Sylvia, Gordon and Elif

“Petraveller’s impeccable record inspired confidence in me.”

Elif partnered with Petraveller to relocate her adorable cats, Sylvia and Gordon, from Canberra to Vancouver. Get to know Sylvia and Gordon and their international pet travel experience with Petraveller.

Elif adopted two littermates, Sylvia and Gordon, from the RSPCA in Canberra when they were one and a half years old in January 2018. Sylvia is a small grey tabby, and Gordon is a fluffy, large black boy. Elif shares, “Gordon and Sylvia are very happy cats, they are very comfortable and incredibly affectionate with me when we are alone in the house. They are not clingy or insecurely attached to me, but they do love it when I pay attention to them and demand it if I’m busy.”

Elif continues, “Sylvia does not mind visitors and greets those she knows at the door. Gordon is the opposite. He hides under the bed whenever someone comes in and does not come out until they leave, even if it is overnight. However, he’ll come out if it’s a woman but not when there’s a male presence in the house.”

Elif explains, “Gordon’s aversion to visitors is most likely rooted in his early childhood trauma, which resulted in damage to the root of one of his teeth. I guess he was traumatised by a man, hence his fear of them. Neither of my cats has ever been aggressive, even when they are in discomfort at the vet or when I’m giving them medicine. Gordon is fully comfortable with only one of my friends, who he had met when he was around five months old.” 

Sylvia and Gordon are affectionate, lovable softies who show their tummy to invite pats. Elif says, “They have never experienced violence; I don’t raise my voice at them in a harsh manner. Their tails immediately go up when they hear my voice and love it when I sing. If I meow to them or call them by their name, they come and sit with me or on me!” 

Sylvia and Gordon have heart murmurs, which are kept in check with ECHOs every six months. Their condition is minimal and has not progressed over the years. Elif says, “Their vet has advised me that the heart murmur will not pose a threat to their health and longevity as long as I continue with regular check-ups and intervene in time whenever necessary.” 

Elif moved to Vancouver to pursue her higher education in Canada. She says, “A friend will stay at my house with Sylvia and Gordon until I have made a house for us in Canada and they can be transported. When I adopted my cats, I believed that we would stay in Australia. After long and careful deliberation and communication with their vet, I decided to take my cats with me to Canada. I am aware that the journey is long and has its perils, but leaving them behind is not an option for me and is not a necessity, given their young age and relative health. We have a unique bond, and I do not believe that they will be as happy with me if they were readopted in Australia. I have considered the pros and cons of taking them with me, and despite its troubles, I believe that taking the journey together will be best for all of us.”

Relocating pets from one country to another is stressful for pet parents. Elif was naturally concerned about putting her pets through a long international flight, given their pre-existing health conditions. Elif decided to contact professional pet transporters to help organise her pets’ journey from Canberra to Vancouver. After researching pet travel companies in Australia and reading many reviews, Elif reached out to Petraveller to manage Sylvia and Gordon’s international relocation. 

Elif says, “Petraveller was the only company that didn’t have any negative reviews, and their impeccable record inspired confidence in me that the journey would go smoothly and my cats would be well taken care of.”

We are pleased to say that Sylvia and Gordon had an incredible journey and made it to Vancouver in good health. Thank you, Elif, for trusting Petraveller with your fur kids. Here’s wishing you and your fur babies a wonderful time in Canada.