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01/06/2008, 0:16 Nicos Joined on 21/01/2007 61 and Cheshire Posts 367 Re: cats on holiday.... Thanks Anna- good to have a heart-felt reply. Yes- we have decided to take them with us- it took a lot of consideration- I think you are probably right in that we are being selfish. 3 weeks and we wouldn't have considered it. However , we may well end up living  permanently in our French home and between now and then spend longer and longer periods of time between the two places. I'll let you know when we return if it was Ok or a mistake!....fingers crossed.    Report

01/06/2008, 9:50 Fay Joined on 23/08/2004 Northamptonshire/Picardie Posts 207 Re: cats on holiday.... Hi Nicos My cat comes with me on any trip of longer than a week. In the last two years she has accompanied me 14 times - in fact I have had to get a new passport for her as we have almost filled up the first one. Last year was the longest trip so far, 6 weeks in July and August, but this summer we will be there for 9 lovely weeks. She is equally at home in both houses - basically, with her, it seems to be the case that where ever I am is home! She has always been a good traveller, just settles herself down and snoozes through the journey. I always travel with a litter tray and covered bowls of dried food and water but she has never indulged in any of them. I heartily recommend using the tunnel - you remain with your pets rather than leaving them alone on a smelly, noisy car deck, plus of course it's far quicker. Having said all this, our journey time averages 4.5 hours. Hope your trip goes well and that your pets are as contented international travellers as Pyewacket is! Very best Fay    Report

01/06/2008, 9:56 Fay Joined on 23/08/2004 Northamptonshire/Picardie Posts 207 Re: cats on holiday.... PS - I would leave it to the vet to provide the treatments for pet passport purposes, that way you will be sure that the correct product has been used. Now that both treatments are in drop form it's far less traumatic than it was early on when it meant an injection every time. Best Fay    Report

01/06/2008, 12:57 Nicos Joined on 21/01/2007 61 and Cheshire Posts 367 Re: cats on holiday.... That's reassuring Fay- thanks! Out of interest, as we are considering doing the tunnel- are there any vets close to the terminal where you can just turn up, or do you have to make appointments? I know they have to be treated a maximum of 72 hrs before returning to the UK- but is it better to do the whole thing in one journey, or take them to a local vet a couple of days before leaving?    Report

02/06/2008, 0:18 Fay Joined on 23/08/2004 Northamptonshire/Picardie Posts 207 Re: cats on holiday.... Hi Nicos It's very specific - the treatment has to be done NO MORE THAN 48 hours and NO LESS THAN 24 hours before you REGISTER your pet at check-in. (Please forgive the SHOUT, this is very important. The vet must log time and date and even batch of inoculation on the passport and my gosh they really do check everything, at the tunnel at least. Plus you have to scan their microchip at the time of checking in.) Not sure where the 72 hours has come from but forget it - that would result in long delays, probably overnight (you and cats), re-inoculation and a 24-hr wait (1st bit them, 2nd bit you and them). Not ideal. For me it has been a great thing to establish a relationship with a local vet - Pye is now on their computer system etc. So - if we are crossing at 2pm on the Sunday I pop along at 5pm (when they open) on the Friday. No appointment needed. But that's my vet - I advise you think about the timing and logistics and work out where is best for you and your cats, well in advance of your return home.    Report

02/06/2008, 3:05 Nicos Joined on 21/01/2007 61 and Cheshire Posts 367 Re: cats on holiday.... Oh gosh.....thanks! The vet I spoke to clearly got her times wrong! You've certainly put my mind at ease Fay.......thanks for taking the time to reply!    Report

02/06/2008, 20:28 Jo Joined on 06/08/2006 86, Vienne. Posts 223 Re: cats on holiday.... Fay, Pyewacket??? There's GOT to be a story there! Love all, trust a few, do harm to no-one.    Report

04/06/2008, 13:02 Fay Joined on 23/08/2004 Northamptonshire/Picardie Posts 207 Re: cats on holiday.... Hi Jo You'd be amazed (as I was when I googled) how many cats are called Pyewacket! Also a racehorse, a 70s folkie band, a Boston restaurant and Roy (brother of Walt) Disney's yacht! The most famous Pyewacket is in the film "Bell, Book, and Candle" starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak, the latter as a modern Manhattan witch who casts a spell on Jimmy S - her 'familiar' is a large Siamese cat called Pyewacket. But the name first appears, as far as I know, in an engraving of Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General, in which a poor old dear is listing the names of her 'imps', including Vinegar Tom, Grizzel Greediguts - and Pyewackett. Hopkins concluded that she was in league with the devil because no human mind could come up with such outlandish names - oops! I think most people are referencing the movie rather than ancient East Anglian witch trials.... My Pye, as you can see from her pic, looks like a little imp. The French have all sorts of trouble pronouncing the name so most of them think she is called Paille (straw), which also suits her rough, wavy coat and long skinny legs. Best Fay    Report

04/06/2008, 19:59 vervialle Joined on 30/04/2005 Nr Eymoutiers/Essex Posts 270 Re: cats on holiday.... It is interesting looking at the different replys, I have always had cats for 30 years and when I first went to France and camped, I was amazed to see the french campers with cats, I would book my cat then into a cattery in England, but I was just amazed how these people just brought their cats with them.It was always out of the question for us due to the laws of the U.K. regarding Rabies, so it was never a consideration.However when they brought the pet passport scheme in,  I had a young cat and I thought if the French can transport their cats when they holiday so can I. I am not sure I would start it with an elderly cat , but I had a two year old, so I got the passport sorted and she comes with us every time we go to France, it may be two weeks it may be three months,she travels well in a cage with food water and litter tray, I use eurotunnel so she is never left, I would hate her to be in the hold of a ferry as it is so noisy.She settles in our french house within hours, cannot wait to get into the barn with all the mice, loves chasing the lizards and I think she is happier in France as she has so much space, we have a small garden in England.The first time I did the journey,450 miles from Calais, I kept stopping to let her out of the cage on a lead, but now I do the journey in one, she sleeps all the way and never eats or drinks in her cage despite me putting it all there for her, when we arrive she tucks in to a huge bowlful, and is happy just to be with us.She is loved like a child and so I would reccomend it to anybody where their pet is an important part of their life, we love taking her and enjoy seeing her have the freedom she does not have in England, but it is funny when we go home in September, she is quite happy to settle into another english winter, by our log fire,almost pleased to have a quiet life after her busy summer.It has worked out so well, we take her to a vet for her treatment on the monday and travel home on the Tuesday, our local vets in France are brilliant and make such a fuss of her, she is just an ordinary tabby and I think they just think it is normal to bring her with us.It works very well and I never have that heart renching feeling of leaving her.She accepts the lead very well and when my husband drives home she sits on my lap all the way home , with a few starnge looks from the Toll cashiers on the motorway, I always keep her lead on as a saftey measure.Unlike the previous poster, I think it is more traumatic for a very loved pet to be left, than be with you, but the younger you start it with an animal, the more they will adapt. Good luck.    Report

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France Forum » Living » Pets » cats on holiday....

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