billythekid55

Hello. This is my first post on this forum. My wife and I are planning to move to either KL or Penang in the next couple of years under the MM2H retirement program. We're Americans currently residing in the Los Angeles, California area.

We have two cats who are important members of our family. We're initially planning to rent either a house or a condo. Do most landlords in Malaysia allow cats? Also, how does the quality and cost of veterinary care in Malaysia compare to the U.S. or Europe? And, finally, is Science Diet cat food readily available in KL or Penang?

Thank you very much for your help.

Kooky.

Hi Billy, I'm sure somebody living in Malaysia will be able to advise but one more thing I'd recommend you check out is that, should you decide to move on from Malaysia at a later date, what kind of quarantine your cats would have to go through.

From Singapore ours had to do a month to get into Australia. Had it been any more I don't think we'd have moved - I'm serious. We saw people at the quarantine with dogs doing six months and I couldn't put my cats through that, or myself TBH.

BT(W Science Diet is readily available in Singapore so would be very surprised if it's not in KL or Penang.)

Laurie and Sue

While we were in Penang last week looking at houses we found a lovely pet shop called Pets R Us that sold Science diet foods. I'm not sure of the exact location but it was on the road going to Batu Ferringhi from the airport (if that makes sense).

We will be bringing our cats and dogs with is when we move to Penang in 2 years and asked about animals when we looked around at houses and condos. From my understanding cats and small dogs are allowed in most condos but for us with 2 big labs we'll need to buy a house.

HTH Sue.

bakedbean

Purely out of curiousity (I don't have any pets) what is the rationale behind quarantine? Just had some friends move from Penang to Singapore. Their cat had all the jabs n stuff checked THEN has to do several weeks quarantine. Why???

Kooky.

Can only think there are some things that can't be prevented, bb, and take time to show up.

bakedbean

judging by the pic i've seen on facebook, the feisty cat is not amused with singapore quarantine, poor thing

billythekid55

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. Regarding the quarantine, I already checked into this. For pets who are brought in from some countries such as England and Japan, quarantine is not required as long as the pets meet all health/vaccination requirements. Unfortunately, the U.S. is not among these countries. However, my understanding is that for most cases, the quarantine would only be for 7 days. Can anyone provide information regarding the quality and cost of veterinary care? Any other personal experiences regarding landlords' attitudes about cats/small dogs would also be appreciated. Again, thank you very much for your help.

Kooky.

Hi again, Billy. I was more concerned that you check out the quarantine in other countries should you want/have to move on from Malaysia at a later date. I didn't know if Malaysia is classed as high risk.

However Singapore is quite strict so, if bakedbean's friends are moving from Penang to there without too much hassle, it's probably a non-issue.

(Still worth clarifying; a few years ago we were possibly moving to India for a year and could take our cats from Singapore, no quarantine no problem. It was the taking them anywhere else from India that worried me.)

billythekid55

Thanks, again, for your response, Seasider. Really appreciate your concern.

TehTarik

Hi bakedbean
I was told that it is because Malaysia is considered a 2nd grade country Which still has incidences of rabies etc and the animals heading out will need to be quarantined.I'm a local btw(just joined BE to offer some friendly tips and advice) not amused that my dogs if I had to move them out of Malaysia, has to be quarantined so long. They would probably be traumatised

hi billythekid
Cats in rented apartments and condos will not be a problem in Malaysia usually, just remember to ask/tell the landlord/real estate agent so that you don't get worried about whether it gets excluded in the lease etc. But dogs are - being a Muslim country, it's difficult to get condos and areas which are pet friendly. Those with tiny dogs who don't yap much may get away with sneaking them into condos (at a risk) whilst the rest of us just stay in houses Welcome to Malaysia soon!

TehTarik

Hi billythekid55,
I don't have cats so can't comment about the costs etc but my dogs who go in for jabs, checkups have good vets and it doesn't cost that much (to me anyway, cos if they are sick or no need it, the $ don't matter)

As for Science Diet, I think ive seen it before in petstores in KL so there should not be a problem. Plenty of other high grade food are stocked (eg for dogs, i know Canine Caviar and Orijen) and plenty of pet shops and owners, so you should not have any major issues.

btw, a blog that I regularly read and support (on Animal rescue, neutering and rehoming etc) led by this lady Dr Chan with 7 cats and 1 dog herself, talks about Cats and Their Food and other things so you may find this interesting? Especially when she talks about the different brands of cat food (available here eg Natural Balance, Go!etc ). Check it out...

http://myanimalcare.org/2012/02/10/t...-for-our-pets/

bakedbean

Maybe not so in Penang which is not majority Muslim. Up in Tg Bungah hillside, loads of houses with dogs and it is predominantly Chinese racially.... and they all yap non stop (the dogs I mean, not the Chinese).

TehTarik

yup. not an issue to keep dogs in houses/landed areas. It is also "easier" in a way in Penang as I've seen more tolerance to pets even in public areas, In Klang Valley, ie in KUala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam etc there are differences depending on which council you are under, on how many dogs you can keep in the houses, depending on the size of your house and whether you need to get permission from your neighbours left right back before you can keep x number etc. Anyway as long as we keep within the Rules, we should be fine

billythekid55

Teh Tarik and bakedbean: Thank you both very much for all the useful information.