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Originally Posted by Sirtel
I can understand the strict requirements in island countries. But what's the point in others? The wild animals go back and forth over borders all the time without any veterinary inspection...
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Well it is not only island nations that have sea boarders between countries that pets are transported between - continents have sea borders too. Just for example, the USA and China, or Estonia and Chile are not island nations and wild animals (except birds) cannot go back and forwards over the border. So an imported pet can be the vector for the introduction of new diseases and parasites.
Even within a continent there are natural barriers such as climate, mountains, etc., that prevent movement of wild animals so disease and parasites will not be in common across it. Consider, for example the differentiation of wild animal populations and their diseases and parasites found across the whole Asia/European land mass.
Also, in most nations domesticated animals are somewhat differentiated. So, for example, where rabies exists in the wild population it may be regarded as well controlled in the domestic pet population and a country trying to control rabies may rightly consider that pets entering be rabies free either by veterinary inspection (as for cats arriving in the mainland USA) or quarantine.
Where there is a common border that presents no barrier to wild animals between two countries on small landmasses then I agree that the control of entry of pets between those two countries becomes less stringent. But even then there are usually controls. For example even within Europe where there are many common borders between countries, often of very small land area, there are controls. For example, the EU which Estonia is a member of has the EU pet passport which allows passage across borders of cats and dogs due to the vaccination (including rabies) and other health requirements met and documented within it.
I don't know what specific diseases and parasites China may be concerned about with respect to the original poster's cat and its port of origin, or for what reason, one would have to ask China that, but they certainly have the right and are sensible to have controls. If you think you know better than China what is best for China I suggest you go and tell them, rather than tell me
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EDIT: I've just been told that entry of cats to China requires quarantine of 7 to 30 days dependent on the rabies status of the country of origin (rabies is widespread in China). The cat must be vaccinated for rabies at least 30 days and within one year prior to departure (with all the vaccine details recorded) so rabies entry into the domestic cat population would seem to be a concern - possibly in part due to the low rates of vaccination of domestic cats and dogs meaning control of vectors, such as an imported infected cat or dog, into local populations is very important? My friend said that as far as they know that is ex any country, including bordering ones. On the face of it, it would seem that the original poster came from a non-rabies free country.