Cats in Turkey: rules and travel
Owned dogs and cats over 6 months old must be microchipped and registered in the national PETVET system, and a missed registration carries a fine per animal. Bringing a pet in needs a microchip, rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody test with a 90 day wait and a health certificate, even from the EU.
Registration and microchipping are national, but leash, park and animal-keeping rules are set by each municipality.
Registration and microchip
Owners must register cats in the PETVET registry, the same as for dogs.[1]
Compulsory for owned cats over 6 months old. 2026 fine for not registering with digital identification is 10,423 TL per animal.[2]
Keeping rules
Cutting ears and tails for looks is banned for domestic animals, cats included. Abandonment is fined.[2]
Travelling to Turkey with a cat
Turkey makes no exception for the EU. An EU pet passport is not enough: the pet needs a microchip, rabies vaccination after chipping, a rabies antibody test of at least 0.5 IU/ml taken 30 or more days after vaccination, a 90 day wait after the test sample, and a veterinary health certificate issued within 2 days before travel. A passenger may bring at most 2 animals.[3]
Same rules as from the EU: microchip, rabies vaccination after chipping, antibody test of at least 0.5 IU/ml, 90 day wait, health certificate issued within 2 days before travel, and at most 2 animals per passenger.[3]
Required for all origins: at least 0.5 IU/ml, sampled at least 30 days after vaccination. Later trips skip the 90 day wait if rabies vaccination is kept in date.[3]
Not confirmed yet: Quarantine. We only show what an official or named source states.
Laws change: this is general information, not legal advice. The authority linked on each line has the final word.