This new regulation requires all cats, including indoor ones, to be microchipped by 20 weeks, with exceptions for feral and community cats.
10 June deadline
Owners should contact their vet immediately if their cat is not yet microchipped. Those missing the deadline will have a 21-day grace period to comply before facing penalties.
You must keep a record of your cat's microchip number. If you don't have it, contact your vet to check their records or bring your cat in to be scanned. This new law aims to improve pet safety and owner responsibility, ensuring lost pets can be swiftly reunited with their families.
Microchips, about the size of a grain of rice, are implanted under the skin between a cat's shoulder blades in a quick, injection-like procedure. Each chip carries a unique number readable by a scanner, aiding in the swift return of lost or stolen pets.
Microchipping costs range from £10 to £30, but some vets include it in health plans, and certain charities offer it for free or at reduced rates. Microchips typically last a pet's lifetime and rarely malfunction or cause discomfort.
Cats in England only
While microchipping cats is not compulsory in Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, animal charities hope they will soon adopt similar regulations.
Don't forget to contact your microchip database to update your details if you change your phone number or move house. If you rehome your cat, you must complete a transfer of ownership document to update the new owner's details in the database.
If your cat sadly dies, report this to your microchip database to keep their records accurate.
