Having your cat microchipped seriously increases the odds that your pet will be brought back to you if they get lost. Our Woburn vets are here to discuss the benefits of microchipping your cat.
What Is A Pet Microchip?
Microchips are tiny radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips that can help vets and animal shelters locate pet owners if their animal has been found. Microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are usually placed under the skin, between the cat's shoulder blades.
Microchipping your cat does not require a surgical procedure. The chip is implanted just under the skin using a needle. your cat may feel a little bit of discomfort due to the size of the needle. This needle tends to be a little bigger than pet vaccination needs and some cats will even react to those. This being said, most cats have almost no reaction to having the microchip implanted.
Once your cat has been microchipped, you register the chip's serial number and your cat's information with the company that produced the chip. By matching your cat's information with the serial number of the microchip, if your cat is found, they can be traced back to you.
Why Collar & Tag For Your Cat Aren't Enough
When it comes to returning lost cats to their owners, collars and tags are undoubtedly useful. People can simply read the tag, and call the phone number listed on it to contact the owner. Outdoor cats should always have collars and identification tags in case they get into trouble. Be sure to include your name and contact number on your cat's tag. Identification tags are equally good for indoor cats since cats often manage to sneak out when owners aren't looking.
As good as it is to equip your cat with a collar and tag, tags can fall off or get lost and even collars can fall off, leaving your cat with no identification. Microchips are a permanent way to provide your cat with a means of identification.
It is important to keep your microchip registration information up to date. Be sure to contact the microchip company to update your information if you move or change your contact number.
How Microchips Work
If your cat has been found, the vet or rescue organization will use a scanner to read the microchip. Microchip scanners are universal and can read all modern chips, regardless of what brand your cat has. When the scanner is passed over the cat's back and sides, the microchip will transmit its unique identification number to the scanner.
The rescuer will then contact the national database to find out your phone number so that you can be notified that your cat has been found.
Should your cat be stolen, microchips can also be very helpful when it comes to proving ownership.