# Pet Cats in Mexico City



## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

We most probably moving to Mexico City and want to bring our 3 cats with us - leaving them behind is not an option!
I've had a search and done quite a bit of google searching but most posts seem to be about the process of actually getting pets to Mexico which I think I'm clear on: my question is more about their quality of life in the city - do many people keep cats as pets?
They are used to going out as they want, I would keep them in at night once in Mexico but is it safe for them to be out in the day (particularly if I'm around) we wouldn't let them go out whenever they wanted.
I know it's the norm in the US to keep cats indoors but ours are used to going out and would not be happy being indoors all the time.
Any thoughts appreciated.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

JOCUK said:


> We most probably moving to Mexico City and want to bring our 3 cats with us - leaving them behind is not an option!
> I've had a search and done quite a bit of google searching but most posts seem to be about the process of actually getting pets to Mexico which I think I'm clear on: my question is more about their quality of life in the city - do many people keep cats as pets?
> They are used to going out as they want, I would keep them in at night once in Mexico but is it safe for them to be out in the day (particularly if I'm around) we wouldn't let them go out whenever they wanted.
> I know it's the norm in the US to keep cats indoors but ours are used to going out and would not be happy being indoors all the time.
> Any thoughts appreciated.


1. I wouldn't bring a pet of mine to Mexico with me. 
2. If I had a pet, including a cat, I wouldn't let roam freely ... at any time.
3. You probably won't see many cats moving about on the street. Especially not near a street vendor selling tacos.


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

Longford said:


> 1. I wouldn't bring a pet of mine to Mexico with me.
> 2. If I had a pet, including a cat, I wouldn't let roam freely ... at any time.
> 3. You probably won't see many cats moving about on the street. Especially not near a street vendor selling tacos.


O.k thanks - sounds like they'd only be out under strict supervision if at all. We would have to make sure we have private outside space as well....So I take it eating the street vendor tacos is not advisable either then


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Longford said:


> 1. I wouldn't bring a pet of mine to Mexico with me.
> 2. If I had a pet, including a cat, I wouldn't let roam freely ... at any time.
> 3. You probably won't see many cats moving about on the street. Especially not near a street vendor selling tacos.


I don't have a pet but...

Lots of people bring pets to Mexico. You do need some paperwork.

I see lots of cats roaming around mostly at night. I don't know whether they have a home or are feral. Most are pretty wary of people. Not letting pet cats roam freely is good advice, anywhere actually.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Not sure if true but when we got our two kittens 3 years ago, we were told the following.
-Totally outside cats-less than one year
-Inside/outside cats-about two years
-Totally inside-normal lifespan
Now we live just outside a small town on about 2.5 acres. We do let them roam during the day but they rarely leave the property. We close them in for the night. So far, 3 years.
Think it helps that we have two medium+ dogs that we introduced when kittens and they get along fine. Expect that this deters the foxes, coyotes & bobcats that might come calling as well as the odd stray dog.
In Mexico City, I would expect that you would want a well contained area if you let them out.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I live in the country and my cat prefers outside at night because of the rats, mice, lizards, frogs, snakes and bats he can kill. Not exactly country because I have close neighbors but close enough. In the Lake Chapala area the same thing with a larger population but no idea how far he ranged.

In Mexico City .... they would be indoor cats unless you have a house with a yard or walk them on a leash

My cat is Mexican for 4 years now


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

sparks said:


> I live in the country and my cat prefers outside at night because of the rats, mice, lizards, frogs, snakes and bats he can kill. Not exactly country because I have close neighbors but close enough. In the Lake Chapala area the same thing with a larger population but no idea how far he ranged.
> 
> In Mexico City .... they would be indoor cats unless you have a house with a yard or walk them on a leash
> 
> My cat is Mexican for 4 years now


Thanks - we would definately need to have some outside space so I could give them a bit of outside time. In the UK it's very rare for any cats to be completely indoor - probably because there are no real outside predators.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

You are probably in a more civilized area than we are. One reason we like them in at night is that they are successful at catching and playing with birds, ratons, lizards and baby rabbits. Unfortunately, they like to bring them alive, mostly, to show us.


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

conklinwh said:


> Not sure if true but when we got our two kittens 3 years ago, we were told the following.
> -Totally outside cats-less than one year
> -Inside/outside cats-about two years
> -Totally inside-normal lifespan
> ...


Those are scary stats! I suppose totally outside means basically wild though? Ours only go out to go to the toilet and come back in unless it's really nice in which case they lie in the garden. Definately not going to be letting them roam freely at night.
We are considering getting a dog once we're settled as I would be working at home (wouldn't be fair here with us both out full time) so as you say maybe that would help with keeping them safer


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

There are many loose dogs, both homeless ones and dogs whose “owners” let them roam the streets. A cat outside would be at risk of falling prey to one of them no matter how carefully you watch it—the only way I can imagine it being safe is if you have a private enclosed garden. Even then, loose cats could climb the wall and drop in to visit your kitties.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

To be safest, you could think about renting a colonial style home, with the outdoor space in the middle of the home. They could roam the courtyard, and still be safe.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

mickisue1 said:


> To be safest, you could think about renting a colonial style home, with the outdoor space in the middle of the home. They could roam the courtyard, and still be safe.


I have such a house. I don't have cats, but there used to be a cat that got into my patios at night. It amazed me, not that he could get in, but that he could get out. At the easiest point it is a leap of over 5 feet. And we saw him leap over 7 feet straight up once to escape. Several times I have been impressed with the leaping ability of cats.


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

Hmm sounds as though getting them used to being in as much as possible before we go is going to be the key and making sure we have a secure garden where if absolutely necessary we can let them out supervised. 
Cats are very adaptable usually - I'm hoping they will co-operate! I suppose having a big enough indoor space would help too


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## edgeee (Jun 21, 2012)

JOCUK said:


> Hmm sounds as though getting them used to being in as much as possible before we go is going to be the key and making sure we have a secure garden where if absolutely necessary we can let them out supervised.
> Cats are very adaptable usually - I'm hoping they will co-operate! I suppose having a big enough indoor space would help too


that sounds like your best bet imo.
i wish you all the best. i had to do this the hard way where i live.
long story short, my buddy Hannibal ruled the back yard, fenced, and learned to stay inside it pretty well. always indoor nights or in hot/cold extremes, but otherwise, he was quite the hunter, and very happy.

other factors i won't go into came along, and now he never gets outside.
it has been tough on him adjusting.
for a while he would window-sit and watch other cats live in his yard, tho now he rarely does.
it's been a few months since he sat by the back door and howled/sang, but at first he did it many times a day.
and i hated doing it to him every bit as much as he did.
the bottom line is i can't afford any more vet bills and his safety comes first.

he's safer now, but he's not as happy.
i'm guessing you will come to love your cats even more than you do now, as hard as that may be to believe. they will suffer, so you will too, and you will try to make it up to them. extra playtime and 'spoilage' will help you both, so good luck.
i hate to paint a bleak picture, but i thought you could use the info.
i hope it helps you and them get through it.


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

Thank you! I'm starting to think it will be one of hardest parts of moving! At least you've shown that it's possible. They are very spoiled right now so looks like they are going to have to toughen up and get used to not having their own way to become Mexican cats!


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## ExpatPumpkin (May 30, 2010)

I'm very familiar with Mexico City, used to live in Monterrey (MX), and currently live in London. There's not a snowball's chance in hell that I'd let my pet cat roam free in Mexico City for even an hour. I'd be too scared of dog attacks, etc. But, I am an overprotective doggie mom, so take my advice with a grain of salt


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Jo, we had a cat that was a rescue cat, and she got out and left, the first two summers that we owned her.

I am certain that that was a factor in her death last year, from a tumor near her left ear.

Who knows what she ate, those weeks she was gone, and what organisms they carried that could ultimately have killed her?

The fact that she lived roughly her first year on her own in an urban area didn't help, either.

Our remaining cat stays inside, no matter what she, or my husband think about it!


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

Ok third time lucky -apologies if you get more than one reply!
Thanks for your help-their safety is the most important thing for us so we will make sure that we negotiate to get large enough accommodation with secure outside space for emergencies.

On a related note is there such a thing as pet insurance over there? If not are vet bills very expensive? In the uk we pay £50 (roughly 120 usd currently) for booster vaccinations and check up each cat - operations can run to 1000s.
Also what is the availability of cat food - can you get imported products from the states (I'm guessing at a price)


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I'm sure that vets more expensive in DF but bills where we live are only a small fraction of the US. Think that you will have much better luck in DF than I have finding specialty cat food but ours adapted rather than starve.
BTW, I though of you as there is commercial of woman and cat moving from Oregon where indoor/outdoor cat to New York City where only indoor cat. Net is that they survived after some initial trauma for both. Reason given of course was ability to buy cat food made for indoor cats.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

I don’t have a cat, but I imagine my dog health care prices will give you an idea. Quintuple doggie disease vaccination: 200 pesos. Rabies vaccination: about 100 pesos, but free if you take your pet to the public anti-rabies campaign held two or three times a year. 

If the dog is sick, the vet usually just charges me for the medicine if he has it on hand; 100 to 200 pesos. Otherwise, if I have to go get the medicine elsewhere, the consult is about 100 pesos.

The last time I had a dog spayed, it was 700 pesos, but it has probably gone up by now; the vet said the cost of anesthetic was increasing.


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

conklinwh said:


> I'm sure that vets more expensive in DF but bills where we live are only a small fraction of the US. Think that you will have much better luck in DF than I have finding specialty cat food but ours adapted rather than starve.
> BTW, I though of you as there is commercial of woman and cat moving from Oregon where indoor/outdoor cat to New York City where only indoor cat. Net is that they survived after some initial trauma for both. Reason given of course was ability to buy cat food made for indoor cats.


Love it! Lets hope they're not lying for the sake of selling cat food....as if they would 
I would imagine that the US is much cheaper than the UK in any case so that sounds positive


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

maesonna said:


> I don’t have a cat, but I imagine my dog health care prices will give you an idea. Quintuple doggie disease vaccination: 200 pesos. Rabies vaccination: about 100 pesos, but free if you take your pet to the public anti-rabies campaign held two or three times a year.
> 
> If the dog is sick, the vet usually just charges me for the medicine if he has it on hand; 100 to 200 pesos. Otherwise, if I have to go get the medicine elsewhere, the consult is about 100 pesos.
> 
> The last time I had a dog spayed, it was 700 pesos, but it has probably gone up by now; the vet said the cost of anesthetic was increasing.


Wow definately cheaper - dog prices are usually more expensive than cat prices anyway. An operation could cost £5000+ here - hence the need for pet insurance...Sounds like savings could cover any major op in Mexico which is good to know


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

What is more expensive in Mexico, at least compared to the US, is the topical monthly doses for fleas, ticks, etc. I tend to order via Petmeds and have shipped to somewhere that I can drive in. A years supply for one cat, twelve doses, is only a single box on line.


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## dpebbles (Oct 28, 2011)

We found a stray kitten and took her in. She lives out in our maid's quarters since my oldest is allergic. There are so many stray dogs roaming about that there is no way I would allow her to roam ANYTIME. We have 2 cats that climb onto the top of our walls around our house and sit there all night meowing....fairly certain they want at our kitty. She hasn't been spayed yet but will be the second she is old enough. 
I once saw a group of boys out on the golf course throwing rocks at a stray dog out there...and when we found our kitty someone had put a huge plastic thing around her neck....she was living in the lot for sale next to our home. 
It is a lot cheaper for a trip to the vet here. It's usually only about the equivalent of $25 American whenever we take her in for shots.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

JOCUK said:


> Love it! Lets hope they're not lying for the sake of selling cat food....as if they would
> I would imagine that the US is much cheaper than the UK in any case so that sounds positive


US, not cheap, at all. Veterinarians can be extraordinarily expensive, and as more people begin to think of their pets as family members, for whom extraordinary measures are justified to keep them around when ill or injured, the costs have gone up accordingly.

An office visit with some antibiotics for a kitty with a bladder infection was $200, and that was 2 years ago. That's $200 US, not pesos!


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I don't think anyone saying that the US is cheap and certainly many times more than Mexico. 
The comment was really US relative to the UK. My experience is that most things in the UK more expensive, especially with the dollar/pound conversion. I also don't think that any group is more attached to their pets than the Brits.


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## ExpatPumpkin (May 30, 2010)

conklinwh said:


> I don't think anyone saying that the US is cheap and certainly many times more than Mexico.
> The comment was really US relative to the UK. My experience is that most things in the UK more expensive, especially with the dollar/pound conversion. I also don't think that any group is more attached to their pets than the Brits.


Having lived in the US, Mexico, and the UK with my dog (in that order), I've experienced the following:

- Mexico is comparatively quite cheap when it comes to vet care. My little guy had a lump removal with full anesthesia and a dental cleaning there for about 400USD. This included a night in the hospital and the aftercare. (Same procedure would have cost me thousands of USD/GBP in the States/UK.) Routine visits in Mexico would run me about 20USD.

- The US and the UK are much more expensive than Mexico. Thankfully, he hasn't had any expensive treatments in either county aside from a dental cleaning in the US (400USD). Routine visits in each country seem to run about 75USD/GBP, respectively. 

- The US and the UK are about on par, cost-wise. I suppose you could argue that the bills are higher in the UK due to the exchange rate, but if you're living in the UK and earning/spending pounds, a pound is a pound. The exchange rate doesn't come into play if dealing in pounds is your usual currency.

In a nutshell, vet bills in Mexico are much cheaper than both the US and the UK


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

ExpatPumpkin said:


> - The US and the UK are about on par, cost-wise. I suppose you could argue that the bills are higher in the UK due to the exchange rate, but if you're living in the UK and earning/spending pounds, a pound is a pound. The exchange rate doesn't come into play if dealing in pounds is your usual currency.


That's my experience, too. No matter what your currency, if that's what you get paid in, it's on a par for you.

People in the UK who come to the US feel more wealthy, because of the exchange rate. Same for euros. But if you get paid in dollars, the cost is, as you say, equivalent.


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

Good points regarding exchange rate just me being dozy! 
I remember when we used to feel wealthy in euro zone countries too-those days are gone sadly! 
At least vet bills are not something we will have to worry about in Mexico by the sounds of it-good to know
Thanks all...


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## JoanneR2 (Apr 18, 2012)

JOCUK said:


> Good points regarding exchange rate just me being dozy!
> I remember when we used to feel wealthy in euro zone countries too-those days are gone sadly!
> At least vet bills are not something we will have to worry about in Mexico by the sounds of it-good to know
> Thanks all...


Do let me know how it all goes with th emote and the cats. My cat is being shipped over early in September and I must admit to being a bit worried about it. I don't have a problem with keeping her inside as she has never been very keen on going out anyway but I am worried that she'll take a flying leap off the balcony at some point and we are 4 stories up (she isn't the brightest animal I have ever owned). Still, like you, not bringing her just isn't an option. I have checked around and, where I live at least (La Condesa), getting hold of cat food such as Whiskas isn't a problem. The area is full of people with pets, especially dogs and there is no shortage of pet shops locally. Just hop she can get used to the very fancy litter trays with cat flaps and covers. Much posher than anything she has encountered back in the UK. All the best with the move. J


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

JOCUK said:


> Good points regarding exchange rate just me being dozy!
> I remember when we used to feel wealthy in euro zone countries too-those days are gone sadly!
> At least vet bills are not something we will have to worry about in Mexico by the sounds of it-good to know
> Thanks all...


Exactly.

The first time we went to England and Ireland, the euro was worth about $.80 US. We felt rich, but then, of course, in Devon and London, not so much.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

mickisue1 said:


> Exactly.
> 
> The first time we went to England and Ireland, the euro was worth about $.80 US. We felt rich, but then, of course, in Devon and London, not so much.


I don't know with 100% certainty, but my belief is that the Euro has never been worth less than the US$. My recollection is that it's always traded at 20% to 50% higher than the US$. When was this that you traveled to these places when the Euro was so low? Thanks.

*AN EDIT: I DID A FURTHER GOOGLE SEARCH AND LEARNED THAT IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT THE EURO'S SUCCESS OR FAILURE AND THE VALUE SLIPPED TO .87/.88 CENTS.*


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

JoanneR2 said:


> Do let me know how it all goes with th emote and the cats. My cat is being shipped over early in September and I must admit to being a bit worried about it. I don't have a problem with keeping her inside as she has never been very keen on going out anyway but I am worried that she'll take a flying leap off the balcony at some point and we are 4 stories up (she isn't the brightest animal I have ever owned). Still, like you, not bringing her just isn't an option. I have checked around and, where I live at least (La Condesa), getting hold of cat food such as Whiskas isn't a problem. The area is full of people with pets, especially dogs and there is no shortage of pet shops locally. Just hop she can get used to the very fancy litter trays with cat flaps and covers. Much posher than anything she has encountered back in the UK. All the best with the move. J


Thanks...you'll be out before we are-it's not fully confirmed but they have said not until after our wedding which is in October..so you'll have to let me know how she copes. 
Good to know about the food though..
Not so worried about the two girls just our big male tabby who is pretty neurotic!


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

mickisue1 said:


> Exactly.
> 
> The first time we went to England and Ireland, the euro was worth about $.80 US. We felt rich, but then, of course, in Devon and London, not so much.


Euro has dropped a little against the pound recently but last year it was £1-€1 - bit of a shock paying nearly £10 for a beer in France that year!


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I didn't know the Brits recognized what the French drink as beer.
Normally my friends & son in law refer to it as freezing [email protected]#^&!.


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## JOCUK (Jul 16, 2012)

conklinwh said:


> I didn't know the Brits recognized what the French drink as beer.
> Normally my friends & son in law refer to it as freezing [email protected]#^&!.


Yes I deserve a slap on the wrist! I meant 'beer' as a generic word for 'lager'. Not being from London originally I should know better!


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