# Rescue cat from Peru



## Anita1234 (Oct 24, 2018)

hello well a few months ago I adopted two cats that turned up at my garden in Peru , I have been living in the UK for more than 10 years but returned to Peru because of my mother's health, one is a bit old and have kidney problems and she is very attached to me but the other one is still young and I think I can find a good home for her , she is about 1,5 years and I don't have the space to keep her in the UK where I live with my partner in a small flat in Surrey near Woking , she likes to be indoors but also outdoors in a garden where she can't leave , she doenst know about roads, so ideally she would have to be an indoor cat or she would have to stay in a house with a cat proof garden , she was a stray so she is a bit nervous and wary of new
People but very affectionate always purring , I'm bringing her all the way to Peru and I will pay all the costs, paperwork , etc myself , it will take at least a couple of months , she is spayed, hope to find someone that will let me see their house before adopting her and will allow me to visit from time to time to see if she is doing ok


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @Anita1234 - they are very pretty cats! It's lovely you are helping them. Are there no cat Rescues in Peru?

I imagine you have already looked at the UK govt website about how to import a cat from a country outside the EU?

https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad

It is a long flight for a cat from Peru to the UK - about 14 hours including loading time. Quite a lot to put a cat through..

You'd have to take the cat to your own home when you arrived in the UK, and keep them separate from your own cat. Then try and re-home them at that point

I think it is really kind what you are thinking of doing, I am only concerned how it will work out for the cat and for you. Rescues in the UK are full to bursting with unwanted adult cats, and it may not be so easy to rehome this cat from abroad.


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## Anita1234 (Oct 24, 2018)

No there are no rescues in a peru at least in the city I’m , if people want to find a home for a cat they have to do it themselves posting online , hmm I’m a bit worried if I leave Peru for good I won’t know if she is ok , I won’t be able to visit her , and I think people are more responsible with their pets in the UK, hope to find a home may myself for her if not try a rescue , I understand it won’t be easy as she is not super friendly , there are companies that do all the paperwork in Peru , but I’m worried that she will have to travel as cargo to the UK all the way from Peru , but I have seen some pets travelling to Europe as hand luggage from Peru , I would like to travel with her like that , I may have to ask the company for advise to bring her with me to Europe and then from Europe to the UK maybe she can travel as cargo as it’s a short distance


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

Please let us know how you get on @Anita1234 
and good luck.


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## Anita1234 (Oct 24, 2018)

I booked flights for her and me , Arequipa - Lima -Paris and then will go in a car to the UK from Paris via the Eurotunnel so she can go in cabin all the way , the UK doenst allow pets in cabin , a company is doing all the paperwork for me , I’m just terrified of travelling with her as I think she will cry all the way and I will get in trouble, or she will escape going through security if anyone can recommend a good harness and travel bag please , I may have to be adopt her if nobody wants her , I live in a flat with another cat so I hope they get along


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Well done being able to have her in the cabin with you. I would give her a calming treatment the day before the journey. Not a sedative. but something like Beaphar Calming spot on, or Zylkene or Yucalm. Can you get any of those in your country? They are all sold on Amazon.com..

How long is the flight? Will you be able to have a break overnight in a hotel in Paris so she can eat and use the litter tray?


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

Anita1234 said:


> I booked flights for her and me , Arequipa - Lima -Paris and then will go in a car to the UK from Paris via the Eurotunnel so she can go in cabin all the way , the UK doenst allow pets in cabin , a company is doing all the paperwork for me , I'm just terrified of travelling with her as I think she will cry all the way and I will get in trouble, or she will escape going through security if anyone can recommend a good harness and travel bag please , I may have to be adopt her if nobody wants her , I live in a flat with another cat so I hope they get along


@Minuscule took her lovely cat "Ren" to France, so you could ask her about a suitable carrier maybe? I think many harnesses aren't reliable, so be very careful. It's a shame she can't be microchipped before you leave Peru, or can she?
It's very good of you to do what you are doing, if there was no chance of a good home in Peru, so I hope it all goes well.
When you say you worry she may escape through security, do you think security may check her over? Could you put a lock on the carrier? You could insist on a small secure room to be checked over in, before taking her out of the carrier, that would be a reasonable request, then put a lead/harness on to be extra careful, before fully opening the carrier?
Minuscule said only certain hotels accept cats and you would be wise to check in advance.
If you get stuck, you're welcome to have her in a pen in my garden until homed, but you would need to supply the pen. I could supply food and cat litter etc, but hopefully it won't come to that.


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## Anita1234 (Oct 24, 2018)

Hello, I Have some zylkene that my partner brought from the UK, I read online that I have to get her out from the carrier to go through security x rays, I have to have her on my arms and the carrier goes alone with hand luggage , etc .
As most cats are nervous i worry she will try to run away , I will insist on a secure room to get her out , she has to be microchipped before travelling , has to have lots of certificates to check she is in good health and doenst have rabies, etc , the flight is about 11 hours I think , thank you @TriTri , I hope I can find a home for her or my other cat will adapt to her ,it would be a good idea to have a break overnight but may be difficult to find a hotel and arrange everything


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I think she would only be checked in a secure room. 

She is unlikely to eat or drink on the journey unless you can take her somewhere quiet and safe such as a hotel room. If she does not want to eat it is important she drinks plenty - being in a plane is dehydrating.


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## Anita1234 (Oct 24, 2018)

Thank you , I hope they check her on a secure room , I’m worried she will meaow all the way , hope it’s not that bad, my flight is on the 15th July but I’m very very nervous already


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

Anita1234 said:


> Thank you , I hope they check her on a secure room , I'm worried she will meaow all the way , hope it's not that bad, my flight is on the 15th July but I'm very very nervous already


Hi Anita1234. Can you get some puppy pads to put in her cat carrier, incase she toilets on the way, to soak it up in? And spares?! Take empty carrier bags to put dirty ones into. Have something handy to clean the carrier with, in an emergency. The zylkene sound a good idea and definitely take something you can keep offering the cat water in..... remember lots of water. Plan the journey as best you can. Get a good harness and lead. Don't let anybody talk you into letting her out the box, into a situation where the cat is at risk of being able to run away or be in danger. Always remain calm and polite of course, don't get arrested!! Haha! Make sure the cat isn't able to escape before you leave home, as you won't have time to go looking! Keep trying to find a good home in Peru, in the meantime as you never know, something may turn up. Good luck and please let us know how things go.


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## Anita1234 (Oct 24, 2018)

Thank a lot for your advice @TriTri , I will remain polite and calm or I will try to , hopefully I can buy a good harness , I read a lot that cats can still escape in a stressful situation , many people think they should act like dogs but they are not , I don't think I will find a suitable place for her in Peru , she is such a cute and affectionate cat I couldn't leave her behind


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

Anita1234 said:


> Thank a lot for your advice @TriTri , I will remain polite and calm or I will try to , hopefully I can buy a good harness , I read a lot that cats can still escape in a stressful situation , many people think they should act like dogs but they are not , I don't think I will find a suitable place for her in Peru , she is such a cute and affectionate cat I couldn't leave her behind


How kind of you Anita1234 . 
Did you say your cat will be on your lap for the journey? If so & it were me, I would ask a hostess if they could reserve a suitable seat for you on the plane and then you could allow everyone else to get on the plane and sort themselves out, then you go on last of all, once all the commotion is over! I would be planning to either go on the plane first or last & probably last. Maybe get advice from @huckybuck ?


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## Anita1234 (Oct 24, 2018)

I think she needs to be under my seat from Lima to Paris , then someone will pick me up in Paris and we will enter the UK by car, I will ask huckybuck, I’m very nervous


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

Anita1234 said:


> I think she needs to be under my seat from Lima to Paris , then someone will pick me up in Paris and we will enter the UK by car, I will ask huckybuck, I'm very nervous


Surely she doesn't go under your seat, out of a cat carrier? She will need to be in a cat carrier.


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## Anita1234 (Oct 24, 2018)

yes during the flight she needs to be in the cat carrier at all times


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## Minuscule (Sep 11, 2016)

Hello Anita,

TriTri mentioned you yesterday when we had a chat. I took Ren from the UK to the south of France, so it's a much shorter trip but it still required organisation and if I can give you a tip or two then I'd be happy.

A lot of things have already been mentioned but I can tell you about our trip if it can reassure you a little. Ren is very good in the car so I was not too concerned about that part but I was more concerned about the length of the journey. We travelled from Cambridge to Lille in my car - you can't take a pet in the Eurostar so you would either have to drive through the Eurotunnel or take the ferry (or another plane but maybe you don't want to put her through this again, plus I don't know if you can take her in the cabin with you). There was a long delay at the Eurotunnel, then I got lost in Lille as my sat nav didn't work so this part of the journey was much longer than anticipated, yet Ren only meowed once. If I have an advice to give you, check you sat nav will work beforehand! It was so stressful… I booked an hotel in Lille, I looked for pet friendly hotels on websites like hotels.com where you can add filters to your search and then I also called them before booking to ensure there wouldn't be any bad surprises. I had a litter tray in the car but he didn't want to use it, I used the tray at the hotel as well and he used it then. I was surprised to see how chilled Ren was when we arrived at the hotel. I didn't feed him before leaving (only in the morning, we left at about 2pm) but he ate his dinner at the hotel, he played and was not scared at all. In the car I used his normal plastic cat carrier so he had more space, as I had no size restriction in my car. For the next part of the journey, I used the Sandy bag from Zooplus but I don't think that would be any good for a plane journey (too big).
I left the car in Lille for a week and took the train from Lille to Aix-en-Provence, my destination (I then did the return journey on my own to sort a few things in the UK before leaving for good, Ren stayed at my parents'). The train broke down so we had a 3-hour delay… We were very unlucky but you have to be prepared for these things to happen. People in the train were lovely and helped me carrying my massive suitcase (with all Ren's stuff inside) as we had to change train half way due to the first train breakdown.
Anyway… Ren didn't moaned, he only meowed once again on this part of the journey. In total it was about 9 hours in the carrier each time. I didn't want to take the plane because I worried it would scare him (I have a plane phobia myself so you see, I transferred my fear to Ren). But, I know another french girl who lived in the UK and moved to Paris, her cat was so scared when they took him to Paris in the car but he was ok to take the plane on another occasion! So maybe a piece of advice would be to get her used to the car and to her carrier, start with small journeys and then increase the distance to see how she reacts. It will be less a trauma taking the plane!

I used the Beaphar Calming Spot-on, I would highly recommend it! A pipette lasts for 1 week so you can apply it the day before you leave and it will last for the whole trip + when you arrive in the UK (strong sedatives are not recommended, it's even dangerous for the pet. My vet highly advised against it!). As mentioned already, plenty of puppy training pads in the carrier box (and plenty of fresh ones in your bag in case there is an accident). I also took some Water wipes (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Water-Wipe...=water+wipes&qid=1559382284&s=gateway&sr=8-12) and some kitchen towels for emergencies. I didn't have to use any of that but you don't want to be in a situation where there is an accident and you can't clean up.
Before you leave, I recommend you plug a Pet Remedy diffuser (or Felliway). You can also buy a Felliway spray but I think you need to spray the carrier box 30 minutes before the cat goes in, it takes time to work (my vet suggested to use it regularly 2 weeks in advance so it works on the cat). Maybe leave her carrier box in your house for your cat to get familiar with it. My cat doesn't tolerate Zylkene but I guess it's a good thing to try as well, again in advance of the flight!
I think it's good you will be with her all the time, your presence will make this journey easier for her. I didn't want to leave Ren alone (with a pet relocation company or alone in a plane hold).

Regarding the carrier box, you will have size restrictions from the plane company as the carrier must fit under the passenger seat…
I tried a few carrier boxes but I didn't have the same restriction so it was easier to find one. However, I would advise you start searching for one now… I ordered 6 in total I think and sent 5 back. If I had more time, I would have tried more. So always check you can easily return the bag (Amazon is great for that!). As I said, I finally used the Sandy Bag from Zooplus but it will be no good to you. The Trixie Kilian bag was not so bad but it stank so you would have to wash it and aerate it for a while first. A lot of these bags stink of plastic, that's why it took me so long to find one (a good size + something which doesn't smell too much). I guess this plastic odour would be very uncomfortable for your cat on this long journey so you want to avoid that.
If I had a long trip like yours, I would probably invest in a Sleepypod Air (http://sleepypod.com/air), it will fit under a plane seat (and can expand for when you're in the airport etc, giving more space to your friend). It's expensive but I guess it's sturdy which is important for such a long journey. I have not ordered it so I don't know if it has a smell… Again, ordering in advance is key!
I also tried the Sherpa Original Deluxe carrier, it stank and when I received it, there was a warning label saying it contains phtalates… so I sent it back straight away. I tried a few Trixie ones but they were too small (apart the Kilian but again, it stinks) and the Amazon basic one (not sturdy at all, it looked uncomfortable!).

Finally, I also bought a pet water bottle (https://www.zooplus.fr/shop/chiens/..._nourriture_chien/gamelle_voyage_chien/505796). Ren didn't want to drink but it's important to offer them some water!

You will need the vaccination up to date - rabbies as well I suppose - the microchip, a pet passport etc. Each country requires specific things. France was not too demanding but I think the UK requires more stuff. See with your vet in advance! It takes time to get it all sorted… sometimes months!

Good luck with your trip and feel free to contact me if you need 

Edit: Regarding harnesses… I guess you need one for the checks at the airport. I didn't use mine in the end but I had it in my bag in case I had to get Ren out of his carrier (again you never know what can happen). I took this one as it's made for your cat https://www.mynwoodcatjackets.co.uk/. You take measurements so you know it's gonna fit well (and there is a Velcro fastener so in fact, if you cat gets thinner or put some weight on, it still fits). I do still use it to take Ren on my balcony with a small lead.


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

Wow @Minuscule lots of great advice there 
I think I will try my Max with the Beaphar calming spot on & the water bottle looks good; I couldn't find it on the UK Zooplus, or the Trixie website, but found plenty of other nice things . I found a good one on Amazon with lots of good reviews:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/COTOP-Port...el+water+&sr=8-3#immersive-view_1559394357425


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## Minuscule (Sep 11, 2016)

That's odd, I bought it from Zooplus UK at the time. Maybe it'll be available again soon, I just wanted to avoid plastic (even though the cup is in plastic...).But there will be plenty of alternatives out there anyway!


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## Anita1234 (Oct 24, 2018)

Hello Minuscule, thanks a lot for your very good and detailed advice, well I have two cat carriers and I'm keeping them out so she can get used to the smell of them or they smell of home, I also ordered lots of products the Beaphar calming spots and treats, the Feliway spray and the Zylkene, hopefully something works as I'm very worried about my cat going mad in the plane, Ren sounds like and Angel .

I will have a big flight from Lima to Paris and someone will pick me up in Paris and we will enter the UK via the Eurotunnel, a company in Peru is doing all the paperwork for me hope its ok, mainly there is a big concern about rabies for the UK, I have two carriers I will see which one she likes best I'm worried she can go mad and work her way out with her claws :-O, airlines like soft carriers as they are easier to put under the seat, I would feel more confident with a hard plastic carrier but its not possible as they are too big.

I had a look at the sleepy pod but sadly its not available in Peru , I have two harnesses also to practice walking


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## GTF4life (Jun 30, 2019)

What is happening with the older cat with kidney issues?


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

I heard yesterday that @Anita1234 and Blanquita had made it safely to Paris from Peru. Yay! 'Desperate now to know if they have made it safely to the UK, but don't want to bother her.... fingers crossed everybody that they arrived safely and all went reasonably well . Hopefully we will receive some news once settled.


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