Does A Cat Need A Visa To Travel To Australia?

[bridge]

Okay, now that title was a joke, but my serious questions is as follows. Does anyone know, or maybe that have had some experience, in taking a pet (cat) from Thailand to Australia. It is my understanding that it can be done through a third country such as Malaysia. Anyway, I would certainly appreciate any advice with regards to what is involved.

Many thanks in advance.

bridge

[monty]

Very hard to do!

The cat has to be present in an approved country for 6 months at least (Thailand isn't approved, Malaysia indeed is).

It has to be microchipped.

It will have to go in quarantine when entering Australia. The time of the quarantine depends of the time elapsed between the rabies test and the date of entering Australia, but it will be at least 30 days.

SO when the microchipped cat enters Malaysia and immediately is tested for rabies, and stays there 6 months, it will have to remain a further 30 days in quarantaine in Australia.

If the rabbies test is done later on during the 6 months the quarantine will be extended accordingly (i.e. If you do the rabies test 30 days after arriving in Malasia, you can still bring it to Australia after it has been 6 months in Malaysia, however it will now have to remain in quarantine for 60 days!)

[monty]

And when the cat arrives in Malaysia, it will be quarantined as well over there on entry.

Time normally between 7 days and 1 months, although if they consider the risk high they can demand up to 6 months of quarantine.

Thai cats having some evidence of fights (scars etc..) and only recent rabies vaccination regularly are kept in quarantine for 3 months.

It will be all in all a lengthy and expensive procedure...

[cdnvic]

Okay, now that title was a joke

It worked.