Today, microchip technology is popular – it’s in cell phones, computers and also common in animals. In wild animals, implants help track movement, and in pets, it’s for identification.
There are different microchips types, and each performs a specific function. The implants are also known as Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFID) and are tiny, rice grain size.
They store a unique identification number and don’t actively transmit information. A microchip doesn’t have a battery and internal power source.
It inertly sits in your cat until a special microchip scanner reads it. The article has more information about the microchip. Let’s begin by answering the question.
Can You Feel a Microchip In a Cat?
Yes, you can feel it; the microchip is usually near the lower neck between the shoulder blades. Cat microchip feels small and hard with the firmness and shape of long grain.
Locating and feeling it is more straightforward if the cat has a healthy body. It’s easier to find the microchip in underweight cats since they have less subcutaneous fat.
Additional Information
On rare occasions, microchips can slip to another area. It’s not dangerous to the cat, but finding the chip will be harder. In case this happens, a vet can help you find it.
How Professionals Insert The Microchip
Before the insertion, they do a scan on the microchip. That’s to confirm if the transponder’s identification code is similar to that on the package bar code label.
Then a needle with the microchip is put into the syringe or application gun and injected into the cat.
The standard placement site for the device is in the subcutaneous tissue between shoulder blades.
The cat should be lying on the stomach or standing during the placement.
The vet then pulls loose skin between the shoulder blades and inserts the needle. A simple squeeze of the applicator trigger injects the device into the cat’s tissue.
After insertion, the vet scans the cat to ascertain the chip is reading properly.
How Long Does Microchip Insertion Take?
The insertion procedure is quick and takes the same time as other injections. During implants, the paperwork registration takes more time than the implantation process.
Is Microchip Implant Painful?
Implant pain is similar to that of drawing blood. Awake animals and even the tiniest kittens won’t feel the pain.
The needle used is large but so sharp that most kittens don’t flinch during insertion. Some clients prefer to implant the microchip when the cat is neutered or spayed.
It allows the cat to get anesthesia for injection; however, it’s unnecessary. The implant can happen anytime convenient.
Are Microchips Harmful?
Its components are in a biocompatible material. It means they aren’t toxic and thus do not have any allergic reaction. But the chip should be implanted using proper techniques with a sterile injector needle.
Other microchip types have materials that encourage the formation of connective tissue around them. The role of the connective tissue is to hold the chip in place, and it’s not harmful.
Why Microchip Your Cat?
The one thing cat owners love about their pets is their inquisitive nature. However, it’s also why cats get lost as they seek to know the world around them.
Pet theft is also rampant, especially for expensive or rare breeds. Events like moving houses also confuse cats that they often get lost and struggle to find their way home.
Cats are known to move from one household to another, confusing them. You can find a well-meaning household adopts another person’s cat
in the process.
It’s also possible for new households to absorb friendly stray cats. Therefore a microchip tool will help ascertain if the cat is stray or merely lost.
Plus, it’s the only way to prove the cat’s ownership without disputes. There are tags and safety collars that are also useful for cat identification. However, they aren’t the best methods since they are easily replaced or lost.
Outdoor Cats
Cats naturally love being outside, where they hunt and roam. However, the outdoor setting has various threats to cats, such as catfights over territory, cars, etc.
There are several reasons why cats become spooked or run and lose their way miles away from home. Others are accidentally trapped in another person’s garage or shed for days.
Collars are the alternative identification tags but aren’t so effective. They do not offer a total guarantee because they easily break or can fall off when the cat is playing.
The good thing is microchips are for a lifetime. It ensures your cat doesn’t get stolen or lost. Plus, the device increases the owner’s chances of getting back their pet.
Indoor Cats
Cats are unique animals, and most love spending time outside. However, some might prefer staying indoors. Such cats will most likely get spooked when they explore the outside world.
It’s because the surrounding is unfamiliar. Due to unfamiliarity with the environment, the cats will easily get lost, and finding their way back home can be equally tricky.
Microchipping will help you find the cat and ensure its safety. At least the cat won’t go missing completely.
Cats that travel abroad on family holidays need a microchip as their identification before receiving the pet passport.
When Should You Microchip Your Cat?
It’s better to microchip your kitten during its first vaccination. That’s when it’s around eight weeks. It would be best if you microchipped your cat before letting it out for the first time.
It’ll reduce its chances of getting lost. The procedure is quick and painless, even for the kitten.
Is Updating the Microchip Details Possible
There are instances when you’ll need to change the microchip details as a pet owner. For example, if your details change, like your mobile phone number, you must update the information. You will also need to make changes if you change the pet’s home.
However, you can’t change the details from the vet since a separate company holds the control. You’ll have to contact your microchip company personally for details change.
The vet will help you if you lose the pet’s microchip and do not know the company that registered it.
The professional won’t touch the physical chip during the update but must assign the 15-digit number to your current details.
Updating Procedure
- You should identify your microchip’s manufacturer. Information about the manufacturer is usually on the microchip paperwork. Check it out.
- Find out about the database with your contact details. You can find the details on the microchip paperwork or the microchip company’s website.
Each microchip manufacturer usually has a specific database for a particular pet. If you don’t know the manufacturer or database, the microchip number prefix will help determine it.
That’s the first part of the microchip number, and it’s unique to a specific database. If you are not aware of your pet’s microchip number, you can contact your vet and confirm whether they have the information. Arrange and take your pet for scanning to get the number.
- Lastly, fill out the details form with new information. The database contains the forms you need to fill out. Change your information from this part. However, you will pay some small fees.
Places To Get Your Cat Microchipped
It would be best if you found a qualified microchip implanter. A professional will perfectly and safely place the device under your cat’s skin.
Amazingly, all vets and nurses are qualified to do microchip implants. The procedure is quick, and cats experience little to no pain and discomfort.
You should ensure a qualified individual does the microchip implantation because complications can arise if done incorrectly.
What to Do If a Cat Is Missing
Losing a cat is surely a horrible experience, but you can easily find it if it has a microchip. Here are some of the important things you can do:
- Immediately inform the microchip database where it’s registered.
- Contact your vet, rescue center, and local vet surgeries in your area and leave all important details about your cat, including the chip number.
- Ask for help from your neighbors. They can check their garages, outbuildings, cars, and sheds.
- You should send a lost pet alert on VIP club and other apps in your locality.
- Put posters with clear photos of your cat and contact details in your local area.
- Lastly, you should post about your missing cat and ask for help from neighbors and friends. Share in all local forums etc.
Conclusion
A cat’s microchip is quite small – the size of long rice grain and feels hard and small. The device is quite important since millions of cats get lost yearly.
The chances of a lost cat without the device reuniting with their families are less than 5%. In comparison, owners’ chances of finding cats with the device are twenty times higher than those without.
However, some owners do not find their microchipped cats because of issues like incorrect or disconnected telephone numbers.
Overall microchipping your cat is important for their safety. Always provide the right contact information.
