Tick It Before You Kick It

How to Fly with a Cat + What NOT to Do

• Alexandra Lauren | The Bucket List Mermaid • Season 1 • Episode 15

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Ever wondered what it's like to move across the world with a furry companion by your side?

See the full show notes 👉 here for pictures of Moshie and travel resources to help you travel with your cat! 

🐱Join me as I recount the emotional journey of relocating to Budapest for medical school with my beloved cat, Moshie. 

📖From navigating the intricate process of transporting a pet internationally to balancing life as a medical student, this episode promises to deliver heartfelt stories and invaluable tips for anyone considering taking their pet on an international adventure.

✅You'll gain a step-by-step guide to bringing your pet from the US to the EU, covering crucial steps like obtaining an ISO-compliant microchip and the timing of rabies vaccinations. 

🙌Hear my firsthand experience with the bureaucratic maze of obtaining the EU health certificate from APHIS and the tight deadlines for USDA endorsement. 

💰We'll also break down the unexpected costs and airline-specific requirements that come with flying your pet, making sure you’re well-prepared for every hurdle along the way.

✈️I’ll also share practical advice on packing essentials for your pet, preparing for TSA checks, and handling layovers. 

🐈With a focus on preparation, flexibility, and a positive attitude, this episode offers a comprehensive look at the triumphs and trials of traveling internationally with a pet. 

Don’t forget to check out thebucketlistmermaid.com for a detailed guide and more tales from our adventures! 💙

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Alexandra:

He just ate up the attention faster than I ate a mac and cheese after my juice cleanse. Hello there, adventurers, and welcome to Ticket Before you Kick it a podcast where we talk about everything that you should put on your adventure bucket list and some hilarious travel stories. Now, in this week's episode, we're going to talk about something that's a little bit of both, and it was a true adventure, and by that I mean I cried at least 16 times, had seven mental breakdowns and almost lost my will to live. Okay, that might be a little harsh, but this was a crazy one, and that is I moved all the way across the world with my kitten, moshi. Now for a little backstory.

Alexandra:

I used to be in the medical field. I got my degree in forensic science, I studied abroad, in England, and then, after college, I went on this giant backpacking trip, and when I returned back to the States, I was a first responder during COVID and then, after that, applied to medical school and eventually chose to go to medical school in Budapest because I wanted to hide some of my adventurous, crazy spirit, and that didn't end up working, and now I'm a traveling mermaid who lives full-time in an RV and runs a travel blog and is a yoga instructor. So it's funny how life works out sometimes, but here we are. Anyway, when I was going to school in Budapest, hungary, I decided that I needed an emotional support animal. I'm originally a dog person. However, I didn't think that this was appropriate with how much time I would be spending in the lab and in school, so I decided to get a cat instead, and I was introduced to. I'm gonna be honest and you can make fun of me all you want, but one of my best friends in this world is a little tiny, flame point Siberian forest cat named Moshi. I will definitely put pictures of him on the show notes if you want to see what he looks like. A lot of people are obsessed with him, myself included, and him and his sister, amelia actually do have an Instagram page called Toe Beans on the Road, because they now travel with me full-time in an RV. But anyway, that's now.

Alexandra:

Back then, I moved to Budapest and I moved with my cat, so in this episode, I'm going to be talking about what it was actually like to move with a cat all the way across the world and what that felt like, and how many tears I shed over this. Let's get started. So I've just never been a stereotypical person and, looking back, with most things in my life, it was one of those things where I was like, wow, that was a little wild. And so many people contacted me. It was like, oh, things where I was like, wow, that was a little wild. And so many people contacted me. It was like, oh, yeah, it's really cool that you're going to med school in Budapest. No, it wasn't that. It was oh my gosh, you moved with your cat to Hungary. Honestly, this is not new. Moshi steals all the attention. He's an attention grabber and that's okay and he knows it. He's prissy, he knows it. He is not a humble cat, he knows he's beautiful and he knows he's cute and he works it.

Alexandra:

And before we get started here, I have to do a quick disclaimer. This is not meant to be advice. If you are thinking about moving to another country with your pet, this is a hundred percent going to rely on where you are moving to and where you are moving from. The regulations are different everywhere you go and they are changing all the time, so do not use this as advice. But I do wish that. When I was going through this, I wish I would have had a podcast like this just to show me what I was in for generally and to be a little bit more mentally prepared for what was going to happen here, even just flying with a cat. I just wish I would have had a little bit more support and I wish I would have seen it done a little bit more than I did before I took the final leap. So, with that being said, I did take a cat from the US into the EU and here is what I had to go through. If you do want more information, if you are going from the US specifically or to another country in the world, I got all of my information from APHIS or the US Department of State. It didn't seem like a lot of information, but it was just overwhelming. And also, before we get started, no matter where you are moving to and from, if I had to do it all over again, I would say do this, create a step-by-step spreadsheet and involve the vet from day one. Now, I am not the most detail-oriented person. I'm more of a big picture person and I'm a little bit more chaotic and spontaneous. If I were to do this again, I would have definitely pushed myself to be more detail-oriented and have a step-by-step guide from the very beginning. So let's talk about it.

Alexandra:

General process for bringing pets into the EU from the US. So I had to one get an ISO-compliant microchip. He was so young that the vet actually had to do this. That automatically told me to do this. But if you had a non-ISO-compliant, they actually told me to do this. But if you had a non-ISO compliant, they actually told me that I could bring my own scanner. But I personally just didn't want to risk it. So I just right off the back on an ISO compliant microchip.

Alexandra:

Now number two he had to be at least 16 weeks old, and this might differ from place to place, but the general age limit in order to fly internationally with a cat is 16 weeks old. Now Moshi was actually kind of a young spring chicken, so he was actually just above this. He was probably about 25 weeks old at the time that I moved, but he was still a kitten. So again, this was just an experience. Now three, he had to get his rabies vaccination and this had to be placed after the microchip to make sure that they got the vaccine after scanning for the microchip. And it couldn't be more than a year old. So again, he was young. He got his primary vaccine right before I left, but if your pet is older you can also get a booster that's valid for one to three years. Again, check with your vet with all of this, because this is all subject to change. These are just general things that I learned. I also traveled with the rabies certificate and then had his microchip number recorded on his rabies certificate and then we had to wait 21 days after his vaccination to travel.

Alexandra:

Now, number four APHIS then issued an EU health certificate. Can you hear me just crying right now? This was so much to do in addition to prepping for med school. Keep that in mind. So I ended up getting a non-commercial health certificate because I was not traveling with more than five pets, thank god, and I was not using Little Moshi for any money related activities. So I took Moshi to the vet. He got a ton of health tests done and then the vet signed a document that I submitted into APHIS that they endorsed, and then the USDA had to endorse the health certificate within 10 days into the arrival of the EU. So as soon as I received the document, I signed the declaration before traveling to the EU and it all seems cut and dry.

Alexandra:

Right, I thought so too, but, as I could say, I had like seven mental breakdowns, because things are just never that simple, especially when you're liaisoning with a vet and a government office. So here's what I would recommend if this is you, after you go to your appropriate government authorities of where you're moving from and moving to, I would go to the vet early and communicate that you are going to fly internationally with a pet, because I just feel like this entire process was Mersi's law, like everything that can go wrong will go wrong. So it took a while to get on the same page with a vet, then it took them a while to run the tests and then after that we had to wait between the rabies vaccination to comply with the whole 21 waiting day period before we could travel, and then the USDA endorsement was just radio silent for a while. So I started panic, calling the USDA and I was like I'm leaving in two days and I have no paperwork, and so they actually got it to me two days before my massive move.

Alexandra:

So I was just a human ball of stress at this point and it just did nothing for my nerves, but needless to say, it wasn't exactly a peaceful experience and it just takes time. So that's why I would plan on going to the vet at least three months in advance. As I said, I'm kind of a chaotic. It just takes time. So that's why I would plan on going to the vet at least three months in advance. As I said, I'm kind of a chaotic mess all the time, so three months was a good time frame for me personally. But if you're just a very efficient, detail-oriented person maybe one I would just give yourself a lot of time for this and I would definitely print out everything and stay organized when you fly. I went with the more is more mentality, so if I could print out a document, I did. You just need to be very organized when you fly with a cat, so I make sure that every document stated his microchip number, his rabies vaccination and a vet's signature. But if I could do it all over again, I would probably cut this down a little bit and just make a master checklist. So if you don't have anything else, make sure you at least have now.

Alexandra:

Again, this is from the US to the EU, might be different depending on where you go and it might change, but I had my rabies certificate, my microchip certificate, my vet health check, usda endorsed health certificate and any flight requirements Like this depends on the airline. For example, I was with Lufthansa and it required me to sign a form and get it approved at check-in and I just carried it with me the whole time, and then also just anything else that the country's both entering and exiting require, and I would also be prepared to pay for weird things that you don't expect, like the vet charged me for the time it took them to do the research on what they needed, even though I gave them everything I needed. They also charged me for all the tests done, and then I also had to pay for priority shipping to get the health certificate back within 10 days of leaving. So another thing is the flight. I actually ironically it's cheaper to fly with a pet in Europe from country to country than it is to do in America. So I don't know what that's saying, but I feel like, after all of this research and everything, I budgeted about $250 each way. I think I paid about $125 US dollars for United and then a little bit less once I got into the EU, but it's all going to depend on the airline you choose, and you also have to make sure that you do this early because, oh okay, I had a heck of a time coming back into the US. I'll talk about that too. But anyway, I would definitely call and confirm everything that is going on, and do so right when you do the ticket and then also 48 hours before, because a lot of the airlines have a limit for how many animals can actually be on a plane, and then just keep your receipts organized just to show that you paid Again. I'm going to tell you my terrible story coming back from Budapest.

Alexandra:

Now into the fun stuff, if you are traveling with a pet, the vet did give me gabapentin for Mosh, which is a calming medication, and I'm gonna be honest, I feel like this didn't work Because, although it might seem like a good thing, I feel like it just made him more agitated. So I would definitely test this on your animal before you do it in a tight, confined space up at high elevation. You do it in a tight, confined space up at high elevation. Moshi personally, he just loves being held and coddled. Again, he loves being the center of attention. So this this tracks for him and he just wanted to be held Like that's what made him feel better. The gabapentin did not. So it just depends.

Alexandra:

And I would also get just a few pet carriers before you go For me personally. So get just a few pet carriers before you go For me personally. I bought one that I could put on my back because I knew that I was going to have multiple suitcases because I was moving. I wasn't traveling, I was moving, so I was going to have multiple suitcases and I needed to be able to just stick them on my back and go on my merry way. Now there are a lot of dimensions for the airlines. They didn't seem to be that much of a stickler for it, but I have heard of people who have been a little strict with these things and I did notice that when I was leaving the States, when I got that United form that said that I was taking him on and he had his own little luggage tag, they did soft measure. They didn't like get out the ruler, but they definitely looked at the carrier just to make sure that it was compliant. I think this was not really for the dimensions underneath the seat. I think this was more for they needed to make sure that he was comfy in there, like he could stand up, he could turn around, he could lay down. So just more for his safety and comfort, which I really did appreciate. Also, my backpack that I chose to get, which I will link in the show notes, actually had an expandable part, and this was a game changer because funny story I actually spent six hours in Germany heading out there, which he did not appreciate, but I just opened up the expandable part. So many people came over and just loved him and it was so cute. But I think without that expandable part I think that would have been worse for him personally.

Alexandra:

Now, if you are traveling with a little kitty, I would definitely have the cat get used to its carrier before you fly. What I would do is I would put his favorite toys and his blanket in there and then I also introduced treats and food into the carrier and I just tried to associate everything positive with the carrier. Now, moshi actually loves being outside and he's kind of motivated by being outside. So we actually took him camping with his carrier and he slept the entire way without a peep, just went camping. So he's naturally a pretty adventurous kitty. So he was used to his carrier before and I was very glad that we did that. However, my total travel from here to Europe, with the six-hour layover in Germany, was 16 hours. So he did the best that he could, but he was definitely ready to get out of there once we got to Hungary and I would be too. But overall, so impressed with him, I think it definitely helped taking him out of there whenever I could in the pet areas.

Alexandra:

Another thing that I noticed that I would definitely get your cat ready for, or dog is that be prepared to be approached by everybody. Now I can't speak to bringing a dog in the airport because I've never flown with a dog, but having a little cute kitten at an airport automatically makes you the prettiest girl at the party. Like Moshi got so much attention and he's very social. He loves strangers. I literally have a picture of him sitting on the lawn outside of DIA in some random kid's lap in the terminal. So he's just used to being handled, cooed at and picked up by strangers. I think it's just because he's so handsome and he's so striking that people just naturally go to him. So he's really used to all of the attention and he just ate up the attention faster than I ate a mac and cheese after my juice cleanse. He just loves it.

Alexandra:

However, some cats don't, so I would either recommend getting them used to being with strangers or set firm boundaries with our fellow travelers who just want a cuddle while they're waiting to board their plane. It was actually so cute because when I was flying back from Hungary, there was this lady and I sat by her and as I went on to the plane, I would let the people know and I'd be like hey, I have a cat, he's hypoallergenic. But if you're severely allergic, like let me know and I will talk to the flight attendant to see if I can get you moved. Blah, blah, blah, blah, just to be polite to other people, people. And this lady literally held Moshi on her lap like in the carrier, but just had her hand and was just going and she told me afterwards she was from Romania. She told me afterwards that it was her first time flying overseas and she is such a nervous traveler and because Moshi I mean seriously she pet Moshi for like six hours and Moshi ate it up. He loved it. It was good for him too. Because of that she said it kind of calmed him down. So, like you can, you can make a difference just by just by traveling with your little kitty. Now let's go into what to pack if you're flying internationally with a cat.

Alexandra:

I had a portable litter box and when I'm not tight on space, I actually have this company called Travel Cat and they have a portable litter box because we travel all the time, but it was too big for me to take. So what I ended up doing is I put a flexible travel bag they know, like that I normally put my underwear in but it wasn't really ideal. It was messy and it was a pain, but at the end of the day it got the job done and he used it. I also did, obviously, a small bag of litter. I double bagged it. So every couple of hours I would take him to the bathroom, I would set up my makeshift litter box. This sucked, I'm not gonna lie. I also another cat that I got previously. They put her in a diaper when they flew with her, which I guess would be fine. I don't know, it just seems so messy for me Now.

Alexandra:

According to the vet, cats do become naturally constipated when they travel, and Moshi didn't poop the entire trip, so I guess they were right. However, his buddy, emmy did poop on a flight, so I would just be prepared for anything. I honestly am an ultimate shout out to this cat, because the fact that he was smart enough to know how to pee in my horribly made travel bag with a handful of litter in a moving plane bathroom I just have to give him a standing ovation for that one. I also got some treats, although I did not give him that many because I kind of didn't want him to make a huge poop in the plane, so just not enough to make him sick. But if he did start meowing, you know, I'd put my hand in there. I did also bring bring food and I noticed that every time he was meowing I would just give him one little piece of food, very, very slowly, and it was a good way to distract him, and I would normally give him like two to three pieces and then he'd fall asleep again.

Alexandra:

I have also heard about calming spray. I did use it. I think I preferred it a little bit more over the gabapentin, but I, you know, I'm just not sure it worked. And then also favorite toys a calming or anxiety blanket and a harness or a leash because you will need to take them out of the carrier at TSA. So if they bolt, you need to be able to hold them, and then also all of the documents that I have previously mentioned. I would keep those with you at all times. Now, also, I would arrive early at the airport with your pet, at least. Like I'm saying hours Now.

Alexandra:

Here is my sob story, coming back from the EU to the US. If this wasn't, every single thing went wrong. I don't know what it is Now. Naturally, he was not happy to be there. He was like no, I like it here in Hungary, leave me here, please. No. So they wanted an EU passport for him that I didn't have because they told me, because you normally would need an EU passport when you're there, but I didn't have that because we were only transiting through Germany and he didn't need a proper EU passport because he never traveled through the EU or ever left Hungary. So they told me that I didn't need one, but they wanted it and technically, the health certificate lasted four months, as long as the rabies vaccine is valid. However, they didn't care. They wanted an EU passport, and it was just so frustrating.

Alexandra:

And then they couldn't find my reservation and said that, since it was less than 48 hours before I couldn't take him. So then I went to customer service and I had to fight them for about 45 minutes. We called the airline to confirm Again. I said keep your receipts because I didn't. Then after that they said that they had it but I didn't pay. So then I had to go back to the customer service for another 30 minutes and then they said that I couldn't bring a pet into Germany because of their regulations that they had just put in place. So back to customer service and they called Munich and they said that they just weren't accepting cargo pets at the time, but in-cabin was okay. Then they told me that Denver had increased their regulation on pets traveling from the EU and that Denver was not accepting pets whatsoever. So I finally convinced them to let me pass and they just told me that I would be turned away once I got into Germany. And then again, if Germany decided to take me and Moshi, I would get turned away in Colorado. But I was slowly losing my will to live. At this point Again, kind of dramatic, kind of not. I was absolutely done. So I just decided to take the risk and deal with it in Germany.

Alexandra:

Once I got to Germany. They played with Moshi for 30 minutes at TSA and waved me through customs. Then I got Denver. I went through customs. He said, oh hi, little guy Didn't even check any of my documentation and just waved me through. So, needless to say, I was about ready to take Moshi's calming medications myself.

Alexandra:

After all this. Just learn from my mistakes. Like if failing miserably during a check-in was a thing, I was a full-on dumpster fire during this time. It was just, everything went wrong and I thought that I was just gonna have to stay there. And then, if you've previously listened to my entire episode about living in Budapest, I had a crazy time trying to get a visa and I was like okay, so let me get this straight. I can either stay in Hungary illegally or I have to leave my cat. Like absolute panic in my mind for here, panicking, panicking because none of my visa documents came. I had to leave at that point or else I would be there illegally and I was not going to do that. So I had to leave and they just were not taking Moshi. The whole thing was so stressful. So just don't be like me. Get to the airport early, mentally, prepare yourself. Read the fine print on all the regulations for all the countries involved, even the layovers, double check reservations and keep all of your documents and all your receipts organized.

Alexandra:

Now let's talk about another thing that I get asked about a lot TSA. What is it like going through TSA with a cat? So so you have to take them out of the carrier, you have to let them know and then you have to carry them through and place them back. One thing I wish I would have done differently is practice this with my cat, because TSA is chaotic and it's loud and when he gets stressed out he just wants to be held. So I took him out and he clung to me and behaved wonderfully through the entire thing. However, when I went to go put him back in his carrier, he did not like that. He wanted me to keep holding him. He did not want to go back in his carrier. So I wish I would have trained him a little bit better for getting in and out of his carrier in hectic situations.

Alexandra:

He did fine in Hungary. I think we were both just done and tired with everything in Hungary and he just went straight in and straight back. He was like girl, do your thing. I see you're stressed, I got you, and also I would recommend letting them out, if the airport permits, or expand the carrier. They said my flight to Germany was 10 and a half hours. I had a six-hour layover in Germany and then I had another hour and a half to Budapest. So during those six hours Moshi was antsy, to say the least. Luckily he had a grand old time when I expanded the carrier and then I also went to a remote corner and I got permission from one of the airport staff just to let him out and stretch his legs. This of course attracted so many people who just wanted to come and meet him. So, in standard Moshi fashion, he was sleeping, he was laying on their laps and he was playing within about 30 minutes. So he was fine just as long as I could let him out. But I did honestly feel really bad towards the end of the flight and again he just wanted to be cuddled like the man he is. So it made me feel a lot better when I could actually get out of the plane and stretch his legs and meet new people.

Alexandra:

Some cats are not as clingy as Moshi. He's a stage five clinger and that's fine. So I would just be careful making your cat visible if they don't warm up to new people. Because I learned quickly that having a cute cat automatically just again makes you the most popular person in that airport and some people don't have boundaries or common sense when it comes to seeing a cute animal at the airport and they will come up and pet them. So you either need to be very aggressive with these people or know that your cat is okay with it. And again, another tip ask the gate if you can change your seat On the flight out there I had a seat all by myself Now during the Europe layovers I was actually in the middle, but it worked out well because I just put Moshi on my lap and then the two gentlemen on each side of me would just pet him the whole flight.

Alexandra:

And then on the way back from Germany to Denver I got the entire row, Like I just I went up and asked them. I was like, hey, I have a little kitty, this is a really long flight, can you move me to someplace that is better for him? And I actually got an entire row. So I expanded his carrier across two seats and then slept against the window. Of course, moshi could meow his way into getting two plane seats on a long-haul flight. I'm not surprised at all, really. And another question I get a lot. Which seat would I recommend when you fly internationally with a cat?

Alexandra:

Now, I did fly out Emmy and she said that she always flies on the window so that people are not stepping over the pet. But for me personally, I think I preferred the aisle seat so that I could walk around with the carrier, get everything out easier, because I was going to the bathroom with him a lot just to make sure that he wasn't having accidents and you know, just so I could like hold him a little bit. And again, middle seat was my least favorite. It just wasn't fun for anyone. I mean, it was fun for the two grown men who spent the flight petting him, but it was not fun for me.

Alexandra:

Now the last thing let's talk about is what to do when you are off your plane and you are going through customs. Now, I'm not gonna lie, it was a little hectic. Moshe was absolutely done at this point. I mean, it's kind of a struggle to get off of a plane for 10 hours, even if you don't have an animal with you. So I proceeded through border control with no problems, but in both places, in Germany and in Hungary customs was closed.

Alexandra:

For those of you who work in the travel industry and customs, can you please tell me what to do if this happens, like what happens if you go into customs and you have something to declare but there is no one to declare it to? I was very concerned. I was like I do not want to bring Moshi in here without getting him looked at, and I have also spent so much time, money and effort getting all of these documents together. Please appreciate them. I am here and I have dotted my I's and crossed my T's. I need to show you my work. So I actually proceeded to run around like a mad woman trying to find someone to look at my cat, but finally I did find an officer to help me and, I'm gonna be honest, it seemed like he could care less. He was like, oh my gosh, he looks so cute. Can I pet him, have fun. So I definitely needed those documents there, but it was a little bit of a sting that he didn't even look at one single one. I'm sure this definitely changes depending on where you are and the day.

Alexandra:

So it is good to just expect the worst to happen and just to have everything right there, but sometimes it's fine. As I said, it kind of was the same thing. Coming back, they were like, oh, germany's super strict and they don't have any regulations, and they literally took him to the back room and played with him. However, on that way back, they did actually, when they did take us to the back room, that was to look at the carrier and just to make sure. So they did look at it through TSA, however, customs, I was having a hard time finding anybody and then I got to Denver and he was like, oh, you're from here, the cat was born here, he's so cute. Goodbye, I didn't check anything, just similar to the check-in.

Alexandra:

I would just approach it with the expect the best, prepare for the worst kind of mentality and just treat the officers and the border control with the utmost respect, as you would normally. I think I need a nap. That was crazy. If that doesn't scream adventure, nothing will. I think it's one of the craziest things that I have done in my traveling life is to move abroad with a cat, and I think that it is definitely worth it because, again, I was in a very high stress situation there in school and all of my friends there really appreciated Moshi too. He really was like a little support cat. So it was definitely worth it and I'm glad that I got the experience of traveling internationally with a cat because, again, I'm not the most detail-oriented person and it really did push me to be a detail-oriented person and deal with some bureaucratic processes which, again, I also hate. So it was a good learning experience for me. I feel like I grew as a person and sometimes when you are moving to another country, you don't have a choice.

Alexandra:

You need to bring your little fur baby because they're a part of your family and sometimes this entire process, even though it's not really desirable, it's needed in order to bring your little furry friend with you. Did I stress you out during this podcast? Was this kind of what you expected? Traveling internationally with your cat? Would you still do it at this point or would you leave it home? I would love to hear your thoughts about this. It definitely takes practice and patience from both you and your furry friend.

Alexandra:

I don't think I would call it the best time in the world but, again, sometimes it's a necessary process to have your baby with you and it can be done. If I can do it, so can you. And if you are traveling with your beloved pet, make sure to follow and tag me on social media at the bucket list mermaid, or just send me an email how it went, because I would love to see how it went and cheer you on, because this is a hard thing to do and I'm gonna give you a kudos for it. So thank you guys again for listening. If you do want to check out the full guide, it it is on the bucketlistmermaidcom. I will link it in the show notes as well as put all of my pictures of Moshi and his sister Emi on there so that you can see and enjoy them. If you did like this episode, make sure to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcasting channel and we will see you next time. Happy adventuring and, more importantly, happy adventuring with your cat.