Animal Lover's- if you want to bring a cat home from your travels, can you???
 

While in a trip to Italy I stayed in an apartment in a rural area that had many stray cats. I, being a sucker and an animal lover, really became attached to one that kept coming in to our apartment on a daily basis. I live in the US, and am now back, but am curious as to whether it is possible to adopt a pet abroad and bring it to the US. I imagine they would need certain shots, etc.?

Someone told a story about their daughter bringing home a pup from Europe. I am sure they need to be taken to a vet before you travel with them. Ask a vet about it.

Check the CDC website--importation of pets. There is a section dealing with cats. It appears that as long as the cat is healthy you will have no problems upon entry. When you arrive home you will need to comply with any state and local regulations.

Bnice, I'm sorry I don't have the answer to your question, but I just wanted to say that I am pleased to see that someone else is as much of a nut case as I am over all the stray cats in Europe and the Middle East. Everyone calls our trips Waverley's cat tour of the Mediterranean.I find all the stray cats so heartbreaking.<BR><BR>We once saw a documentary on the cats of the Colosseum in Rome and of course, my sons and I had to go in Rome to find Caesar and Brutus in the Colosseum. and I'm not talking aobut the statues, but the strays featured in the documentary.<BR><BR>Now I just content myself with taking in strays from our neighborhood.<BR><BR>To attempt to answer your question, just from knowing our own little stray, I don't know how well a wild cat used to wide open spaces would take to being in a cage in transit for 7 -12 hours.

This cat was unbelievably tame. She would wait outside our aprtment door, come in, jump on the spare bed &amp; sleep. The only other thing she wanted was to be petted! I think my sensible side kicked in, I already have 2 cats and am afraid of what a cat that lives outdoors all the time may have going on healthwise. I may still correspond with the owners of the place I stayed at to see if I decide to go for it, would they send the cat to me. My heart is broken :(

<BR>Bnice, if the cat came right in and slept on the bed, it must have had owners and a home at one time. A real stray or wild cat wouldn't do that, it must really miss human touch.

&quot;but am curious as to whether it is possible to adopt a pet abroad and bring it to the US.&quot;<BR><BR>I hope not. My wife finds enough of them here.

Bnice, being a great animal lover I think that your idea is GREAT!!!!I am happy to know that I am not the only one that feel sorry and adopt these helpless animals...Bytw, I have 7 cats and 2 dogs... it seems like that every stray come to my house!!!

I know breeders bring dogs over to the USA from Europe, so it must be fine to bring over cats too. They might have to be checked out by a vet and get some kind of health certificate, I admire you for thinking about the little cat from afar.<BR><BR>I feel sorry for all the dogs left abandoned after tourist season in Sorrento.

There's a good chance that cat has a home and just likes to work the hood!<BR>It is a well known fact that the Italians abandon their pets during the August holiday. If you are in the Coluseum and see cats with &quot;nicks&quot; or slices on their ears, that is an indication they are &quot;fixed.&quot; Of course, they could have a wound from a fight too! Ask the neighbors before even THINKING of cat snatching anywhere as ol' puss might have a home.And we do have millions of kitties right here in the USA who are DESPERATE for a home.<BR>Most good shelters spay and inoculate the animal before releasing it to a prospective home. 'Support your local shelter, folks!

Good point, Deloris, we do have alot of needy dogs and cats right here and, Bnice could get caught &quot;catnapping&quot; (sorry, couldn't resist).

What I'm wondering is, is it possible to go to Europe and leave your cats there?

gocatas2002<BR><BR>LOL....I love my cat, I love cats and always seem to have cats find me when I'm on vacation. I also end with several pictures of cats I've met on my travels, but I your post made me laugh out loud...of course, I couldn't tell my cat while I was laughing so much..:)

And another one here! I was so concerned about a &quot;stray&quot; cat in Provence that found it's way to us for our week there that I contacted the rental company and asked if there was any way I could &quot;foster&quot; the cat - ie. find someone in the neighbourhood who I could send money to (trustworthy) who would buy food and make sure the cat was fed. Long story short, the owner of the property was also the manager of the booking agency and was horrified that I would &quot;encourage&quot; the stray. Didn't want any part of it. But it's worth a try??

According to the US Customs Service, as a general rule, there are no restrictions on bringing domestic cats into the U.S. There are no vaccination requirements for cats, although cats arriving in Hawaii or Guam are subject to that state's/territory's quarantine requirements. While a rabies certificate is not required for entry into the U.S., domestic cats must be free of evidence of disease communicable to humans when examined by an inspector at the port of entry. If the animal is not in apparent good health, further examination by a licensed veterinarian may be required at the owner's expense. If you are bringing your cat to the U.S. on an airplane, you should check with the airline about their requirements for transporting animals. Many airlines require a certificate of health from a veterinarian.<BR><BR>For more info, go to www.customs.gov <BR>

Hi<BR>(I know this tread is asking about Italy, but here goes...)<BR><BR>I am an avid cat lover and am on the Committee for the local branch of the Cats Protection League. If you find a cat in distress or apparently stray/unwanted IN THE UK, please contact the Cats Protection League Head Office on Tel No. 01403 221900. The CPL NEVER puts a cat down (unless there is nothing that can be done and it is ABSOLUTELY necessary for the cat's best interests). They will try to trace the owner, and if not found, will find a kind and loving home for the cat.<BR>I am a foster mum to these poor mites who deserve a lot more! Many thanks for caring :O)

I actually was thinking of seeing if the owners would feed the cat and I would send them money. I'll let you know what happens. Maybe I can sneak a quick trip in over the summer and take the cat back with me then! I have never gotten so attached to an animal that quickly, but she was so affectionate and sweet... when I have my pictures develped I am sure I will have about 10 pictures of her. The owners consider a few of the cats to be theirs, but this one was not one of them. I would agree that she had to be someone's cat at some time, but she seemed to be only about a year old.

Bnice - the same thing happens to us when we are on holiday. Wherever we go, we always find a little stray cat whom we get attached to. We end up feeding it breakfast scraps and hating ourselves for leaving it behind, but its so difficult to know what to do about this situation when abroad. We, too, have loads of photos of the cats we have befriended. Our friends always sigh and say 'not another one' when looking at the photos :O)<BR><BR>When we went to Rome recently, I met the homeless cats at the colluseum (?sp)being looked after by a lady who was feeding them and keeping the area clean and tidy. I could have hugged her. I put all my change in her tin!

At the company I work with in Milan, there is a local stray who hangs out in the security guards' building. She is a very sweet and friendly tabby. <BR>If you're a cat lover passing through Brussels, you MUST visit the Brussels Cat Park! (AKA Park Tenbosch). The park is home to about two dozen abandoned cats. The neighborhood looks after them carefully; the cats have specially made huts to live in, are fed twice a day, and get regular medical treatment when needed. They have all been &quot;speutered.&quot; The cats are very sociable and will join you on a park bench. They all have names; there is only one female, Jolie, but she RULES the park. (She also is very fond of our English cocker and follows her all around the park when we visit.) The oldest is a yellow tabby, Pixu, who is about 13 (a guess). The park is located a couple of blocks from Avenue Louise; there are several entrances but the easiest to find (for a tourist) are on the rue Vleurgat next to the large Buigines hair salon and also farther down next to the Indian embassy.

Ten years ago, when I lived in Italy, I visted Pompeii for the day and found a very sweet stray dog with a burn hole in its side about the size of a cigar. I tried to coax him to come with me as I would take him to the vet but he was just so scared, he wouldn't leave the ruins. I named him &quot;Yoda Pompeii&quot; and I still think of him.