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Bringing a cat from China to the United States

Yes — and far more simply than for dogs. The CDC's high-risk system applies to dogs only: the United States has no federal import requirements for a pet cat from China — no CDC form, no rabies vaccination proof, no microchip, age or titer rules. Your cat must simply appear healthy on arrival and can be inspected at the port. The paperwork that does exist on this route is on the China side: the Customs exit-quarantine process and its Animal Health Certificate.

None

CDC requirements

No form, no rabies proof for cats

None

Federal quarantine

Healthy cats are not quarantined

14 days

China cert validity

Customs Animal Health Certificate, general validity

7 days

Exit inspection window

On-site Customs check before departure

Step-by-step checklist

Requirements — Cat · China → the United States
Step	What to do	When
Do NOT copy the dog rules	Everything strict about US pet entry from China — the high-risk list, titers, facility reservations — applies to dogs only. None of it applies to your cat.	—
Rabies vaccination (for the exit side)	China Customs requires a valid rabies vaccination certificate to issue your cat's exit Animal Health Certificate, even though the US does not ask for it. Keep the vaccination in date. CDC also recommends rabies vaccination for cats, and your destination state or airline may ask — check both.	Before the exit process
Microchip	Not required by the US for cats, but China Customs' export process works from the chip record (Customs guides list chip proof among the export documents), so a chipped cat makes the exit paperwork straightforward.	Before the exit process
China Customs exit quarantine	Declare online through the 'Internet + Customs' / Single Window pet-export module — local Customs guides advise filing 10–14 days before departure, then bring your cat for the on-site clinical inspection within the final 7 days with your ID, the rabies vaccination certificate and chip proof. Customs issues the Animal Health Certificate (generally valid 14 days) once the file passes.	Final 2 weeks
Airline and state checks	Airlines set their own carriage rules and often ask for a vet health certificate issued shortly before the flight; a few US states have their own cat import rules. Confirm both before booking. Note Hawaii and Guam impose their own quarantine rules on cats arriving even from the US mainland.	Booking stage

Your preparation timeline

1Any time — Keep the rabies vaccination in date and the chip record handy
210–14 days out — File the China Customs online export declaration
3Final 7 days — On-site Customs inspection; Animal Health Certificate issued
4Arrival — Your cat must appear healthy; officers may inspect and can require a vet exam at your expense if the cat looks ill

The mistake that causes trouble on this route: Assuming 'no US rules' means 'no paperwork'. The federal US side is genuinely empty for cats — the trap is the exit side and the airline: without the Customs Animal Health Certificate process done in the final two weeks, or the health certificate your airline asks for, the cat does not board.

Costs you can plan for

There is no US federal fee for importing a pet cat. Your costs are the China side (veterinary and vaccination fees, any airline-requested health certificate, cargo or cabin carriage) plus air transport. If an arriving cat appears ill, a required veterinary examination is at the owner's expense.

✈️ Government rules are only half the trip. Airlines set their own pet carriage rules (crate size, breed limits, seasonal embargoes). Re-confirm carriage with your airline after you meet the rules above.

Questions people ask about this route

China is high-risk for rabies — does that affect my cat?

No. CDC's high-risk country list and its whole documentation system apply to dogs. For cats, CDC imposes no form, no vaccination proof and no titer requirement from any country.

Does my cat need a health certificate to enter the US?

Not a federal one — CDC requires no general health certificate for cats, and USDA APHIS has no animal-health requirements for pet cats. You will still have the China Customs exit certificate, and your airline may require its own vet certificate.

Will my cat be quarantined on arrival?

Not if it appears healthy. Cats can be inspected at the port of entry and may be denied or sent for a vet exam if they show signs of illness. Hawaii and Guam are exceptions with their own quarantine regimes.

Related guides

✓ Last verified: 2026-11-12

Official sources for this page

We check each rule against the exporting country's official page and the destination country's official page. If the two disagree, we show the disagreement instead of guessing.

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