Readers share their experiences of moving pets to France

Readers Share Their Experiences of Moving Pets to France

Both readers took the challenging step of relocating their cats from the UK. One moved to France in 2020 with their 17-year-old cat. The only airline that allowed the cat to travel in the cabin was Air France. They needed vaccination certificates and a pet carrier that met the airline's strict size requirements.

When the carrier they initially ordered was slightly too large by about 1 cm, they had to reorder Air France’s official carrier, which was about four times more expensive. Additionally, they purchased their own identification chip reader after learning the airport's reader would only recognize cats up to 16 years old due to a technology update.

The greatest benefit of bringing the cat was being able to present her boarding pass at the prefecture as proof of their permanent arrival date when applying for cartes de séjour. Their cat lived for three years after the move, passing away shortly after her 20th birthday.

"She loved being a retired cat in the south of France – it gave her a new lease of life. She received excellent care including a special diet from the local vet, who also did the honours when the time sadly came."

Initially, they decided never to have another pet due to their age, considering it irresponsible. However, two and a half years later, they are caring for a stray cat, a chat abandonné, and a kitten. They connected with local cat protection groups who arranged and funded neutering for the kitten.

Summary: Moving pets abroad involves complex preparations, but it can enrich both the pet’s and owners’ lives, as shown by these heartfelt stories from France.

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The Connexion The Connexion — 2025-11-07

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