Microchip Your Indoor Cat, Too
I’ll use any excuse to talk about the benefits of microchipping your pet--and the upcoming holiday season is a good one! Here's my “ ‘Tis the Season” response to those with indoor-only cats who are not yet microchipped:
‘Tis the Season of Holidays which means the gathering of friends and family and what-nots for food and presents and what-not. In and out of the house people go as they prepare for the party, carrying large bags of groceries. In and out of the house people go as they arrive for the party, (hopefully) carrying large bags of presents. In and out of the house people go as they leave the party with their arms full of leftovers or tipsy Uncle Ned. And where is your indoor-only cat during all of this?!?
At this point in my lecture, people assure me that their cat is terrified of company and is safely hiding under the living room couch or in a bedroom upstairs. Then I say: what happens if Tipsy Uncle Ned knocks over the Christmas tree on top of that couch just as aunt Suzy is opening the door to check for Santa and out dashes the panicked cat?!?
Or, what if that perfectly bronzed turkey had reached that perfectly bronzed stage, say, 40 minutes ago in the oven and it is now aflame and the indoor sprinklers go off in the upstairs bedroom??
At this point, people tell me they don’t have indoor sprinklers and it is true I have only seen them in hotels and big buildings.
So, I proceed with: what if that turkey catches the whole house on fire and you run upstairs to rescue your cat but can’t get downstairs again and have to toss both yourself and the cat out of the upstairs window into the rose bushes?!? Then, besides having some cripsy presents and a now Toasted Uncle Ned, your indoor only cat is now outdoors and lost. With no microchip.
Usually at this point, people get nervous and feel that in some way, I am threatening to burn their house down unless they agree to microchip their cat. And while I would never threaten to burn anyone’s house, I do think microchipping their cat is an excellent idea. It is a good thing we have an excellent microchipping program to offer them. It includes perks such as lost-pet insurance, access to the ASPCA poison control hotline and pet I.D. cards. Check with your vet to see if they have a similar program. In Denver, there is a program that is offering free microchips for cats. The website is www.chipyourcat.com and has links to local veterinary hospitals participating in the program.
--Dr. Olson
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Dr. Olson practices small animal medicine in Denver, CO and is a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.
Donna Pirkle on November 10, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Recently, a thief broke into our backyard to steal some tools. My dog was not letting him do this easily, so I believe he picked him up and took him off and dumped him somewhere because my dog would not willingly leave the backyard without his leash. Needless to say, my precious baby was gone for over two weeks. But after a multitude of signs, phone calls and prayer, I got a phone call from the pound. They had Joey. Thanks to the microchip. I never thought we would need the microchip, but it was a God-send. I am microchipping all of my animals, inside and outside, dogs and cats. I will never take that chance. Without the microchip, I might have lost Joey forever. Thank you Dr. Olson for this reminder.
BritTex on November 10, 2008 at 08:35 PM
Laugh at the above article by all means, after all, it is the season to be jolly! But, one of my friend's cats DID slip out of the house as they welcomed guests on Christmas Day a couple of years ago. He was safely returned home one week later because of his microchip - the pound informed them that the next day he would have been euthanised as a stray if they hadn't found it. Sobering thought.