we did. Sebastian is sleeping like a baby now; he looks and acts like he's all drugged up and I think it'll be best to travel with him like this. I only gave him 1/2 a pill which I mixed in with his wet food. We'll do this again next week before we leave for the Orlando airport.

By the way, the vet told me that she likes male cats to eat wet food because it's good for their urinary tract. And I know that males are more susceptible to getting said infections and that it's very painful for them. I'm happy then to make my little guy happy since he loves to eat wet, canned food.

My other major question to the vet was regarding how much/when Sebastian should eat and drink before traveling. I really don't want him to use the bathroom on the plane, nor do I want him to have to but then not go because he's uncomfortable. (Cats tend to do that). The vet suggested since our flight is at night to give him breakfast that morning and then not feed him until we're on the flight, only giving him very very small portions at a time. She said that as he is a big cat and has fat in his body, his body would attack his fatty liver if he didn't eat food and we don't want that. 

We left the vet's office with the health certificate in hand (in English and Portuguese :), Sebastian's pills, a healthy cat who had one more car trip under his belt, and a number of questions answered in a professional manner. Sebastian came home and is now sleeping soundly. In three more days we'll go to Gainesville to make a visit to the USDA, sans the cat, and he'll be ready for the following week and his first international flight.

The boys

Crazy cat

Nosy

Sleeping beauty

If you're looking for a veterinarian in the Orlando area, I'd highly recommend the following doctors. I hope that someone does find this information useful because I know when I was looking for a vet to help with this process it was difficult for me to find any information on-line. 

Dr. Roger Hart, DVM

8219 S John Young Parkway

Orlando, FL 32819

(located in PetSmart)

Dr. Eva Diana Krampotich, DVM

7424 E Colonial Drive

Orlando, FL 32807

(VCA Animal Hospital)

Vet Visit #1

This afternoon I took my cat to his first veterinarian visit before he crawls onto a plane in a few months and moves far far away from the only home he's ever known. Well, when I say it that way it makes it sound like it'll be a tough move for him. The truth is, maybe it will. 


Although Sebastian was well behaved at the vet's office - even when the doctor felt him up to make sure he is healthy (which he is) and when he got his rabies shot. He didn't make a noise. Good boy. He jumped up on the scale and stayed long enough to be weighed. And how much does he weigh, you ask? 15.4 lb!! Woah. He's a big boy. But like the vet assistant said, it's not that he's fat; he's just tall. The issue with the weight is that I can take up to 10 kg - cat and kennel combined. As of now we should be fine, but that means he can't gain weight. For all you Americans out there, 15.4 lbs is 7 kg.


The problem that Sebastian gave me were on the way to the doctor and the way back. He cried and cried, non stop. Maybe he gets car sick. Well, he's going to have to get used to it (my poor baby) because he's about to take off on the trip of his life. Honestly, I'll think he'll be OK. He'll be with his parents, he'll be breathing in calming kitty spray and should calm down once he's settled on the plane. I hope. I'll make sure to buy him a comfortable carrier and take his toy with him. I also will ration what he eats before he travels so he doesn't have to use the litter box.


I'll take Sebastian on one more vet trip; next time it will be to get his international health certificate and to have a final exam a week before we depart. I feel confident that everything will go well like it did today and my kitty will be ready for his flight. Let's hope we're as ready as he will be :),

Taking a cat to Brazil

I have shared a brief explanation of what one needs to relocate with their pet to Brazil but I know that when it came down to the nitty gritty details I wasn't too sure about what I needed to actually get Sebastian, my pretty kitty, onto the plane. Well, now that we have our plane tickets and I don't have a choice but to be ready, I know exactly what needs to be done to take your cat to Brazil. Maybe I can help someone or at least explain what it is that we had to go through, and how to cut corners when preparing to take your cat abroad. I know that another couple American expats already living, or moving to, Brazil have helped me.

I don't feel confident discussing how to take dogs and cats abroad because each country has their own laws, and we don't have a dog so I can't speak for those pets. I can only say what I know, about taking my cat to Brazil.

The first thing that has to be done is know the airline's pet policy. Where one airline may only charge $75 per pet, another, like TAM, may charge $300. You should also know if you need to make a reservation for the pet. I know with TAM we had to call and ask permission to take our cat in the cabin, and then wait a week before calling back to ask if Sebastian was approved. This particular airline allows 4 pets in the cabin on their largest planes (our international flight) and then 3 pets on the smaller planes (our domestic leg of the trip). This is important to know if you are taking multiple pets.

Once your cat's request to remain in the cabin has been approved by the airline, and you learn the cost for transporting him/her, you need to find out the approved dimensions of the pet's kennel. Not only that, but you'll need to know if the carrier has to be plastic with a metal door or if they'll allow soft carriers. If the latter is allowed, then you may be able to get away with a larger carrier because you can make it appear to be smaller and it'll be easier to maneuver. That's for sure.

As far as taking cats into Brazil and their health is concerned, they must have their rabies shots up-to-date as well as have an exam and a completed International Health Certificate before their departure. The trick is that the certificate must be completed no more than 10 days before the flight, and this must be endorsed by the USDA.

In order to break it down, this is what I've learned and have broken it down into steps because it can all be quite confusing otherwise:

1. Verify that your cat has had his rabies shot (or booster) because this needs to be up-to-date in order to be written on the health certificate

2. Once you know your date of departure, you can make an appointment to have the cat visit the veterinarian to have the examination certifying that the cat is in good health. Note: this cannot be done more than 10 days before departure

3. Then, with the rabies certificate, the USDA can endorse the completed health certificate. In Gainesville, Florida this costs $36 (no cash). Now you can mail the health certificate or take it to the office. I'd recommend taking it yourself because at this point you're only days away from moving abroad so you wouldn't want to risk it - in my opinion

++ At this point I'd like to recommend some ways to cut corners on all of this veterinarian business as far as price is concerned. I figured this all out as I was trying to find a USDA vet in central Florida. I did some searching on-line for vets in Orlando and while I did this I found coupons for two different vets in my area, one in a nationally known hospital in a popular pet store,  and another in pet hospital (which is apparently all over the nation). Both allow for a free initial exam for new patients (i.e. ME). So....what I did after calling and setting up the appointment with the USDA was call the other two vets mentioned. By the way, I was sure to print the coupons before doing anything.

I had already called other vets in the area to ask about prices, but wanted to speak with these two hospitals because I'd heard of other people taking their pets there, and they have locations near my house. Once I spoke with both offices I realized I could be smart and use both coupons by going to two different veterinarians. I made an appointment with the vet who charges less for the rabies shot, but more for the health certificate (who is USDA accredited, though he doesn't need to be) to give Sebastian the rabies shot for $20. The exam is free because of my coupon. Then I made an appointment to get the health certificate a few days before the USDA visit, but within the 10 days. That vet, also USDA approved, only charges $40 for the certificate, and because I have the coupon, that exam is also free. So if I were to add up all of the costs (without coupons and at the higher price), I'd pay $174.80, but instead I'm paying $60 for both. Sounds good to me!

This way I'm paying for the service, but not for the vet exam. Fair deal, wouldn't you say? All I'll need is the cat kennel and once I find it I'll make sure to recommend the best that I find.

PS: For more information, and if the Miami consulate is in your jurisdiction, you can visit their website for information about taking live pets to Brazil.

PAWsport for kitty

The adults are not the only ones preparing to ship off to Brazil; the kitty gets to go, too. People always ask me if I'm going to take my cat, which isn't such a weird question when even MORE people ask me if my husband is going. Um, YES. Why the hell not? I mean, are people serious? They must be because this is a common question that I get asked when I share my news of moving/teaching abroad.

Yes, the cat, my cat, my baby Sebastian (or Sebastião since I wanted my "son" to have a name easily pronounced in Portuguese) is going to Brazil. And he's excited! Tells me every day. E likes to make jokes that he won't be able to communicate with his neighbors (the cats, that is) because he "speaks" English, but I'm sure he's bilingual. After all, we do speak to him in Portuguese as much as we do in English. I don't know why or how but that's how it works.

Kitty doesn't need a passport, but he does need to be OKed by the Brazilian consulate 10 days before moving. The consulate's website reads:

International Health Certificate for Pets (dogs and cats only) issued by veterinarians must be certified by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). The International Health Certificate must show that the pet identified was examined by a veterinarian in the ten days prior to shipment, not showing any clinical sign of disease


However, when I do a little bit more research it seems that Sebastian needs to have all of his papers in order, as well as his recent visit to a veterinarian. According to AngloINFO, a Brazilian website, we will also need:

A certificate of vaccination against rabies for any animal over 90 days old (obtained 30 days before entry in the case of animals vaccinated for the first time). This must be valid for at least one year

Proof of owners full name and address including state and country

Documents showing the animals name, breed, gender, size, colour, coat and any other specific markings

Copies of all relevant documents for animals imported as cargo

Fair enough. Not too complicated or expensive.

It's funny how E and I have grown to love this cat and think of him almost as a "son" when I promise you we never thought before that that could happen. I mean, what's not to love?


When we first got him

And distract his mommy from her school work



Sleeping beauty

He loves to watch TV, especially Animal Planet

Watching "Garfield"

Mommy's boy

Doing research on-line

Sebastian