Moving to the UK: What about my cat?

[k_sheep]

Kudos for not just dumping them. All too often it's just too hard and they end up at the RSPCA.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So it seems transport is ok. But have you dsicussed this with the cats? Big move... torn from their social networks... having to integrate in a foreign environment where people speak funny, explaining how plants still grow even though the sun don't shine much, and having to mark out new territory?

perhaps an immersion programme for the kitties? I suggest a few minutes each day with terms like 'hi-ya', 'a'righ?' and 'innit?' to get them used to the idea. And a coffee-table book or two (placed at ground level, flip to a new picture each day) of UK bird life to get them used to the move. Some titles you might consider are 'Exciting post-war suburban birds' (that's quite small) or slightly more weighty is '101 rats-with-wings' (featuring pigeons and the London landmarks they like to frequent).

And of course explaining their QP card won't work for access when originating in London for BA flights to europe...

 

[cove]

Based on Hayden's picture of his cat I think the rats and pigeons should be very,very afraid in London. Won't be a huge need for cat food if they are good at prowling.

 

[haydensydney]

Based on Hayden's picture of his cat I think the rats and pigeons should be very,very afraid in London. Won't be a huge need for cat food if they are good at prowling.

Lol.... my big boy is certainly from solid stock! I'm sure the chipmunks alone would keep him occupied

 

[AVC]

The culture for dogs is quite different over there - no-one I knew had dogs that lived outside (except farmers and they are just strange) compared to here where people think we are strange allowing the dog inside...

Our dog (except for his daily walk) never leaves the safety of the building. Maybe to run out and wee, then straight back inside. If we left him outside he'd thinkhis throat had been cut.

There was show on TV about relocates for pet last night. An interesting point they said was to NOT sedate the animal, as it's makes it harder for them to regulate their temp. And then I realized the hold is not airconditioned. Valid point.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Our dog (except for his daily walk) never leaves the safety of the building. Maybe to run out and wee, then straight back inside. If we left him outside he'd thinkhis throat had been cut.

There was show on TV about relocates for pet last night. An interesting point they said was to NOT sedate the animal, as it's makes it harder for them to regulate their temp. And then I realized the hold is not airconditioned. Valid point.

rest assured the hold IS air-conditioned. there is a special zone for pets which is heated, and the rest of the hold has some heating as otherwise everything passengers put into their suitcase would be frozen solid! (and as you know, liquids placed in your suitcase come out a little cold, but otherwise fine)

 

[AVC]

rest assured the hold IS air-conditioned. there is a special zone for pets which is heated, and the rest of the hold has some heating as otherwise everything passengers put into their suitcase would be frozen solid! (and as you know, liquids placed in your suitcase come out a little cold, but otherwise fine)

Fair enough. I knew the hold was insulated, but if it's packed full of containers, even the conditioned air wouldn't circulate very well.

But if there's a pet zone, then they're sweet. I doubt my dalmatian would live through a flight without stressing to death if he weren't sedated.

Handy info for stowaways too. I have heard stories about people stowing away in the wheel wells, which are certainly NOT airconditioned. (if true). Bit of a bugger when a frozen corpse goes through your roof if you live under the part of the approach path where they put the wheels out, hehe.

 

[Myrna]

Jetpets whom we used to transport our 2 dogs from SYD to LHR said in their website that pets would not be sedated. One of their competitors also said the same thing. We were really worried at first, but when our dogs arrived in LHR they were perfectly OK.

Since I was on the same flights with them - the policy was that they had to fly the most direct route from SYD to LHR, this means via SIN with QF - I kept saying to the flight attendants that my babies were on board, underneath and on the back of the plane, so please tell the pilot so that he would make sure there would be enough air for them. One of the flight attendants checked with the pilot and said our dogs were not in the back of the plane, but they were right underneath F class cabin. On my flights there were only my 2 babies, no other animal. But the flight attendant said on one of the flights she was on there were a dozen of them and they barked their heads off from time to time.

When the flight arrived, the dogs got met and whisked off to an animal reception centre - a few miles from T3. I got out of immi & customs in very quick time, but had to wait at the animal reception centre for more than 4 hours for babies to come out. There were 3 other groups waiting for theirs as well, from South Africa and the US. When our dogs came out, they looked so surprised and wagged their tails happily when they saw us. One thing I was not happy about was that one of our dogs was really smelly and her fur was stained with urine (they are small white fluffy dogs). I would have thought that the UK company handling their arrival would give them a good wash - considering the fact that they were on almost 24 hours flight, not allowed out of their cages for about 2 days. The day before the flight left SYD they got picked up to stay at the kennel near the airport, having nothing to eat for about 2 days, only water was allowed. Hubby kept saying they were tougher than they looked!