Give your cat more than one way home.

Use a microchip and a visible tag

Have a veterinarian scan the chip at routine visits and keep the registry current. Add a readable tag to a well-fitted breakaway collar. The tag helps a neighbor call without special equipment; the chip gives a shelter or clinic another path to you.

Keep recovery photos

• Photograph the face and both sides in good light.
• Capture the paws, tail, and unusual markings.
• Include one photo that clearly shows the cat's size.
• Store the microchip number, vet details, and adoption records where another household member can find them.

Plan for high-risk doors

Choose a closed room before movers, contractors, guests, or deliveries arrive. Put a note on the door. Count cats before opening an exterior door that has been propped or repaired. Check window screens and make sure sliding screens latch.

Make carriers ordinary

Leave the carrier out with bedding or treats so it is not only associated with a vet trip. Practice closing and lifting it. In an evacuation, a carrier you can load quickly matters more than a perfect plan you have never rehearsed.

Understand trackers

A Bluetooth item tracker can help locate a nearby collar when compatible devices are around, but it is not the same as live pet GPS. GPS pet trackers usually need charging and a subscription. Any collar device should be light enough for the cat and attached to a breakaway collar.

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