Hi, I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller.
As a veterinarian, I tell people that one of the most important things you can do for a cat, is to make sure they are microchipped. In fact, one of my cats once escaped while in the wilds of Alaska, and the only way I was able to find him, months later, was through his microchip. Miles away, cities away- the chip was his saving grace. He navigates the rugged Alaskan wilderness alone, and without the microchip (or chip, as we often refer to it here), has no way to communicate who he is, or where he belongs.
These days, many shelters won’t take cats until they’ve been spayed/neutered and microchipped. But those who come to cats through other means, such as finding a stray or adopting a kitten from a friend, know that chips are an important part of pet ownership. And with modern technology, they can now have many uses. Let’s see.
Microchips: What, How and Why?
Microchips are usually placed in a cat’s scruff, under the skin, but not in the muscle. Arguably the best time to do this is under sedation or general anesthesia at the time they are having sex, because the gauge of the needle (size) is quite large, and may be uncomfortable. The microchip itself is about the size and shape of a grain of rice, and is usually imperceptible once implanted.
Microchips work passively: a handheld, battery-powered reader can scan a chip within a few inches of the chip, and read a few-digit number. This number is linked through a database to cat owner information.
At the clinics, I have had many stray cats brought in, with seekers desperately wanting to reunite the stray cat with its family. Most of these cats do not have microchips, and those that do, often have chips that have not been registered, or the contact information is out of date. So, if you get a chipped cat, always remember to complete the additional registration steps, to link the microchip number to your contact information. And if you move or change any of your contact information, don’t forget to update the microchip as well.
And, if you need to look up a chip, know that there are different databases where the chip can be registered- it’s not like a car where every car is registered in a state. Instead, it’s like deciding to order a pizza: there are many different restaurants, each with its own menu. The American Animal Hospital Association makes things easier, as they have compiled a database of all microchip registries, which is a good starting point.
Legally, microchips are becoming mandatory, or required, in many places, which is a nice turn of the law. Recently, all of England now requires cats to be microchipped and gives owners a 30-day window to comply. For the cats out there who can’t speak for themselves, I think this kind of legislation speaks volumes: microchip your cat, so they can find their way home.
