For a few years now, Italian law requires that all dogs be microchipped, while for cats it’s only compulsory when traveling abroad. The final goal is to extend this to all cats. The subject’s been hot for a few days now and from the way of it, it seems that they, too, will need to be microchipped for identification.
Cats are finicky by nature and have a remarkably entrepreneurial spirit. They need to move around and explore the world, and due to this wild character, they often tend to stay away from home for days at a time. Microchipping your cat would solve several problems: first of all, it keeps people from abandoning their pets; second, should your cat ever be stolen or get lost, it would be immediately identifiable thanks to the chip.
What is this microchip? It’s a small device inserted subcutaneously (under the skin), through a painless procedure. Unless it receives impulses, it emits no waves at all, of any kind. Every microchipped cat will be associated to an identification number containing 15 characters. The first three characters indicate its country of origin, while the other twelve contain the owner’s data. When a stray cat is found, a veterinarian can use a specific tool to decipher this code and identify the owner.
Microchips can be useful in other situations as well. For instance, it may be associated to latest-generation swing doors, such as Ferplast’s Swing Microchip. This door can be installed in the lower part of a glass or wood entrance door, on a garage door, or on a brick wall. Its particular feature is the special antenna that detects and decodes the subcutaneous microchip of your pet, opening the door when the cat comes near. Thanks to its fantastic selective identification system, it controls the entrance, only allowing your cat through and keeping other pets out.
The cat door works even if you have more than one cat at home: it can memorise up to 32 different microchips. Just place the cats near the door one at a time and press the red button to save the code. If necessary, you can also disable the cat identification system; in this case, the door will work like any other traditional cat door. It also comes with a four-way closing system, so you can decide whether to allow your cat to come and go as it pleases, to allow entrance only or exit only, or to block the door entirely. If your cat is not microchipped, the package comes with a practical microchipped collar for your friend.
What do you think about microchipping cats? Don’t you think it’s an important tool to protect your furry friends?
