Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: coastalkitty on June 08, 2007, 13:34:54 PM
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Hi there, we are off to the vets later to start the vax course and have a check up. My vet includes in the price of the kitten vaccination course a free microchip at the moment. What age is okay to have a chip, Ive had foster dogs and my own dogs chipped in the past and the needle seems humungous for a tiny kitten to me. I was thinking of putting it off, she is 11 weeks old and quite little for her age, Im actually wondering if she is younger, but will ask the vet when Im there. I would like to hear your views though so I am prepared.
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The nicest time to get her chipped is when she is being spayed (as she will be asleep)
However, having said that i got the last 2 of mine chipped the other day and they didnt flinch abit (they arnt kittens though)
Have a word with the vet when he does the vaccines
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That needle seems to upset people more than the cats! It makes a horrible noise, like sewing leather, so we let our imagination tell us it must hurt, but my lot didn't even flinch!
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I would advise getting them microchipped when they are being spayed/neutered as well as long as you don't let them out in the meantime. I was looking at some RSPCA chips the other day, and the needle they use for the microchipping is a lot bigger than what my vets use so you have to bear in mind, all needles are not the same size and it must hurt on a small kitten but then again, I hate needles full stop :sick:
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Loki was chipped when he had his 2nd jabs so he would have been about 12 weeks old. He was so tiny and the needle huge :Crazy:. I nearly fainted but he didnt even flinch :rofl:. I think Daves right its the humans that are worried not the cats.
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Because my kittens are chipped before they go to their new homes I often have them done with their first vaccination when they are only nine weeks old but my Vet is brilliant and nine times out of ten they do not notice and even those that do flinch have forgotten it again within five minutes. I know I have it done early but I like to register through my address so that the new owners then have to let me know when they move and I up-date the records. That way, if they forget to tell me I know that if it was left to them they would have forgotten to tell the microchip company. Then if a kitty is lost and I don't have owners new details, at least the kitten has a home with me.
I keep meaning to book in on a course so I could microchip them myself but I'm not sure if I would be confident enough doing the kittens myself and my Vet does it for me for only £10 and she does do such a good job of it so I will stick with this method for now.
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I think it does go on a personal basis and how secure they are in the house, not able to escape out a door or window.
Obviously many rescues are most likely to do them before being rehomed so they will do kittens (as do many non rescue too)
If it was my kittens i'd wait until they were being neutered but having said that if your vet is only offereing it free at the SAME time as the vaccs then that would be rather silly not to take up the offer.
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thanks everyone for your replies, its much appreciated.
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We chip all our kittens when they are homed, it is quick and easy and none have ever appeared to suffer in any way at all.
makes a horrible noise,
Our implant devices don't. Also some of out fosterers use the injection type.
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The noise could have been partly imaginary - the point is, as you say, the cats don't seem to be bothered at all. Just one look at that needle gave me the shivers though!
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I asked the same Q a while ago, I think the consensus is that while it's OK to have it done that young if you can guarantee 100% that they won't 'escape' then to wait until neutering, that's what I've decided to do with my boys anyway.
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thanks, Ive just returned from the vets - we have decided to wait until the next injection is due, by which time she will be 14 weeks and we will see how much she's grown and take it from there. The vet said lots of people do have their kittens chipped at the first jab and each kitten reacts differently.
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did the vet say if the offer of free chipping would still stand if you decided to wait ?
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From what I can gather, (although I will ring them tomorrow and check it out now you have mentioned it), I can have it done next visit for free, but Im unsure whether I can hold off until neutering time, I dont really see why not, it was an offer with the vax course, it didnt stipulate a time scale - I will ring tomorrow and find out for definite.
The normal chip is free, if I want the thermo chip I need to pay an extre £9 to offset the cost.
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I would do a search on here for the thermo chip, not sure it is as good as they make it out to be.
Only one of mine have been bothered by being chipped - but that was PEbbles, and we really wouldnt have expected anything less from her!!
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My vet will not microchip until kittens are 6 months old. Policy apparently !
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ok so what is the "thermo" chip then ?
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The thermo chip gives the temperature as well as the chip number, saves having a thermometer shoved up their butt but I've heard they are not that reliable :shify:
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The boys will be chipped when they get the chop :evillaugh:
Having seen the size of the needle :sick: it makes me feel better that they will be asleep at the time ;)
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I've heard they are not that reliable
We too have received that advice
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My vet will not microchip until kittens are 6 months old. Policy apparently
That does surprise me. We always advise people not to let their kittens out (if indeed they intend to let them out at all) until they are neutered and spayed, however few people take any notice. It is surprising how many kittens are brought to our doors that are chipped and we can reunite them with their owner very quickly.
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I dont like your vets policy Linda - what happened if one accidentally got out, it might never get reunited.
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Oh i see...yes that makes sense - thermo - temperature LOL :doh:
aaah well just aswell we dont all have to go to lindas vets then ..... not alot of chance of her benglys escaping so we shouldnt worry. I dare say if someone was hell bent on getting them done as kittens there are other vets in the area and the ones who would let a kitten out free range probably wouldnt have chipped in the first place.
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Benglys are all chipped so no need to worry ;)
I dont necessarily agree with my vets policy Desley, just pointing it out as there may be other vets who are the same.
edited to add - and being honest the chances of me getting my benglys back (microchipped or not) are pretty minimal as has happened on many occasions to other bengal owners. Can see many handing Kaiser back over, thats if they could catch him in the first place :rofl:
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Lynn - I didn't mean Linda's Bengals escaping, just kittens in general if the vet wont do them - and I dont know where Linda is to know how many other vets there are. Everyone here goes to the same vets, as the others are 7-8 miles away, I can walk to mine in 10 mins, vet thinks I am odd when I use the car to get there!!
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I had Oz chipped when she went for her second set of shots. The needle was huge, and I wouldn't want it in my arm or behind my neck. :Crazy:
The Vet had two attempts to put the chip in as Oz flinched so violently. She let out such a cry that she set off all the dogs and cats in the waiting room. Must have been the inernational animal cry for " Thats a huge f :censored:g needle.... RUN!"
But as she is going to be an outside cat, and even at 8 weeks was crying to be let out, I thought it would be better to have everything done in one go. And not risk her butter off before getting her chipped when she is spayed.
Also signed up for the missing pets bureau, just incase.
(is it me or do I worry too much about this?)
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so is she going to be getting out before she is spayed then ? (bearing in mind there has been cats about 4 mnths old give birth which would mean they came into season 8-12 wks old.)
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Oh god never thought of that. I will get onto the vets asap....
Don't want to sound like a total muppet but I thought they could only come into season after 6 months. There is no way I want a litter of kittens.
One is enough to deal with ;)
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dont worry lots of people are under the same impression, this is first and formost a site to help rescues and homeless etc so we see on a regular basis the rescuers posting in about kittens having kittens and so many who dont have homes as it is.
Whilst some vets still dont neuter before 6 months others will so discuss it and see what their policy is, this time of year for a kitten her age it would be quite normal for them to come into season early as the spring summer seasons brings it on quicker.
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Thanks Lynn,
She is staying in tomorrow, not letting the local toms get their filthy paws on my kitten. She is too precious.
She is my little baby lol
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well done. she might not like it..even my indoor boy has been naughty trying to get out the door but its for their own good, not too long before she can get out after her op.
have you heard or thought about securacat proof fencing, you can actually secure your garden to prevent her being able to escape or the likes of me that isnt poosible so my boys have a run they get out too..a comprimise but i am beside an extremely busy 60mph + road.
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I am very lucky I live on a cul-de-sac that is very quiet, no fast cars.
Like the idea of the fencing though, there are a few places I would patch up.
Thanks again, you may have saved me the stress and turning my hair even more grey.
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i would start ringing round vets now to see what age they will do it at - CP are now recommending 3/4 months because of them coming into season younger - my vet has seen farm cats pregnant at 3/4mo, we have had 8mo come in with kittens, so must have got pregnant at 5-6mo. Good luck with her.
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Thats it I am putting her on the pill till she can get spayed. :)
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Even if they couldnt get pregnant, at that age they have no sense of direction and can easily get lost :(
Im glad Oz is being kept away from the dirty toms
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goatboy heres the link for catproofing :)
http://www.chaptanservices.com/purrs/index.php?topic=4802.0
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Top site as well.
Will have to join when I get paid. (This cat is costing me a fortune lol)
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I took kitty back for her second vax last night and we had the chipping done then. She didnt react at all, but.. as I was stroking her afterwards whilst talking to the vet I felt something move against my fingers and there was the chip!! the vet said it had not happened to her before and she felt that it came out as she withdrew the machine - so poor kitty had to have another one inserted. Again she didnt flinch at all. The chip showed up on the scanner just fine. I was a bit concerned though that I could feel it last night when we got home, and it was much futher down that I expected it to be, way past the shoulder blades. Is that normal? When I have taken foster dogs for chipping its gone just at the shoulder blades. The vet did her vaccination further down because she said she was going to chip at the shoulder blades, and as I held her the vet inserted the chip in that area, although after the first attempt came out, she re chipped with a new chip and then sort of pullled kitty's skin up along her back to make sure it went in properly. She is now 14 weeks old as far as we know. Is it normal to be able to feel it at first? :scared:
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Have you seen this post? http://www.chaptanservices.com/purrs/index.php?topic=5353.msg83045#msg83045 (http://www.chaptanservices.com/purrs/index.php?topic=5353.msg83045#msg83045)
I can feel one of my boys chips, he is a skinny thing and its down his shoulder too. It hasnt moved yet and has been there nearly a year.
I just keep an eye on it and get it scanned regularly ;D
Its disturbing how many cases i read of this happening, how many cats are believed chipped when in fact they have fallen out at home :shify: i think all vets should scan at each visit to check its still working ok. It puts my mind at rest.
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I hadnt read that thread before, so thanks for the link, thats very interesting. Im glad I was stroking her whilst chatting or I might never of known that the chip had come out straight away! I will make sure I have the chip checked whenever we are at the vets. Its only a month or so until we are in for neutering so I will definitely ask them to run the scanner over her to double check. thankyou :)
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Hopefully that will put your mind at rest. I havent heard of any comming out weeks later as the hole heals up, just the first day or so.
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Ive noticed that Ozzy's chip has moved down to her right leg. Feels like a grain of rice, or is that just me freaking out?
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My Vet charges £40 to microchip - after reading some of the magnificent bargains on here it does make one feel a bit miffed. But it has to be done I suppose :(
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no goatboy thats the chip you can feel, codys moved down to the top of his leg aswell, no worries though.
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Yvonne have you got any dog groomers around your way? They can often do it ;D