If you haven't had your cat microchipped yet and you're moving to a new home, then now is a good time to sort this out. Why?

Microchipping May Be Mandatory

Some states require you to microchip your cat. If you currently live in a state that doesn't make this mandatory but you are moving to one that does, then you should certainly do this before you move if your cat is at the statutory microchipping age. So, for example, if a state requires cats to have a microchip by the time they are six months old and your cat is older than this, then it needs a chip before you move. If you don't microchip a cat when you should, then you could get a penalty fine.

If you just haven't microchipped your pet yet because it hasn't reached the required age, then you may have been waiting to sort that out until after your move. This may not seem an essential step right now when you have so much moving stuff to organise. However, it is worth doing before you move even if your pet isn't old enough to need a chip yet. Why is that?

Microchipping Can Help People Find Lost Pets

Your cat currently has an established territory. When you move, even if you only go a few streets away, your pet has a new territory to deal with. If you keep an indoor cat, it has no sense of the outside world around your home.

While you know to keep your cat indoors for a while to help it settle in after a move, cats don't always play along. If you leave a door or accessible window open by accident, your cat may decide to explore outside. In some cases, cats have been known to try to return to their old homes after a move. The problem is, if your pet strays out of your home or yard, it could get lost pretty quickly. It won't necessarily know the boundaries of its home territory just yet.

If your cat does get lost and ends up at a vet's clinic, shelter or council service, then it will have a microchip scan. As long as your current contact details are in the relevant databases and your pet is microchipped, you'll get your pet back pretty quickly.

So, it makes sense to ask your vet to microchip your cat now before you move. Your vet can also explain what you need to do to register your pet in the relevant chip databases.