quarantine or no quarantine? / pets aboard a plane to India

Taijing · Apr 8th, 2008, 09:04

hello !

I am planning on moving to India this year, with my two cats.
Apparently there is no quarantine for imported pets to India, can someone help me confirm this?

Has anybody ever had the experience of bringing two animals aboard a plane to India?
I know there is weight restrictions ( but they are quite small, they weight less than 3kgs each ), and that there is a limited number of pets accepted in cabin per plane.

I wondered what are the chances that both my cats be accepted in the cabin ( they are pretty stressed so i'd rather have them close to me. )Can anybody recommand an airline ?

Thank you in advance for your answers!

birds · Apr 9th, 2008, 23:13

Most airlines allow to take the cats in the cabin if they are in a carrier.

Normally only 1 cat per person but if they are small you might be able to put both in 1 carrier.

There is a weight restriction but that varies per airline.

In any case some airlines are more tolerant than others. It helps if you just phone them, talk about how important it is for you and the cats. If you get a no try again to speak to somebody else. Rules exist to be bend

.

The cats need to have a record with all vaccinations.

Ideally they would be sterilized too. India has lots of stray cats, it happens often that they mix with pets, and we do not need any more stray cats leading miserable lives. Unfortunately not all are so lucky they find Nick, see: We've got a family! Also Vet experience with cats

Taijing · Apr 10th, 2008, 13:58

Thank you Bird!

Thank you for your advice !

My cats are vaccinated and spayed. Apparently i have to get the vaccination certificate 10 days before leaving.

I know the problem of stray cats quite well... i adopted my cats through an association that take care of stray cats and finds adoptants for them. i also "sponsorised" a few of their older ( and non-adopted )cats.

Nick-H · Apr 10th, 2008, 14:24

How does one take a cat in the cabin? In a carrier, obviously, but where is the carrier kept?

gypsie,lotus · Apr 10th, 2008, 15:57

You will not have any trouble getting into India with your pet. But getting out of India requires a whole different thing. Many vacinations and papers signed by the Animal husbandry. Just remember that when you go to leave with your pets. It will take about a month to get all of the paper work in order. My friend at the American Embassy informed me. And also KLM was just great with my two dogs from New Delhi to Miami, USA.
gypsie

gypsie,lotus · Apr 10th, 2008, 16:05

Nick. the carrier fits under the seat in the front of you and very well.
gypsie

atala · Apr 10th, 2008, 16:42

I know of someone who brought in a small dog twice. Both times it was in Chennai. The first time: no problem, waved through. Second time: told to get permission at some office in Chennai. It worked out, she got the paper, that even during the night of arrival. No idea what kind of office would work at night, but that is what I was told. The whole transaction took several hours. Does not sound good, I know, esp if you do not know what kind of paper on the Indian side is required. Maybe cats are different, or you will be just lucky the first time too.

brishti · Apr 10th, 2008, 18:23

anybody know what happened to that ferret?

:brishti

Nick-H · Apr 10th, 2008, 18:46

I think it found its own way home to Norway.

Remarkable creatures, ferrets!

birds · Apr 11th, 2008, 14:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taijing

Thank you Bird! Thank you for your advice !
My cats are vaccinated and spayed. Apparently i have to get the vaccination certificate 10 days before leaving.I know the problem of stray cats quite well... i adopted my cats through an association that take care of stray cats and finds adoptants for them. i also "sponsorised" a few of their older ( and non-adopted )cats.

So very happy to hear this!

I am sure some IMers get fed up with me reiterating the same message over and over again but the point is that so many people are not as responsible as you (even though many are). Only yesterday we got stuck with a German Shepard left by an English guy

.

I have a house that is willing to take a dog but now I have to make a choice between this dog and a lame stray for which I found the home in the first place

.

Thanks very much Taijing for adopting the stray cats and taking good care of them, that is again two less on the street, leading a better life.

.

Taijing · Apr 22nd, 2008, 09:42

An indian friend in taiwan told me that cats are not really accepted as pets in India and that it would be a problem to bring my cats there because of people's prejudice against them. He said it would be an obstacle to building friendship with indians.

Can anybody confirm that?

suzi · Apr 22nd, 2008, 10:39

Hi Taijing,

Cats are indeed not popular pets in India as of yet and some people do hold prejudices against them but I have not had my ownership of 2 beautiful cats interfere with my relationships with my dear Indian friends. Many of the ladies that I have had visit me are a bit afraid of them, but so far it hasn't deterred anyone from stopping by (as far as I know). In fact, I was able to identify a small community of Indian cat-lovers here in Bangalore and have made several wonderful and life-long friendships with these like-minded individuals. And if someone was ignorant enough to see your pet as an obstacle to friendship, would you really want that person as a friend anyway? I sure wouldn't.

Bring your cats and don't worry about what people think, you will certainly meet plenty of people who will be curious and it is an excellent opportunity to introduce these people to pet cats. Maybe it will catch on!

One point though, you have to be prepared to keep you cats indoors ALL of the time once you move here if you would like them to lead long lives. The great Indian outdoors is not the place for a pet, even one with 9 lives. Additionally, the heat can make your kitties very uncomfortable, our girls are experiencing their first summer and even in Bangalore where temps are considered "mild" the cats are suffering from the heat. Just take care once you arrive in India to keep them as cool as possible during the hot summer months by giving plenty of fresh cool water and we have found that wetting their fur down a bit a couple of times a day gives them some relief.

All the best and I hope the trip goes well for you and your cats.

birds · Apr 22nd, 2008, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taijing

An indian friend in taiwan told me that cats are not really accepted as pets in India and that it would be a problem to bring my cats there because of people's prejudice against them. He said it would be an obstacle to building friendship with indians.Can anybody confirm that?

Nonsense! There are plenty of Indians who love cats.

To have them as a pet as in western countries (to keep them in house, take them to the vet when necessary,etc.) is perhaps a relatively new concept but cats have always been around and many people like them. Here in Goa many households have a cat roaming around.

Yes, there are superstitious ideas formed around cats but this is the case in many countries. Lots of people still love them.

In any case, would you want to make friends with people who would find your pet and obstacle to friendship?

The question is more whether your cat will like India, apparently cats can find it difficult to adapt.

Also keep in mind that vets have less experience with cats and that there are less (food)products available for cats.

Nick-H · Apr 22nd, 2008, 12:16

There are exceptions to the 'rule', and we had a Brahmin roofing engineer come to our house the other day who was delighted to see our cats, photographed them, and told us about his cats and dog. We met another Brahmin family when we were househunting who took in old cats and a disabled dog too. Generally speaking, though, cats here in Chennai are more the domain of Muslims and poor people. Many people do not give any status higher than a rat to cats.

Our vet likes cats, and has, it seems, many cat clients, and she practices in a posher part of town, so I guess there are many 'exceptions'!

Our native cats drink water all day: if I saw a UK cat drinking so much I would be afraid that it was about to suffer to kidney failure. I guess (and hope) that it is the climate here.

I don't approve of 'indoor' cats as a rule, and to keep cats that have been used to an outdoor life shut up would be a very bad thing to do.

Taijing · Apr 22nd, 2008, 14:24

Thank you for your advice and encouragements !

I had heard about the rat//cat comparison before...

As for the weather, I have a tip :

I live in beijing, where summer is really hot, dry and sometimes humid those last two years. So in summer, I spray my cats' fur with a plant spraying bottle ( allow the bottle to be really far from the cats skin, so it won't drench the fur )every four hours, or twice a day if I am at work. One of my cats loves it ( she plays with the spray and water drops ) the other one doesn't but seems to appreciate the freshness eventually.

You can also dispatch bowls of ice around the house to cool the room.

Apr 8th, 2008, 09:04	#1
Taijing Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Beijing Posts: 15	quarantine or no quarantine? / pets aboard a plane to India hello ! I am planning on moving to India this year, with my two cats. Apparently there is no quarantine for imported pets to India, can someone help me confirm this? Has anybody ever had the experience of bringing two animals aboard a plane to India? I know there is weight restrictions ( but they are quite small, they weight less than 3kgs each ), and that there is a limited number of pets accepted in cabin per plane. I wondered what are the chances that both my cats be accepted in the cabin ( they are pretty stressed so i'd rather have them close to me. )Can anybody recommand an airline ? Thank you in advance for your answers!

Apr 10th, 2008, 14:24	#4
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,842	How does one take a cat in the cabin? In a carrier, obviously, but where is the carrier kept? __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Apr 22nd, 2008, 10:39	#12
suzi US American Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 51	Hi Taijing, Cats are indeed not popular pets in India as of yet and some people do hold prejudices against them but I have not had my ownership of 2 beautiful cats interfere with my relationships with my dear Indian friends. Many of the ladies that I have had visit me are a bit afraid of them, but so far it hasn't deterred anyone from stopping by (as far as I know). In fact, I was able to identify a small community of Indian cat-lovers here in Bangalore and have made several wonderful and life-long friendships with these like-minded individuals. And if someone was ignorant enough to see your pet as an obstacle to friendship, would you really want that person as a friend anyway? I sure wouldn't. Bring your cats and don't worry about what people think, you will certainly meet plenty of people who will be curious and it is an excellent opportunity to introduce these people to pet cats. Maybe it will catch on! One point though, you have to be prepared to keep you cats indoors ALL of the time once you move here if you would like them to lead long lives. The great Indian outdoors is not the place for a pet, even one with 9 lives. Additionally, the heat can make your kitties very uncomfortable, our girls are experiencing their first summer and even in Bangalore where temps are considered "mild" the cats are suffering from the heat. Just take care once you arrive in India to keep them as cool as possible during the hot summer months by giving plenty of fresh cool water and we have found that wetting their fur down a bit a couple of times a day gives them some relief. All the best and I hope the trip goes well for you and your cats. __________________ I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uhmmm, some people out there in our nation don’t have maps

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Apr 9th, 2008, 23:13	#2
birds Adopt a stray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Goa Posts: 541	Most airlines allow to take the cats in the cabin if they are in a carrier. Normally only 1 cat per person but if they are small you might be able to put both in 1 carrier. There is a weight restriction but that varies per airline. In any case some airlines are more tolerant than others. It helps if you just phone them, talk about how important it is for you and the cats. If you get a no try again to speak to somebody else. Rules exist to be bend . The cats need to have a record with all vaccinations. Ideally they would be sterilized too. India has lots of stray cats, it happens often that they mix with pets, and we do not need any more stray cats leading miserable lives. Unfortunately not all are so lucky they find Nick, see: We've got a family! Also Vet experience with cats

Apr 10th, 2008, 13:58	#3
Taijing Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Beijing Posts: 15	Thank you Bird! Thank you for your advice ! My cats are vaccinated and spayed. Apparently i have to get the vaccination certificate 10 days before leaving. I know the problem of stray cats quite well... i adopted my cats through an association that take care of stray cats and finds adoptants for them. i also "sponsorised" a few of their older ( and non-adopted )cats.

Apr 10th, 2008, 15:57	#5
gypsie,lotus Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: USA Posts: 96	You will not have any trouble getting into India with your pet. But getting out of India requires a whole different thing. Many vacinations and papers signed by the Animal husbandry. Just remember that when you go to leave with your pets. It will take about a month to get all of the paper work in order. My friend at the American Embassy informed me. And also KLM was just great with my two dogs from New Delhi to Miami, USA. gypsie

Apr 10th, 2008, 16:05	#6
gypsie,lotus Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: USA Posts: 96	Nick. the carrier fits under the seat in the front of you and very well. gypsie

Apr 10th, 2008, 16:42	#7
atala Senior Member, 8 yrs in India Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Switzerland, just back from India 2008 Posts: 691	I know of someone who brought in a small dog twice. Both times it was in Chennai. The first time: no problem, waved through. Second time: told to get permission at some office in Chennai. It worked out, she got the paper, that even during the night of arrival. No idea what kind of office would work at night, but that is what I was told. The whole transaction took several hours. Does not sound good, I know, esp if you do not know what kind of paper on the Indian side is required. Maybe cats are different, or you will be just lucky the first time too.

Apr 10th, 2008, 18:23	#8
brishti just another member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: india Posts: 1,958	anybody know what happened to that ferret? :brishti

Apr 10th, 2008, 18:46	#9
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,842	I think it found its own way home to Norway. Remarkable creatures, ferrets!

Apr 22nd, 2008, 09:42	#11
Taijing Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Beijing Posts: 15	An indian friend in taiwan told me that cats are not really accepted as pets in India and that it would be a problem to bring my cats there because of people's prejudice against them. He said it would be an obstacle to building friendship with indians. Can anybody confirm that?

Apr 22nd, 2008, 12:16	#14
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,842	There are exceptions to the 'rule', and we had a Brahmin roofing engineer come to our house the other day who was delighted to see our cats, photographed them, and told us about his cats and dog. We met another Brahmin family when we were househunting who took in old cats and a disabled dog too. Generally speaking, though, cats here in Chennai are more the domain of Muslims and poor people. Many people do not give any status higher than a rat to cats. Our vet likes cats, and has, it seems, many cat clients, and she practices in a posher part of town, so I guess there are many 'exceptions'! Our native cats drink water all day: if I saw a UK cat drinking so much I would be afraid that it was about to suffer to kidney failure. I guess (and hope) that it is the climate here. I don't approve of 'indoor' cats as a rule, and to keep cats that have been used to an outdoor life shut up would be a very bad thing to do.

Apr 22nd, 2008, 14:24	#15
Taijing Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Beijing Posts: 15	Thank you for your advice and encouragements ! I had heard about the rat//cat comparison before... As for the weather, I have a tip : I live in beijing, where summer is really hot, dry and sometimes humid those last two years. So in summer, I spray my cats' fur with a plant spraying bottle ( allow the bottle to be really far from the cats skin, so it won't drench the fur )every four hours, or twice a day if I am at work. One of my cats loves it ( she plays with the spray and water drops ) the other one doesn't but seems to appreciate the freshness eventually. You can also dispatch bowls of ice around the house to cool the room.

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