If you have an indoor cat, it's ideal to have them microchipped because they are highly likely to go Harry Houdini on you. But what is the best way to track your cat? In the past, basic collar tags with the name and address of the pet proprietors were attached to the neck of the feline. Nowadays, there numerous, far superior monitoring and tracking options, such as GPS trackers, microchips, etc.
So what do you choose for your feline's security?
This short article discusses why it is impossible to monitor your feline by relying exclusively on a microchip. It will also differentiate between microchips and GPS trackers, and describe what your cat needs to be safe.
Approximately one in three cats will stray during their lifetime. Locating them with incentive posters, knocking on doors, and calling regional sanctuaries is usually inefficient. Thankfully, brand-new technology can help us find our strayed pals so we can bring them home safe.
Why Use Trackers For Cats?
About 15% of felines will be lost at one point. Yet, according to the ASPCA, only 75% of cats get reunited with their owners and homes. As soon as a cat enters a sanctuary, its possibilities of returning to its owners drop to 2%. Fewer stray felines make it home as compared dogs who stray.
It's heartbreaking to lose a pet, so let us talk about some of the available technology to keep our felines safe.
What are Microchips for Cats?
A microchip is an identification tool, an electronic chip the size of a single grain of rice implanted underneath the skin of your feline. The one-of-a-kind chip contains an ID number for recognizing the proprietor of the cat. The chip is injected very carefully between your cat's shoulder blades, and the painless treatment lasts just a few seconds.
As soon as the chip is implanted, it works if your feline goes missing and is brought to a veterinarian or shelter. There they will have the ability to check the chip to determine and, with any luck, get in touch with you, the owner of the lost feline. Your contact details need to be kept updated in the database. Otherwise, the microchip may be inefficient in reuniting you with your cat.
Microchips alone are not beneficial in the active search for your lost feline, and they can not help you find your cat in real-time.
With microchip alone, you need to count on a stranger to find and bring your lost cat to a vet or sanctuary, then call you. Nonetheless, as a whole, microchips for felines are a more reputable kind of recognition than collar tags, which can get easily lost or end up being unintelligible.
Should You Microchip Your Cat?
It's good practice to have your cats with a silicon chip (for recognition purposes) once they are old enough. Since exterior cats are always in jeopardy of being lost or stolen, microchips are specifically essential for felines permitted outside. Along with a microchip cat implant, a GPS tracker for cats is also suggested.
In many countries, feline silicon chips are needed by law. Should a non-identifiable feline be discovered straying on the streets, it could be euthanized. For this reason, microchipping your cat is an essential safety precaution that needs to be taken by all cat proprietors.
Are you moving with your cat? Bear in mind; a chip is only valid when you keep the contact with information for the ID enrollment up to date.
A microchip is not a monitoring device, and therefore, it can not be utilized to track the pet cat or know the cat's location if it were to go missing. The silicon chip is an RFID (radio frequency identification), which doesn't need charging as there isn't a battery. The chip has sufficient power to outlive your pet. However, it can not measure up to any monitoring and tracking tool.
We encourage cat microchipping. Although microchipping can not track felines, it is reasonable to have all kittens chipped to be recognized. The procedure is easy, quick, as well as economical. Ask your veterinarian for more information.
What Are The Limitations Of Microchips In Cats?
- They have no GPS incorporated, so real-time monitoring is not possible.
- They will not be helpful if the contact information is not up to date or if a chip reader is not available.
Now that you are much more familiar with the topic of chips for cats, you could ask yourself what other tracking choices are available. For real-time tracking, you can use a GPS cat tracker. GPS trackers for cats are explained in more information in the following section below.
What Are GPS Trackers for Cats?
Unlike chips, GPS trackers for felines provide your real-time location information regarding your cat directly in your smartphone. Not only will you have the ability monitor your cat's location for safety, you can also have a good time figuring out what your naughty home feline gets up to in their daily experiences!
Here are several highlights of GPS Trackers:
- It is a small and lightweight tool that can be put on conveniently on your cat's collar or harness.
- Uses real-time tracking with location updates every 2-3 seconds.
- Endless GPS tracking array--you can find your pet cat over any range.
- Works in over 150 countries.
- Monitors your cat's activity level in addition to location information.
- Active search possible--no need to rely on strangers finding them when kitty gets lost.
Some disadvantages:
- The GPS will not work if the collar lacks battery during your cat's adventuring.
- They are quickly lost, much like other cat collars
- If the cat is stolen, the pet cat tracker will likely not work.
- GPS tracking does not eliminate risks.
What's The Distinction Between a Tracking Device and a Microchip?
A silicon chip is a radio-frequency identification (RFID) implant that a veterinarian inserts under your pet's skin. This chip contains a particular ID number. If a person finds your lost cat and takes it to a veterinary center or sanctuary, the team can scan the pet for the chip. The scanner registers the number, and the personnel will report it to a national computer system registry, which lets you know your pet's location. Microchipping costs about $45, and it is well worth the money because reunification rates are about 20 times higher for microchipped pets than for those without identification.
Unlike a microchip, a pet tracker uses either radiofrequency or a GPS. It lets you identify the location of your pet once you observe it has slipped away.
Some owners say a super-high frequency tool is better for short ranges, like when your cat is entrapped in the cupboard or the cellar. A GPS might be the best choice for when your cat has left your home altogether.
Both choices typically have preliminary equipment prices and month-to-month fees that vary depending on the brand name you select.
Silicon Chip Cat Implant vs. GPS Tracker: Which Is Best For My Feline Friend?
So we discussed the highlights of microchips and GPS tracking devices for felines. So which one should you go for? Well, the answer is both! Because when it is about the safety of your cat, nothing is way too much.
Keep in mind: Having your cat microchipped could be mandated by law in your area, but this won't suffice when the kitty runs away. In contrast with a silicon chip, having a GPS feline tracking collar attached to your feline's neck will undoubtedly help you to locate your pet cat in the event it gets lost--and in real-time! So keep your kitty safe with both a microchip and a GPS tracker.
