Owning a pet is a lot like having children in that it means taking on a variety of responsibilities. The health, happiness and overall being of your animal is primarily down to you and as a loving and compassionate owner, your priority is undoubtedly to fulfil your pet’s care to the best of your ability. Since cats are notoriously independent, and if they want to get away from somewhere or something, extremely fast, one of the most valuable things that you can do is to ensure you get your furbaby microchipped.
What is cat microchipping?
Microchipping is the latest and most effective way of identifying your pet and linking your personal details to her in a completely tamper-proof way. It can be used on virtually any pet and involves implanting a microchip into your cat’s body deep under her skin. In the majority of felines, the chip is placed in the skin between her shoulder blades. It is so small that your kitty will not be able to feel it, and the process to implant it is just like a shot – virtually painless and over in an instant.
Before the chip is placed, it is loaded with a unique reference number. This number refers to a database entry on a secure server provided by your chosen microchipping supplier. If your cat becomes lost, she can be scanned for a microchip, and your contact details retrieved by a veterinarian or other professional animal service such as a shelter. This enables you to be reunited with your felines.
Microchipping is extremely safe as the chip has no working parts to fail and remains dormant unless it comes into close contact with an appropriate scanner.
Why you should microchip your cat, especially prior to cat boarding
No owner wants to be separated from their animal, but there are occasions that can arise that mean that you might be temporarily unable to care for your kitty. In these circumstances, you will probably need to look at putting her into a professional boarding facility for the time that you are unavailable. However, cats are extremely fussy creatures and sticklers for routine. The majority also dislike travelling outside of the house, and doing so, such as when travelling to and from a boarding facility or when visiting your veterinarian, can make the average feline skittish and unpredictable. While you may be transporting your cat in a carrier, it is not unheard of for these furry Houdini’s to manage to escape or to bolt the moment they can.
Even at home, if your cat is an outdoor feline, she probably wanders off for hours or even days at a time, only returning when she wants food, attention or somewhere particularly comfortable to take a nap. In all that time that she is gone, she could be anywhere and potentially be getting into mischief – or trouble. Countless cats are hit by cars, wander until they become lost or are trapped in outbuildings every year. Being able to identify those kitties that are found is valuable to heartbroken owners everywhere.
While collars with ID tags can be used to identify a missing cat, microchipping has been shown to be more effective and successful. If your cat has unfortunately passed away before she has been found, microchipping will still enable you to be contacted so that you might collect and have the opportunity to say goodbye to your precious pet.
Cat identity theft
While no cats can truly steal another’s identity, the fact remains that many looks a great deal alike. This can make it difficult for even their owners to tell them apart. While boarding facilities have systems in place to ensure that they know which cat belongs to which owner, but tags can come off and mix-ups could potentially happen. Microchipping is another way to firm up exactly which is your cat.
Most boarding facilities have list of requirements that an animal and owner must meet before they can be admitted, and you should check these with your chosen provider well ahead of your cat’s visit to ensure she is not turned away.
If you have further questions about pet microchipping, boarding or both, we would be happy to assist you. Please contact our offices in Kerrville, Texas for more information.
