Last October, Lisa, one of the members of our local rescue community lost her cat Skittles. A former stray, Skittles had been hit by a car, and Lisa had nursed him back to health, eventually adopting him. While Lisa was out of town, Skittles escaped from the house. After a great deal of searching, a heartbroken Lisa resigned herself to never seeing Skittles again.
Earlier this month, the microchip company called Lisa to tell her that her cat had been reported found. A woman had been feeding the friendly stray cat, but as winter came to a close, the woman who was feeding Skittles was preparing to move back north for the summer months. She took Skittles to vet’s office, where his microchip was found, five months after he went missing.
Now Skittles is home where he belongs, and he is getting all of the love and affection he can handle. And he has a sink as a throne, too.
Frightening contingencies like these are the reason that we microchip cats, but there’s a second half to the task of getting your cat chipped and registered. Someone has to read the chip to help your cat get home. This is why it’s really important to scan that “stray” cat. The cat you think was left behind by your neighbor who just moved out might actually belong to someone two streets over who is frantically searching for her. Don’t assume. Go ahead and scan for a microchip to help be sure that someone isn’t looking for their lost friend.
When you find a lost cat, you can get the chip scanned several places:
- Most animal shelters. The ones I spoke to said that they would be willing to scan for a chip without taking the cat into the shelter population. Call and ask what the procedure is for scanning a lost pet, and clearly identify if you are taking responsibility for the cat rather than having him or her admitted to the shelter.
- Rescue groups. Many other rescue organizations have chip readers, too. Some areas even have groups specifically for helping reunite people with lost pets, and they are the likeliest to have a microchip scanner.
- A veterinarian’s office. Vets implant chips and also read them. Be sure to let them know that you’re just bringing the cat in to be scanned, not for an actual appointment, and many vets perform this service at no charge.
Scan that stray. It can be the key to help get the kitty back to his home.
Photo credits:
Cat with microchip scanner, depositphotos/ivonnewierink
Skittles in sink, Lisa Moore
Thank you for talking about this topic! My girls have a very visible cross in their ears (it’s where the microship is). However, I don’t think that people without cats understand what this cross means.
Thank you for this very important PSA!
what a wonderful ending to such a sad story….
Chips are so important. One of my friends just was able to find her dog after he ran away too…
What important information. We don’t think the average person would even think about having a stray scanned.
And keep it up to date….nothing more frustrating for rescues to find an animal with a chip that has either no info or bad info.
a local vet was great helping mom when a big orange cat showed up at her office – she called and asked if they would scan him if she brought him over. he didn’t have a chip, but they were happy to help. our rescue will scan as well and the spay/neuter clinic scans every cat that comes into their office in a live trap
I am glad Skittles got home safely.
What an amazing story. I’m so happy Skittles got home safe and sound. Just yesterday Truffles got *way* too close to slipping outside when my mother was at the door.
We’re pleased that Skittles got home safely. We are chipped and if we need to visit the vets they always check that our chips are still in the same place.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
Great information. A friend found a kitty who had a chip but unfortunately no one returned the multiple messages she left for his last family. Luckily he now has a new home and is loved with the chip information updated if he is ever lost again.
This is a fabulous post! I have Dakota microchipped but Cody is not. I keep meaning to do it for Cody but haven’t yet. I MUST take care of that!
What a wonderful post….I’ve never tried sink sitting..ummm
Hugs madi your bfff
Yes! Great post with impawtant ifo
I can’t even imagine the happiness and relief Lisa must have felt to have Skittles back home, especially after five months! Gosh, if there were only a way to remind people who come across a stray to have them scanned for a chip. This is a great post!
I’m so glad that Skittles was returned to Lisa! She sounds like a wonderful woman for having helped him in the first place. He seems happy with her too! Great tips in this post. It would feel wonderful to help someone else who lost their cat to be reunited with their cat.
That’s a very important information ! We’re glad that Skittles came back to his home thanks to his microchip ! Purrs
Oh what a great story. WE are so glad Skittles was reunited with her person!
We are so happy that Skittles is back home with Lisa, a great story about what having a microchip can do.
How wonderful everything worked for Skittles! Thanks for sharing that story, we needed that smile.
What a great post! TW used to think PKitty was stray until she saw him in the deli. You never know. Now TW wishes there was an app for scanning kitties so she could scan the ones in the garage to make sure they’re strays cos one is a gorgeous Russian Blue.
We had a similar case up our way a decade or so ago.. they fed the cat until they couldn’t any more, brought it in and found it was chipped. fortunately that was one of the rare times that the chip was actually registered to someone and the number wasn’t disconnected.. keeping chip information updated is a must.
We’ve had that happen at Wayside numerous times. SCAN that STRAY!! We love that!