Tattoo or Micro-chip?

Question

which is better? i mean tattoo would be done when the cat is down for being fixed...and microchipped can be done whenever...but which one is better

he's an inside cat, but just incase, cause you never know when they plan on leaving!

Answer 1

Microchip is the safest - any shelter or vet will have a scanner to get your pet back to you. It looks like a grain of white rice, and is injected under the skin between the shoulders with a needle slightly larger than one used for vaccines. It can be done in an office visit without anesthesia and is painless to the vast majority of pets. If any found pet is brought to a vet or shelter, it is scanned fo a microchip first thing. In some places, even law enforcement officers have scanners.

I also suggest a tag on the collar - that way, if the pet is found just by a nieghbor, they can get it right back to you directly without having to involve any authorities.

Most people get their Socal Security # for the tattoo, and because of the Privacy Information Act, no one can get your info through that means anymore - so it is pointless, FYI.

Answer 2

My cats all have microchips and have had them for ten years or more. The drawback to that is that a person finding the cat must have a scanner to read the chip. Only the humane society has such a scanner. So my cats are only protected if some good samaritan would take them to a shelter to be scanned. If a microchipped cat were to be killed on the road animal control would be able to scan the body and at least inform me what had happened to the cat.

I don't know what they put on the tatoos. Your address might change and then the information wouldn't be helpful. Do they use SS numbers or driver's license numbers?

My cats are not free-roaming so I don't have to worry much.

Answer 3

Microchip

Answer 4

For a cat a microchip is probably best. If some one finds a scared lost kitty it's gonna be easier to scan him than pin him down and read a tatoo number. Tatoos were set up for registered dogs before microchipping. They work but not as easily.

Answer 5

If the cat has a good chance of escaping the house, or if u take the cat with u on vacations, etc I would definitely microchip cuz vets etc are used to them and they work well. If u keep the cat inside u may not need either, but u could still do either. the tatoo may bother the cat more as it heals.

Answer 6

Microchip

Answer 7

Tattoos are easy for anyone to see, no special tool needed BUT they can fade, blurr, the person seeing the tattoo may not know who/where to contact to get registration info, and they may be altered.
Microchips are perminant and unalterable, BUT you need a scanner to know if it is there, if the person who found your pet doesn't take it to be scanned there is no way to know the chip is there.

Microchips are easier for animal control, humane societies, and vets to get your pet back to you as soon as possible though.

I personally have all 7 of my pets microchipped and they all wear collars with ID.

Answer 8

All stray animals are to be scanned when they are picked up. The hair should grow back on the cat that my cover up the tattoo.

Another piece of advice for all is to check with you microchip company to make sure they still have all your info. We have found that they have lost adopters info. Another thing to do is on routine visits to the vet have them scan to make sure the chip is still working

Answer 9

Because it's a better way to prove you own the cat, a microchip is better.

Answer 10

Micro chip
More easily read and easier to idnetify owners info from.
Tattoos are not as easily found and read and who do you call to find out info on owner of pet. Tattoos are not registered anywhere like microchips are.
Unless you have a thoroughbred horse registered with Jockey Club they keep track of tattoos on horses.