Advantages of Microchipping Your Cat
In 2012, I started to microchip all of my Persian kittens. Before a kitten leaves our home it is registered into the new owner's name with the registering agency - Microchip ID Systems.
UPDATE: As of August 2013, Pelaqita Persians is using the "new" Mini Pro ID microchip which is only 1/4 inch long and uses a slimmer, sharper 15 gauge needle for implanting the microchip. Pro ID microchips are registered with the following databases:
- Home Again - National 24 Hour Call Center and Recovery base. Lost Pet Specialists are standing by to help!
- Microchip Registration Center - Originating registry for all pets. Information is secure and available to pet owners and shelters.
- Universal Pet Microchip Lookup - Online Lookup tool used by vets, shelters, and rescues. Sponsored by the American Animal Hospital Association
Your new kitten comes to you already fitted with a tiny, harmless microchip that will stay safely in place for life, offering protection from loss, theft or separation due to natural or personal disaster.
The microchip number is unique and belongs only to your kitten. You and your kitten will be enrolled in a private 24-Hour Pet Recovery Call Center …for life! We handle the entire process! Unlike other registries, there is no annual fee.
If your pet gets lost and is taken to a vet clinic, animal shelter, rescue group, or any other pet related facility, your pet will be scanned for a microchip to reveal his unique ID number. That number will be called into the 24-hour pet recovery service, and you will be contacted using the contact information on file with your pet's microchip.
A microchip is the BEST way to prove the identity of a pet...and to get him home fast if he is ever lost. Over 20 million pets are lost every year. Microchip protection almost guarantees that the pet will not be euthanized or put up for adoption if he is taken into a shelter. All shelters and rescue organizations know they are supposed to scan an incoming cat or dog for a microchip in order to re-unite that pet with its owner.
Cats often do not wear collars and may not have any other form of ID. A recent study showed that less than 2% of cats without microchips were returned home. However, if a cat is microchipped, the return-to-owner rate is 20 times higher than if the cat was not microchipped.
Most cat owners keep their cat inside, but a guest or a handyman could easily leave the door open, or a screen could come loose from an open window. There's also a possibility that your house could be damaged in a heavy storm, flood, or other natural disaster, causing your cat to run away in fear. Pets can even be stolen - particularly exotics or purebred animals. No matter how closely you watch your favorite animal friend, there's always a chance they can get out, and if they don't have any ID, they will be extremely hard to find.
Remember to keep your contact information up to date whenever you move or change phone numbers with the Microchip Registry.