Orlovia
We’re often asked by pet owners if it’s worth microchipping their small cats and dogs, and our answer is usually the same. Yes, it’s worth microchipping your cat or dog if you care about them and want to keep them safe. But how much does it cost to microchip cats?
What is a Microchip and How Does it Work in Cat Chipping?
Microchips are small electronic devices that are placed just under your cat’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades. The chip contains a radio frequency (called an RFID), and veterinarians and animal controllers have special devices that can read such frequencies. After scanning the chip, the reader displays the unique number of the animal.
This number is registered with the microchip company, which also stores your personal information. The company will then contact you to inform you of the whereabouts of your missing pet. This ensures that only the microchip company has access to your contact information – the person with the scanner can only see your pet’s unique ID number, which is useless to them.
It is important that you register your cat’s microchip so that the company can notify you when your pet is found. Many pets are microchipped, but their owners fail to register the chip with the company, making it impossible to reunite missing dogs with their owners.
How Much Does a Microchip Cost?
The total cost of microchip implantation depends on where you are going and local prices. A microchip costs around 35 – 45 euros in normal veterinary practice. It can be more or less, but the difference is usually just a few dollars. If you adopted your cat, it is most likely already microchipped. You can have them checked at any animal shelter or veterinarian. Special scanners that can detect a chip are available to everyone.
If the pet is already microchipped, you must have all information transferred to your name and not the previous owner’s. All microchip manufacturers should have a website with online access to create and edit microchip data.
Is it Painful for Cats to Have a Microchip Implanted?
It’s about as painful as a blood draw, i. H. it is uncomfortable but not unbearable. Your cat shouldn’t have any problems with the implantation, and it shouldn’t have any long-term effects. If you are concerned that your cat may become unwell, schedule the procedure along with another procedure, such as B. a castration. In this way, the chip can be inserted when the cat is sleeping without the cat noticing. While this isn’t strictly necessary, it could be a nice addition.
The most common negative impact is that the chip moves away from its original insertion point. It’s unlikely to harm your cat, but it may reduce the likelihood of the chip being scanned if it’s lost. Hair loss, edema, and infections are other possible side effects, but these are rather rare. Many people have heard that the chips cause cancer, but only four out of every four million chipped pets have developed a tumor at or near the implantation site. That’s a ridiculously small percentage, and it’s entirely plausible that the tumors were caused by something else entirely.
Look for Microchips in Registers
Luckily, scanning the chip will show the company’s name, allowing the vet to contact the person in charge. If you don’t register your chip with the right company, it’s all for nothing. Your veterinarian (or the person who implanted the chip) will provide you with documentation explaining how and where to register the chip after the procedure.
So that you don’t forget this, we recommend that you register the chip as soon as you arrive. If you forget and your cat gets lost, don’t give up hope. If you have the documents, you can still register them.
Will a microchip help me find my cat?
No, a microchip is not equipped with a GPS or any other tracking system. It only helps if your cat is found and taken to a vet or animal shelter for a scan.
It is therefore recommended that a microchip be used as part of a pet tracking system. Your cat should remain collared and tagged, and you should do everything you can to prevent her from escaping. There are collars with GPS trackers if you want to go a step further. While expensive, they can help you locate your lost cat with a great deal of precision.
They’re not infallible, and many of them will only give you a rough idea of where your cat is rather than directing you to their specific whereabouts. However, if you use all of these strategies together, you have a better than average chance of finding your cat if it gets lost.