Fit your cat with a traceable microchip

By [sfaulkner] simon faulkner simon,faulkner@gsmg.co.uk

CAT owners are being urged to have their feline pets microchipped, so they can be traced more easily if they go missing.

Ian Cartwright, who runs Cat Tracing, the local database of lost and found cats, has seen several cats happily reunited with their owners, thanks to the microchip system.

The tiny microchip is inserted into the cat's neck, and the unique ID number stored on a database along with the owner's details.

If a cat is found, it can be scanned at a rescue centre and the ID number given to the microchip company, who will then inform the owner that their pet has been found.

Ian said: "A microchip can never get lost, whereas a collar can come off – and it doesn't matter how much information there is on a collar if you lose it."

Brenda Proctor, from the Second Chance Rescue Centre in Keelby, said: "It doesn't cost a huge amount – about £15 to 20 – and it's well worth it to avoid the heartache of losing your cat. The best thing to do is to contact your vet."