It is important to get your cat and dog tagged with a microchip, so that they can be identified if they stray. These devices, the size of a rice grain, are inserted by a vet under the loose skin at the back of the neck. Each chip has a unique number that can be detected by a scanner. All outdoor cats should also have a collar with an ID tag giving your contact details. The collar must be loose enough to slip two fingers underneath and have a quick release snap that tugs open if the collar becomes snagged. Collars with elastic inserts are unsafe as they may stretch enough to become stuck around the head or a leg.
