For many people, travelling abroad can be a hassle; visa applications, paperwork, and endless waiting times.
But what if your pet had more freedom to travel than you?
That’s exactly what happened to Fifi, an Indonesian woman living in Malaysia, who couldn’t help but share the irony online.
She posted a photo of her Malaysian cat’s passport next to her own Indonesian passport and joked,
Can someone tell me why my cat has a stronger passport than I do? He can literally go to Europe without a Schengen visa.”
To make things funnier, she added, “But his name is not Malaysian enough. Should have named him Aiman or Amirul.”
Mamat Tempayan, the cat With a passport
Speaking to WeirdKaya, Fifi introduced her cat, whose full name is Mamat Tempayan, though she affectionately calls him Yayan.
She admitted that while she always knew pets could get passports, she never thought she’d actually get one for her own cat.
“Yes, I knew that pets could get passports, but I just didn’t imagine that one day I would get one for my cat.”
Getting a pet passport is surprisingly simple
Unlike human passports, which involve lengthy applications and long waiting times, Fifi shared that getting Yayan’s passport was a quick 15-minute process.
“It’s a very simple and short process compared to how we, as humans, get our passports. You just need to go to a vet that provides pet passport services and tell them you need one for your pet.”
She originally went to the vet just to get a microchip and a rabies vaccine for Yayan because her pet relocation agent told her they could provide the passport separately.
However, since the vet offered to do it on the spot, she went ahead with it.
For those curious about getting a pet passport, Fifi shared that information on clinics that offer microchipping and pet passports can be found here.
What’s inside a pet passport?
Yayan’s passport is just like a human passport, complete with a photo! The only difference?
“For pets, we can put the photo ourselves, but the background has to be clear or blue.”
The first page contains the pet’s and owner’s details, while the rest includes vaccination history, medical records, and import permits.
Yayan’s solo flight to Indonesia
While many netizens were amused that Yayan technically had better travel privileges than Fifi, things got even funnier when she revealed that Yayan would soon be flying alone to Indonesia.
“Actually, next month he is flying to Indonesia alone, and my parents will pick him up there.”
However, sending a pet overseas isn’t as simple as just booking a flight.
Fifi had to prepare a rabies report, titer test certificate, vet health certificate, and an International Health Certificate, which must be obtained seven days before departure.
“I’m super nervous”
Although Yayan is about to embark on his biggest adventure yet, Fifi admitted she’s extremely anxious about him flying solo.
“I FEEL SUPER NERVOUS! Yayan has always been an indoor cat, so he gets very nervous around new people or in new environments. However, he adapts quickly.”
Her biggest concern? Yayan has to stay in cargo, as the airline doesn’t allow pets in the cabin.
“But luckily, KL to Jakarta is not a long flight, so I just hope he is doing well later.”
