Bringing my cat ... any advice?

negritalinda

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Jun 24, 2005
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I've read a lot about bringing dogs into DR, but what about cats? I'll be staying in Santo Domingo for about 6 months and would like to bring my cat with me. Any advice from cat owners? Thanks!
 

skippys

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Jan 17, 2003
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assume indoor????

make sure there are screens on the windows so she cannot GET OUT.....
bring litter as it is VERY COSTLY here......
bring all necessary cat food, hard to purchase specific kinds, and again COSTLY
US papers "healthy cat" are necessary plus vacinations, etc....and some $$$ for inspectors......

NOW returning to the US that is the real question.......is quarantine still necessary and WHERE in the DR do you find a CAT vet to give you "HEALTHY CAT" papers acceptable to the US??????
lmk
 

carina

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Mar 13, 2005
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I have brought my cats from Europe to DR.
Just make sure you have all the vacinations and health papers from a vet in your country. At the airports the local vet signs a paper, and it costs a few pesos ( nothing much, don´t even remember.. like 100 pesos ).
Save the papers to have when going back home.
 

Stodgord

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Nov 19, 2004
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negritalinda said:
I've read a lot about bringing dogs into DR, but what about cats? I'll be staying in Santo Domingo for about 6 months and would like to bring my cat with me. Any advice from cat owners? Thanks!


I hope you don't live in a barrio. If you do, do not let your cat out of sight or else he will become tigueres' meal. This is not a joke!, just a reality.
 

negritalinda

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Jun 24, 2005
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I appreciate the advice everyone. Thanks. He's an indoor cat, so I'll keep him inside while I'm DR. I guess I'm more stressed about the 6-7 hour flight. Has anyone had their cat in a carrier for this long? What about eating and drinking? I've heard people advise not giving pets (cats) any food/water 3 hours before the flight. Is this adviseable? What if they have to poop and pee? Do they do this in the carrier? What about checking in at the airport? Will I have to take him out of the carrier for inspection?

Do you know any reputable veterinarians in Santo Domingo?

Question, questions ...
 

Flamingojohn

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Nov 11, 2005
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Cats and Dogs

I brought a cat and 2 dogs with me from Phoenix, AZ- long flight. They all did fine. The dogs were checked as luggage and the cat came on board with me. Neither dogs or cats will use the bathroom where they sleep and most will be able to hold it. I picked up the food the night before and the water that morning of my flight. They did remove the cat from the carrier when I boarded and thoroughly checked the kennel while I waited- no big deal really. Look at the specific airline carrier restrictions as to the size and type of kennel allowed. Get your health certificate from your vet and produce it to the agent when you arrive. I paid $10 US for each pet and had no quarantine period at all. The food and litter is more expensive here, but you can shop around and find the better deals. Good luck!
 

carina

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Mar 13, 2005
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My cats flew Stockholm-Amsterdam and Amsterdam - Puerto Plata.
They were checked in as luggage, as nothing else was allowed and did just fine. We checked on them in Amsterdam, that they were ok, and also to make sure they got on the next flight.

Bringing any animals you have to let the airline know when you book your ticket, as space needs to be confirmed. There are also specific sizes of the carriage allowed.
The staff gives them water. But they don´t need to eat on a flight, you simply give them food when you arrive.

I had no problems at all.
Now, many years later, one cat, the old one, has passed away, and the other one desided to move out! She lives with our neighbours now, and comes by to visit and say hello only... All by her own choice, we tried for months to get her to move back, but NO...
LOL
 

PlantaFULL

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Oct 21, 2004
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I have a female indoor cat that made many flights between 4 and 9 hours as well as flight to the Dominican. She has been doing this since she was little so it might be different if you take an adult cat for the first time. Always took her as "carry on", often not letting the airline know about it since they want extra $ for nothing (air breathed maybe). Never let her go trough the xray, I take her out myself and walk trough the detector with her. Never had a problem.

As far as taking away food and water, I do that as well but it doesn't help much. On every trip she does her "pup" at some point (usually during takeoff or landing when things shake, only once per trip tho). Not a huge deal, I advise having lots of kitchen towels on the bottom of the bag so its more a disposal and replacement then a cleaning job. Try to go to the plane's bathroom when there aren't many peope there, otherwise you'll sound the bomb alarms going into the bathroom with a huge bag .

During the flight and trip itself I personally find it advisable not to take the cat out all the time and not check on it too often. I think it just stresses the cat more if it sees all these different enviroments rather then just being in relative darkness with some unfamiliar noises around.

Entering the DR was no problem, I didn't tell anyone I had an animal and noone asked. In case they did, I had the paperwork anyway.

Quality food and litter are more expensive here, IAMS I haven't seen for much less then 280 peoso the small bag (lasts around 2 weeks). A good vet and pet store in SD is Petland near Betancourt and Coanabo, another good pet store is on Churchil, forgot the name. IAMS you'll find only in some supermarkets like Cadena, other foods like Wiskas etc you find everywhere. Litter costs you between 90 and 300 pesos depending on the kind (Sand or "stones")... I prefer the stone kind here since there are no carpet floors and the sand-type causes more "dirt" around the box area (=sand all over the house).