cat supplies

Hi...
I am moving to Japan shortly to study the language there and would like to bring my cat with me. I have been trying to check several websites translated by google translate (as I do not speak Japanese and don't understand kanji yet) to check the price for supplies but to no avail.
If anyone knows how much it will cost roughly for food and litter (as basic needs), please let me know, I would really appreciate it.
Or, if there is an online Japanese pet shop where I could check the price and maybe order online in the future, it would also be very helpful.

Please help.

Thank you very much.

This is a webshop that I use most often for food and sand supplies (on the largest Japanese shopping mall called "Rakuten"):

http://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/hinoki/

If you are bringing your cat with you, please be sure to check for quarantine/"animal import" procedures (actually for both coming into Japan and then leaving later), and look for an apartment that allows pets.

Have you looked up the information regarding importing cats yet? There are some deadlines that you will have to meet that may have already passed if you are planning on leaving soon.

First off, you must notify your port of entry at least 40 days in advance that you will be arriving with your pet. Then depending on which country you are from, your cat may have to undergo rabies quarantine for up to 180 days from your arrival (at your expense). That can be reduced to 12 hours in Japan if your pet has been microchipped and vaccinated at least 180 days prior to your arrival.

More info can be found here:

http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/import-other.html

Hi all,

Thank you very much for the info. I am from Australia and will be using a pet travel agent (not looking forward to the paperwork and stress).

Would anybody be able to inform me how much is the standard fee for vet in Japan? (for routine vaccination and check up etc). is it more expensive than in Australia? I would appreciate any info on this, (even approximation).

Thank you again.

Much appreciate it.

brandycoffee,

The yearly health check-up (including blood test, for our rather senior cat) and the vaccination together cost 11,500 yen this year. I believe that a routine vaccination alone costs around 5,000 yen of that total.

AK,

Thank you very much. You have been really helpful. She is very likely going with me to Japan then as the vet service and the food seem to be pretty reasonable. Besides, she is a young cat, she might only need an F3 vaccination.

Thank you again. Appreciate it.

Do they allow cats where you will be staying? I've found very few places (just browsing online) that allow pets.

Well, I'm going to study Japanese at Yamasa institute and apparently they have a designated student accommodation which allow pets; cats and dogs etc, so yes, it should be fine. I might need to pay higher bonds and install the bio-micron device which costs about 175000 yen to lease per year plus 12000 yen service per 6 months and surcharge of 14000 yen per 3 months. So, yeah it is quiet high. But about the same in Australia, as I am renting now, most apartments here (especially the decent ones in the city) does not allow pets at all, my previous one wouldn't even allow a goldfish! So a lot of people either keep pets illegally or raise the bond or negotiate with the landlord. Maybe these method could work too in Japan? Could you try to negotiate with the agent or landlord in terms of pricing etc?


cheers.

brandycoffe,

It's nice they got you some accommodation with pet-OK policy :)

About negotiating with the landlord/agent: I suppose in Tokyo (at least), if a landlord says no pets, it's not really anything you negotiate. Some landlords themselves might not like dogs/cats, might have allergies, or for some other reason simply might not want to have any pets on their premises. The same goes for other tenants - of course some like ourselves had to look around for "pet ok" apartments, but some others might have selected their apartments precisely because that apartment block is declared "no pets," so that they would have no worries about loose dog hair flying in through the balcony, or no worries about bumping into someone with a dog on the elevator.