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5 Reasons Cat Microchipping Is Important

Thứ Ba, 11 tháng 12, 2012


 
Cat
According to the Humane Society of the United States, the nation's animal shelters take in 6 to 8 million cats and dogs each year, and anywhere from 3 to 4 million of those animals are euthanized. And not all of them are strays -- many are lost pets that shelters can't identify and reunite with their owners. One way to prevent this unfortunate fate for your own cat is through microchip identification.
Microchips are tiny transponders that communicate your pet's ID information through radio frequency waves. Each chip is about the size of a grain of rice, and a vet usually implants it under your pet's skin in between the shoulder blades. A registration number that corresponds to information on file about your pet is coded into the chip, so that a scanner can easily read the radio frequency and retrieve details about your cat's identity.
If your cat already has an old-school collar-and-tags setup, you may feel that's all the identification it needs. But microchips have been known to save the day when other ID methods fail. Read on to learn more about five reasons why cat microchipping is so important.

5: Helps Find Lost Cats

 
Kitten
The most obvious reason for microchipping your cat is to make it easier to locate it if it becomes lost. Just consider the statistics: According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, a 2007 study found that animal shelters reunited microchipped pets with their owners 74.1 percent of the time, while animals without microchips were recovered by owners only 13 percent of the time. In addition to shelters, vets can also check lost pets for the presence of a microchip.
Once a microchip is implanted, remember to register your pet with the microchip company so that the registration code can be traced if your cat is found by a stranger. It's also important to update your contact information with the microchip company if you move or get a new phone number. Registration is quick and easy and you can often complete it online.

4: Helps Avoid Mistaken Euthanasia

 
Kitten
The sad truth about any lost cat ending up in a shelter is that, if shelter employees can't identify it, there's a chance someone's beloved pet could be put down. The most recent official survey of the National Council on Pet Population Control in 1997 reported that 64 percent of animals entering shelters -- 71 percent of shelter cats, specifically -- were euthanized. And it's estimated that in 2008, 3.7 million animals were euthanized in the U.S.
If you microchip your cat, an animal shelter will be more likely to successfully reunite you with your pet. When cats are taken to animals shelters, staff members use hand held scanners to check for the presence of a microchip. Microchips are painlessly implanted and usually cost less than $50. This simple and relatively inexpensive device could save your cat's life.

3: Helps in Relocation Situations

 
Kitten
Lucky, a 12-year-old tiger-striped cat from Cranberry Township, Pa., got lost after her family moved to a new house. An indoor-outdoor cat, Lucky had been accustomed to coming and going whenever she wanted and had a tendency to lose her collar. After being lost for 14 months, though, Lucky was reunited with her family by the Beaver County Humane Society. According to an article on community news site YourNorthHills.com, the shelter identified Lucky by scanning for a microchip.
If you move and your cat gets lost in its new neighborhood, a microchip is probably the best way to make sure it will be returned to you. Once a microchip is implanted, you don't have to replace it, even if you move. Rather, you can update your contact information with the microchip company. Microchips can last for up to 25 years.

2: Provides Back-up for Unreliable Collars

 
Kitten
In general, cats are pretty good at slipping out of collars. It could be intentional, if your kitty doesn't like the way a collar feels, or accidental, if its collar gets caught on something and slips off while your cat is exploring the outdoors. Either way, a microchip is a good backup ID. Although someone who finds your cat might first look for a collar, if it's taken to a vet or a shelter, your cat will likely be scanned for a microchip. To best protect your outdoor cat, you should use both a microchip and a collar for identification.
Even if your cat stays indoors, though, it's still a good idea to have it microchipped. Indoor cats often get out of the house by mistake, and many of them don't wear collars. If your cat doesn't have a lot of experience with the outdoors, it's unlikely that it will be able to navigate through unfamiliar territory. As a result, many strays in shelters may be indoor cats that got out and couldn't find their way home.
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