We have sold cats and kittens all over the world. Many of the cats that were shipped outside of Canada were breeding and show cats which were exported to enhance breeding programs overseas; however, we have also sent pet kittens to exotic locations such as Abu Dhabi and Djakarta! Shipping cats by air has been a safe, quick and relatively inexpensive means to deliver Abyssinian kittens to their new homes. We can ship a kitten in an airline approved crate from Vancouver airport to almost any location in the U.S. for less than $200 (Canadian). Any kitten to be shipped more than an two hour flight is kept for a week or two longer than the 12 week minimum and sometimes even a couple of extra months depending on the situation and whether it is flying outside of North America.

To make the air flight experience as pleasant as possible for the kitten we get them acclimatized to their shipping crate at a young age. They will spend short periods in it every day so there is no fear of confinement. The crate becomes a place with special treats and toys so the kitten reaches a point where it will be trying to get into the crate even when the door is closed. It is a pleasurable experience!

On shipping day the crate is well labeled to prevent any miscommunications. Your name, address and contact number will be visible, along with contact information for ourselves and any documentation required for the customs officials. Airline personnel are instructed NOT to open doors on animal shipping crates so there is never a risk of escape. The crate is filled to the top with shredded paper allowing the kitten to bury in it when flying. The paper also allows for absorption of any “accidents”. There is a small amount of dry food in the crate plus there is a dish attached to the door which has ice cubes in it initially. On flights over 6 hours airline personnel will refill this dish with water as this can be done safely from the outside of the door of the crate. Kittens are shipped with a special toy or blanket that they have bonded with. This comforts them while traveling as they can snuggle up with this item that smells like “mom” and home.

We do not tranquilize our kittens and cats for traveling. This is a great idea for shipping dogs, as they will get sleepy and just curl up and sleep for the length of the flight. With Abyssinians it is a different situation. Abys like to be in CONTROL. If they are tranquilized they will be restless and sometimes may panic. They do not understand the feeling of being tranquilized. Ruddicat Abyssinians are very trusting and fearless. This is part of the appeal of their personality. Therefore, it is better to just get the kitten used to the crate and traveling in it. Then when it comes time for the flight the kitten will feel that “all is well” and sit happily in the crate waiting to see what adventure waits for him/her at the other end!

Once Aby kittens arrive at their new home they seem to immediately bond to their new owners. They certainly are not very loyal to the person that has cared for them for the previous 3 months!! Buyers have told us how when they got their kitten at the airport they opened the cage door to a purring, snuggling little ruddy ball of fur that was none the worse for the flight!

The requirements for shipping a kitten overseas will vary from country to country. You can usually check online for specific regulations for your country, or you can contact us to give you a hand to locate this information. Usually it can be found under the importation section of your government’s website or we can contact the consulate here in Canada for the requirements.

Shipping to the U.S. is very simple. Kittens and Cats need a current health certificate plus any cat over 4 months old requires a rabies vaccine.

If you are going to drive up to Canada to pick up your kitten you will not need the health certificate to cross the border and since most of our kittens are sold at 12 weeks they require nothing extra when crossing through the Canada/U.S. border by car. You can just tell the border officials that you bought a cat when crossing back into the U.S. They will look at you curiously as they still do not understand why ANYONE would BUY a cat, and then they whisk you through, shaking their heads….

If you are hesitant to cross the border with the kitten we can always meet you on the U.S. side since we live so close to the Border crossing. (It is 11 minutes from Teresa’s house to the border)