Under new rules which are due to come into force in England, microchipping your cat will become a legal requirement, just as it is for dogs.
Not only does it mean that cats are more likely to be reunited with their owners quickly if they go wandering off, or become injured, but it also helps as a deterrent to cat theft.
Currently, we do have cats brought into us that aren’t microchipped and this means that they aren’t reunited with their owners for several days, or if they’re owners can’t be found, they may even go to a rescue centre.
Cats will have to be microchipped by the time they are 20 weeks of age. A microchip is a tiny chip inserted using a needle under the skin between the shoulder blades. For most cats, it will just feel like an injection.
We can microchip at a vaccine appointment, when your cat is neutered or during a routine check-up.
Microchips can be inserted by vets or nurses and the unique numbers are stored on a central database. The chips cannot usually be felt under the skin. However, they may very occasionally migrate or fall out, so we check the chip regularly.
Some cat flaps can be programmed to be opened by the microchip, thereby blocking unwanted cats from using yours.
If your cat is not already microchipped, we recommend that you make an appointment to get this done. We can do this at any of our local practices or at Pride Veterinary Centre.
Questions about microchipping? If so, please do not hesitate to contact your local practice.
