Moving To Japan With A Cat

[masonkitty]

My father was offered an amazing opportunity working in Tokyo for a year. I’ll be taking a gap year right before college as I’ll be 18 when we go and would love the chance to live somewhere different for a year! My cat will be almost 4 when we are scheduled to go, but the travel is made up of 2 long haul flights and we also have strict Japanese rabies policies to worry about. My cat is so important to me, and the thought of having to leave him sealed in a carrier for around 24 hours makes me sick. Because Japan is a rabies free country, animals traveling through flights that are not direct must be sealed in the carrier the whole time. There’s no direct flight from where we live! I’m contemplating finding a temporary home but that would break my heart. Is there a safe way to do this? I’m willing to jump through hoops to make sure my boy will be okay coming with us! He’s a nervous cat and has trouble adjusting, I’m worried a traumatic travel experience could cause permanent changes and make him even more scared. Any advice?

 

[tinydestroyer]

Norachan lives in Japan, and may have some specific advice related to the country. That sounds like an amazing opportunity! I'm sure there's a way to figure out how to keep your kitty with you.

 

[Pjg8r]

I know that dogs must remain in a quarantine setting for several months when they arrive (at least in Okinawa I’m not sure about the other places). When my son was stationed there my other son kept his dog here in the states. It was a very hard decision but the quarantine period and the concern that the dog’s age and health might be an issue when it was time to come back made the decision easier.

 

[Norachan]

Quarantine for Dogs & Cats：動物検疫所

This is the Japanese immigration sites info on bringing cats into the country.

Longer post to follow.....

 

[lavishsqualor]

Were I moving from Orlando, Florida, USA, where I currently live I would find the import regs pretty straight forward and manageable. It's basically just the implementation of a quality microchip, rabies vaccines and titres. You just have to time it correctly. I couldn't possibly leave my cats and not take them, but you have to decide what's right for you and your circumstances.

 

[Willowy]

You'd need to start the procedure right away, because they need to be microchipped and get a rabies vaccine, and then you have to wait 6 months. So if you're leaving within 6 months it might not be possible.

But if you follow all the procedures, at least you won't have to quarantine him. A lot of military families when I was a kid had left their pets behind with friends or family members so they wouldn't have to be in quarantine so long.

Since it's only for 1 year, if you can find a foster home for him that might be a better option. If you were going for longer I'd say definitely take him, but it might not be worth all the fuss for a year.

 

[masonkitty]

We’d only be leaving in 2 years so i have time to prepare. I really don’t want to have to leave him for an entire year, but i don’t want to be selfish and have him end up in quarantine for 3 months just to be shuttles back 9 months later.

 

[Norachan]

Japanese authorities are very strict. I suggest you go through the immigration requirements for cats very carefully and get everything done as soon as possible. Get a folder and keep all documentation to show the officials when you enter.

It would be a good idea to liaise with your own country's embassy in Japan, just to make sure everything is being done correctly.

I don't know how you'd get around the laws about animals on non-direct flights having to be sealed in a carrier.

Maybe if this will be too traumatic for your cat finding a foster home would be better?

You have plenty of time to think about it, anyway.

 

[Plumeria]

If you’re going to be staying in Japan for only one year, I’d recommend leaving him with a foster family. I’ve done that before with my cats. The whole trip to and from there - cars, flights, trains, trapped in carrier for eternity - would be traumatizing and exhausting for him.