Tattoo Id?

[Neo_23]

I'm deciding whether to get my new cat a tattoo ID or microchip. I know most people like microchips but I've done some research on them and apparently they have been linked to lots of health issues including cancerous growths in multiple studies. I also personally feel like they are not that effective as most people who find cats probably don't get them scanned. I'd rather have something visible to show that she is owned by someone. I'd prefer that she didn't wear a collar because she hates it and I just don't like making her wear one.

What are people's thoughts on tattoos? Are they relatively safe/painless? I can't find too much information on them online.

 

[jcat]

Tattoos have pretty much been replaced by microchips because the latter have big advantages. Tattoos are done under anesthesia, which isn't required for the implantation of a transponder. Tattoos fade with time - they can become quite illegible by the time the pet reaches its senior years, if not before. If the pet has dark skin, a tattoo can be difficult or impossible to read right from the beginning. Due to space requirements (ear size in cats), registration of a tattoo number is generally restricted to a specific geographic location, e.g., a state or county, while transponders have so many digits that national or international registration is possible. A lot of cats also won't allow a stranger to touch their ears, so reading a transponder is easier.

I'd personally do both. Our last cat was tattooed and microchipped. The tattoo was basically useless when he was older because it had faded so much. Mowgli is only microchipped because the skin in his ears is black and a tattoo would barely "take" even if it were emerald green like Jamie's was.

I'm also a firm believer in breakaway collars with ID tags in addition to transponders/tattoos. I work at a shelter and find redundancy in means of identifying strays is best.

ETA: Another thought is that a lot of younger vets may not have any tattooing experience due to the widespread use of microchips. In our area, feral cats that are TNRed are microchipped and then tattooed to show at a glance that they've been neutered (their ears aren't "notched"). A lot of vets who don't treat ferals also don't tattoo, even though it's a pretty simple procedure.

 

[Neo_23]

Thanks for all of the information. I didn’t know that they have to put her under to tattoo her. I really don’t want to do that.

The other issue is that I’m not sure if she already has a microchip. The rescue I got her from said that the previous owners didn’t mention it. Even if we check and can’t find it there is still a chance she has one and I don’t want to inject her with one twice.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

jcat 's post is excellent reading.

My kitty Milly came from a rescue that still does ear tats as ID. This shelter does it by default; they don't do microchipping. She got the tats under anesthesia when she was spayed as a kitten and before I adopted her. One ear has a ID relating to the rescue name and year born; the other ear, her number relating to a numbering system the rescue had for cats saved/rescued per year (Milly was number 245). At this time, Milly is not microchipped but I may change that soon. We've registered her specific ear tats with several local vets and with the city/county where I live (and the county where she was rescued), similar to the way a microchip should be registered and kept up-to-date. However, Milly will be three this Spring, and I've seen a letter in one ear tattoo already fading and becoming unrecognizable. Not a good thing. I'd rather not get her tattooed again!

I agree that younger vets and most people, really, aren't familiar with ear tats used as ID... and if my kitty was lost and found by someone in the urban setting I live in, they may not "comprehend" what numbered ear tattoos mean. Who knows where Milly could end up if, although a long shot risk, she dashed out of our apartment building. I am moving into the realm of getting her chipped this year (my first cat was not chipped, my 2nd cat was chipped -- Milly's my third cat).

I think the possible health issues people are concerned about might not be so common as to negate the positive action of microchipping. I personally have not chipped Milly yet as I felt her immune system wasn't too strong in her first year or so (she was an orphaned bottle-baby and didn't have a lot of the advantages of a mother's milk). I suppose I thought my consideration of that during her first year would decrease any remote chance she could get a long-term health issue from a microchip. I have no idea if I am correct or not -- but it is what it is!

 

[jcat]

Thanks for all of the information. I didn’t know that they have to put her under to tattoo her. I really don’t want to do that.

The other issue is that I’m not sure if she already has a microchip. The rescue I got her from said that the previous owners didn’t mention it. Even if we check and can’t find it there is still a chance she has one and I don’t want to inject her with one twice.

Sometimes the microchips migrate a little bit, but anybody using a universal microchip reader and checking her entire neck and shoulders should be able to determine if there is one. If she has one that isn't working (possible), it wouldn't interfere with a second one.

I've seen them implanted plenty of times. It takes seconds, and most cats and kittens don't even flinch.

 

[Neo_23]

Sometimes the microchips migrate a little bit, but anybody using a universal microchip reader and checking her entire neck and shoulders should be able to determine if there is one. If she has one that isn't working (possible), it wouldn't interfere with a second one.

I've seen them implanted plenty of times. It takes seconds, and most cats and kittens don't even flinch.

So this is a strange thought... but would the vet think it is weird for me to not know if she has a microchip? What if they think I stole her or something? The rescue that I got her from was a small one and they didn't have a microchip scanner.

 

[jcat]

I doubt the vet would think it strange that you didn't know, but he might wonder why the rescue didn't have a vet check for a chip.
If you get her chipped, please, please register her! A pet peeve of mine, and of other shelter workers, is how many stray dogs and cats we get that are chipped but were never registered. If we're really lucky, the chip might still be registered in the name of the shelter they were adopted from and the shelter can check their adoption records. Then we sit back and hope the adopter still wants their pet back, but that's not always the case

 

[Neo_23]

I doubt the vet would think it strange that you didn't know, but he might wonder why the rescue didn't have a vet check for a chip.

It was just a small rescue run by a lady on her farm. She rescued my current cat from a hoarding situation so I guess she knew who the previous owner was and didn't think to check. She just told me that she wasn't sure if she had a microchip and that I could check at the vet.

 

[Neo_23]

jcat 's post is excellent reading.

My kitty Milly came from a rescue that still does ear tats as ID. This shelter does it by default; they don't do microchipping. She got the tats under anesthesia when she was spayed as a kitten and before I adopted her. One ear has a ID relating to the rescue name and year born; the other ear, her number relating to a numbering system the rescue had for cats saved/rescued per year (Milly was number 245). At this time, Milly is not microchipped but I may change that soon. We've registered her specific ear tats with several local vets and with the city/county where I live (and the county where she was rescued), similar to the way a microchip should be registered and kept up-to-date. However, Milly will be three this Spring, and I've seen a letter in one ear tattoo already fading and becoming unrecognizable. Not a good thing. I'd rather not get her tattooed again!

I agree that younger vets and most people, really, aren't familiar with ear tats used as ID... and if my kitty was lost and found by someone in the urban setting I live in, they may not "comprehend" what numbered ear tattoos mean. Who knows where Milly could end up if, although a long shot risk, she dashed out of our apartment building. I am moving into the realm of getting her chipped this year (my first cat was not chipped, my 2nd cat was chipped -- Milly's my third cat).

I think the possible health issues people are concerned about might not be so common as to negate the positive action of microchipping. I personally have not chipped Milly yet as I felt her immune system wasn't too strong in her first year or so (she was an orphaned bottle-baby and didn't have a lot of the advantages of a mother's milk). I suppose I thought my consideration of that during her first year would decrease any remote chance she could get a long-term health issue from a microchip. I have no idea if I am correct or not -- but it is what it is!

My previous vet was firmly against microchips. She had been practicing for 30 years and was on the board of veterinarians when it was decided to implement microchips in my province. She said she was adamantly against it because there were many studies showing the adverse effects. I trusted her; she was always well informed and up to date on research. So she got me thinking about whether it is worth it. Realistically, my girl is a lynx point siamese. I feel like if someone were to find her they would be tempted to keep her for themselves and I really wonder how often a cat gets scanned for a microchip unless they are found by a shelter worker.

The other thing with her is that she doesn't try to dart out the door and since she is siamese she is very good at coming when called. So I guess I'm just going back and forth weighing the pros and cons and wondering if it will be necessary. I appreciate everyone's input.

 

[jcat]

Even indoor cats get lost when there's a fire, gas leak, burglary, medical emergency, or repair people going in and out. Carriers break when a cat is being put in the car following a vet visit.

Around here, the police, vets, and shelters have scanners. A lot of people who find strays know that.

 

[Neo_23]

Even indoor cats get lost when there's a fire, gas leak, burglary, medical emergency, or repair people going in and out. Carriers break when a cat is being put in the car following a vet visit.

Around here, the police, vets, and shelters have scanners. A lot of people who find strays know that.

All valid points and why I am struggling with making a decision. I have access to peer-reviewed science articles and have also been doing some research. There is actually quite a bit of evidence in the veterinary literature linking microchips to injection site sarcomas and spinal cord injuries, it's quite interesting.

I definitely will be kicking myself if she gets out and I don't have any ID on her. At this point I'm wondering if maybe putting a collar on her would be my best bet. But then I start worrying about her collar being a danger to her! Haha, I just worry too much.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

..., my girl is a lynx point siamese. I feel like if someone were to find her they would be tempted to keep her for themselves and I really wonder how often a cat gets scanned for a microchip unless they are found by a shelter worker.

The other thing with her is that she doesn't try to dart out the door and since she is siamese she is very good at coming when called. So I guess I'm just going back and forth weighing the pros and cons and wondering if it will be necessary. I appreciate everyone's input.

Even indoor cats get lost when there's a fire, gas leak, burglary, medical emergency, or repair people going in and out. Carriers break when a cat is being put in the car following a vet visit.

Around here, the police, vets, and shelters have scanners. A lot of people who find strays know that.

It's a fair point, that it all depends on the integrity and compassion of the human finding a lost cat.


In regards to door-darting, my DH and I have a particular system that helps prevent Milly from doing that, but we've also made it a point to have Milly be very familiar with the smells of our 3rd floor hallway and of the neighbors. We've been walking her in said hallway for a year and a half. Should she ever be accidentally let out by a repair person, she can "smell" her way home; plus, many neighbors know her. It helps in have a social human network around you, people who know you, whom you can trust. But, as I said, I will likely chip her this year.

 

[1 bruce 1]

My previous vet was firmly against microchips. She had been practicing for 30 years and was on the board of veterinarians when it was decided to implement microchips in my province. She said she was adamantly against it because there were many studies showing the adverse effects. I trusted her; she was always well informed and up to date on research. So she got me thinking about whether it is worth it. Realistically, my girl is a lynx point siamese. I feel like if someone were to find her they would be tempted to keep her for themselves and I really wonder how often a cat gets scanned for a microchip unless they are found by a shelter worker.

The other thing with her is that she doesn't try to dart out the door and since she is siamese she is very good at coming when called. So I guess I'm just going back and forth weighing the pros and cons and wondering if it will be necessary. I appreciate everyone's input.

I don't love microchips; I don't know if there are universal scanners or not (or, if there are, how wide spread and available they are). I'm always worried that an incorrect scanner will be used and the chip won't be located =/
I've had some with tattoo's, and I do like them. Years ago there was a dog registry you registered your tattoo'ed dog with, and they worked hard to keep dogs registered with them out of shelters, and research labs wouldn't accept tattooed animals. (I don't know if that's still the case, as this has been decades ago!)
My problem with a tattoo is if some nice person finds your pet running around the neighborhood, they'll check for a collar, check for a microchip (maybe) but hardly anyone would think to look for a tat in the ear or inner thigh. Some vets would probably check the ear flap, but getting a strange dog that's scared and lost on their back to check the inner thigh is probably asking for it.
(The thigh tattoo is done on dogs more I think and requires more attention to keeping the area cleared of hair so it can be visible.)
Maybe a good, quality break-away collar with a information tag would be a good option?
If you're extremely worried, keep the number of any and all vet clinics and shelters or rescue organizations in your area's addresses and phone numbers handy in case of an emergency, so if by some chance they come up missing you won't waste time fumbling for phone numbers. You can call, describe, and ask they watch and call daily.
Perhaps more morbid, you could make up a general "lost" poster and save to your computer with lots of pictures now, just in case, so if she somehow slips outside, you won't be wasting time finding pictures, writing down information, printing it, etc.
Paranoid maybe but it never hurts to be prepared "just in case".!