Why
worry?
What do people say
when their cat is lost? They say
that this is the first time my cat
has ever escaped the house or left
the yard. Heartbroken families
cannot believe their beloved cat is
missing.
If they could go back
in time, they would make sure their
cat had an identification tag, maybe
even a chip - regardless of cost. It
is certainly worth preventing
heartache and the worry that the cat
may be hit by a car and suffering at
the side of the road and there is no
way for anyone to let them know.
Unfortunately, cats
that arrive at shelters without
identification may be kept one week
whereas those with identification
may be kept up to one month before
adopted out or euthanized.
What to do?
Don't risk your cat disappearing without proper identification. Put a
break-away collar and ID tag on your cat.
If you have an outdoor cat, placing a bell on the collar
may help scare birds away to prevent
your cat bringing home a dead or
dying bird as a present for you.
|
Although anesthesia in not
required for the placement
of a chip, it does make the
process pain-free as the chip
that is injected under the
pet's skin is about the size
of a grain of rice. |
Microchips
Implanting an
electronic identification chip (also known as a
microchip) is the best way to provide manent
identification for your
cat.
By registering with the microchip manufacturer, your
cat will have his or her own unique number and
information on a national database.
If your pet is lost
and then found by an animal control department,
animal welfare organization, animal hospital or shelter,
you are more likely to be called if there is a chip
that shows up in a scan.
I'll take a chip with that surgery
The best time to implant a microchip is when the
pet is altered or having anesthesia for another
procedure such as a dental or ear flush. If
the pet is
already spayed or neutered, the microchip injection
can be done safely by a veterinarian. Many animal welfare organizations and animal
shelters also offer this service.
Although
anesthesia in not required for the placement of a
microchip, it does make the process pain-free as the chip
that is injected under the pet's skin is the size of
a grain of rice.
Traditional
collar and identification tag
In
addition to the microchip, to be
on the safe side, at a minimum, write your
phone number on
the cat's nylon collar and be
sure that the collar cannot slip
over your cat's head. Write current phone numbers
on the tag. Reflective tags are
better seen at night. and may
help prevent the cat from being
hit by a car due to low
visibility.
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