If dogs from Canada are the easy case, cats are easier still. The CDC requires only that a cat appear healthy on arrival, and USDA APHIS has no requirements for pet cats at all — no import form, no age minimum, no microchip, no federal rabies vaccination.
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.
- Your cat must appear healthy on arrivalCats have almost no federal requirements: no CDC form, no age minimum, no microchip and no federal rabies vaccine. They must simply appear healthy and are subject to inspection. USDA APHIS has no requirements for pet cats at all.Your US destination state or airline may still ask for a rabies certificate, and Hawaii and Guam quarantine all arriving cats — check before you fly.
What can still apply
Two non-federal things worth checking: your US destination state or your airline may require a rabies certificate or health certificate even though the CDC doesn't, and Hawaii and Guam quarantine all arriving cats — including from the US mainland. Everywhere else, a healthy cat from Canada simply travels.
Official sources
These are the only authorities on this route. If anything here disagrees with them, they win — and please tell us.
- CDC — Entry requirements for dogs from rabies-free or low-risk countries (Canada is low-risk)
- CDC — Bringing a dog into the U.S.
- CDC — Bringing a cat into the U.S.
- USDA APHIS — Bring a pet dog into the United States
FAQ
- What do I need to bring my cat from Canada to the US?
- Federally, just a cat that appears healthy on arrival — no CDC form, no age minimum, no microchip, no federal rabies vaccine. Check your destination state and airline, which may ask for a rabies certificate.
- Does my cat need a rabies vaccine or the CDC Dog Import Form?
- No — the CDC Dog Import Form is for dogs only, and cats have no federal rabies requirement. The CDC still recommends rabies vaccination, and some states and airlines require proof.
- Are there any exceptions?
- Hawaii and Guam quarantine all arriving cats, even from the US mainland. Otherwise a healthy cat from Canada travels without federal paperwork.
Other cat routes
- USA → Japan~7 months lead · 12-hour clearance if done right
- USA → Australia~7 months lead · 10–30 days quarantine
- USA → Spain (EU)3–4 weeks lead · no quarantine
- USA → France (EU)3–4 weeks lead · category-1 breed ban
- USA → Portugal (EU)3–4 weeks lead · 48h arrival notice
- USA → Germany (EU)3–4 weeks lead · breed import ban
- USA → Italy (EU)3–4 weeks lead · no breed bans
- USA → New Zealand~6 months lead · 10-day quarantine
- USA → United Kingdom~3 weeks lead · no quarantine if compliant
- UK → Japan~7 months lead · 12-hour clearance if done right
- UK → Australia~7 months lead · 10–30 days quarantine
- UK → Spain (EU)3–4 weeks lead · AHC, not a passport
- Canada → Japan~7 months lead · 12-hour clearance if done right
- Canada → Australia~7 months lead · 10–30 days quarantine
- Canada → Spain (EU)3–4 weeks lead · AHC, not a passport
- USA → MexicoNo waiting period · screwworm cert for dogs (Aug 2026)
- USA → Dominican Republic~1 month lead · easy in, harder home for dogs
- USA → Brazil~3 weeks lead · easy in, harder home for dogs
- USA → Colombia~3 weeks lead · easy in, harder home for dogs
- USA → Argentina~3 weeks lead · no permit, no quarantine
- USA → Cayman Islands~3 months lead · titer test, no quarantine option