Did you meet a cat in Rhodes and find yourself wondering whether you could bring them home? It is often possible. We have helped over 40 cats travel to permanent homes across Europe, Canada and the US, and we can help you work through the process. Read through the steps below, then get in touch.

Step 1 — Contact Us

Message us on Instagram (preferred) or Facebook or email us at tsambicats@gmail.com. Include photos of the cat, its age, your destination country  and the exact location where you found them. A pin on a map along with images of the surrounding area are particularly helpful. 

If possible, contact us while you are still in Rhodes. Not after you get home! Once you leave, locating a specific stray becomes very difficult. We do not always know the area. Hotels and rental properties are often unwilling to cooperate with people they do not know. And catching a cat that has lost its one trusted person — you — can take days. We have been in that situation many times, and it is avoidable. If you are serious about adopting, reach out before your last day. The earlier the better.

Step 2 — We Will Explain the Process

We will get back to you with details and, where relevant, put you in touch with an organisation who can carry out the adoption. We do not handle the administrative side of adoptions directly, but we support the process on the ground in Rhodes.

Step 3 — Preparing the Cat for Travel

What is required before a cat can travel:

• Age: At least 15 weeks (approx. 3.5 months) at the time of travel.

• Microchip: Registered in your name, or in the name of a travel companion or partner organisation.

• Rabies vaccination: Required for travel, regardless of the fact that there are no reported rabies cases in Rhodes. Valid 21 days after administration. Please also read "The Waiting Period" below.

• General feline vaccination: Recommended but not required.

• Parasite treatment: Spot-on treatment applied 2 days before travel.

• Carrier: Cabin travel requires an IATA-certified soft carrier with at least four openings. Cargo travel requires a certified hard crate. The cat must be able to sit and turn around comfortably inside. It can be purchased by most vets. 

• Additional requirements: Some countries require FIV/FeLV testing. Check with your local authorities or contact a vet for destination-specific information. We recommend doing a rapid or PCR test for FIV/FeLV/FCovid as well as for Parvo/Giardia to protect other cats in your household. Please note that a cat must be 6 months or older for the test to be 100% reliable - for younger kittens it's advised to repeat the test at home.

Here you can find a list and an interactive map of vets in Rhodes: https://www.tsambicats.gr/first-aid-guide#h.fk7imoredndn 

We can help with vet visits, vaccinations, microchipping, passport issuing and sourcing a carrier. All costs are covered by you or your partner organisation.

Step 4 — The Waiting Period

* Please always consult a vet about the exact waiting time needed for your cat to fly to your destination!

Cats must wait at least 21 days after their rabies vaccination before they can travel. Kittens must be at least 4 months old. That waiting period needs to be managed carefully. Foster space in Rhodes is extremely limited — demand far exceeds availability and we cannot usually offer it ourselves. Here are your realistic options:

• Hotel or holiday residence staff. If you met the cat at a hotel or rental property, speak to the staff. Provide food and ask if they can keep an eye on the cat until departure. It's not ideal, but it keeps the cat in a familiar environment and many hotels are more accommodating than you'd expect, especially in summer.

• Animal welfare organisations. Some may be able to offer temporary placement. It's worth asking.

• Private foster facilities. Paid foster care at a dedicated facility is available in some cases.

• Vet boarding. The safest option, and the most expensive. Availability varies.

Step 5 — Finding a Flight Companion

If you can't travel back with the cat yourself, a flight companion — a volunteer traveller heading in the right direction — can bring them to you. This is a well-established practice in the animal welfare community and is usually done free of charge as a goodwill service.

To find a flight companion, post a request in one of these Facebook groups. Include the number and type of animals, travel dates and destination:

• Flight Companions Worldwide (English): https://www.facebook.com/groups/270716999682506/ 

• Flugpaten Weltweit Gesucht (German): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1376353785959976/ 

• Vlucht begeleiders – Flight Volunteers (Dutch): https://www.facebook.com/groups/350486988411116/ 

• Flugpaten aus Griechenland (German): https://www.facebook.com/groups/571706989704345/ 

• Rhodos Entdecker (German): https://www.facebook.com/groups/142303122499655/ 

• Rhodes Travellers (English): https://www.facebook.com/groups/691281086357454/ 

Adoption Scenarios by Destination

Adopting within the EU

This is the most straightforward route. Once the waiting period is complete and the paperwork is in order, the cat can travel in the cabin or hold of a direct flight, either with you or a flight companion. We can help coordinate on the Rhodes end.

Adopting to the UK

UK import rules are more restrictive than EU ones and require more planning. Three routes are available:

• Option A - Professional pet transport service

A specialist organisation handles the journey. We do not offer this service but can point you towards one. It is the most straightforward option and the most expensive. If the cat is still too young to travel as the season ends, direct flights may no longer be running — contact us and we can look at alternatives, including routing via Athens.

• Option B - Via Amsterdam or Brussels

The cat flies to the Netherlands or Belgium, you collect them there, and travel on to the UK by plane, ferry or train. Simpler from a regulatory standpoint, but it requires additional travel time and cost on your side.

Outside Europe

Requirements vary by country. Contact us directly and we'll advise based on your destination.