Will a microchip tell me my cat's location?

Unfortunately, no. To know a location, we would have to have some sort of a GPS device or signal. This is different—microchips use what's called R-F-I-D, Radio Frequency Identification. What this means is that when the chip is scanned, it sends a very quick signal to the reader, and it is just a unique number— usually a 16 or so digit number. And if you’ve taken the time to register that microchip and you linked your contact information to it, then you will have your cat returned to you. Any time that number is scanned, it will allow us as veterinarians or employees at animal control to pull up your information, so that we can call you and say, "Hey, we have Fluffy at our clinic," and that's how you're reunited. Unfortunately, it’s not a GPS though.

Microchips are currently passive devices. They don't emit a signal like a GPS, so at this point, it will not identify where your cat is, like find-my-phone on your Apple phone. However, it is a way for a veterinary clinic, a police department, and a shelter to be able to find you and your phone number from the database where the microchip is registered.

No, microchips are not GPS trackers. The primary function of a microchip is to store a unique identification number, which can be scanned by veterinarians, animal shelters, and rescue organizations to retrieve your contact information. GPS tracking technology is not currently integrated with microchipping systems.