144
destination guides with import-rule summaries
40+
airline pet-policy summaries
2026
guides reviewed and updated through the year
Source Links
Guides point readers toward official authorities, airline pages, and relevant route sources.
Last Checked Dates
Page labels show when a guide was last reviewed against linked sources.
Correction Path
Readers can submit source-backed corrections for rules, costs, and airline policies.
Veterinary Recommendation
Listed as a helpful resource by The Cat's Meow Veterinary Hospital.
Why This Exists
One missed detail can derail an international move.
Moving with a cat is not just booking a pet-friendly flight. You may need the right microchip sequence, rabies timing, government-endorsed certificates, import permits, route restrictions, quarantine bookings, and airline-specific carrier rules.
CatAbroad brings those moving parts into one place so travellers can understand the route before they call a vet, book a flight, or hire a pet relocation company.
It is also built from the point of view that cats are not luggage with whiskers. They are family members with routines, fears, favourite sleeping spots, and a strong opinion about carriers. The paperwork matters because the cat matters.
The Cat Person Behind It
This is run by someone who has lived with a lot of cats.
CatAbroad is operated by Andy Ward, a lifelong cat lover who has owned and cared for many cats over the years. That matters here, because international cat travel is not an abstract paperwork exercise when you know what it feels like to coax a nervous cat into a carrier, monitor stress, and worry about whether every document is exactly right.
The site tries to combine two things that cat owners need at the same time: careful source-checking and a bit of emotional realism. You need the rule, the date, the certificate, and the airline policy. You also need someone to remember that there is a small, opinionated passenger at the centre of all of it.
The working assumptions:
- Cats deserve planning, not improvisation. Travel stress is easier to manage when the route is understood early.
- Owners need plain English. Official rules are important, but they are not always written for tired people with a vet appointment tomorrow.
- Details are kindness. A date, a document, or a carrier rule can be the difference between calm travel and a very expensive problem.
Research Method
We start with official sources, then translate them into a traveller checklist.
Primary sources
Government pet-travel pages, border and agriculture authorities, official certificate notes, and airline policy pages.
Industry references
IATA live-animal guidance, airport animal reception information, and carrier-dimension policies.
Practical review
Real relocation experience, common route problems, cost ranges, and timing gotchas.
Correction loop
Reader corrections are reviewed against source links before page copy is changed.
What "Last Checked" Means
It means a source review, not a guarantee.
When a guide shows a "Last checked" date, it means the page was reviewed against the sources linked on that page on or near that date. We use this wording deliberately because pet-travel rules can change without notice.
CatAbroad is an informational resource, not a government authority, veterinary practice, customs broker, or airline. Before travel, confirm requirements directly with the destination authority, your veterinarian, and your airline.
Boundaries
What CatAbroad does and does not do.
We Do
- Summarize route rules from official and airline sources.
- Turn requirements into checklists for timing, documents, and bookings.
- Link out to sources so readers can verify before travel.
We Do Not
- Replace government advice or official border decisions.
- Provide veterinary or legal advice for individual animals or cases.
- Guarantee airline acceptance because route and aircraft rules can change.
Corrections
Found something wrong? Send the source.
If you spot outdated or unclear information, send the page URL, the detail that looks wrong, and the official source that supports the correction. We review corrections with priority because pet-travel mistakes can cost real money and time.