The Importance of Microchipping Your Cat

by Latasha Ball
Marketing Manager

If you are a pet parent, you may hear a lot of talk about the importance of microchipping your dog but what about microchipping your cat and how does microchipping your cat work? We all know how cats like to wander and explore so it’s important to make sure that if they ever wander too far from home, they can always make it back home where they belong.

What about if you have an indoor cat? Do you still need to microchip your cat? The answer to that question is yes! You should still microchip your cat. As we know all too well, accidents can occur at anytime meaning, your indoor cat can suddenly escape or make their way outdoors and you run the risk of losing them. It’s always nice for the peace of mind knowing that your indoor kitty is microchipped in case he gets out and you can’t track him down.

According to a study by Petfinder, they discovered that only 2% of lots cats who enter the shelter make their way back home but for kitties who were microchipped, that number jumped to 38%! If your kitty is lost, you’re going to need all the resources you can get to make sure that your cat returns home safely.

So what’s microchipping your cat all about?

Microchipping your cat is similar to a cat wearing a collar around its neck with a tag that has the owner’s information! Having your cat wear his collar with your information is still very important but today, a microchip is inserted under the skin of your kitty. The microchip is registered with a national database that contains your name, address and phone number. It’s even more effective in case your kitty is found without his collar on, your information can still be found in relation to your cat. What’s even better is the microchip is permanent whereas the collar a cat may be wearing can be removed.

How to tell if a cat is microchipped

Animal Shelters, veterinary clinics and even some police stations have devices that are made for microchip cat lookup so if someone turns your cat into one of those facilities, there’s a high chance your cat will be reunited with you and will return home safely. To make sure your bases are covered in case your kitty gets out, make sure he is wearing a collar with all your identification information including name and phone number.  

How does microchipping your cat work?

For some people, the thought of microchipping your cat may seem scary or they may be concerned about cat microchip side effects. The good news is microchipping your cat is harmless and does not hurt your cat. Also, there are no cat microchip side effects. With any procedure, there’s always the rare chance that a complication can occur while the chip is being implanted however, this is very rare. The chip that is utilized for microchipping your cat is very tiny!

Where do they put microchips in cats?

The microchip utilized in microchipping your cat is the size of the rice grain to be exact and it’s inserted directly under the cat’s skin with a needle. The microchip is normally inserted between the cat’s shoulder blades and what’s even better is the microchips are non-toxic. As a matter of fact, microchipping your cat is very popular today thanks to how easy and convenient the process is. The entire process takes a matter of seconds then it’s over for you and your kitty.

Can you track a microchipped cat?

It’s important to also know that the microchip is not a GPS microchip for your cat. Meaning, the microchip cannot keep track of your kitty’s every move in and around your neighborhood. The purpose of the microchip is to house your information so if your cat does get out, his chip can easily be scanned by a veterinarian clinic or a shelter and he can be reunited with you.   

How much does it cost to microchip your cat?

That’s a great question! The average cost for microchipping your cat can vary depending but a veterinarian but it’s around $45. What’s even better is this a one-time fee and the fee often includes registering your cat with a national pet recovery database. If you adopted your kitty then more likely your cat may already have a microchip so you would just need to update the microchip with your information. 

My cat is lost but he is microchipped. What do I do?

We all know too well the panic that sets in when we lose our four-legged loves ones. If your cat is lost but he is microchipped, you may be wondering what your options are. It’s important that your microchipped cat is registered with an online universal registry. That way if your cat is taken to a veterinary clinic or a shelter, your information can easily be identified when they scan the cat for a microchip.

If you’re wanting to be more proactive, call all the shelters and veterinarian clinics in your area to see if anyone came to their facility to have a lost cat scanned for a microchip. Also, make sure you have a current cat of your handy to show all the veterinarian clinics and animal shelters, so they are able to easily identify if anyone turned in a cat that looks similar to yours.  

Remember that your lost kitty is frightened. With that said, he may be looking for somewhere to hide. Take a flashlight with you and remember your kitty can hide in the smallest of places so don’t overlook an area just because it may look too small. Also, knowing the territory your kitty likes to roam is a great place to start when looking for your lost cat. If your cat isn’t used to being outdoors, look anywhere from 300 to 500 feet from where he was lost and be sure to thoroughly look through your home to make sure he didn’t find a small space to hide. Cats are notorious for hiding in closets, underneath your furniture or even empty boxes.

Also don’t underestimate the power of word of mouth. Post your kitty’s photo in all the social media networking pages in your neighborhood or even your city. Often, towns will have Facebook pages devoted to lost pets in your area or Facebook pages for pet lovers in your town. This is a great way to spread the word fast about your lost kitty and they will network his picture and information. Make clear in the social media post that your cat is microchipped that way if someone happens to come across your cat, they can take him to the nearest animal shelter or veterinarian clinic to make sure he is in fact your microchip cat.

In the end, it’s important to make sure our four-legged loved ones are protected in case they get lost. Microchipping your cat is a very secure and important step in making sure that if your cat gets lost, he can find his way back home.

For more information about the importance of microchipping your cat, please visit: http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/is-cat-microchipping-worth-cost/