How it is placed
The AVMA explains that the chip goes under the skin with a needle only slightly larger than a vaccine needle. No surgery or anesthesia is needed, so it is often done at a regular visit or during a spay or neuter.
What a chip cannot do
It is not a GPS tracker. It only holds a number that a scanner reads.
The step that actually brings cats home
Register the chip and keep your phone number current. The AVMA says the most important database to keep up to date is the one run by the chip's manufacturer.
Prices shared by cat owners
Where these numbers come from
We never estimate or copy prices from elsewhere. Every figure on this page was shared by a cat owner, and a typical price only shows once five owners have shared one. Health facts on this page come from:
- AVMA, Microchips: the ticket home (client brochure, 2022). Checked October 25, 2026.
Prices differ a lot between towns and clinics, so treat these as a starting point and ask your vet for a quote.
