Korean Job Discussion Forums

[L&MaC's]

Ok.. one year ago, I rescued a new-born kitten (calico-miniature-cat) from the "Moran markets" (where they slowly-boil-cats-into-a-stew).

She has grown and is now 2kg's. She is fully grown (adult size) but because she was the runt-of-the-litter- and her parents and grandparents were the run-of-the-litter she will never grow bigger than 2 kgs'. (Most normals cats are 5 ~ 7 kg's).

I am leaving Korean soon, and I don't wish to leave her - because she is one of the smartest animals I have ever known. She is extremely smart and plays her own games every day.

I don't want to leave her with my vet, who has since she was a tiny kitten, given her every vaccination and medicine possibe - for which over the last year I have paid about 2.5 million Korean won (including her neutering fee).

If I leave Korea and give the cat to the vet to sell to a customer, I know he will do surgery and rip/cut all her nails off, because he has been begging me to do it all year - I refused every time, because I think it too cruel for a cat.

If I put her up for adoption, I realize most Koreans hate cats and if a foreigner takes her, it will probably only be for a year or two - until that foreigner leaves Korea - and the cat is going to live another 14 years.

So, I have a friend in the USA who would like the cat, and the friend absolutely loves cats, but I have never taken a cat on a plane before, let alone a 16 hour flight.

Has anyone every done it before (Incheon to the USA?) my friend is in Arizona and as Arizona has 3 international airports I looked at flights going there and there are several, all take about 16 hours with 1 or 2 stop overs.

Is it possible to take a cat on board the plane for 16 hours even through stop-overs the Arizona, and will it be difficult to get her into the USA if I had all her "vaccination certificates"

has anyone done this before?

Do the flights from Seoul put the pet into cargo? and could a cat last 16 hours in cargo + baggage handling etc etc (20 hours?)

what should I do?

[brickabrack]

I can't really help you, but I applaud you for not
ditching the cat and leaving it emotionally distraught.

I hope someone can shed some light on your situation.

[Linda868]

I do not know if this helps you any. But my cat came over from Egypt and flew much longer than 16 hours I believe (Well if you include the layover). They did not give her any meds and at the time she was about 6 months old and about 2 kg I think. My cat rode in the baggage area and made it over to Korea just fine.

In terms of health certificate and what not I have no idea. But your cat should be okay with the travel time. In addition during certain times of the year you may not be able to take your cat over due to extreme weather (cold/heat) during that time of the year. So something to look into as well.

Good luck!

[lemak]

Loads of info here.....

http://www.animalrescuekorea.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=3a0f15ab1569d17ec8472f64d9f1dbbf&f=9