Colorado Cat Missing for Five Years Found in New York – Did a Microchip Help? [VIDEO]

Does your pet have a microchip? If they don’t, this story might make you reconsider getting your pet a microchip. Willow, a calico cat went missing from a Colorado home five years ago and was found roaming the streets in Manhattan. A trip that took Willow on a journey over 1,600 miles.

How she traveled more than 1,600 miles is a mystery.

But thanks to a microchip implanted when she was a kitten, Willow will be reunited with her long-ago owners.

[ via KMGH Denver ]

So, what is a pet microchip and how does it work? HowStuffWorks.com defines a pet microchip:

A microchip is no bigger than a grain of rice, and veterinarians can implant the chips into all kinds of pets — from reptiles and birds to cats and dogs. The device carries a number, and this number is plugged into a database that includes the name and contact information of a pet’s owner.

How the pet microchip works