MICROCHIPPING YOUR CAT
Your stomach drops...a cold sweat breaks out...your cat is missing! Even strictly indoor cats can find themselves on the wrong side of the door due to a careless serviceman, a frightening event, or a momentary indiscretion. One of the best ways to insure the reunion with your cat is to have him microchipped.
A microchip is roughly the size of a grain of rice and contains a code that is unique to your pet. A veterinarian implants the microchip under the skin over the shoulder blades. The chip is specially designed not to shift under the skin. This procedure can be performed during a regular vet visit or while the cat is under anesthesia for another procedure. The owner then registers the chip with Home Again Pet Recovery Service and the cat is entered into a national database.
Other benefits of enrolling in Home Again include e-mail alerts of your lost cat to shelter and clinics within a 25 mile radius, a lost pet poster template, a pet ID card and free access to the ASPCA's Poison Control Center. Your cat's vaccination and specific medical needs are maintained by the Home Again network. If your cat is a diabetic and is brought to a shelter and scanned, this potentially life-saving information is immediately available to shelter personnel. As well, there is a volunteer network of local pet rescuers who will be alerted. This adds numerous extra sets of eyes to look for your missing cat.
Sadly, nearly ten million pets get lost every year and of that number, 90% of those without i.d. never to return home. You can increase the odds significantly by making sure that your cat is outfitted with a microchip. Just as importantly, be sure to register your microchip information and keep it current. An unregistered microchip does nothing to safely return your cat and outdated information such as an old address will keep you from being reunited with your kitty.
If your cat was previously microchipped with a Home Again chip, you have the option of enrolling in the newly expanded program and benefiting from the extras they are now offering. If you choose not to enroll, your cat's i.d. number will be maintained in the database. If your cat was microchipped with a chip made by a different manufacturer, you can also enroll in the Home Again program. Please see a Cat Sense staff member for pricing. There is also a discount for households with multiple cats!
Your cat is an important member of your family. Do all you can to increase the odds of a happy reunion by microchipping your cat today!
