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Expert: - 3/4/2010


Question
I will be moving states in a few months and I was wondering what I needed to do to prepare her for the move.  Do I need to get health papers or something? Also, she is a very nervous cat.  Would sedating her for the trip be a good idea?  She seems to do okay on short trips, but this trip will be in excess of eight hours.  Thank you for your help!

Answer
Cindy,

I am assuming you are driving?

If she is up to date on all her shots (expecially rabies), she should be OK, but a health certificate would not be a bad idea, especially when you visit your new vet, who will want to know her vacciantion records and any treatments she has had in the past. Most states do not inspect when you cross the border (excpet California and Arizona), so the health papers showing rabies vaccination would be a good idea if you are traveling to one of these states.

Cats do very well traveling and normally should not be sedated. We use a large carrier with a litter pan in the back, and, normally, the cats just go to sleep after a couple of hours or so.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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