Do you recommend microchipping - does it work?

[jazzcat]

I'm asking if it works because I think about if my cats got out and someone who didn't know about microchipping found them. It would be kind of useless in that sense wouldn't it? My cats don't wear collars and tags and are strickly indoor cats but I know accidents can happen and I'm just trying to decide what would be the best way to get them back home safely.

Any suggestions of things that work well besides collars and tags? I know microchipping wouldn't hurt and may help but like I said what if the finder has no clue about microchipping and how it works?

[RedHedd]

All vets, rescue shelters, and animal control officials have the ability to scan a cat if it's microchipped. The microchips are universally readable - it's like having a personal barcode on your kitty :) I highly recommend it. If someone finds your cat and takes them in, in all likelihood they will also be the kind of people who will notify authorities or take the cat to a vet if it's injured. All vets, rescue shelters, etc. normaly will scan a stray animal to see if it is microchipped.

Both of my cats are 'chipped. They are both indoor kitties too, but one never knows -- anything can happen. Living in earthquake country I'd rather be safe than sorry. HTH

[moosmom]

When I adopted Doogie and Fawnie from the Dearborn Animal Shelter, it was mandatory that they be microchipped.

I took one look at that needle and begged them not to microchip them. They insisted on it. I told them they were both strictly indoor cats. Elaine, the director explained it to me this way...

Supposed one of your cats got out, or there was a fire in the building, or you had your cat in a carrier in your car and was involved in an accident where your cat got out.

Made sense to me, so both Doogie and Fawnie are now microchipped. I just had to leave the room when they "did the deed" or I would've passed out at the site of the needle :eek:

Believe it or not, I've witnessed the return of a microchipped cat. Now THAT was a happy ending.

Microchipping is the same as scanning your grocieries at the store. They scan the cat and the gadget they scan with beeps and identifies the cat.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by RedHedd
All vets, rescue shelters, and animal control officials
have the ability to scan a cat if it's microchipped...

I hate to rain on the parade, but sadly this is NOT true
in many areas :( - Mine being one of them! :mad:

Although the major Microchip Manufacturers DO have programs to make the Chip Scanners available at either reduced cost or sometimes FREE to Vets, Pounds, and Rescues - those Scanners are just NOT universally available in all areas of the country.

I had a long chat with the County Dog Warden about the use of Chips and Scanners - her slant on it:
"Years ago" when they DID have a Scanner - they went several years and NEVER found a dog with a chip! Then the Scanner developed battery problems - that the Pound would have had to pay to repair... so they just returned it.

Would they use it if I arranged for a new Scanner?
Her answer was: honestly no. It took at least two, sometimes three, employees to safely restrain and scan an unruly dog; and when she had inquired of some local Vets if they sold and inserted Chips - most said the "hardly ever did the procedure".

My Point?
You need to inquire in YOUR AREA to see if the Chips are used;
AND If the Scanners/Readers Are Available and USED
by the Local Vets, Animal Control Agencies, and Rescues.
If the Scanner/Reader is not available and USED in your area -
the chances of you pet being returned because it's "wearing a Chip"
is slim to none. :(

I truly wish MY area was one that advocated or made it Manditory that ALL pets be Chipped - but I'm afraid we're still in the old fashioned Collar & Tags period. :mad: :rolleyes:

[nodgeness]

I need to have the chip put in my Squeak, we got her before the shelter started that. When we adopted Bernie the shelter did it. Both my cats are indoors but like you said accidents can happen (though we pray they don't)! Neither of my cats wear tags which is why I want to get the chip done. If for some reason my kitties do get out & someone takes them to the shelter they can scan for the chip & locate me! I think it's better safe then sorry!

[zippy-kat]

K'Cee is chipped and she didn't have a problem w/ the shot. She actually took it better than she does her "regular" set of shots.

My concern is if (God forbid!) she got out and lost and picked up... the shelter WOULD NOT scan her. That's what scares me most!

I keep a collar and tag on K'Cee but had her chipped just in case....



Another thought...
I got K'Cee from the pound. I do not remember the vet "running" the scanner over her before implanting the chip. (he might have but I don't remember him doing so...) She could've been doubly chipped! (She wasn't b/c he ran it over her AFTER the shot and it only picked up one 'bar code.') But can you imagine finding out your baby wasn't legally your's? Being so attached and then having to give her up after almost a year? eek!

[jazzcat]

zippy-kat - you think a lot like me.

I'm concerned that if one of my cats got out someone would find them and just decided, "oh a homeless cat, I think I'll keep it" never thinking they already have an owner because of no collar and never taking the cat to be scanned because they've never heard of microchipping. I'm an extemely paranoid person if you haven't noticed.

Anyway, I'm just thinking about that scenario. I know the microchipping will help but without a collar I still leave lots of chance of never getting my kitty back.

[zippy-kat]

Say Client A adopts a cat from the shelter. Suppose this person is like me and waits about a year to have the cat chipped. At that point, the cat is scanned and a chip is found. Ok, legally the animal *is* Client B's but does the vet have the right to "hold" the cat until contact w/ Client B is established? What if contact is never established?

I wonder what the vet can and cannot legally do - not just in this situation but in all situations.

[krazyaboutkatz]

In my area they have also started microchipping shelter cats. Both Sky and Cirrus were already chipped. Sky came from a shelter and Cirrus was from a rescue organization. After I adopted Sunny, I had him chipped at the vet's office. Storm also came from the shelter but has never been chipped but that was almost 7 years ago. I keep forgetting to do it. They're also indoor only cats so hopefully they'll never get out or get lost.

[kitten645]

I haven't chipped my boys yet because I'm a bad meowmie...LOL...But I swear I have every intention next time we are at the vet...My huge fear is earthquakes...being in California...I had two kits home when the big one happened and to find them cowering under the dining room table was such a relief! EVERYTHING had tumbled around them and it was a miracle they weren't hurt....but to think of them out on the street would have done me in...LOL...When we got home the front door was wide open but there they were together and holding each other...hudled under the safest place...that's where I would have been..with my boys.....chip chip chip....even if it's unlikely your area has the ability to scan....I had a kitty find me at my girlfriends house more than 40 miles away...that was long before chipping but what's the harm??? better safe than sorry...

[bisi.cat]

Nellie is microchipped, too...they've already done it at the shelter, but when we got her we had to have her registered at two of the most important animal organizations over here...

In the beginning Nellie wore a collar as she's allowed outside, too, but one day I've witnessed how she got stuck in a shrub with that collar, she was crying and went berserk and I was so happy that I've been around to help her...so please be very very careful concerning collars!!!

My vet's cat has a tiny blue earbutton, looks like one of the things the Steiff plush teddies wear, just to give hint that this cat is microchipped...the cat doesn't seemed to be bothered by the button and it's not that dangerous as a collar!

Most of the shelters and vets work with the microchipping here and I think it's the very best for the cat, because a tatoo may vanish over the years (especially in black cats), but of course the cat has to be registered!!!

[kitten645]

PS to my last post...I know of a few cats that have lost their lives to collars..Not that collars are killers....just my input...My furkids are strickly indoors but I've seen them get themselves into predicaments I couldn't have forseen. My view...if they are indoor cats let them go au naturale...LOL...if they go out they need ID..I wish we lived in a world where MOST people would say OH YEAH A STRAY...we'll take it in. Sadly that isn't the case. In American society animals are expendibal. Least of all cats...they can take care of themselves...right??NOT...

[emily_the_spoiled]

I have both Emily and Tanner micro-chipped and there was no problem with the procedure itself. In fact, the shelters in my area will offer low cost micro-chipping even if you don't get the animal from them. I know that my guys are strictly indoors cats, but there is the paranoid side of me that "what happens if they get out", so that is why they are both micro-chipped.

Cheryl

[NoahsMommy]

The only one that is microchipped is Olivia, but I want to get them all chipped just in case. Noah and Noel refuse to wear collars, so that would be the only way to identify them.

:)

We do it a lot at work (vet's office) and its pretty cool in my opinion. Its quick and worth the money.

[jazzcat]

I called my vet today and they said they do it for $35. I will be taking Jazz in for her annual next week so I guess I will have it done then. After that I will probably take Scout and then Ripley last.

About this needle, just how bad is it? I can't take seeing my little Jazzy girl in pain.

[emily_the_spoiled]

I have never actually seen the needle, but I have seen the micro-chip and it is smaller than a grain of rice. So in fact, it is actually a smaller volume than some of the vaccinations they receive. Neither Emily nor Tanner had any problems with the implantation.

Good luck and you are making the right decision.