BRINGING A CAT FROMFrance to Canada
Cat · Moving
Bringing a dog instead?No quarantine. Needs rabies vaccination, customs declaration and arrival inspection.
Timing assumes an adult pet; young or unvaccinated pets may face other rules.
Always confirm with the destination's official authority and your airline before travelling.
Entry requirements
Rabies vaccination certificate for cats 3 months or older; nothing else (no permit, microchip, titer, health certificate or quarantine). CBSA fee about CAD 37 for the first pet.
Cat 3 months or older at arrival: certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian (English or French) identifying the cat (age, breed, sex, colour/markings, weight, microchip/tattoo if any) and showing it is currently vaccinated against rabies, with vaccination date, vaccine trade name and serial number and duration of immunity (1 year if not stated). The cat must have been at least 3 months old when vaccinated. No waiting period after vaccination is stated. An EU pet passport is accepted if complete.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Cat 3 months or older at arrival: certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian (English or French) identifying the cat (age, breed, sex, colour/markings, weight, microchip/tattoo if any) and showing it is currently vaccinated against rabies, with vaccination date, vaccine trade name and serial number and duration of immunity (1 year if not stated). The cat must have been at least 3 months old when vaccinated. No waiting period after vaccination is stated. An EU pet passport is accepted if complete.
- · For pets aged 3 months or more
Declare the pet to CBSA on arrival and present it with all documents at the first port of entry. Undeclared animals, including family pets, can be refused entry, confiscated or detained.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
Declare the pet to CBSA on arrival and present it with all documents at the first port of entry. Undeclared animals, including family pets, can be refused entry, confiscated or detained.
Source:Canada Border Services Agency (opens official site: Travelling with animals)· checked 04 Oct 2026
CBSA officers check the documents (rabies certificate valid, description matches the animal) and look at the pet. A healthy pet with correct papers that was transported humanely is released without the CFIA. A sick animal or a humane-transport problem is referred to a CFIA veterinarian (extra CFIA fees). A pet without a valid rabies certificate gets a Notice to Vaccinate: vaccinate within the deadline given (at most 14 days) and send proof to the CFIA; otherwise the CFIA typically orders the animal removed from Canada. Carry paper originals.
DETAILS +DETAILS −
CBSA officers check the documents (rabies certificate valid, description matches the animal) and look at the pet. A healthy pet with correct papers that was transported humanely is released without the CFIA. A sick animal or a humane-transport problem is referred to a CFIA veterinarian (extra CFIA fees). A pet without a valid rabies certificate gets a Notice to Vaccinate: vaccinate within the deadline given (at most 14 days) and send proof to the CFIA; otherwise the CFIA typically orders the animal removed from Canada. Carry paper originals.
- What the cat's rabies certificate (or EU pet passport) must contain, per CFIA's tool. — Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- No microchip or tattoo is required for cats. — Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- A cat without a valid rabies certificate gets a Notice to Vaccinate (vaccination within 14 days; owner contacts the CFIA district office within 2 business days of reaching home). — Canadian Food Inspection Agency — Automated Import Reference System
- Medical exemption for cats that cannot be vaccinated: permit from the National Centre for Permissions, vet letter, FAVN titer ≥0.5 IU/ml within 6 months before entry and ≥30 days after an earlier vaccination, microchip or tattoo, CFIA inspection booked at the first port of entry. — Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Official sources differ — the Import Reference Document lists a titer (≥0.5 IU/ml, 30 days after vaccination) as a plain alternative to vaccination for cats; CFIA's tool uses it only inside the permit-based medical exemption. Until the CFIA confirms, count on the titer only inside the exemption. — Canadian Food Inspection Agency (incorporated by reference into the Health of Animals Regulations)Sources disagree — confirm with the authority
- “the animal has a Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT) resulting in a titre of at least 0.5 IU/ml, taken at least 30 days after any prior rabies vaccination. The animal must be properly identified on the laboratory report and the lab report must accompany the animal.” — Canadian Food Inspection Agency (incorporated by reference into the Health of Animals Regulations), checked 04 Oct 2026
- If the cat is not admissible it can be ordered removed from Canada. — Canadian Food Inspection Agency (incorporated by reference into the Health of Animals Regulations)
- Cats have no personal/commercial split and no "unaccompanied" extra certificate in the CFIA sources. The 2022 high-risk ban concerns dogs only.
No quarantine
No source says explicitly that cats are not quarantined; inferred from HAR s. 12(4) and IRD s. 1 (the only condition is the certificate). HAR s. 9 lets an inspector order quarantine if documents are missing or disease is suspected.
Timeline
Working out your dates…
Documents
One paper per requirement above; carry originals. 0 of 2 ready.
Official fees
Fees the authorities publish for this route, in their own currency. Vet and airline charges are not included.
- CBSA inspection — first animal in the shipmentSource:Canada Border Services Agency (opens official site: Inspections and fees — Schedule of inspection fees)· checked 04 Oct 2026
- CAD 36.95 per consignment (excl. tax)
- CBSA inspection — each additional animal in the shipmentSource:Canada Border Services Agency (opens official site: Inspections and fees — Schedule of inspection fees)· checked 04 Oct 2026
- CAD 6.16 per animal (excl. tax)
- vaccination order — first animal in the shipmentif an officer issues a vaccination order (Notice to Vaccinate); charged for arrivals from every country, including the United StatesSource:Canada Border Services Agency (opens official site: Inspections and fees — Schedule of inspection fees)· checked 04 Oct 2026
- CAD 67.75 per consignment (excl. tax)
- vaccination order — each additional animal in the shipmentif an officer issues a vaccination order (Notice to Vaccinate); charged for arrivals from every country, including the United StatesSource:Canada Border Services Agency (opens official site: Inspections and fees — Schedule of inspection fees)· checked 04 Oct 2026
- CAD 36.95 per animal (excl. tax)
Entry points
Where a pet may enter Canada, per the rules.
- Any point of entry.No source designates ports of entry for personal pet dogs, cats or assistance dogs: present the pet to CBSA at the first port of entry (see the arrival inspection step). This is our reading of the sources' silence.CFIA inspectors are not at every port at all hours — book ahead only when a CFIA inspection is required (medical exemption, some commercial imports).
Airlines
Airline rules are separate from entry rules and change without notice — confirm in writing when you book. Only what the carriers' own pages say, read 25 Sep 2026. All airlines
- Lufthansa LHCabinYesHoldYesSnub-nosedHold: no · Cargo: restricted
- Emirates EKCabinNoHoldYesSnub-nosedCargo: only Nov – Apr
- CabinNoHoldYes, up to 45 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: not 1 May – 31 Oct
- Qantas QFCabinNoHoldCargo onlySnub-nosedNot stated
- CabinYesHoldNoSnub-nosedHold, cargo: no
- KLM KLCabinYes, up to 8 kg incl. carrier46 × 28 × 24 cmHoldYes, up to 75 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: no
- Air France AFCabinYes, up to 8 kg incl. carrier46 × 28 × 24 cmHoldYes, up to 75 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: no · Cargo: restricted
- CabinNoHoldCargo onlySnub-nosedCargo: restricted
- CabinNoHoldYes, up to 75 kg incl. crateSnub-nosedHold: restricted
Return trip to France
Moderate for a returning pet, no lead time. No quarantine.
- Rabies antibody (titer) test — the blood draw must happen before you leave, so plan it into the outbound trip: Favourable rabies antibody titer test done before leaving the EU and recorded in the EU passport. The 90-day wait that applies to the animal health certificate route does not apply.
Source:European Commission (EUR-Lex) (opens official site: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 — animal health requirements for non-commercial movement of pet animals)· checked 04 Oct 2026+1 more
Full checklist for a cat from Canada to France
Leaving Canada with the pet
- Leaving Canada with a dog — most destinations need an export certificate from a licensed vet endorsed by an official CFIA veterinarian.
Source:Canadian Food Inspection Agency (opens official site: Travelling with your dog)· checked 04 Oct 2026
What they actually checked at the border
Reports from people who made this trip, read by a person before publishing.
No traveller reports here yet. If you have made this trip, tell the next person what was actually checked at the border.
Share your tripSources
Every requirement above comes from one of these pages. Last researched 24 Sep 2026. Seen a change? Tell us.
- AIRS — Cats (Domestic), origin Thailand (opens official site)Canadian Food Inspection Agency — Automated Import Reference System · used for: rabies vaccination, notes, this route · checked 24 Sep 2026
- Travelling with animals (opens official site)Canada Border Services Agency · used for: customs declaration, this route · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2024-06-27
- Bringing animals to Canada: Importing and travelling with pets (interactive tool — dog and cat results) (opens official site)Canadian Food Inspection Agency · used for: arrival inspection, notes, this route · checked 24 Sep 2026 · document dated 2026-07-02
- Health of Animals Regulations (C.R.C., c. 296), Part II ss. 7–16 and definition of "import reference document" (opens official site)Department of Justice Canada (Justice Laws Website) · used for: quarantine, this route · checked 24 Sep 2026 · document dated 2025-09-19
- Inspections and fees — Schedule of inspection fees (opens official site)Canada Border Services Agency · used for: official fees, this route · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2026-03-31
- Import Reference Document (As referenced in the Health of Animals Regulations), Part III ss. 1–2, Part IV (opens official site)Canadian Food Inspection Agency (incorporated by reference into the Health of Animals Regulations) · used for: notes, this route · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2025-10-08
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 — animal health requirements for non-commercial movement of pet animals (opens official site)European Commission (EUR-Lex) · used for: return trip · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2026-03-27
- Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (Animal Health Law), Part VI — non-commercial movements of pet animals (opens official site)European Parliament and Council (EUR-Lex) · used for: return trip · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2021-04-21
- Travelling with your dog (opens official site)Canadian Food Inspection Agency · used for: leaving with the pet · checked 04 Oct 2026 · document dated 2026-01-09
Keep this checklist
More routes
Checklists for nearby trips — same rules engine, same official sources.