High just wondered if you have moved here and still wanted some advice if so please contact me at colin@hol.gr or colbirch@insurer.com I have lived here for 11 years so I know a few of the ropes.

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I had relocated my cat to greece a few months ago and I am sorry to say I wish I hadn't.
The only thing that I can say was good was the fact that there was no quaranteen in greece for pets. The only two airlines who flew none stop to greece from the states were Delta and Olympic Airlines. I flew with Olympic because they allowed me to take my bianca in the plane with me. During the flight i changed my sit ting arrangement so I could have an empty spot next to me for my cat to stretch in. Needless to say the person sitting two spaces away went nuts and got up and moved away. Another nice guy from cyprus, I would never forget that guy came and changed with the guy that could not stand to sit next to a cat and sat with me. I took my bianca out of that tiny little cage they tell you to put them in and put him in the empty place next to me, covered him up with the blanky and there he stayed. He never tried to get away, cry or nothing. Once in a while he would come in my lap, perrr and sleep.
Now I will start with the bad.
I will start with the greek cat food. My cat hated the cat food they had there, he would eat it and then just throw it back out. Alot of the cat foods had the same brand names as in the states, but their contents were different. I ended up having a friend of mine send me food from the states so my cat would eat.
Secondly I would like to tell you about changing your cats litter. Now that I think of it it's kind of funny but at the time I was so angry. I went to a very nice pet store and asked for a box of plastic linners for my cats litter box. Now the store owner went somewhere and came back with what looked like an old shower cap which he was trying to sell me and tell me that that was what was being used in greece. Did I buy it? No again when my own supply ended my friend send me more.
Things were going ok for a while then after two months of being in greece my cat started having something that looked like a tooth inflamation.I immediately looked for a vet to treat my cat. I will like to add in that when I left the states my cat was checked very well by his vet there, and came up with flying colors. Well I started to worry because when I started checking around for a cat vet. well they all said yes we do treat cats, but in their history all they treated were dogs, cows, sheep, and various farm animals. I asked friends relatives and finally went to a vet who had saved a friends puppy from sure death. So off I went to the vet. Well he said "yeap his tooth is very infected and it needs to come out". Afcoss I said please take it out. I even remembering asking him for a shot of cortizone before all this happened, but he said no, no need. When all was done i took the love of my life home. That night he started crying and he started bleeding all over. First thing in the mornign I took him back to the vet and he told me nothing to worry just wash the wound out with iodine, it was common to bleed like that. My neighboor who was a pharmacist happened to have a cat also and she told me when i told her what happened she would bring me some antibiotics she use to give to her cat. It helped alittle but not fully. The wound would just not close, and it got an inflamation on top of everything. I took my cat back and he tried burning it shot. I think about it and tears come to my eyes. He never got well, he just got worse and worse and there was nothing i could do. Taking him back to the states at his state would have been his death because he would have been put in quaranteed immediately. So I took him one last time to the vet who check this out, said that he was sorry to say but my cat had developed cancer. I couldnt handle it anymore so I did the only thing I could do, I put him to sleep. I held him through the entire process, until his little soul left. The vet was trying to make me wait outside of the room but i would not leave my kittie alone. He had been in so much pain. I didnt know what else I could have done. I feel guilty, hurt, empty. I had my cat for about 14 years. Everyone said it was his time, but I know it was not. He was the best cat anyone could ever ask for, he never got sick. How could a vet who treated dogs, cows and farm animals do a good job as a dentist. Dentistry was not his science. He didnt know anything about cats. I dont blame him though he did the best he could with what he knew. In fact I remember his face when he saw me with my cat. He got tears in his eyes and he said that in all his years as a vet he had never experienced anything like this before.
People there just dont care nor understand what it is to care and really love your pet. Yes they have dogs, birds, cats but they either have them as a status symbol or for various jobs like chasing away rats, hunting etc. My baby was my life, he was my strength my everything. When others wouldnt listen he would, when others wouldnt have time he did. He was always there for me and I for him.
So my advise to you who are thinking of relocating your two cats to greece is dont do it unless you have to. If you have to move to greece please do not leave your cats behind. Thats not right. When you take two lives into your hands that learn to depend on you, you dont just abondon them at the first sight of problem. Would you leave your kid behind. I wish you all the best and hope you have a much better luck then I did.

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I had relocated my cat to greece a few months ago and I am sorry to say I wish I hadn't.
The only thing that I can say was good was the fact that there was no quaranteen in greece for pets. The only two airlines who flew none stop to greece from the states were Delta and Olympic Airlines. I flew with Olympic because they allowed me to take my bianca in the plane with me. During the flight i changed my sit ting arrangement so I could have an empty spot next to me for my cat to stretch in. Needless to say the person sitting two spaces away went nuts and got up and moved away. Another nice guy from cyprus, I would never forget that guy came and changed with the guy that could not stand to sit next to a cat and sat with me. I took my bianca out of that tiny little cage they tell you to put them in and put him in the empty place next to me, covered him up with the blanky and there he stayed. He never tried to get away, cry or nothing. Once in a while he would come in my lap, perrr and sleep.
Now I will start with the bad.
I will start with the greek cat food. My cat hated the cat food they had there, he would eat it and then just throw it back out. Alot of the cat foods had the same brand names as in the states, but their contents were different. I ended up having a friend of mine send me food from the states so my cat would eat.
Secondly I would like to tell you about changing your cats litter. Now that I think of it it's kind of funny but at the time I was so angry. I went to a very nice pet store and asked for a box of plastic linners for my cats litter box. Now the store owner went somewhere and came back with what looked like an old shower cap which he was trying to sell me and tell me that that was what was being used in greece. Did I buy it? No again when my own supply ended my friend send me more.
Things were going ok for a while then after two months of being in greece my cat started having something that looked like a tooth inflamation.I immediately looked for a vet to treat my cat. I will like to add in that when I left the states my cat was checked very well by his vet there, and came up with flying colors. Well I started to worry because when I started checking around for a cat vet. well they all said yes we do treat cats, but in their history all they treated were dogs, cows, sheep, and various farm animals. I asked friends relatives and finally went to a vet who had saved a friends puppy from sure death. So off I went to the vet. Well he said "yeap his tooth is very infected and it needs to come out". Afcoss I said please take it out. I even remembering asking him for a shot of cortizone before all this happened, but he said no, no need. When all was done i took the love of my life home. That night he started crying and he started bleeding all over. First thing in the mornign I took him back to the vet and he told me nothing to worry just wash the wound out with iodine, it was common to bleed like that. My neighboor who was a pharmacist happened to have a cat also and she told me when i told her what happened she would bring me some antibiotics she use to give to her cat. It helped alittle but not fully. The wound would just not close, and it got an inflamation on top of everything. I took my cat back and he tried burning it shot. I think about it and tears come to my eyes. He never got well, he just got worse and worse and there was nothing i could do. Taking him back to the states at his state would have been his death because he would have been put in quaranteed immediately. So I took him one last time to the vet who check this out, said that he was sorry to say but my cat had developed cancer. I couldnt handle it anymore so I did the only thing I could do, I put him to sleep. I held him through the entire process, until his little soul left. The vet was trying to make me wait outside of the room but i would not leave my kittie alone. He had been in so much pain. I didnt know what else I could have done. I feel guilty, hurt, empty. I had my cat for about 14 years. Everyone said it was his time, but I know it was not. He was the best cat anyone could ever ask for, he never got sick. How could a vet who treated dogs, cows and farm animals do a good job as a dentist. Dentistry was not his science. He didnt know anything about cats. I dont blame him though he did the best he could with what he knew. In fact I remember his face when he saw me with my cat. He got tears in his eyes and he said that in all his years as a vet he had never experienced anything like this before.
People there just dont care nor understand what it is to care and really love your pet. Yes they have dogs, birds, cats but they either have them as a status symbol or for various jobs like chasing away rats, hunting etc. My baby was my life, he was my strength my everything. When others wouldnt listen he would, when others wouldnt have time he did. He was always there for me and I for him.
So my advise to you who are thinking of relocating your two cats to greece is dont do it unless you have to. If you have to move to greece please do not leave your cats behind. Thats not right. When you take two lives into your hands that learn to depend on you, you dont just abondon them at the first sight of problem. Would you leave your kid behind. I wish you all the best and hope you have a much better luck then I did.

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Mariava, I'm sorry about the experience you had in Greece with your cat, however, I felt to say that people in greece have pets as a status symbol, or chase rats, is too much of a generalization. I know people who really love their pets, and would be just as devastated as you if they lost them. My brother-in-law for one, that dog is treated like their child... eats the best... not always just leftovers... the dog receives alot of love and attention from both adults and the chidren in the home (teens). My bro-in-law isnt the only one I know... many others. I'm just really sorry for the experience you had, but more so also that you felt others didnt care about their pets the way you did.

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Did you finally move to Glyfada? Di you manage to move your cats successfully. I will be doing the same in Feb and need as much advise as I can find....a job too.

Please let me now.
Regards

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Choosing an expat health insurance provider is an important decision. Get a quote from our trusted expat health insurance partner, CIGNA. With Cigna Global Health Options, you can create an international health insurance plan that's perfectly tailored for the needs of you and your family.

Hello dloxy!
Looking at the date on the forum, it was quite some time ago, so I do hope you get this!
Im looling to locate to Greece with my 10 year old son. I have a school in mind, but would appreciate the good the bad and the down right ugly advice?
Hope to hear from you soon
jayne

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