Microchipping - Anesthesia Or No?

[LittleShadow]

I'm planning to get my litter of back porch kittens microchipped when they get fixed, but I'm trying to decide the best choice for mama cat. She's spayed now, but I didn't microchip her when I had her fixed. I had delayed asking around to find out if she was owned until AFTER she was fixed, just in case her original humans had been planning to leave her unaltered. She was far too friendly to have been feral all her life, and I'd ended up with my last feral colony because a neighbor refused to spay or neuter. Since I wasn't sure if I'd be keeping her, and I also had five kittens to save up for fixing, I held off.

Now, after a few weeks of flyers being up advertising a found cat and no replies, I'm feeling more confident in calling her mine. I want to microchip her since she seems like she'll be a door darter, but I'm not sure if I should request local anesthesia for the procedure, or if that would be an unnecessary extra step. Could I get some people with microchipped cats to chime in with opinions?

 

[Paris Pluto]

I got my cat microchipped at 12 months old at the same time as her shots and she didn't even flinch. I went in quite hesitant to begin with because I thought she would be in pain but it was over and done with in 1-2 seconds.

 

[goingpostal]

I think all my cats were chipped when they were already under but it can be done awake no problem, it's the same size needles as my ferrets get for hormone implants and they don't knock them out for that unless they are too wiggly.

 

[AbbysMom]

Abby was microchipped while awake and didn't even flinch.

 

[LTS3]

It's no different from a vaccination. The microchip is contained inside the needle part of a syringe. The vet inserts the needle into the skin and injects the microchip in. Some cats may flinch a little because the needle gauge is larger than what is used for a vaccination but are otherwise aren't too bothered.

 

[Neko-chan's mama]

My previous cat was awake when we chipped him. He meowed a bit, but was fine.

 

[Caspers Human]

Once the advance prep is done it only takes seconds to perform the implant.

It's no different than any other kind of injection or blood draw.

Anesthetic would be an unnecessary step.

 

[susanm9006]

I adopted Willow at one. She had been microchipped previously but when they did her checkout for my adoption they couldn’t find it and so they put a new chip in while I waited. There was absolutely no reaction from her when they did it, so it seems pretty painless.

 

[RocketPuppy97]

As a vet assistant I can say that the needles look big and scary compared to a normal syringe, but we hardly ever have a pet even notice it.
The vet assistant would probably be the one to held her in place in case she would flinch, but it's over in like 3 seconds, so it's gonna be fine.
The only case where we sedate pets for a micro chip is when they are aggressive in the first place.

 

[jen]

It's no different from a vaccination.

Having microchipped quite a few cats myself, I will say the needle is MUCH bigger gauge than a vaccination needle. But it is otherwise similar, it may hurt a bit more but they recover fast.

 

[Kieka]

I had Link microchipped at his first exam at 8 weeks old. As a hyperactive adorable kitten I was afraid he'd get out and someone would keep him. The vet said their office recommends getting microchipped while neutered since it is a slightly bigger needle. Link didn't even flinch when the needle went in and it was done in seconds.

 

[MissClouseau]

I've never heard of anesthesia for microchip in Turkey. Mine was awake as well and she did get scared and gave out a yell but it took only like 3 seconds. She was totally normal afterward and that day. Mine was an adult at the time, I don't have experience with kittens.

 

[Uncled]

My two didn't even flinch.

 

[blackcatappreciation2015]

My Elsa was just chipped in June. She only complained about the car ride. No reaction whatsoever to the procedure. I never even thought about anesthesia. The vet didn't mention it, either, so I guess it wasn't a big deal.

 

[vince]

The needle used to place the microchip is large, but is about the same size as the one used when you donate blood. If you've done that, you know how much it hurts--generally, not bad (of course, everybody uses disposable needles these days; it depends on how good the quality control is at the needle company and sometimes, they leave a burr on it--owww!).