My Cat Has a Microchip From a Previous Owner [What to Do?]

If you’ve recently come into possession of a new cat that had a previous owner the chances are it has an existing microchip. Well, there’s no need to be worried or concerned, with a little bit of effort you can change the ownership details associated with this microchip to your own. 

How to Transfer Your Cat’s Microchip Details to a New Owner?

Microchip registration can be transferred from previous owners in two main ways. The most straightforward and easy way is simply to ask your cat’s, previous owner, for the registration details. In this case, the original cat’s owner can just tell you simply what microchip company your cat is chipped by and can provide you with the login information to the website.

Some websites have different rules and regulations regarding the changing of ownership and paperwork might be necessary to transfer ownership.

Here you can log in and change the required details to your name. Unfortunately, life isn’t always this easy, and adopting or rescuing cats is where the process starts to become more complicated. 

If you adopted your cat from a shelter things start to get difficult. The animal shelter you adopt the cat from, or any vet for that matter should be able to scan the microchip and provide you with the information on which the microchip company your cat is registered with. This usually involves contact details for the previous owner, the problem here is that usually previous owners are not responsive and do not want to comply with changing the details.

What to Do if the Previous Owner Doesn’t Respond?

In most cases what will happen is that the microchip company will write to the previous owners asking them if they still want ownership of the cat, if they do not comply or respond in 28 days (This number varies from country to country) then new owner registration can take place. 

It’s important to know that worldwide many microchip companies have different policies regarding how they change ownership, if you are dealing with an unresponsive owner I would suggest you get your cat scanned first find the microchip company then give them a call to explain the situation. 

Why Microchips Are Important for Your Cat’s Well-Being?

When a cat gets microchipped, it’s given a unique static number that is added to a database. All the important information regarding your cat is attached to this number. Including specific details about your cat such as health and vaccination records, in addition to this ownership information is also stored. This information is essential to the health and safety of your cat for many reasons. Especially if your cat goes missing or gets lost, it’s one of the best ways that you’ll be able to find your cat again. 

Keeping Your Cats Microchip up to Date Is Responsible

Rehoming cats sometimes comes with the inconvenience of having to change your cat’s microchip details and keeping the current. Make sure to request microchips and vaccination records from the previous owner. After updating all the information and transferring the microchip registration into your name, remember to keep it updated. If you move or change your phone number, make sure to update your cat’s microchip with the new information. This way, if your cat gets lost and someone else finds them, you will be easy to locate.

The Best Bone Broth for Cats [Complete Guide]

Microchips Are Not Always Proof of Ownership [Warning]

While microchip registration can be used as a way to establish ownership of cats, it is not the only method available. There are multiple ways to establish ownership, including registering with a governing body or organization, providing adoption papers, having legal documentation, or even having a purchase agreement. It is important to be aware of these various means of establishing ownership and not rely solely on microchip registration