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Cats and apartments
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kah5217



Joined: 29 Sep 2012
Posts: 270
Location: Ibaraki

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:40 am    Post subject: Cats and apartments Reply with quote

I'm trying to do some research about pet friendly apartments in Japan and I've learned a few things, but I've been finding contradictory information. All the sites agree that pet apartments are hard to find and expensive. I understand that part so far. I've accepted that I would have no spending money if I kept a pet.

Thing is, I'm a cat person. So naturally I've been trying to find out about them. Some of the sites I've found say that dogs are allowed more than cats. Is this true? I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around that one. If I did find a cat friendly apartment, would I have to declaw? Personally I think that's a horrible thing to do to a cat, but I need to know what I would be getting into.

Anything you could share would be appreciated.
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timothypfox



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You don't need to declaw your pet. Just make sure it has a cardboard scratch board that you regularly change.

An apartment agent can help you find a pet friendly building. They may slap on an extra annual "insurance fee" against pet damages. My fee was only about 3000 yen. A small amount considering. I found the prices for pet friendly apartments about the same - just the choices are much more limited but do exist...

If you are trying to find an apartment before you come, you are bound to find all places more expensive that you would coming here and then finding an apartment.
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kah5217



Joined: 29 Sep 2012
Posts: 270
Location: Ibaraki

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I can find a job that won't mandate their apartment, I can do the guest house method until I find something. What I'm thinking of doing is coming first (leaving kitty at home), then sorting the apartment situation out. The last time I came to Japan I was there about 6 weeks, and kitty survived with my mother. Kitty can probably survive "grandma" more than that.

I know it will cost an exorbitant amount of cash to do it this way, but I've been preparing for that. After all, I need to save for plane tickets, rabies shots, layovers, more plane tickets, you get the drift.

I know it sounds weird, but this is one job I know I can do yet I'm unwilling to leave my cat behind.
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mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I knew a guy with three cats. He had to live in a house.

Look at athome.co.jp

You can select pets, then you will see that there are fewer options available.
I have two dogs so I remember what a pain it was when I moved. I live in a house now.
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cat mother



Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 62

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We found our pet friendly apartment through an agent. It was cheaper than a regular apartment, because it was in an older building.
Our cats had to be chipped (the agent required their chip numbers) and we had to provide a signed document stating they were going to be kept strictly indoors. There was also an extra cleaning fee and that's it.
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ALX



Joined: 19 Sep 2012
Posts: 36
Location: The Big Hill

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you bringing your pet from the States?
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kah5217



Joined: 29 Sep 2012
Posts: 270
Location: Ibaraki

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm still in the early planning stages, but I want to bring one cat. I already know she'll need chipped and blood tested. I'm currently on the east coast right now, though, so I'll most likely split the flights up.
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timothypfox



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I live with three cats in an apartment. My wife and I brought all of these over through the states a year and a half ago, and did the whole pet immigration thing. We only told the housing agent we have one cat, and if anyone says anything we are looking after my mother-in-laws cats for the weekend. But, landlords and such are not nosy the way they are in the states. No surprise visits to endless and feeble repairs on hot water pipes that should have been fixed years ago. Workmen come to your home scheduled ahead of time and without a nosey landlord or housing agent in Japan. All is good... Not sure about guest houses though...
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kah5217



Joined: 29 Sep 2012
Posts: 270
Location: Ibaraki

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 3:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, all of you have been a great help. I wouldn't have the cat in a guest house with me, just in the apartment.

If you don't mind me asking, how did the cats hold up on the plane ride?
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timothypfox



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 4:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The cats were scared, and angry and meowing like crazy when I spent time with them in Tokyo before going on to Kagoshima! But, they bounced back after a few days on arrival without a need for a vet visit.

If you're asking details about 'how to', there was a recent post about that that has the website you need etc.
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OneJoelFifty



Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 463

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know a few Japanese people that live in apartments that say there are no pets allowed, but keep cats anyway.
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ZennoSaji



Joined: 02 Feb 2010
Posts: 87
Location: Mito, Ibaraki

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OneJoelFifty wrote:
I know a few Japanese people that live in apartments that say there are no pets allowed, but keep cats anyway.

But they aren't Gaijin.
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ALX



Joined: 19 Sep 2012
Posts: 36
Location: The Big Hill

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you think American cats understand Japanese cats right away or do they need time?
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kathrynoh



Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Posts: 64

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got a few Westerner friends who've kept unauthorised cats in apartments. One of them had her landlord living in the same building and he must have known but didn't say anything. Was probably glad to have a tenant in the place and didnt' want the trouble of kicking her out.

I lived in a share house with Japanese housemates and they would have been fine with me having a cat. She had two cats herself. I found that place on Craigslist - there are some good places on there if you shift though the crap.

People in Tokyo, from what I've seen, don't let their cats outside (except for an occasional walk on a lead!). I'm not sure if there are really strict laws about it or what. [/quote]
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kah5217



Joined: 29 Sep 2012
Posts: 270
Location: Ibaraki

PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No way would my cat be going outside, so that's something I wouldn't have to worry about.
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