Ginger Mickey gets chipped

Bill our reporter shared his experience of helping a friend out!

I recently took a friend to have her cat "Chipped". There was a notice, online, that an RSPCA initiative, with Cat's Trust and the Co-op Centre, on Suffolk Street, Hendon, for anyone without the wherewithal to have this done privately.

My anxiety level was pretty high, having had cats in my youth in the knowledge that transporting them was Always an adventure. With this in mind, I called her in plenty of time, to suggest that she would start the process of getting him into his carrying cage. "Oh! he is IN there! I put some Dreamie's treats in there and in he went."  

I was Truly amazed!! My cats would have needed motorcycle gauntlets, towels, and battle dressings! My arrival was greeted by the lady, looking relaxed and carrying the cage to my car. It wasn't far to the Co-op Centre, and we were there right on time. It turned out that 13 felines had checked in while we were on the way. There was hardly a sound in reception, apart from the odd "MWOW" from our Mickey, with me still waiting for him to 'kick-off'.   We were moved to the registration room, again silence reigned. "Wait until we get into the treatment room" I thought.  Eventually cat number 14 (Mickey) was allowed to wander, nonchalantly, out onto the vet's table. He sniffed the staff and rubbed against both ladies, CREEP! "Wait until they try to put him back in there" I thought!  One nurse picked him up and held him, quite gently, the other bunched his scruff and inserted the chip. Not a murmur from the ginger Tom! I was growing more unbelieving by the minute. CRISIS the chip hadn't left the insertion tool. No bother, we'll do it again. Second time lucky and this Helion did a victory lap around the table, with further caresses bestowed upon the staff. Up he comes again, into the arms of the nurse, to be inserted headfirst into his cage. The door was closed and Mickey the cat was ready to return home. The thick leather gauntlets and restraining towels still sat, forlorn and forgotten on the side table.

Back home the cage door was opened and out slouched Mickey, looking for nothing more than his breakfast. After breakfast the goodie bag, presented by Cat's Trust, was opened and Mickey did his 'kid at Christmas' act, diving into the bag to pull out toys then rolling on the floor in complete joy. Against all my anxieties and expectations NO PEOPLE WERE HARMED IN THIS PRODUCTION!!

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