Name: David
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Cat
Pet Breed: House cat
From: Spain
To: USA
Hi,
My girlfriend lives in Spain. She wants to bring her cat to the United States for the summer vacation. Is this possible?
Thanks,
David
Hi David,
Thanks for your question! We often receive similar queries from pet owners wondering about the pros and cons of bringing a furry family member along for a vacation (here's a recent example from the blog). Moving a pet due to a permanent relocation makes it an easier decision (most people go with "yes"), but when it's a relatively short trip it can be tougher to decide.
First, it's important to know what this vacation would entail. In this case you would need to follow the pet import requirements for the United States, and then upon your return, meet the pet import requirements for Spain. Your cat will also need to have an airline-approve travel crate (and hopefully feel pretty comfortable spending time in it). Also, you should choose a pet friendly airline and research their particular procedures for booking a flight, etc.
It will take a significant amount of time and effort to make this round trip with your cat (not to mention the cost of the flights and vet visits), so it all depends on what your girlfriend is prepared for. Also important to consider is the cat's point of view. Will he/she transition easily and deal with two long trips without too much anxiety? Would it be better to leave her/him at home under the care of a trusted pet sitter?
So, the short answer to your question is "yes, it's possible" but as you can see there are many factors to consider here. We hope these details have been helpful in assisting with making a decision, and if you have any further questions, just let us know.
Thanks for reaching out, and good luck with everything!