What Are Microchips And Why Does My Cat Need One?
Collar ID tags are an excellent line of defense for lost cats, but collar ID tags can also become physically separated from your pet. However, microchipping cats ensures that a veterinarian or animal shelter can properly and quickly identify them. We strongly believe in the value that microchips bring to the cause of lost cats. Therefore, we want to provide insight and education about microchipping cats to help you decide whether microchipping is suitable for your feline friend.
Is The Cat Microchipping Procedure Dangerous?
Cat microchipping is considered very safe. It involves implanting a sterile, rice-sized device between the shoulder blades. The procedure does not harm the cat and lasts forever.
As with any medical procedure, there is always a risk of side effects. These include:
- Potential migration of the chip into another location.
- Tumor development at the injection site (although this is extremely rare, and there are no proven cases at this time)
It is important to note that side effects have occurred in a very small portion of cats and are considered very rare compared to the tens of millions of cats who have received microchips. When it comes to microchips, the potential rewards far outweigh the possible risks.
Will A Microchip Tell Me My Cat's Location?
It is important to understand that a pet microchip is not a GPS device that provides real-time tracking capabilities. Instead, a cat microchip is a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device. Unlike a GPS device, a cat microchip doesn't require power, and it is activated by an animal shelter or veterinarian waving an RFID scanner across a cat's body where the microchip is embedded. The scanner activates an identification number linked in a database to your ownership information.
Once the veterinarian or shelter has the chip's number and information about the company that made it, they will contact that company to find the cat's owner.
Why Is It Important To Register My Cat's Microchip?
An RFID chip is useless if your registration is not submitted and is not kept current. Do not hesitate to ask our team any questions about the registration process to ensure your beloved feline friend can be accurately identified with his or her pet microchip. Once registered and the microchip is scanned, your pet can be found using the information on the chip. When the RFID scanner picks up the chip, the chip only provides an identification number that correlates to the chip's manufacturer. That number is called into the pet recovery service, and you will be contacted by that service using the contact information on file. This is why it is essential to ensure your registration information is accurate.
Why Does My Cat Need A Microchip When He Already Wears A Collar With Tags?
Investing in a collar ID tag for your cat is a great idea. Collar ID tags are the first line of defense in locating and identifying a lost animal. For example, if a neighbor finds your lost cat, they will not likely have a microchip scanner and will rely on the collar ID tag. However, microchipping cats is the second and, in some ways, the most important line of defense for your cat. Microchipping cats ensures your pet's identification is never lost, stolen, removed, or compromised.
How Can I Set An Appointment To Have My Cat Microchipped?
If you are ready to schedule an appointment for cat microchipping services, please get in touch with us today. Our staff will happily help you register your feline friend with the pet recovery service database.