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There’s a good chance you have heard a story about a pet that was reunited with their owner thanks to their microchip. Everyone loves a heartwarming tale of a family made whole again. But the stories don’t tell you everything about microchipping. Whether your pet is already microchipped or you are trying to make that decision, you probably have questions. It isn’t as straightforward as a collar and tags. Fortunately, it isn’t rocket science, either, so get ready to demystify the microchip.
What Is a Microchip?
Pet microchips are teeny tiny electronic devices implanted just beneath the skin of an animal. Although we may think of them as something for cats and dogs, microchips can also be placed in other animals such as laboratory rodents, cattle, and horses (1). The devices are only about the size of a grain of rice. They don’t contain a battery or other power source (1, 2). Rather, they are RFID chips that contain a unique identification number (2). When a scanner is passed over the chip, the chip is briefly activated and sends back the ID number (1-3). Because there is no battery and no moving parts, the microchip never corrodes, loses power, or wears out (1, 2). It should last a pet’s entire life.
What a Microchip Is Not
There are a few common misconceptions about what microchips are/can do. First, a microchip is not a tracking device (1-3). It does not contain GPS technology or anything else that can keep tabs on your pet’s location (1-3, 6). Second, your pet’s microchip is not an external data storage device (1, 2). The only information the chip can store is its ID number (1-3). It does not track your personal information or your pet’s medical information (1, 2). When someone scans the chip, all they see is that number. If the microchip is registered in a database, they will be able to request your contact information. More on that later.
How Is a Microchip Placed?
A cat gets their microchip placed in the loose skin between their shoulder blades (2, 3). The chip is injected with a syringe a bit larger than the ones used for vaccinations (1). No anesthetic is required, and the procedure can be performed at a routine veterinary appointment (1-3). To your cat, it feels much like any other shot (1, 3). However, if your cat happens to be undergoing a surgical procedure anyway, i.e. sterilization, then the microchipping can be done at the same time (1).
If you adopt a cat from a shelter or purchase one from a breeder, there is a possibility they may already have a microchip (1, 3, 5). Although it won’t hurt a cat to be microchipped twice, there’s no need (1). Any animal shelter should already have checked for a microchip, so just ask. If you adopted a cat a while ago and don’t remember, you can call the shelter to check or have your vet scan your cat for one. They will typically do that free of charge (4, 5).
Why Are Microchips Important?
The way a microchip works is that the identification numbers are stored in databases maintained by the manufacturers and other organizations. Pet owners input their contact information–and more, if they choose–to the database in connection with their pet’s unique chip number. Then, if the pet becomes lost, and someone finds them and take them to a shelter, vet clinic, or animal control center, staff can scan for the microchip. Staff then look up the ID number and retrieve the owner’s contact information from the database. If that information is up-to-date, kitty and family can be reunited!
Before microchips, collars and tags were around for a long time, so why the high-tech upgrade? Actually, it is best practice to use both (1, 2). A collar and tags quickly show people that an outdoor or lost cat has an owner (1). A rabies tag should be included to assure all who meet your cat that it is safe to be around and in compliance with the law, if applicable (1). Plus, a tag with your contact info can greatly expedite your lost cat’s return to you–or prevent your outdoor cat from going to the shelter in the first place (1). However, cats should always wear a breakaway collar, which can obviously come off. Tags can become worn and unreadable, and cat thieves can just take the whole thing off and throw it away. But a microchip is a permanent means of identification (1, 2).
Lord et al found that lost cats without microchips were returned to their owners only 1.8% of the time (1, 6). For cats with microchips, however, the rate of successful reunions was twenty times higher (1, 4, 6)! When cats with microchips couldn’t be reconnected with their owners, it was usually because the information in the database was missing or out-of-date (1). So do not skip the section below!
How to Use Your Cat’s Microchip
Registration and Updating
A microchip is little more than a hunk of metal until you register it. Before you begin, you will need to have your cat’s microchip number and the chip’s manufacturer on hand. If you don’t have that information anywhere, ask the clinic that implanted the chip. If your pet came pre-chipped, find a veterinarian, animal control, shelter, or pet store that can scan the chip and tell you. Then you will need to go online to register the chip with a database. The obvious choice would be the database maintained by the microchip’s manufacturer. There is usually an initial cost and sometimes a periodic fee associated with these databases, however. If the cost is prohibitive, there are a handful of reputable free databases you can use instead, such as Found Animals.
If you are in the United States, it is important that you use a database which is linked to the American Animal Hospital Association’s Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool (4). There are international registries associated with the Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool as well. Go here for the full list of registries that participate. A lot of places use the AAHA’s tool to check a microchip number in many databases at once (4).
Once you are on your chosen database’s website, you will need to register a new microchip using your cat’s microchip number and probably another identifier, such as an email address or phone number. Then it’s time to input your contact information. Some services give the option to include more, such as a photo of your pet, their medical information, a description, etc. The service I use for Joon’s microchip can generate a digital Lost Pet poster if you report your pet to them as lost and send out an email alert to other members of the database in your area. If all you want to do is put in your contact info, most services will also let you opt out of the other bells and whistles.
You will need to return to the website and log back in to update your information any time it changes, like if you move or get a new phone number (4, 5). You may also be able to do this over the phone with the registry, but your veterinarian cannot do it for you.
Microchip Extras
If your cat is microchipped, you have the option to incorporate various microchip-compatible devices into your cat’s life. There are feeders which sync with your cat’s microchip and only allow that particular cat to put their head in (6). These can be good for monitoring food intake or multipet homes where making sure no one gets into each others’ food is a priority (6). There are also cat doors that only open for the cat with the synced microchip, keeping out any unwanted guests (6). I don’t know how those work in multicat households, but I’m sure someone has thought of that. So microchips come in handy even if your kitty never gets lost even for a minute.
Works Cited
- American Veterinary Medical Association. (n.d.). Microchipping of animals FAQ. AVMA. https://www.avma.org/microchipping-animals-faq
- Get the facts on microchipping: Separate microchipping facts from fiction. (n.d.). HomeAgain. https://www.homeagain.com/microchipping-facts.html
- Burgos, S. (2020, August 24). Everything you need to know about microchipping your cat. Daily Paws. https://www.dailypaws.com/cats-kittens/cat-safety-tips/microchip-cat
- Kelley, T. L. (2021, July 8). Updated your pet’s microchip contact info lately? It’s easy. Daily Paws. https://www.dailypaws.com/dogs-puppies/dog-safety-tips/pet-microchip-lookup
- Nicholas, J. (2021, July 8). Is you pet’s microchip registered? Up-to-date? Here’s how to do both. Preventive Vet. https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/how-to-update-your-pets-microchip
- Top 3 reasons why microchipping cats matters. (n.d.). Sure Petcare. https://www.surepetcare.com/en-us/advice-news/top-3-reasons-why-microchipping-cats-matters
Published July 25, 2021
