Destination: Taking Cats To Australia
Taking Cats to Australia
Taking Cats to Australia
Australia is one of the most popular places to emigrate to currently. Many people moving out there can’t bear, understandably, to leave their cat behind. That’s where PetAir UK come in; we can help you every step of the way and make the whole process less stressful for you, taking care of things from flights and veterinary care to documentation and cat passports.
Australia are generally quite strict with pets being imported into the country, so the process is slightly more complicated. However, PetAir is run and owned by veterinary surgeons and assisted by a team of healthcare professionals, a lot of which have an expertise in transporting cats to certain places in the world, so you can always find help from someone who knows exactly what they’re talking about. Plus, we export around 400 cats per year to Australia, so you know your cat is in professional hands.
Since 01st March 2023, the rules have changed slightly and now pets need to serve 30 days quarantine rather than 10 days, unless they are pets returning to Australia. Pets need to have their identities verified by a government veterinarian and due to the way government vets are organised in UK, this is not possible at this time, but we hope it will change.
Below is a watered down step-by-step guide of the things that need to be prepared and done before the time of export to Australia.
1. Confirm general eligibility – Cats must not be under quarantine restrictions or be more than 30 days pregnant or suckling young at the time of export.
2. Make sure your cat is microchipped
3. Check rabies vaccination – Your cat will need to have a valid rabies vaccination (when it was at least 90 days old).
4. Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre (RNAT) test – This must be done between 180 days and 12 months before the export. Following the rabies vaccination, a vet must scan your cat’s microchip and collect a blood sample for the RNAT test. Your cat must have a valid RNAT test at the time of export.
5. An Official Government Vet must complete the rabies vaccination and RNAT test declaration – Must be done before applying for the import permit. The blood sample must be taken by a government approved vet (aka Official veterinarian) and the vet who takes the blood sample, cannot be the same vet who signs off the RNATT declaration – you need to take the blood results and declaration to a different practice or ask the team at Petair and we can help you with this. The vets at PetAir UK can do this for you if you chose us to apply for your import permit for your cats
6. Apply for an import permit – This should be done after you’ve received the declaration, and at least 42 days before the time of export. You can apply for the import permit on the http://www.agriculture.gov.au website.
7. Book a post-arrival quarantine space – Go to http://www.agriculture.gov.au for more information on booking quarantine space.
8. Check general vaccinations – It’s recommended that your cat gets vaccinated against feline enteritis, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus and they are valid for the whole post-arrival quarantine period.
9. Internal parasite treatments – Your cat must be treated by a vet twice with an internal parasite treatment; the 2 treatments must be at least 14 days apart and within 45 days before export. The second treatment must be given within 5 days before export.
10. External parasite treatments – These should start at least 21 days before export and repeated according to manufacturer’s directions until export. A vet must treat your cat with a product that kills fleas or ticks on contact.
11. Pre-export vet examination – Your cat must be examined by a vet and found to be free of external parasites (e.g. ticks) and signs of infectious/contagious diseases within 5 days before export.
12. Completion of Veterinary Health Certificate by an Official Government Vet – the export documents must be completed by a different vet practice to the practice who did the first treatments – which can be tricky to arrange so it may be best just to let the vets who work with Petair sign off the export forms.
After your cat lands in Australia, they will be transported into quarantine. All cats must complete a minimum of 30 days in a quarantine facility, unless the identity has been verified by a government vet or your cat has already travelled from Australia.
There is now a single quarantine station near to Melbourne, where the pets travel to. After quarantine your cats can be flown to your final destination in Australia and we can either help with this or you can arrange it yourself.
Flying a pet to Australia requires a lot of steps, but PetAir UK are on hand to help you with every part of the process.
Related Locations
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Amber is loving Sydney life!
Thank you so much for everything Pet Air did for us. We are so very appreciative of everything you did, both for us and for Amber. It took all the stress and worry out having you guide us the whole way through the process and we knew Amber was in safe hands. I would also be happy to recommend you to anyone who wanted to move their pet 🙂
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Sonny, Floss and Mylo went to Cairns, Australia
I just wanted to let you know that sonny floss and Mylo have all arrived safely and are with dad in cairns enjoying their new home! I wanted to thank you for your great efforts in helping us to move our fur babies to Australia, I have had nothing but absolute confidence in you and your company and in making it a smooth transition for myself and my husband and our adored pets, your driver was extremely professional and certainly made me feel like he loved my animals as much I do and he was brilliant in what was an extremely emotional time for me, you are both a huge credit to your company and I feel so happy that we used you to take care of everything.
Thank you again, I wish you all the best and would 100% recommend you to anyone thinking of moving their pets overseas.
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Finally, Athena made it over to Brisbane, Australia!
Hi Catherine,
Just to let you know I collected Athena from BNE yesterday for a very happy reunion.
I’m not sure which of us was more excited! Actually, my Dad wins – hands down ! He’s already calling Athena “my dog” and after only 3 hours together the pair of them are inseparable.
Thank you for all your help. I can’t imagine even trying to organise all this by myself. Fantastic service!
Warm Regards,
Drew, Roz and Athena
Oh….And Jim!
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Jett flew to Australia June 2023
Oh how happy we are!!
Thankyou Pet Air UK for an amazing service getting our 10 year old Goldie from The UK back to his homeland Australia. Special mentions to Alfie and Kim for keeping us updated when transporting him and to Ali who set us up at the start and for answering my millions of questions and last but definitely not least to Emma our wonderful Export Consultant for her time, patience and expertise, she also answered my millions of questions with promptness and professionalism and kindness. We have loved being kept informed of Jetts whereabouts along the way, everything was clear and concise and the photos you get really do make a difference. We were thankful to know that Jett was healthy and calm during his travels! First class service! Our advice for anyone wanting to transport their pet is – plan early, ask all the questions and definitely choose Pet Air UK!”
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Sansa to Australia – August 2019
Everything went very well with Sansa’s relocation to Australia… in fact, so much better than I expected. She is quite a sensitive little thing, but she has settled into her new Aussie home really quickly. Thanks so much for looking after her and making the whole procedure far less stressful than it could have been. Thanks again!
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Dotty to Australia
“Dear Catherine and Linsey,
Just wanted to say thank you for your help in arranging Dotty’s travel arrangements to Australia. All went smoothly and she is settling really well. Here we are on Brighton beach Adelaide at the weekend. Doggy paradise.
Best wishes
Dxxxxx”
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Nigel the cat flew to Tasmania
Hi Lenny and Catherine
Nigel is home, safe and sound. He’s explored every room of his new home, steadfastly ignored all his new toys, eaten far more treats than strictly necessary, and is now cuddled up by my feet on the sofa looking very contented and happy.
A huge thank you to both of you and everyone else involved in getting him safely here. You’ve obviously looked after him very well, and it’s wonderful to have him back. We missed him so much!
We really appreciate everything you’ve done. If we ever hear of someone wanting to bring their pet over from the UK, we will keep recommending you relentlessly until they give in!
Thanks again,
Lxxxx and family.
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Laika and Skip flew to Melbourne, Australia
I just wanted to say thank you so much for all your help in getting my babies safely to Melbourne. I was very happy with the service and never felt a bother when I asked a thousand questions about the process. I really appreciate all the reassurance and understanding you provided, as this helped keep my anxieties at bay. I was so impressed by how easily you were able to sort and rearrange our travel arrangements when I became ill after having my baby. It couldn’t have been easier or more stress free on my part. I picked up Laika and Skip from quarantine expecting them to be skinny and shaking with stress, but they were the happy healthy pups I left in the UK. They have settled into life here so easily and I am so glad we were able to bring them along. Thank you Catherine and thank you to everyone at PetAir UK, I would definitely recommend you to anyone!!
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Bramble flew to Australia – September 2020
Well, that’s him arrived!
We picked him up this morning – only wrinkle was that the crate still did not fit the car but we can sort that out.
I will get the final bill from the Quarantine folk paid and it only remains for me to say a huge thank you to you and all of your colleagues along the way for getting Bramble here in challenging times and for steering me in the correct direction and mopping my anxious doggy-parent brow on more than one occasion!
Bramble is trying to follow everyone around as he gets used to his new surrounding and his Australian “pack” but I am sure as the days go by he will get settled!
Thanks for everything
Colvin
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Shah and Gus at Perth
Shah & Gus arrived safe and well. They have settled in very quickly.
It was very emotional collecting them at the Airport. Thanks to all at PetAir for taking care of my fur babies.
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Pippi the dog flew to Australia
Hi Rachel, Just wanted to let you know that we collected Pippi from quarantine this morning and she’s settling into her new home down under quite nicely.
She’s lost quite a lot of weight in quarantine, but generally she’s in great shape.
Thank you and everybody at Pet Air for everything – this was a long project for me: my initial enquiry with you was at the end of 2014, and at times I didn’t think it was ever going to happen…but here she is! You and your team made the whole thing very straight forward for me, and I’m very, very grateful.
Kind regards, Sxxxx
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Elvis, Oscar, Princess and Zion to Australia
“Hi Everyone
This is just to send you all a BIG thank you for your help, service, patience and understanding with the move of our four cats to Australia. The service you provided was excellent. Moving country can be so stressful but Catherine especially I knew I could contact you with any concerns or worries with the cats’ move and you would reply straight away with reassurance! From the time I received a quote to even the driver Kevin collecting the cats, I felt that your service was first rate.
Lenny, thank you for sending your updates once the cats arrived in Melbourne. The video was such a lovely touch and was so reassuring.
The cats have settled in well. Princess is still a little nervous (she is a nervous cat anyway) but the others seem fine and are all adjusting well!
Some pics are attached 🙂
Thank you again.
Take care
Cxxxxx Dxxxxxx”
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Bert In Melbourne
“Dear Linsey and Catherine,
Sorry for the delay in replying and can I just say a massive massive THANK YOU for all your help with Bert, you were brilliant with our last minute issues, reassuring, calm and everything else.
We collected Bert last weekend and apart from being very pleased to see us and a tad skinny he is full of beans.
I’ve attached a couple of photos, feel free to use them anywhere you like (I apologise for appearing in one of them!).
If you ever want to put a client in touch with somebody as a testimonial then please do not hesitate.
All the very best,
Cxxxx and Nxxxxx”
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Pip to Australia
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for everything in getting Pip to Melbourne! She’s been home a week and a half now and is doing great! I think she likes Aussie life and is enjoying beach walks and the sunshine!
Pip was much better in herself than expected when I picked her up from the Australian quarantine, the facility seemed well organised and the staff were very nice. Thank you again for making the process so much easier for all of us – our family is now complete!
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Teddy to Australia
“Hi Linsey, Many thanks for your message and bringing teddy to us safely. He is doing well and getting use to his new life down under! I attach a couple of pics from his day he arrived where he is smiling!:
Many thanks, Mxxxxx & Ted”