Flying to Mexico with Two Cats: Advice Needed

3POSTS

7 years ago

Hello expat community! I am considering a short-term (with potential for long-term) move to Mexico from San Diego, CA. I have friends in Huatulco, Oaxaca, so my original plan was to go there for a year and see how I like it -- especially as a single woman, I like the idea of already knowing people at my destination in a foreign country.

However, I have two adult cats and as I've started researching flying with them, I'm getting more and more discouraged. I will only consider traveling with them in the cabin (rather than as cargo), and would prefer a nonstop flight...but might be open to a short layover or a flight + several hour car ride. These fur balls rode all the way from the east coast to San Diego with me by car for 5 days total, so I'd like to minimize torturing them with this move as much as I can!

But here are some reasons why I'm getting stuck:

1) Volaris, which has nonstop flights to many cities (including Huatulco) from Tijuana, has ridiculous carrier requirements for flying with a pet in-cabin. The dimensions of the carrier they require do not seem to exist, which is probably because no one would dream of making a carrier that's only 7.5" high (my cats wouldn't even be able to sit up in it). I haven't been able to find anything from people who have traveled with cats on Volaris, and I may have to rule this airline out altogether.

2) The nonstop flight locations from San Diego, or even LAX, are basically just Cabo, PV, and Cancun. None are places I particularly want to live, because part of my reason to move is to be immersed in Mexican culture (not an Americanized version of it) as well as enjoy a substantially lower cost of living. I would consider La Paz or Todos Santos in Baja, and could potentially drive from Cancun to M茅rida, or maybe find something less expensive in the PV area (that's the only place on this list I've never been). It means going somewhere totally different than what I had hoped, and maybe I just need to be open to these areas.

3) There seems to be some conflicting information on what your pet needs in terms of documentation...my cats do not have an extensive vaccination record (they are indoor-only so I've only done the minimum) and we've lived all over the country. I would happily get the required rabies vaccination, but I'm terrified that I would arrive in Mexico and get turned away -- after theoretically already securing a place to live, etc. It seems like it's a bit of a crap shoot!

My question is whether anyone has experience with bringing cats down via air, and any recommendations folks have -- as well as other locations to consider? Or should I just suck it up and get them to Huatulco via a long day of flights; potentially sacrificing their health but hope that they'd bounce back? They are 14 and 8 so not exactly "spring chickens."

(Note that I don't feel comfortable driving alone down there, although I've heard that's a lot easier in terms of bringing pets.)

Thanks in advance for any advice/assurances. I'd hate for this to be the reason I don't make the move...

See also

Moving with your pets to Mexico - Guide
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travellight VIP Member

2460POSTS

7 years ago

Hello Kimberraw,

I don't currently have cats, but I am familiar with several of the areas you are talking about. The drive from Cancun to Merida is about a four-hour drive on pretty good roads, I have made that drive using the toll type road many times given that I go to Cancun at least once a year. Getting a more reasonable flight to Cancun would be easy then you could rent a car.

Your friends should be your best bet for how to get to where they are as well as checking Mexican sites for animal import requirements. I would think that they would have told you about the 6 months visitor visa. after those 6聽 months, you would have to exit Mexico to renew your visa. There are two ways you can do that, one based on northern Mexico and the other based on southern Mexico if you are driving a car or just flying out of the nearest airport.'

If I were you I would cross at Tijuana and check things out. You could just rent a car to do that. No flights everywhere, just crossing the border. Many do that and stay in Rosarito or Ensenada You are in San Diego, why make things complicated.

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SteveandMarty Contributor

101POSTS

7 years ago

Ok -- plenty of cat and dog transportation experience here.聽 You need a recent rabies vaccination and a statement from the vet that the cats are healthy.聽 Vets know about this, they do it all the time.聽 As far as the carrier:聽 I still have one of those old 7.5" jobbies which tells you how much traveling I've done with the critters. Let me know if you want it, I'll be glad to ship it to you. There is nothing bad about the cat not sitting up for a few hours - just consider how uncomfortable YOU are in those airline seats, and you don't die from it.聽 Being in a small space actually keeps them calm.聽 There are "thunder jackets" for dogs and cats, kind of like kitty corsets, that calm them down in case of stress, so a small carrier will do the same job.聽 You could also ask your vet for a tranquilizer, but I've found that my cats were more confused after the meds than without.聽 Most airlines allow only 1 pet in the main cabin.聽 The last time I had to transport 3 of them, 2 of my friends, airline employees, carried 1 each in first class, I sat in the main cabin with #3 cat (whose bowels let go immediately, stinking up the whole dang plane). Also remember that the customs/TSA/whatever people at the check-in can ask you to take the cat out of the carrier right there and then to make sure you're not hiding drugs in the carrier.聽 All this time, loudspeakers are blaring and 1000 people shouting it seems, naturally cat freaked out and it became an "incident".聽 Never a dull moment.
I have also flown cats in cargo which is pressurized, but I always worried about them.聽 It's much better now than it used to be, and I've been flying with cats for over 50 years.聽 You could check with a pet transportation service about anything else, they're very helpful.聽 They're in the phone book and service major hubs.聽
Do let me know about the carrier.聽 I don't need it any more.聽 Marty

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pgjertson New member

7POSTS

7 years ago

I flew two cats over to France and back in cargo (Delta/Air France).聽 I worried a great deal about them, but they were just fine.聽 On the way back, the flight was delayed, so they were actually in their crates for 12 hours!聽 The crates were a little messy, but no permanent damage done.聽 Some airlines, though, have regulations regarding the outside air temperature where the plane lands - if it is too hot or too cold, they won't transport the animals - so check on that.

I'll be moving to Merida next year (Fall 2020), with 2 dogs and 4 cats (!!), so believe me I have been researching the hell out of this topic.聽 I have decided to drive the toll road from Nuevo Laredo to Merida.聽 I wish I could take my time and do some sightseeing/side trips off the toll road, but have heard that this is too dangerous. And, of course, I won't drive at night.

In terms of the vaccination requirements, here's a couple links I found with good info. Note the deworming regulation too.聽 For the first one, hopefully you have Google page translate installed or your Spanish is better than mine.:聽

I haven't researched what will be needed if I ever want to bring my pets back into the US. I hope to live in Yucatan permanently.聽 But, here's a link about that:

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SteveandMarty Contributor

101POSTS

7 years ago

Nice to find somebody who travels with a "flotilla" of pets the way I do!聽 After living in Guatemala, I brought back to the States 3 big dogs and 3 cats.聽 USA didn't even look at the papers, and from Guatemala there were no de-worming regulations, just the rabies vaccination and the letter from the vet.聽 Safest thing is probably to give your Mexican consulate a call.聽 We intend to meet with them before we leave.
We'll be in SMA for 4 months this summer (sitting out the Houston summer in SMA, yeah!) and yes, we're bringing the whole "family" too. Petsitters in Houston charge $100/day.聽 We even found somebody who will rent us a house in SMA, critters and all. If you want to talk about how we plan to do it, call me at ***聽 Marty

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kimberaw Member

3POSTS

7 years ago

Thank you for the information, Marty -- very helpful! My biggest fear is honestly the TSA checkpoint and bringing them out of the bags; I think they would rather die haha. I think I'll pass on the carrier for now as it's just too small for my bigger cat; I think he will lose his mind. I've realized as much of a pain as it will be to have a layover, it may be worth it to fly with a decent airline AND get where I want to go. Thank you for the offer. And yes, I plan on having someone come with me so that we each have a cat. The things we do for love of our pets!

kimberaw Member

3POSTS

7 years ago

Thank you so much for the info! Heck, if you're brave enough to move to Mexico with 6 animals I should be able to figure it out for 2! I hate stressing them out and have already towed them cross-country and they loathe every time we move (which has been a lot). I feel guilty but then again, they're family so they go where I go! Best of luck with your move to M茅rida; I just spent a week there and it was a lovely place. I'm sure you already know it's quite hot so you're probably planning to move during a less-hot time of year with the animals. Thank you for the resources; very helpful!

janalea Member

22POSTS

7 years ago

wow!聽聽Great to hear your advice and that you have transported lots of animals.聽 I have been worried about my 1 bigish dog and 1cat.聽 Think we will try the cat by plane, he is a very mellow guy.聽 The dog we would like to fly but he looks like a pitt bull.聽 His paperwork does not say that but... it is all a guess as he is a rescue.聽 And very good young energetic guy.聽 If we drive from the U.S. are there places in Mexico we can stop and let him out to potty, hotels we can聽 stay at with him?聽 Need to drive from border Larado? to Tulum area.聽 Any advice would be appreciated.聽 Thanks so much聽聽 Jan

SteveandMarty Contributor

101POSTS

7 years ago

Hi -
We've travelled extensively with our "flotilla" of pets (4 cats & 2 dogs), and in May we plan to head to San Miguel for the summer, by car, with the whole gang since we intend to stay for 4 months.聽 As far as health records go, I figured it out and confirmed with our vet who thank goodness employs mostly Hispanic people.聽 You need a health certificate issued by a vet within 15 days of entry to Mexico.聽 That certificate needs to state that the animal is in good health.聽 They also want proof of valid rabies vaccinations.聽 I hear you about not vaccinating adult indoor cats, but the rabies vaccination is standard for international travel.聽 In addition to that, Mexico requires proof of recent application of flea meds, plus "de-warming" (no joke, that's how the Mexican website spells it, over and over).聽 If your vet has any experience with international travel, he'll know, and most city vets do.
As far as the 7.5" carrier goes:聽 that used to be the standard for airlines. I'm way older than you and have been doing this since 1968, transatlantic and otherwise. I still have a couple of those old ones sitting around.聽 This year we'll travel by car, so the regular size carriers will be fine. Sure the old carriers are low, but the cats don't appear to be uncomfortable.Keeps them from bouncing around in the carriers, anyway.聽 I'll be delighted to ship the 7.5" jobbies to you.聽 Let me know on this website.聽 If you want them, we can swap contact info.聽 Marty

Pennsylvania2 Member

12POSTS

7 years ago

#10

Hi,
I brought my cat to Mexico last year....you will need:
A health certificate written 10 days before departure.
A rabies vaccine certificate.
A treatment for worms inside the cat and outside statement.
All airlines have different requirements for cabin cats/pets.
I brought mine in first class but only some planes are allow to have them
in first class not all.聽聽Also you can have flexible carrier that expands in both sizes and Amazon sells a travel litter box with a travel dish.聽 Check it out! and good luck!
I hope it helps!

Simone Barber56 Member

1POSTS

2 years ago

#11

@SteveandMarty hello, I see that you posted this years ago but I'm wondering if you still have this carrier lying around, or have any advice on where to locate one! I am bringing my cat on a Volaris flight but cant locate anything 7.5 '' high anywhere. I would pay for you to ship it to me in Los Angeles!!