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Three cats, one human; minimal luggage. Is it really possible to wrangle a mostly feline family all the way from Canada to Mexico? In short, yes! Here’s what you’ll need:
*Important Note* Sometimes, it just isn’t possible to find helpers to accompany you on your journey. This doesn’t necessarily make the trip impossible, but it does mean that a few alterations must be made to the plan. Specifically, at least two of the cats will require hard-sided kennels in place of the soft-sided kennels, as they will need to travel in the luggage compartment of the airplane. Since you only have two hands, you’ll need to use an airport trolley to transport your little family through customs, and rely completely on taxis to take you from home to the airport; from the airport to the ferry station; and from the second ferry station to your final destination. Breathe! For the sake of this guide, let’s assume that you have at least one person for every pet. Step One: Make an Appointment with your Veterinarian Before your furry babies can become official expats, they’ll need to be equipped with a health certificate. This is simple to obtain, and generally requires just one visit to your veterinarian. Vaccinations may or may not be in order. The veterinarian will know what sort of information should be included on the certificate, but you can see for yourself here. This certificate should ideally be issued as close as possible to the date of your departure. Step Two: Purchase Travel Tickets Once all the kitties have their paperwork in order, you can go ahead and confirm your travel plans. It’s important to select a flight plan that does not have any stopovers, since a multi-stop flight would only be longer for the cats, and it could mean you’ll have to gather and recheck them at each airport. American Airlines offers pet-friendly flights from Calgary Airport to Cancun International Airport for as low as $200 per one-way ticket, so keep your eyes open for a really good deal. WestJet, Jet Blue and Frontier Airlines are also pet-friendly and worth looking into. Once your flight has been booked, you’ll need to call the airline to purchase tickets for the cats, either as carry-on passengers or cargo. Carry-on is the ideal way to carry your pet since this way they’ll know you are with them - and vice versa. Keep in mind that there are weather restrictions for travelling with pets; for example, AA will only allow your cats on the plane if the temperature at the destination is between 7 and 29 degrees Celsius. Step Three: Ready the Travel Carriers The airline you’ve chosen will have specifications about the travel carrier you need to use for your kitties. Pay close attention to the measurement rules, and find a comfortable carrier that fits within them. No bedding is allowed inside the carrier, so make sure that it has a soft bottom. Kitty should be able to sit, stand and turn around easily within the carrier. Anxious cats may try to cut open the screen material on their carriers, so if you’re concerned about that talk to your veterinarian about giving her a gentle sedative before the trip. Keep a small pouch of food and a fresh bottle of water in one of the pockets, but don’t open either of these until you’re on board. Keep your airline-approved cleaning supplies in another pocket; paper towels or wet wipes are a good choice. Don’t feed or water the cats too much during the flight! Remember, there’s no onboard potty for these guys. Step Four: Pack Light This is incredibly important! Since you are moving from one country to another, it’s safe to assume that there are a lot of items you’d like to take with you. A closet full of clothes, cat towers, books, dishes, blankets, even furniture. Unfortunately, you’re going to need to let go of a lot of that stuff in favour of an easy passage from one place to the next. During this trip you’ll have to manoeuvre yourself and at least one cat through airport customs, a long car trip and a ride on a boat; luggage could turn the whole journey into a near impossibility. Take the necessities with you, ideally in just one piece of luggage, and have any other belongings shipped separately if you really can’t be parted. Step Five: Write Out Your Full Travel Itinerary The journey will look something like this: Calgary Airport - Cancun International Airport - Playa del Carmen Ferry Terminal - Cozumel Island Taxis can be found and hired right outside the airport, just as in most cities, and for a very reasonable fee the driver will take you wherever you need to go. If your particular driver believes that the cats should go into the trunk of the car, don’t be afraid to stand up for their rights to air conditioning and plentiful oxygen (politely!) Ferry service on the eastern side of the country is provided by two main companies: Mexico Waterjets and UltraMar. On the western side, services are provided by Baja Ferries and Ferry Santa Rosalia. It’s possible to book these tickets ahead of time on the phone, but you are probably better off leaving the time slot open in case of setbacks. Buses do not allow animals on board in Mexico, so any overland travel will need to be done by taxi. Step Six: Take the First Step! Planned, packed, prepared? It’s time to move to Mexico! There are just a few things to keep in mind along the journey. Registered Veterinary Technician Jamie Burns lives and works in Mexico, and she says it’s important to keep a close eye on how the change in water is affecting your kitties during and after the trip. “Cats are prone to urinary tract infections, and the change in water due to different mineral types can lead to complications. Research what the water is like in your destination, and watch out for high concentrations of lime. This could easily trigger a UTI. If you will need to switch your cat to bottled water begin this process before the move; mix half tap to bottled then slowly dilute the water with more bottled each week until the cat is completely acclimated.” If your kitties are peeing in strange areas it could be a sign of infection and they need to be checked out right away by a veterinarian. Airport Customs: SAGARPA-SENASICA is the branch of the Mexican government that is responsible for regulating any agricultural or animal imports to the country. You’ll need to stop by their section of airport customs before you’ll be allowed to officially enter Mexico with your cats. An inspector will need to check the health certificates for each cat, as well as perform a quick physical examination to make sure that the animals are clean, healthy and that their kennels are otherwise empty. Some paperwork needs to be done, and an understanding of Spanish will help you get through this phase. If you aren’t confident in your Spanish skills, consider preparing an information sheet ahead of time for the animal customs agent. Introduce yourself and each of your cats, and describe them in terms of age, colours and weight. Be absolutely sure to write down your final destination and a contact number, even if it is for a friend or your soon-to-be landlord. Once this information has been documented, you and your troupe should be on your way. Ferries: Now, here’s the thing about bringing your cats on the ferry - they usually aren’t officially welcome in the cabin. What that means is the crew will probably insist that the pet carriers be placed on the outdoor deck, while you must sit inside. This is a huge inconvenience for concerned cat owners, who will then battle a combination of seasickness and intense anxiety at the knowledge that the cats are out there on their own. Fortunately, not every ferry crew is the same. Ask if you can keep the carriers with you inside. Explain, “No voy a dejar a mis gatos afuera.” In English, that’s “I’m not going to leave my cats out there.” Aside from asking nicely, there is always the option to try camouflage. Volunteers with the Humane Society of Cozumel travel back and forth on the ferry between Cozumel Island and the mainland all the time, and they’ve discovered that small, soft-sided animal carriers are often mistaken for large purses. Think you can pull it off? No harm in trying. That’s all there is to it! One thing is for sure: you aren’t the first Canadian to immigrate to Mexico with cats, and you won’t be the last. Don’t let the process frighten you! Sunshine, sparkling seas, wonderful friends and beautiful food await you and your furry family.
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