Meow can’t believe it is already International Cat Day! Cat lovers and travelers rejoice. It is not impossible to travel with pets abroad. Your kitty most likely will be much more comfortable and content in the confines of your home, however, if you are planning an extended vacation, move, or will be working in another country short-term, and traveling from the US, there are options to bring your fluff-ball with you.
Airline approved carriers for in-cabin travel with pets is most ideal but you must check with the airline/s you will be flying with if this is approved. For example, United Airlines promptly states on their website, that in-cabin pets are not allowed to Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand. Planning should be done at least 2 months in advance if there is paperwork and medical records to fill out.
Needs in general for countries around the world include:
Microchip
Rabies vaccination
Residency requirement info
International Health Certificate
Check if there are quarantine requirements
Europe is unique. An EU Pet Passport is a document issued by an official veterinarian in the EU, however it cannot be obtained in the U.S. So if you know you will be traveling for extended periods of time within Europe it may be worthwhile to check out your options on how to obtain a passport for your feline.
A fantastic site to see what each country requires (if flying from the US) can be found at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/take-pet-to-foreign-country
Happy Claw-Free Traveling!