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Bringing a Cat from the UK to the USA: Requirements

The simplest transatlantic move: federally, a cat just needs to appear healthy on arrival.

Rules last verified against official sources: 2026-07-24

Planning for a dog instead? See the dog version of this route →

Pick your travel date to get a dated, backward-planned checklist. (This tool needs JavaScript; the full requirements are listed below either way.)

A cat from the UK enters the US with almost no federal requirements: it must simply appear healthy on arrival. No CDC Dog Import Form (that's dogs), no age floor, no microchip mandate, no federal rabies certificate — and USDA APHIS has no pet-cat rules at all.

Minimum lead time: about 0 months (0 days). There's essentially no federal timeline for a cat — no form, no age minimum, no microchip, no rabies proof. Check your destination state and airline, and note Hawaii/Guam quarantine arriving cats.

The requirements, in order

Order matters — several steps are only valid if the earlier ones were done first. This is the same sequence the planner above turns into dated deadlines.

  1. Your cat must appear healthy on arrival
    Cats have almost no federal requirements: no CDC form, no age minimum, no microchip and no federal rabies vaccine. USDA APHIS has no pet-cat requirements at all. Hawaii and Guam quarantine all arriving cats; your destination state or airline may ask for a rabies certificate.
    Official source ↗

The three things still worth checking

Your destination state (Massachusetts wants a UK export certificate — EHC 8696 for cats), your airline (fit-to-fly letters are common), and Hawaii/Guam, which quarantine all arriving cats. The UK side requires no export certificate for most US states.

Official sources

These are the only authorities on this route. If anything here disagrees with them, they win — and please tell us.

FAQ

What does my cat need to enter the US from the UK?
Federally, just to appear healthy on arrival. No form, no age minimum, no microchip, no rabies certificate.
Are there any exceptions?
Massachusetts requires a UK export health certificate (EHC 8696), and Hawaii/Guam quarantine arriving cats. Airlines may want a fit-to-fly letter.
Why is it harder for dogs?
Dogs need the CDC Dog Import Form, a microchip, and to be 6+ months old. See the dog version of this route.

Other cat routes

Disclaimer: Preflight Pet is a planning aid, not legal or veterinary advice. Import rules change; airlines add their own requirements. Always confirm every step with the official government sources linked on this page, and with your airline and accredited veterinarian, before booking travel.