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Bringing a Cat from the USA to St. Kitts & Nevis: Requirements & Timeline

Cats keep the titer chain and add FIV/FeLV tests — but there's no post-draw wait, and the trip home is easy.

Rules last verified against official sources: 2026-08-24

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.)

For a cat, St. Kitts & Nevis needs an ISO microchip, a monovalent killed rabies vaccine (from 3 months old), and a FAVN titer of at least 0.5 IU/ml drawn at least 30 days after the shot — with no waiting period after the draw. First-entry cats also need negative FIV and FeLV tests within 30 days of arrival. Add an import permit (issued within 10 days of your documents), a broad-spectrum parasite treatment within 5 days, and a USDA-endorsed certificate within 30 days. A 14-day home confinement (cats strictly indoors) follows arrival.

Minimum lead time: about 2 months (61 days). Plan about 2 months. St. Kitts needs a rabies FAVN titer drawn 30+ days after the shot, but — unlike the EU — there's no waiting period after the draw. A 14-day home confinement follows arrival.
Already vaccinated, or already have a titer result? You may be months ahead. Most of St. Kitts & Nevis's 61-day lead time is the rabies-antibody (titer) wait. If your cat already passed a titer — and it's still valid on your travel date — use the “How far along is your pet?” selector in the planner above to re-plan from what's left. A titer that's already cleared its waiting period can turn a “too late” into “on track.”

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. ISO microchip implanted
    An ISO-compatible microchip is required, and its number must appear on the rabies blood sample and titer result — so it must be in place before the titer draw. Implant it before the rabies vaccination as best practice (and to keep a US return simple).
    Official source ↗
  2. Rabies vaccination (monovalent killed)
    An approved monovalent killed rabies vaccine, not given before 3 months of age, kept current (annual or 3-year). Records of the last two rabies vaccinations go on the health certificate.
    Official source ↗
  3. Rabies antibody (FAVN) blood test
    Blood drawn no less than 30 days after the most recent rabies vaccination (and at least 3 months before that vaccine expires), tested by an OIE-certified FAVN lab (e.g. Kansas State or Auburn) with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml. The lab emails the result directly to the SKN/Nevis vet office. There is NO waiting period after the draw.
    Unlike the EU, St. Kitts imposes no multi-month wait after the draw — the result just needs to be in hand. Allow a couple of weeks for the lab.
    Official source ↗
  4. Core vaccinations current
    Your pet should be up to date on core vaccines, recorded on the health certificate (the protocol requires 'core vaccines' but doesn't list specific products or timing — your vet will advise).
    Official source ↗
  5. Apply for the SKN import permit
    File the import-permit application with St. Kitts & Nevis Veterinary Services; the permit is issued within 10 days of their receiving your complete documents (including the titer result). Fee US$20 per new animal, by international money order.
    Official source ↗
  6. FIV & FeLV tests (first-entry cats)
    First-time-entry cats must test NEGATIVE for FIV and FeLV within 30 days of arrival. Dogs do not need this.
    Official source ↗
  7. Broad-spectrum parasite treatment
    A broad-spectrum internal/external parasite (anthelmintic) treatment within 5 days of arrival, with the product named on an accredited vet's health certificate.
    Official source ↗
  8. Health certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS
    A USDA-accredited vet completes the USDA Export Health Certificate within 30 days of arrival (with the microchip number and the last two rabies vaccinations), and USDA APHIS endorses it — a digital VEHCS endorsement is accepted. Required for first-time entry.
    Official source ↗

Cat-specific: FIV & FeLV

The one thing cats add that dogs don't: negative FIV and FeLV tests within 30 days of arrival, for first-time entry. In exchange, cats skip the dog breed ban entirely, and skip the CDC process on the way home — St. Kitts isn't a CDC high-risk country. The planner dates every cat step.

The trip home: bringing your dog back to the US

Good news — St. Kitts & Nevis isn't a CDC high-risk country, so the return is simple. A US-vaccinated dog needs only the free CDC Dog Import Form (a receipt valid 6 months, reusable), a microchip, to be at least 6 months old, and to appear healthy — no titer or endorsed rabies certificate for re-entry. Cats have no CDC requirement either way (Hawaii and Guam set their own quarantine even from the mainland).

Official sources

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

FAQ

Does my cat need a rabies titer for St. Kitts & Nevis?
Yes — a FAVN titer of at least 0.5 IU/ml, drawn 30+ days after the rabies shot at an OIE-certified lab. But there's no waiting period after the draw, so it's a result you need, not a months-long wait.
What extra tests do cats need?
First-entry cats need negative FIV and FeLV tests within 30 days of arrival. Dogs don't need these, but dogs face a breed ban cats don't.
Is there quarantine?
No facility quarantine, but a 14-day home confinement after arrival (cats kept strictly indoors), with official visits on days 0, 7 and 14.

Other cat routes

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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.
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