I’ve been asked to look into how you can take your Savannah cat with you to the UK from the USA. This will apply to any domestic cat. The Savannah cat in question is an F3 but this is irrelevant in this instance. Note: In the UK, F2, F3 and F4 Savannah cats are legal. So, importing an F3 Savannah cat into the UK is fine provided you follow the following rules. F1 Savannah cats need a license as they are first filial wild cat hybrids.
The rules are very complicated and confusing. The explanations on the UK side are not great either. Below is what I believe you have to do if you are living in America and you want to travel to the UK with your domestic cat companion.
- Ensure that your cat is micro-chipped
- Ensure that your cat has a rabies vaccination. THIS IS A COMPLICATED AREA OF THE RULES. If the cat is less than 15 weeks old and has not been vaccinated for rabies for 21 days before entry into the UK it will not be allowed to enter the UK. For cats at least 15 weeks old and vaccinated for rabies more than 21 days before travelling to the UK, the rabies vaccination must occur the same day or after the microchip implantation. This would be normal because kittens are micro-chipped and the rabies vaccination would probably take place after the micro-chipping. The point here is that the rabies vaccination cannot take place before the microchip is implanted otherwise the vaccination will be invalid. The microchip implantation date must be documented on the UK health certificate. The first rabies vaccination after the microchip implantation is the primary rabies vaccine and it is valid for one year only. If a cat travels more than 12 months after the first rabies vaccination there will have to be a booster vaccination and there must be written documentation that it has taken place within 12 months of the primary vaccination. NOTE: check with your veterinarian in America on this because it could be a bar to entry with your cat if you get it wrong.
- Ensure that there has been a 21-day waiting period after the primary rabies vaccination.
- Ensure that a USDA accredited veterinarian has completed and issued (and signed) the UK health certificate. Note: I presume that US vets have pro forma copies of this certificate. This is an Animal Health Certificate. It is a 10 to 14-page document which confirms your pet is microchipped and vaccinated against rabies.
- Ensure that an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service endorsement is on the UK health certificate. This means that it should be countersigned and embossed/sealed.
That as I understand it are the rules for bringing your domestic cat into the UK from the USA. The original documents needs to be carried with you. Photocopies won’t be enough.
Dogs need a tapeworm treatment as well but this doesn’t apply to cats.
In following these rules there WON’T be a need for the cat to be placed in quarantine on arrival at the UK.
I also understand that the USA is categorised as a Part 2 listed country in respect of cat travel arrangements.
My thanks for this information goes to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a US Department of Agriculture. The UK government website on this is confusing.
WARNING: as I said, this is a highly confusing procedure. I’ve done my best to seek out the rules. I believe that I am accurate. But you should confirm the procedure with your veterinarian or anybody else you can trust and who should know what the rules are. I have to give this warning to protect myself. Sorry.
