I would be remiss if I didn't spend some time musing over the joy of traveling from Canada to the USA to Germany with a small yet sometimes angry black cat.
To begin, 5 years ago when we moved from Ottawa, Canada to San Diego CA, I thought it was a hassle. I couldn't have been more wrong! A trip to the vet (where Stormy made his dislike for all things medical blatantly known) produced a 1 page health cert and a script for Acevet (an absolute must!). Stormy was then unceremoniously tossed into a soft sided carrier and stored lovingly under the seat in front of me for a trip to CA through Chicago. All in all, everyone survived.
Now (5 years later mind you, ie 5 years older) it all seems so much more complicated. According to the pet relocation company, we require a German translated form 998 signed by the vet and then endorsed by the USDA within 10 days of travel. Also, he needs to have in international microchip and updated rabies vacc and a form 7001 international health cert which the vet will have. Simple enough right? Maybe? First, apparently his microchip is not the right kind. Second, the USDA main office is in Northern Cal. The form can be mailed to them, but isn't there a scary risk that I won't get it back in time? Third, the vet doesn't have and has never heard of form 7001.
A trip to the vet provided a new microchip, an updated rabies vacc. and also revealed Stormy has lost 1.5 lbs (a lot for a 14lb cat!) Blood work shows elevated liver enzymes and now he's gone off his dry food altogether. Needless to say panic has set in. I'm partly convinced he's dying, and partly convinced he's just picked up on my sense of panic related to the move.
After purchasing 4 different dried foods and 10 different cans of wet food, we've finally found something that he will eat. Major step forward! The vet has him scheduled for an ultrasound (do they have to shave his belly for that?) and he's on antibiotics (a treat for everyone involved since he seems to be able to hide the pills and spit them out hours later. Trickier than a patient in a psyche ward I say!).
If all goes well, he will get the ultrasound and certs completed on the same day (5 days before we are scheduled to leave). I can then run the paperwork up to USDA. And as for the form 7001? According to the USDA man who answered the export line, it's not required. Good thing since my vet doesn't have a copy but has a different international cert. Chaos.
So, hopefully Stormy is just being stubborn and all will be well. Otherwise, we'll be living in an empty house while Mark is off in Germany!
Right, off to get ready since today is our going away party at the house! We have great sense of timing don't we!
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