KC People--or anyone [Usually called the doctor. Or the caretaker.]

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Cyril is still at By and Jera's, and they really need to find a place for him to live permanently. I can't bring him up here, and the place Jera thought she'd found for him fell through. I'm going to call Red Bridge tomorrow and see if they can find a spot in a shelter for him, but if any of you have room for a really wonderful sweet long-haired cat, or know someone who does, I'd be grateful. At this point, if anybody I know wants him, I'll arrange for him to be transported by a pet transport company or something. By and Jera need him to not be in their house anymore, and there haven't been any serious nibbles on taking him.

He's really sweet, neutered, good with dogs and small pets and other cats and people, and I'll arrange for him to be up to date on shots and all of that.

If you or anyone you know wants a cat...please consider Cyril.

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There are 33 comments on this entry. (Reply.)

I'm going to be getting a cat in the next couple of months. I had planned on going to the SPCA in Mount Pleasant and one there, but a Known Happy Cat would be nice. Plus then he'd be nearby if you wanted to come visit.

Although that might be too long a time frame in this case... (Looking into what it takes to import a cat, it doesn't look too bad.)

Importing a cat is dead easy--you get a vet certificate saying they're in good health and have had their shots, and then you bring them in. Sometimes there's an "inspection fee" but I've brought two animals in and had neither inspected.

...If you really could...oh god. It's just a matter of if he can stay in Kansas till then. I might be able to have him boarded at my old boss's cattery if By and Jera just can't cope anymore.

He'd probably be a little freaked at first, it's been a hard summer for him, but he's really a very very good boy, and super sweet. My userpic is him. He's four.

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For his sake, my main concern is: Does he do well with being alone? I go to work, and there wouldn't be anyone at home during the day. And while my new place is cat-friendly, he really can't go outside unless I'm there, because the neighbourhood has raccoons and coyotes (and a busy street nearby). Otherwise, he looks like a sweetie.

The main thing for me is that I have to finish the move first--my current place doesn't allow cats, but my new one does (I specifically wanted that 'cuz I want one). So that'd be like November 15, so about one month.

Since reading this post I've been looking into the logistics...

The main thing is: has he had a rabies vaccination (and proof thereof) in the last three years? With that proof, getting him through customs would be very easy.

So if I'm reading the Animal Express thing from Alaska right, he'd fly MCO-SEA-YVR, and I'd meet him at YVR, show the forms, possibly pay the tiny fee, and go through. (ETA: I'll also ask them about MCO-SEA, because I suspect it'll be a lot cheaper and easier, plus less stress on the poor thing (only one up and down and nobody handling him through a transfer) and I can easily just go down for that.)

Edited Date: 2009-10-16 03:22 am (UTC)

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Yeah, I think he'd be fine as an only cat. He sleeps a lot and always has, since he was little. Play with him when you're home, buy him a shitload of catnip mice, and let him sit on your lap when he wants to and he'd be great, I think. He is NOT an outdoor cat at all. I rescued him off the street and he doesn't like the outside.

His last rabies was in 06 or 07, I can't remember, but I'd arrange for him to get a rabies and FVRCP before he came up, when the vet wrote the health cert.

I think, to be honest, that personality wise you and he would be a great fit. He's easygoing and a pretty pretty princess of a cat. Ranj and I used to joke that he's a cycat sent from the future to make notes about human behaviour. :) He's also a talker. He mrrts and prrtnyows with the best of them, and has an adorable trill.

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Ohhhh he sounds adorable and, yes, a good fit. }:D I can't say yes yet; I'll make some calls tomorrow and figure out the logistics, like making sure Alaska can handle it, see if anything else is needed, etc.

This is the relevant Alaska page:
http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/cargo/images/Animal-Express.pdf

(If you know of an airline that's particularly good with cats, or a ground transportation crew, or whatever, I'd be happy to call them too; I just picked Alaska 'cuz (1) I like them and (2) they do MCO-SEA direct, and transfers seem mean.)

I'd be happy to Paypal someone money for the carrier, for their time in transporting and handling whatever, etc., and would do what I can from here. However, I've never done this before and don't know all the paperwork end of things; it sounds like you have, so hopefully you can make that magically go. :)

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I'll need to arrange for a carrier, and for him to go to the vet in KC, probably Red Bridge if By and Jera are willing, since they did really well for Miles and Marlowe, and wrote Miles his health cert. All of this is totally doable. In fact...his carrier might be at By and Jera's already? I can't remember. Jera would know. If not, I can just arrange for an airworthy hard carrier.

I don't really have a favourite pet transport method; I just carried Miles on, and I drove Wu across the border with me. I've flown Alaska a lot myself though, and I like them as an airline.

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Okay, cool. I'll call them tomorrow. Any idea what his weight is, even approximately?

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I just emailed Jera to ask. He weighed around twelve pounds last I remember, but I don't know how the last few months have affected that.

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So one of my co-workers--who has a cat already--has offered to catsit until I finish the move, should your friends in KC not be able to.

Calling the airlines and stuff today.

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Jera said that if they know there's an end in sight it's fine. For him it would probably be better for him to come into a place where he's going to be for a while, if that's okay with you.

Jera thinks he weighs about seven pounds but I'm certain it's more than that--at least ten. I'm going to send them some money to buy him an air crate; not sure yet what the dimensions will be though. Pretty standard for a cat crate so probably 10x10x22 or so? I'm just guessing. Midwest is a really great airline, by the way.

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No, I totally agree--I said that to him as well, that this would only be if there was no other option, because he's bounced through enough homes. :( I don't want him going "oh i'm home again!" only to move again.

So Midwest has specific sizes for placement. The smallest for animals is 21"x16"x15", and a max of 26 lbs. Next size up is 27x20x19, 53 lbs.

"Must be 2 piece, hard plastic, FAA approved kennel; Must have absorbent liner, food and water dish available; Animal must be able to stand-up, lay down, and turn around in kennel".

If you don't already have one that fits that, they sell them for $70, and I'd be happy to cover that. The flight itself is only $130 for the smallest or $148 for the next one up, which is *way* less than I was expecting, so that's awesome.

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Definitely the smallest. Cyril is mostly fluff. :) Does the crate have to be that large, or will any size up to that work? Aircrates come with a little snap-in dish so that's fine. I can just send By and Jera money and they can get it at Petsmart or something.

$130 is not bad at all! Miles's carry-on air ticket was not much less, and United is a lot more.

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Sweet! The Midwest guy was very helpful. Flight 1889 (the MCI-SEA) one is available for cats Monday-Friday only, so I'd have to take a day off work to go meet him, but that's totally fine.

Also, he said that smaller than the exact dimensions will be fine, they just bill for that dimension.

They need 24 hours' advance notice, although more is better, since they have a limited number of slots.

I'm also happy to pay whatever; just let me know where to send it and I will. :D

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Can we aim for the 16th of November? It's a Monday. I'd drive down to Seattle Sunday afternoon, hang out with people and whatever, and pick him up at cargo when his flight gets in.

The flight is:
Mon. 11/16/2009 from Kansas City, MO
09:15am Kansas City, MO (MCI)
11:25am Seattle/Tacoma, WA (SEA)
Flight YX1889

(it's the only one each day, so if that's too early in the morning for KC people, we'll have to investigate another airline)

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I sent the details to Jera in case she wasn't watching this thread that closely, to make sure it's okay. If the flight is at 9.15 Cyril will need to be there around 7.30? That is early, but they are early risers so hopefully it's not too early.

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All completely manageable.

Don't worry about early. We have kids. We don't sleep in. (I dream about it sometimes, but, alas.....)

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I thought I needed to wait to Monday to call, but I just now found it on-line. Looks like he'd have to be there by 7:45. (Apparently Midwest isn't big enough to have their own spaces, so Midwest cargo goes out through Continental's cargo office; I pick him up in Seattle from American.)

---
Kansas City (MCI)
Continental Airlines Cargo
594 Mexico City Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64153

Refrigeration available.

Drop: 1.5 hours prior to departure
Recovery: 1.5 hours after arrival

Hours:
Mon - Fri
0500 - 2330
Sat - Sun
0800 - 1500
---

Thank you so much for taking care of this (and him), by the way. :D

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We can do that.

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I'd meant to come back and say more, but the kids....well, nuff said.

Thank you for being so generous with this. He is a good cat, very loving, we're just not the right place for him, and all our cat-friendly people are full up. (As another friend has found recently, as one of her tenants passed away leaving a pair of furry friends needing homes last week.)

Does the airline have any advice about feeding/not feeding him the day or night before?

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No worries; I understand. :) I don't know yet about feeding/not feeding, so I'll check with them.

Two quick questions--

First, could we move this to the 13th of November? The other senior person on my team at work is going on a multi-week vacation starting the 16th, so we shouldn't both be out at once. Bad planning on my part, there.

Second, what kind of cat food and litter are you using now? I was thinking about this, and realized that he's going to have quite the system shock (first the airplane, and then basically everything about Vancouver is different, even the trees and grass and whatnot), so if I can have something here that at least is familiar, that might help.

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Gmail ate my first reply, let's try this again.

This far out, we're pretty flexible. As it gets closer, we'll need a fixed point to work around. But the 13th is do-able. And a good idea.

We're feeding him Iams right now (similar to Science Diet, but a little less expensive and easier to find). We're just using the cheap grey clay cat litter; I know Cat preferred something else, but I don't remember what that was. Once we got him away from the other cats (who we think were staking out the litter boxes and pouncing on him when he tied to use them), he doesn't seem to be too picky....as long as it looks like a litter box, he'll use it.

I've got a towel back there on his favorite sleeping spot that's to become "his", I'll pack that in his crate. And maybe a toy or two. Maybe it'll help, having things that smell "right" when he gets there.

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Okay, cool. Let's go with the 13th, then; my work's good with that, and so's the new place. I'll call and actually book it in the next day or two and then we'll have it firm.

Does he + the carrier weigh less than 26 lbs? (I would imagine so, just wanted to double check before booking.) Anything up to that weight is the same price.

Thanks for the rest of that; anything to make the transition more comfortable for him is much appreciated from both of us, I imagine. :)

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We don't have the carrier yet, but he and our usual carrier weigh less than the baby (nearly 20lb). I'll try to arrange getting the shipping carrier this week so we can be sure of the weight.

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I just called to try to book, but apparently they only do that two days out, so I'll make sure to do that on the 11th. She said it'll be no problem, however.

The cat must be fed within 8 hours prior to departure, she said, and they also need a health certificate and an acclimation statement dated within 10 days prior to departure--the acclimation statement being something that says the cat can withstand outside temperatures of 15-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Also I'll need documentation of rabies vaccination dated within the last year or so, either sent along with the cat or mailed to me; that's for the border, not for the shipment.

And when we book I'll need your name, address, and phone number (or, if you'd rather not give that, I can give you mine and you can make the booking; they want it for both shipper and receiver). Either way I pay for the shipment when I pick it up, so you don't have to worry about that. Also when the booking is made I'll need the dimensions of the carrier. If it's over 21"x16"x15", let me know 'cuz that will cost more.

Kennels

* Must be 2 piece, hard plastic, FAA approved kennel
* Must have absorbent liner, food and water dish available
* Animal must be able to stand-up, lay down, and turn around in kennel

I think that's it! Feel free to let me know of any costs (carrier, vet bill, etc) and I'd be happy to paypal or send a cheque. Thanks so much for taking care of these things on your end.

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Cyril's vet appointment has been made, for next Monday morning.

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Cyril is back from the vet with shots and clean bill of health. We got multiple copies of the health certificates, so that one could go with him, and By (my husband) can have one with him to be faxed if something goes awry.

We also have the carrier, of adequate size but under the size limit. Cyril plus carrier are less than 15 lbs. (The vet measured him at 10.6 lbs.)

Cat sent us enough to cover vet and carrier, so we're good there. (Thanks Cat!)

He's coming from:

Byron and Janel Phillips
18606 174th St
Bonner Springs, KS 66012

We'll need your name and address to put on the health certificate. And if you email me at jera (dot) schroederphillips (at) gmail (dot) com, I'll give you phone numbers just in case.

I assume we can just put the paperwork in a ziplock baggie and affix it to the carrier somehow?

Are we covered? Have we forgotten/neglected anything?

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I used World's Best Cat Litter; Ranj used Swheat Scoop after I moved here. Cyril is honestly not picky. If it looks like a litter box he'll pee in it; he's one of the best-trained cats I've ever had. The only thing you have to watch is when you're changing the box, if it has a hood, don't put the hood right side up; he WILL pee under it if he has to go. (Hey, he said, it looked like the litter box and I had to go!)

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Though the KC airport is MCI not MCO? Well, regardless there are options and we can get it sorted.

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Gaaaaah my brain farted there didn't it. MCO is Orlando, where I used to go all the time, and I guess that was close enough.

More research it is, then. :) I'll make some calls tomorrow and see what I can find.

eta: Reading up using the actual correct airport (gahh) it looks like Midwest Airlines does air cargo pet service direct from MCI-SEA.

Edited Date: 2009-10-16 04:38 am (UTC)

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Oh man I hope you can take him! It would be wonderful to know he's in a safe, friendly place.

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He is a very sweet cat. The problem is, we've already got five, and most of those outweigh him by 15 lb. And they're territorial, so haven't been good to the new guy.

I will have to send an apology to all the cats I've been awwwwing over at the BC SPCA, though. :3

I will donate some catfood or something. :)

Edited Date: 2009-10-16 04:04 am (UTC)

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June