If you are flying with a cat any time soon, you’ll need to prepare, or you could be turned away by airport security!
A question we get asked all the time is, do cats need passports? Find out everything you need to know about getting a cat passport here and plan your next trip with TailWings.
The rules
Do cats need passports? The answer is yes!
Okay, it’s not strictly called a cat passport, but the premise is the same. To travel with your pet, you’ll need to get an Animal Health Certificate from your vet which is a document that allows your cat to enter the EU, and is valid for up to 4 months.
What’s a “Cat Passport” anyway?
In the EU, a pet passport is a special document for cats, dogs, or ferrets. It displays their microchip number, rabies vaccination, and veterinary stamps. It used to allow easy travel between EU countries.
In the UK, this changed after Brexit. UK-issued pet passports stopped being accepted for travel to the EU in January 2021.
So if you’re travelling from England, Scotland, or Wales to the EU or Northern Ireland in 2025, you’d need either:
- An EU pet passport issued by an EU/EU-recognised vet, or
- A Great Britain Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued within 10 days before travel.
For non-EU and non-listed countries, the AHC is mandatory.
How to get a passport for your cat
To obtain an animal health certificate you will need to visit an Official Veterinarian who can sign all the necessary paperwork which confirms your cat’s health details. This includes their vaccination and microchip status.
Your cat will need to have had their rabies vaccine at least 21 days before you get their passport, and they must be at least 12 weeks old. The vet carrying out the checks will need to do this at least 10 days before you travel – so it is important to make sure you get everything prepared long before flying with a cat.
To sum it up briefly:
- Microchip – It must be ISO‑compliant, done before any vaccines.
- Rabies jab – Must be at least 21 days before travel.
- Tapeworm treatment – Not needed for cats returning to the UK, only for dogs.
- Get the AHC – From an Official Vet within 10 days before departure.
How Much Does a Cat Passport Cost in 2025
A passport for your cat will cost anywhere between £100-£250 and includes the following information:
- Your name
- Your cat’s name
- Your address
- Your cat’s breed and physical traits
- A record of all your cat’s vaccinations and treatments
- An optional photograph of your cat
Make sure you bring your cat, identity documents, microchip information, and vaccination records to the vet when applying for your animal health certificate.
The importance of a pet passport
Just like humans going on holiday, it is important for your cat to have a passport as proof of who they are, and so they can be safely returned to you in the unfortunate event that they get lost.
Passports for pets also help to keep them, and the animals in your destination country, safe and free from dangerous infections such as rabies. This is why it is so important to ensure your cat has a passport, especially if you are visiting a country that has rabies-free status.
Make sure you keep your cat’s passport safe as they will need it to enter back into the UK after your trip!
Latest information
In 2025, the UK and EU are in talks about making travel easier for pets again. That might mean UK-issued pet passports could return someday. That could simplify your travel with a cat again, but details and official dates are still unconfirmed.
If you are struggling with your pet passport application, we can help! As leading pet transport services, we are experienced in helping pet owners across the country with their travels, whether for a short break or a permanent relocation.
Get in touch with our team to find out how we can help you when flying with a cat today.