As a cat lover, micro chipping your pet has been available for years as a vet service. Any cat that I have owned since the early to mid nineties onwards has always been microchipped. Though previously not compulsory it just made sense. If your cat got lost or something happened, you stood a chance of being reconnected with your pet again.
Finally from this year it is becoming compulsory to chip your cat if you live in England. If a domestic cat that you own is older than 20 weeks, regardless of whether indoor or outdoor and you are responsible for them, you have to get them chipped by 10-June-24. The rules only apply to England currently and Scotland and Wales is not affected currently.
Owners not following this instruction could be faced with fines of up to £500. If chipped already, you just need to make sure the details/serial number are up to date. The number being held on a Defra database.
For anyone worried, it is a painless process with the chip just inserted under the cats skin.
Personally I think it is a good idea in England as your cats will begin to have similar rights to dogs who still to this day have more protection than cats. It will also help prove ownership if stolen or if anything happens.
Any cat being re-homed or dies also needs to have the database updated so that it is accurate.
Hopefully the databases will be managed well and ownership challenged, particularly when chip details are being updated to prevent them being registered with new details if stolen.
Maybe this will be the start of better laws to protect cats and their owners.
If you need to chip your cat, the requirement is that this is done by the 10-June.
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