Microchipping

charcoal

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What is a good age to have your cats microchipped? Charcoal is 8 months and the babies are going on four months old now but they are still really tiny. They weighed three pounds at their last appointment and the girl weighed two. They eat all the time but I don't want them to hurt more than necessary. How old were your cats when they were microchipped?
 

starlie

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Have you asked for vet what he/she thinks? They will tell you if the cat is old enough/weighs enough to get microchipped.

Kionu was 5 months old and weighed 4-5 lbs. He actually got microchipped when he was neutered. Miko was 8 yrs old and weighed 9 lbs. Sebastian was 6 years old and weighed 12 lbs. The microchip is the same size as a grain of rice and injected like a vaccine. Fairly painless.
 

beckiboo

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I have assisted at spay/neuter clinics, where all the cats are microchipped. It is done after they are asleep for the surgery. But the microchips are tiny, and shot in with a needle. I think it could go in any size cat.

Double check with your vet, but I would think doing it when you spay and neuter, or when they go in for shots would be a good idea.
 
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charcoal

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He said they were too small last time so I wasn't sure if there was a set age limit or weight limit before they could be microchipped. He said the needle they use is huge and would hurt them.
 

ash_bct

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All of mine were done when they were spayed/neutered. All between 4 and 6 months. I agree that the chips are really tiny (saw lots done when I worked at the vets) but I don't think I saw any done before about 3 months. So I think yours should be fine
 

gilly

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Guin was 5 months old - he was fixed at the same time
I feel more comfortable knowing that he has an ID tag on him that he can't lose too.
 

maverick_kitten

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my little one was done last week aged 13 weeks. he didnt even notice it was being done even though it was a huuugggeee needle.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Charcoal

He said they were too small last time so I wasn't sure if there was a set age limit or weight limit before they could be microchipped. He said the needle they use is huge and would hurt them.
I just wanted to say I love your Siggie. You have some really contented looking animals there! Beautiful!

I'm considering having Bijou microchipped too. Mika has been done already (and she was really tiny).
 
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charcoal

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Thanks for the replies. They are four months old now so I will ask them to do it this coming up appointment.

Thank you Yosemite. I caught them all yesterday while they were napping. lol
 

sandtigress

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Its about microchipping, so I figured I would just add it to this thread - does anyone have an idea of how much it costs to have your cats microchipped? I really want to do it, but I still have to get both my boys neutered when I get them, plus all the vacinations and the setup of getting two new cats, so money might be an issue. Thanks!
 
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charcoal

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It isn't costing me hardly anything because we go to the local military base and do it there. Not sure what the cost average is elsewhere but for us it is $14 a cat.
 

roxy_loves_cj

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not sure how much it costs. CJ had his done when I got him from the humane society. It was $60 to get him fixed, chipped, and all his shots up to date. He was 7 months when I got him. (we are having our year birthday in a week!)
 

tourmaline

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I'm having Nepheline microchipped on Wed. when her is being spayed. My cat is 5 months old and nearly 6 pounds. She isn't fat, but compared to the weights of cats mentioned she seems really big! Plus she had her first heat last week. I wonder if she is actually older? I got her as a stray at 8 weeks and maybe they estimated her age wrong. Does 6 pounds seem big for a 5 month old domestic short-hair?
 
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charcoal

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Interesting about the birds. I never thought about doing it for birds.
 

arlyn

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Birds are actually one of the species the chips were orginally designed for.
 

flisssweetpea

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Originally Posted by Charcoal

He said they were too small last time so I wasn't sure if there was a set age limit or weight limit before they could be microchipped. He said the needle they use is huge and would hurt them.
If they are small I would agree with your Vet. Tippy and Felicity were 3 months old and microchipped at the shelter before they were released to us. They were "normal" size and whilst Tippy miaowed like she does when vaccinated it didn't unduly alarm her.

Lily is tiny - she was just 3 pounds at 7 months and was microchipped - the needle is big for such a small kitty and she doesn't have much fat on her. She squealed horrendously, it just about broke our hearts. It took the vet 3 attempts and we were about to tell her to leave it and we would have it done when she was spayed and under anaesthetic but she finally got the needle in.

Based on that, if they are small, I would say it is worth doing, but probably better done when they are neutered.
 

jcat

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I'm not so sure that age or weight are considered when microchipping. Our local shelter has it done with kittens anywhere from the ages of 8 to 14 weeks, while ear tattoos are done when the cats are neutered,
 

laceydf

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I'm thinking about having Juicy chipped as well. I wonder how much it costs here? $14 is real cheap---i would think it would be very expensive. I'll have to call around...
 
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