Can You Keep a Pallas's Cat? Considering Treaties, Japanese Law, and Diseases
The Pallas's cat is not a cat that can be kept as a pet at home. There is no legal way to obtain one, and it is an animal that can easily die from infectious diseases even in captivity. This article explains the reasons from three perspectives: treaties, Japanese laws, and diseases.
At a glance
This article walks through 7 topics, in this order.
- Can You Keep a Pallas's Cat at Home? The Answer is "No"
- Pallas's Cats Are Listed in Appendix II of CITES
- How Are Pallas's Cats Treated Under Japanese Law?
- Weak to Disease and Difficult to Raise in Zoos
- Be Careful of "Sales" Information from Abroad
- If You Want to See a Pallas's Cat, Visit a Zoo
…and 1 more in the contents below.
Contents
Can You Keep a Pallas's Cat at Home? The Answer is "No"
Can you keep a Pallas's cat? This is a question that comes to mind for people who have seen one in a zoo.
Let me get to the point. You cannot keep a Pallas's cat at home. There are three reasons for this.
- International trade requires CITES procedures, and there is no legal way to obtain one.
- Japanese law requires sellers to be registered, and there is no legal pet trade.
- In captivity, Pallas's cats are prone to toxoplasmosis, which can be fatal to kittens.
It is not explicitly stated in the law that you cannot keep a Pallas's cat. However, there is no legal way to obtain one, and even if you did, it would be difficult to protect its life. This is the key point.
| Regulation | Treatment of Pallas's Cats |
|---|---|
| CITES (Washington Convention) | Appendix II. All felids are included (excluding Appendix I species). Export permits from the exporting country are required |
| Japanese Wildlife Conservation Law | International rare wildlife species are those in Appendix I. Pallas's cats are not listed in the separate table |
| Specific Animals under the Japanese Animal Protection and Management Law | Not listed in the list of felids |
| Animal Business under the Japanese Animal Protection and Management Law | Sellers, lenders, and exhibitors must be registered |
| Hunting in the country of origin | Only Mongolia allows it. Other countries prohibit it |
Pallas's Cats Are Listed in Appendix II of CITES
One of the reasons why Pallas's cats cannot be kept is because they are listed in CITES.
CITES is an international treaty that regulates cross-border trade to prevent the decline of wild plants and animals. The strength of regulation divides species into three categories: Appendix I, II, and III.
All felids are listed in the appendices. Tigers and snow leopards are in the strictest Appendix I. All other felids are in Appendix II. Pallas's cats are also in Appendix II. The IUCN assessment states, "Felis manul is listed in Appendix II."
To transport Appendix II species across borders, an export permit from the exporting country's government is required. Permits are issued only when it is determined that the wild population is not harmed. There is almost no chance that a permit would be issued for exporting Pallas's cats as pets.
Japan has been a signatory to this treaty since 1980. Animals without permits cannot be brought into Japan. Small domestic cats (domestic cats) are not subject to the treaty, but Pallas's cats are not domestic cats.
How Are Pallas's Cats Treated Under Japanese Law?
The second reason why Pallas's cats cannot be kept is due to Japanese law. I will write this carefully after checking the provisions.
Wildlife Conservation Law
"The Law on the Conservation of Wild Species at Risk of Extinction" prohibits the advertisement of the transfer or sale of internationally rare wild species. These internationally rare wild species are mainly those listed in Appendix I of CITES.
Since Pallas's cats are listed in Appendix II, they are not listed in the separate table two of this law (which is the list of internationally rare wild species). As of October 2026, this was confirmed using the e-Gov legal text. Therefore, this law does not explicitly prohibit them.
Specific Animals under the Japanese Animal Protection and Management Law
The "Law on the Protection and Management of Animals" includes provisions on "specific animals" that may pose a danger to people. To keep a specific animal, you need permission from the prefectural governor, and since June 2020, there are no new permits for pet purposes.
The list of specific animals is in the separate table of the implementing order. The following 13 species and genera are listed among the felids. Pallas's cats are not listed.
- Tigers, caracals, Asian golden cats, jungle cats
- Ocelots, servals, all species of the genus Panthera, and the snow leopard
- All species of the genus Panthera, the sand cat, the African golden cat, all species of the genus Puma, and the snow leopard
Animal Business
Under the same law, businesses that sell, lend, or display animals must be registered as "First-Class Animal Business." Operating without registration is punishable by law. No registered businesses were found that could legally sell Pallas's cats.
In summary, Japanese law does not explicitly name Pallas's cats as animals that cannot be kept. However, there is no legal way to obtain them, and sellers must be registered. The legal barrier is at the entrance.
Weak to Disease and Difficult to Raise in Zoos
The third reason why Pallas's cats cannot be kept is due to disease.
Pallas's cat kittens are very weak to toxoplasmosis (a disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma). A study at the Schönbrunn Zoo in Austria found that 58% of kittens born between 1998 and 2002 died between two and 14 weeks of age. Most of these were acute cases of toxoplasmosis. In zoos in North America, about 60% of kittens died within four months of birth.
Why they are so weak is still unknown. Wild Pallas's cats in Mongolia rarely encounter this parasite. Researchers believe that they only start to get infected once they are in captivity.
Toxoplasma spreads through cat feces. Even zoos with specialized facilities and veterinarians have struggled to protect kittens. It is even more difficult to prevent this in a home environment.
The Smithsonian National Zoo in the United States explains that Pallas's cats have never been domesticated and have strong territorial instincts, becoming aggressive if threatened. It also states that wild animals should only be kept in specialized facilities with trained staff.
Be Careful of "Sales" Information from Abroad
If you search for "Can you keep a Pallas's cat?" you may find information such as "They are sold abroad" and "What is the price?" Here is how to interpret this information.
- Under CITES, cross-border trade requires an export permit from the exporting country. Trade without a permit is illegal.
- Capturing wild individuals in the country of origin is prohibited except in Mongolia.
- Asking for a deposit, not showing the animal, or saying the animal is far away are common tactics used in scams for puppies and kittens.
Just because it says "sold" does not mean there is a legal way to obtain it. The best response is to ignore it.
If You Want to See a Pallas's Cat, Visit a Zoo
The desire to see a Pallas's cat can be fulfilled at a zoo. In Japan, several zoos keep Pallas's cats. Locations are listed in Zoos in Japan Where You Can See a Pallas's Cat, and individual names are listed in Names of Pallas's Cats in Japan.
In zoos, kittens are raised under international breeding programs, managing genetic relationships. Visiting a zoo is the closest thing to "keeping" a Pallas's cat.
The legal content is as of October 2026. The provisions can be checked using the e-Gov legal search.
Sources
- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: About CITES (full text, appendices, signatory countries, etc.)
- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: CITES Appendices (Animal Kingdom) (PDF)
- IUCN Red List: Otocolobus manul (2020 assessment)
- e-Gov Legal Search: Law on the Protection and Management of Animals
- e-Gov Legal Search: Implementing Order of the Law on the Protection and Management of Animals (Separate Table: Specific Animals)
- e-Gov Legal Search: Implementing Order of the Law on the Conservation of Wild Species at Risk of Extinction (Separate Table Two)
- Ministry of the Environment: About Internationally Rare Wild Species
- Tokyo Metropolitan Animal Welfare Consultation Center: About the Amendment of the Specific Animal System
- Basso et al. (2005): Toxoplasmosis in Pallas's Cats (Parasitology)
- Brown et al. (2005): Ecological Basis for Extreme Susceptibility of Pallas's Cats to Toxoplasma (Journal of Wildlife Diseases)
- Smithsonian National Zoo: 10 Fascinating Facts About the Pallas's Cat
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