Microchipping is the most effective tool for ensuring that you will be reunited with your cat if he or she is ever lost or stolen. It is a must for any responsible cat owner, and only requires an affordable, quick, and relatively painless procedure.
Microchipping involves a veterinary surgeon or registered implanter inserting a small chip beneath your cat’s skin, usually in the “scruff” - the loose skin around your cat’s neck. This area doesn’t contain many nerve endings, so the procedure tends to cause minimal pain; some cats do not appear to notice that anything is happening during the implantation.
Each microchip has a unique code, that when scanned, will produce your contact details, such as name, phone number, and address. These details are held by various microchipping databases.
This means that if your cat becomes lost and is handed into a local vet or animal charity, they can find out your details by simply scanning the microchip, and get in touch, ensuring that you are reunited with your pet. Some cats have been reunited with their families up to ten years after going missing, thanks to a microchip!
Microchipping also tends to be inexpensive, costing between £15-£30. Any vet should be able to offer microchipping, and animal welfare organisations or charities often have employees or volunteers trained and licensed to perform the procedure. If you adopt your cat from a rehoming organisation, such as Catcuddles, your cat will likely be microchipped at the point of adoption.
How do I register my cat’s microchip?
Most vets or implanters will register your microchip, with your details, on your behalf. You may then receive paperwork in the post relating to your cat’s microchip, such as their unique microchip number and the name of the database that it is associated with.
If you change your phone number or move home, it’s extremely important to remember to update your cat’s microchip record with your new contact details. You can do this by contacting the relevant microchipping database directly, or via your vet. Updating your details may incur a small fee.
At what age can my cat be microchipped?
There is no minimum age for microchipping a cat. It is often done at the same time a cat is spayed or neutered, but ultimately, a cat can be microchipped at any age. We strongly recommend microchipping your cat BEFORE you let him or outside for the first time, so that should your cat become lost, their chances of being reunited with you are far higher.
Do I need to have my indoor cat microchipped?
We also recommend microchipping indoor cats, due to the possibility of accidental escapes. Indoor cats are not street-savvy, therefore locating them if they become lost is all the more important.
Are there any health risks?
Complications associated with microchipping are extremely rare, both during the procedure and in regard to your cat’s long-term health.
Can microchips be used to spy on me/my family?
Due to privacy laws, microchipping databases can only share your details with vets and other registered organisations. These databases also cannot use microchips to monitor you or your pet’s activities; microchips are not tracking devices, they can only be used by animal welfare professionals to find out your contact details if scanned.
Can’t I just use a collar and ID tag?
Microchipping is far more effective than simply giving your cat a collar and ID tag, as collars may become lost over time. However, we recommend microchipping your cat and putting a collar on him or her, just to cover all bases! Remember, only collars with safety catches are safe for cats.
What happens if my cat is handed into a vet or rescue organisation, but isn’t microchipped?
If your cat has no microchip and is handed into a vet or animal welfare organisation, legally, he or she can be rehomed after a certain period, if no owner can be found through means such as social media.
If your cat is injured or killed in a car accident and brought to a local vet, they will also still be scanned, so that you can be contacted and notified of what has happened. If no chip is found, it’s unlikely you will ever find out what happened to your cat. Some UK councils also scan deceased cats for microchips.
For these reasons, microchipping your cat is incredibly important.
Is microchipping currently a legal requirement?
The microchipping of cats is not currently required by law in the UK (unlike the microchipping of owned dogs). Due to the huge numbers of owned cats becoming lost and subsequently having to live as strays, Catcuddles strongly supports mandatory microchipping for all cats. From 2024 it will become a legal requirement for owners to microchip their cats by the time they reach 20 weeks of age.