Are you planning to move abroad? Or want to shift to another city in the US? If you can’t travel together with your feline partner due to financial or logistic reasons, then you might need to shift your cat alone.
If you wonder how much it costs to shift a cat without hiring professional services, then remember that many expenses will convert into a hefty price tag. It might be difficult to estimate the total cost, but it is essential to have a broad idea. Therefore to help you out with the idea of the shipping cost, we have put together some information about cat shipping while keeping in mind your budgeting for your cat’s next move.
So, read below about the expenses associated with cat transport nationally or internationally on your way!
Veterinary Visit Cost
No matter where you are traveling, the amount of veterinary you will need to spend greatly depends on your travel journey. If you are traveling across the country, you will need to get your cat’s health check and general vaccinations. However, you might also require blood tests such as a Titer test during some journey processes. This test should be performed by a vet that has accreditation from USDA. You will need to spend several hundreds of dollars for all these tests or work. Tell about your vet’s journey process and discuss the specific pet import requirement, including the related costs.
Cat Carriers Cost
After reading all the traveling procedures, your kitty is all set to fly. But wait, as she is traveling alone, you first need to check the size of the airline-approved container she could fit in. Different companies have different standards, but a good carrier crate involves the following:
- It is made of durable and sturdy materials that prevent any injury.
- It is well-ventilated that keeps the airflow temperature in an acceptable range.
- It also includes adequate food and water for the travel duration.
Before the flight, consult the airline and explore what carrier your cat would require. The average size of the adult cat crate approved by the airline might cost you $100 to $150.
Airline Ticket Fees
The cat’s move budget depends on the airfare costs. While saying goodbye to your cat, you’d hope that your cat gets the best attention and care throughout the journey. Due to these concerns, airlines’ charges for animals are more expensive than ticket prices of regular passengers. Particularly for cargo, many airlines charge the pet ticket pricing of the travel crate or the weight of your pet cat with the crate.
Furthermore, you will also need to think about the cost required for your cat’s flight layover. If the layover of your cat will last for more than a few hours, you will need to spend some additional costs because the management will need to look after the animal lounge until they are on the next flight.
You might get a discounted flight to your destination without worrying about routing, but pets need to be carefully routed in pet-friendly airlines to ensure they are still in and out of airports.
It is important to remember that some airlines don’t allow the booking of pet owners with their pets to fly internationally to other countries. Therefore, you will need pet-shipping services that have an airline account. They have the assurance that the paperwork and import dealings were finalized correctly to avoid any fees or penalties.
Pet Important Taxes
Every country has its own rules, due to which pet import taxes are a little murky. For some countries’ policies, you will need to provide your pet passport that includes a set of vaccinations certificates. At the same time, others impose quarantine periods for pets imported from other countries that have fewer health standards.
You need the check the regulations beforehand. For instance, you must meet the following terms and conditions when shipping your cat to the UK.
- Your cat must be microchipped.
- Your cat should have done a rabies antibody titer test.
- You need to provide the rabies vaccinations certificate.
- You will have to show all your UK- related papers that APHIS would officially endorse.
Each of the above conditions comes with a fee that costs approximately $55.
Boarding Costs
Your cat’s travel arrangement may not always fit together perfectly despite making the best efforts. It depends on the logistics of traveling, whether you need to secure your kitten’s lodging overnight or not. And this will cost you considerably, especially if you are in a rush to ship your cat.
Even if you spend a lot of time preparing, you can’t avoid and minimize all the possible extra expenses. Research the area you are about to travel to beforehand. Airlines offer you the comfort and stop arrangement for your cat, and in this case of layover, they cost you about $500.
Wrapping Up
While considering all the above information, it would be best to start early plans for transporting your cat as you know all the costs. It is worth the cost to ship your pet cat when you move to a new destination. However, long-distance travel can be costly, and being aware of these costs early can help you plan your budget.
