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We took all three cats to be microchipped today. It was $47 each for a lifetime registration. I'm glad that's over with. Then we got home and started to remove them in their carriers from the van... one door fell off the carrier and Phaedra fell out. She ran under the van. She had never been outside except in her carrier. We lured her out after a few minutes and I picked her up and hugged her like I was never going to see her again. She was petrified. It's THAT easy to lose a cat. Thank the powers that be she didn't panic and run into the woods behind the house. She has no idea what our house looks like from outside and the predators would take advantage. Apparently the techs at the Animal Hospital didn't latch the door correctly and we didn't think to check. How can something like that happen? My stomach is still in knots.
Phaedra is like our child to us..... they all are.
Actually, cats navigate by lines of the earth's magnetism and so don't rely on visual cues.
I didn't know that! I knew they had some sort of extra smarts, but didn't know exactly what it was.
We took care of my sister's cats once and one got out. (One of our cats opened the door and let her out! I walked into the room with the rest of them all standing in front of the open door... waving her off!) The cat had never been to our home before. I was a nervous wreck wondering if I would ever find her or if she would find her way back. She came back in less than 24 hours.
I'm probably going to get "beat up" for this... none of our pets are micro-chipped. I have a "problem" accepting foreign items being inserted into them.
I'm probably going to get "beat up" for this... none of our pets are micro-chipped. I have a "problem" accepting foreign items being inserted into them.
They better have collars with ID tags, then!
I went the collar/tag route with Weasie for many years. Then she figured out how to wriggle free from her collars. She'd waltz into the house displaying her newly liberated neck - then I'd either find the collar someplace out of reach or not find it. It got to be ridiculous after a while. Off for "chipping" she went.
Weeze may be an elder cat now (18 years old ) but she still has some wanderlust in her, not to mention her lifelong habit of accosting newly met people to tell sob stories. I long ago lost count of the phone calls or visits I received from "rescuers," and on several occasions it turned out that she'd strayed a good distance from home.
So no, I won't "attack" anyone for not having a microchip ID for their pet - as long as the person(s) they own can be traced in some way.
When I wanted to get Willow microchipped, they said that they usually do it during sterilization because the needle is so big and it really hurts. Did you find that to be true? I actually didn't get it done yet because the first visit to the vet was long and there was so much going on, and the vet tech actually got bit by my cat because she was totally not reading his cat cues, so I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. But was it like a shot, or worse?
They better have collars with ID tags, then!
I went the collar/tag route with Weasie for many years. Then she figured out how to wriggle free from her collars. She'd waltz into the house displaying her newly liberated neck - then I'd either find the collar someplace out of reach or not find it. It got to be ridiculous after a while. Off for "chipping" she went.
Weeze may be an elder cat now (18 years old ) but she still has some wanderlust in her, not to mention her lifelong habit of accosting newly met people to tell sob stories. I long ago lost count of the phone calls or visits I received from "rescuers," and on several occasions it turned out that she'd strayed a good distance from home.
So no, I won't "attack" anyone for not having a microchip ID for their pet - as long as the person(s) they own can be traced in some way.
The dogs have collars and tags. The cats don't carry any ID. They are indoor only cats. (Yes, I know things CAN still happen.)
With the neighborhood I live in... if one of the cats were to get out and survive the coyotes, all the neighborhood cats, the traffic, and the ickie "I don't like cats" people...well, their odds are very slim that they would be taken in by someone kind and returned.
I'm not saying I'm right... I'm just saying that, at this point, I don't feel the risks of them getting out and surviving, outweigh the "weirdness" of having a foreign object inserted under their skin.
For the record, I'm NOT trying to talk anyone out of micro chipping their pets. I'm just yapping about my thoughts.
ive had all my animals chipped except my lineolated parakeets, they are too small.
jack my macaw had to be mildly sedated, hes got a big beak and good strong feet and doesnt like to be kept stil for a moment so it was better for him to be a little sleepy... his chip is at the base of his tail.
tempi i got done when she got her first shots, she didnt seem to notice it, she wasnt happy about being scruffed but didnt seem to notice the actual needle...
my female chinese crested didnt even flintch she was too busy liking penaut butter off a spoon and my 5lb male chinese crested flnched for a mircosecond and gave the vet this look like what the heck was that, but otherwise not a problem.
the needle is a larger guage than usually used for shots.
the avid chip uses a 12 gauge needle. so yes it will pinch (about the same as a belly button peircing) but a good vet is so fast that the pain is incredibly short lived.
if your going to do a dental or spay/neuter id get it done while there under for that if you can...but i also dont think it hurts enough to not do it in an awake situation.
the chip itself is a bit smaller than a grain of rice.
i personally would never be without microchips now, they are incredibly safe, the newer chips if done right are not prone to migration and id rather have that peice of mind...tags can be lost, tattoos can be cut out/off/tattooed over, but a microchip is perminent id.
side note...phaedra is stunning! is she a Somali!?
My cats have never been microchipped, and have never had collars. None of them have ever shown any interest in running anywhere. They go out in the garden with me, munch on grass and catnip, peek around behind the garage for snakes, jump at the random baby blue-jay, and then run back into the house with their ears back and hissing because Mama Blue Jay doesn't like it when kitties try to eat her youngins.
The entire thing takes maybe 10 minutes, and they're never out of my sight. Plus, we have a fenced-in yard. There really isn't any place for them to GO.
I didn't know that! I knew they had some sort of extra smarts, but didn't know exactly what it was.
We took care of my sister's cats once and one got out. (One of our cats opened the door and let her out! I walked into the room with the rest of them all standing in front of the open door... waving her off!) The cat had never been to our home before. I was a nervous wreck wondering if I would ever find her or if she would find her way back. She came back in less than 24 hours.
I'm probably going to get "beat up" for this... none of our pets are micro-chipped. I have a "problem" accepting foreign items being inserted into them.
With the number of cats that get lost I'm not sure about magnetism either - but anything's possible. I'm glad your sisters cat came back. I was more worried about Phaedra freezing to death out there in the snowy woods or getting attacked by a predator in her fear and confusion. All she's known since the age of 6 weeks is the inside of this house and the inside of our RV.
I'm not happy about foreign objects being inserted either but it's the best there is right now to get a cat back that gets lost or turned into a shelter somewhere. It gives us a little reassurance we'll get them back. A little peace of mind.
Phaedra is gorgeous. . .but I think I've said that before.
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It got to be ridiculous after a while. Off for "chipping" she went.
) but she still has some wanderlust in her, not to mention her lifelong habit of accosting newly met people to tell sob stories. I long ago lost count of the phone calls or visits I received from "rescuers," and on several occasions it turned out that she'd strayed a good distance from home. 
