Small Dog and Cat Cremation Costs — Deciding When Every Option Is on the Table

Last updated: August 15, 2026

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If you live with a small dog or cat, every option is open to you — municipal pickup, and all three private tiers (communal, individual unattended, and witnessed individual). So the decision isn't about the cheapest price — it's about whether you want the ashes back.

  • Of the Tokyo wards with a stated weight condition, 20 set the limit at "under 25kg" — meaning almost any small dog or cat qualifies (fee: ¥2,600–3,100, no ash return)
  • 9 Tokyo companies (around 5kg): communal ¥13,800–22,000, individual unattended ¥18,700–25,300, witnessed individual ¥23,800–42,900 (limited to companies with a stated figure)
  • A pet around 5kg often sits right on a weight-bracket boundary, so the bracket you fall into can shift from company to company

If you live with a small dog or cat, nearly every cremation option is open to you. Municipal pickup, private communal cremation, private individual cremation, and witnessed individual cremation — weight is very rarely a reason you'd be turned away. Having more options is a good thing, but it also means many owners get stuck on "so which one do I actually pick?"

Municipal pickup is available almost everywhere

Asking your municipality to handle the cremation is the cheapest option available. Among Tokyo's 23 wards, 20 state a weight condition on their official page, and20 of those set it at "under 25kg" (as of July 2026). Small dogs and cats fall well within that range almost every time, so — unlike large dogs — weight is rarely a reason for a municipality to decline.

The fee runs around ¥2,600–3,100, and most of these are communal cremation alongside other animals, sothe ashes are not returned. You can look up your own municipality's rate and conditions onMunicipal pickup rates by prefecture.

Private cremation is also fully available, from communal to witnessed individual

The same is true for private mobile cremation. For small dogs and cats, providers almost never decline communal cremation, and all three tiers — communal, individual (unattended), and witnessed individual — are open to you (some companies decline communal cremation above 30kg, but that's an issue specific to larger pets).

Based on official rates from 9 Tokyo companies checked in August 2026 (around 5kg): communal cremation ran ¥13,800–22,000, individual unattended ran ¥18,700–25,300, and witnessed individual ran ¥23,800–42,900 (limited to companies with a stated figure). The full company-by-company table and tier breakdown are on Cremation costs.

A pet around 5kg sits right on a weight-bracket boundary

Since every option is available, the next thing you'll run into is weight brackets.A pet around 5kg often sits right at the edge of many companies' brackets.Because "5kg and under," "2–5kg," and "1–5kg" draw the line in different places, the same weight can land in a different bracket depending on which company you call.

Before comparing prices, ask "My pet is around X kg — which bracket does that put me in?"A price comparison made before the bracket is settled may not actually be comparing the same thing.

For cats

A cat's body size mostly overlaps with a small dog's. Some companies, though, run a completely separate price list for cats.

Remember You publishes cat cremation at ¥20,000 (excl. tax), as a separate pricing structure from dogs, on its official site (as of August 2026). Don't assume a company's dog rates apply —check whether a separate cat rate exists first.

No Death Registration Required for Cats

Dogs require a report to the municipality within 30 days of death, under the Rabies Prevention Law (狂犬病予防法, Kyōken Yobō Hō). Cats aren't covered by that law, so no report is required.

If you follow instructions written for dog owners, you may end up looking for a step that doesn't apply to you. What to do on the day is covered on our what to do right away page.

How Municipalities Treat Outdoor Cats Differently

There's one thing specific to cat owners. Some municipalities' pickup systems charge a different fee depending on whether the cat was owned or a stray.

Here's what we found, within what we checked:

※These figures were confirmed on each city's official page between July and August 2026. Nagasaki's ¥620 rate reflects the fee revised as of April 2026 (Reiwa 8).

Rabbits, hamsters, and small birds are a different case again — sometimes there are no ashes to return. We've covered that on our small pet cremation page.

An outdoor cat may be found near your home or on the road. Which category applies changes both where you go and what it costs. If this might apply to you, it's worth checking your city's rules ahead of time — they're listed on our municipal directory.

There's one more wrinkle: some cities won't collect from private property at all (Kyoto City asks you to move the animal to a public road first). Since finding one in your own yard changes the process, it's worth checking this too.

The decision is about the ashes, not the price

Precisely because every option is open to you, deciding purely on the lowest number tends to leave you second-guessing afterward. What's worth deciding first is whether you want the ashes returned to you.

What each tier involves is covered in Types of cremation & terms, and you can check the estimate for your own situation, by location and weight, on our cost estimator.

Three things worth checking in a provider — whether they disclose an all-inclusive total in writing, whether they have a fixed address or facility, and whether they respond to negative reviews honestly — are covered inChoosing a provider.

If you're not sure where to start, a nationwide referral service that gathers quotes from multiple providers is one option. Confirm the all-inclusive total, with no extras, before you book.

Request a quote through Pet Sōgi 110-ban

Where daily care differs from large dogs

Being lighter changes the day-to-day care picture too.Turning them in bed is easier to manage alone, and carrying them for a move is much less taxing than with a large dog.

Raising the food bowl 10–15cm on a stand also tends to help small dogs specifically(large dogs are a separate case — there's a documented link with gastric torsion; deep-chested breeds should be treated differently, see large dogs).

Diapers should be sized by waist measurement, not weight. Going by weight alone, even for a small dog, is a common cause of leaks. See Care tips andToileting care for more.

Frequently asked questions

Is a death notification required when a cat dies?

No. Dogs require a report to the municipality within 30 days of death under the Rabies Prevention Law (狂犬病予防法), but cats aren’t covered by that law. If you follow instructions written for dog owners, you may end up looking for a step that doesn’t apply to you.

Does the municipal fee change if an outdoor cat dies?

In some cities, yes. The fee can depend on whether the cat was owned or a stray — for example, Kyoto City charges ¥4,810 per owned pet and nothing for strays, Nara City charges ¥1,000 to collect an owned dog or cat and nothing for strays, and Nagasaki City charges ¥620 for an owned dog or cat and nothing for stray cats (confirmed on each city’s official page, July–August 2026). Some cities also won’t collect from private property at all.

Can small dogs and cats use the municipal service?

In most cases, yes. Among Tokyo's 23 wards, 20 state a weight condition on their official page, and 20 of those set it at "under 25kg" — small dogs and cats fall well within that almost every time. The fee runs around ¥2,600–3,100, and most are communal cremation with no ash return. You can check your municipality's conditions on our Municipal pickup rates page.

Roughly how much does cremation cost for a small dog or cat?

Based on official rates from 9 Tokyo companies we checked in August 2026 (for a pet around 5kg): communal cremation ¥13,800–22,000, individual cremation (unattended) ¥18,700–25,300, witnessed individual cremation ¥23,800–42,900 (limited to companies with a stated figure). The full company-by-company breakdown is on our Cremation costs page.

Should I choose communal or individual cremation?

For small dogs and cats, every option is on the table — from municipal communal cremation to private witnessed individual cremation. Rather than deciding on price alone, it helps to first decide whether you want the ashes back. What each tier actually involves is explained on our Types of cremation page.

Is cat cremation priced the same as dog cremation?

It depends on the company. Remember You (リメンバーユー) prices cat cremation separately from dogs, at ¥20,000 (excl. tax), as of August 2026. Don’t assume a company’s dog pricing applies to cats — check whether a separate cat rate exists.

Which weight bracket does a pet around 5kg fall into?

It depends on the company, since the boundary is drawn differently by each one — a pet around 5kg is right on the edge and can land in different brackets: "5kg and under," "2–5kg," "1–5kg," and so on. Asking "My pet is X kg — which bracket does that put me in?" up front is the surest way to know.

How does caring for a small dog differ from a large dog?

Being lighter makes turning them in bed easier to manage alone, and carrying them is less physically demanding. Raising the food bowl also tends to help small dogs (though deep-chested breeds are a separate case). Diapers are sized by waist measurement, not weight. See our Care tips page for more.

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