Magic of Microchipping
20 January 2019
The Magic of the Microchip
A week before Christmas 2018, we were contacted about a cat that was living rough locally; it had been visiting a care home. We were called in as they were concerned about the appearance of the cat and that it was still hanging around. When we took the cat to the vets – a microchip was found, the registered owner amazingly lived very near to where the cat had been visiting. The cat had been missing for seven months. The cat’s health was checked by the vets and then returned home two days before Christmas – an amazing unexpected Christmas present for the owners!
The moral of this tale is:-
- Is your cat microchipped?Yes !!! BUT are your details correct and UPTODATE?
- No....Microchipping is the most effective way of identifying a lost pet (chips do not come off or put the cat at risk of injury like collars can).
- Each microchip has a unique number which is stored on a national database. A scan of the chip reveals the owner’s name and address from the database records.
- A microchip is slightly smaller than a grain of rice and is inserted under the cat’s skin between the shoulder blades.
- The procedure is very simple and quick – it is no more painful than an injection. Your cat will not be aware of the microchip’s presence once inserted.
- You can expect to pay around £20- £30 for the procedure.
If your cat goes missing and is found, anyone can take the naughty thing to their local vets who will scan the cat for free to try and find a microchip. If a chip is found then the vets will contact the registered owner – then the magic of the microchip takes effect.