Cat microchipping becomes mandatory in the UK

Cat microchipping is now compulsory in Great Britain after a new regulation entered into force on 10 June. The government will create a single point of access to collate all microchip records in one place.

All kittens must be microchipped before reaching 20 weeks of age. However, the rules do not apply to “free living cats that live with little or no human interaction or dependency,” such as farm, feral, or community cats.

“With more than 9 million pet cats in England, the introduction of mandatory microchipping will make it easier for lost or stray pet cats to be reunited with their owners and returned home safely,” says a spokesperson at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Pet parents failing to microchip their felines could face a fine of up to £500 (€570/$608).

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) expressed support for the new reforms, agreeing that they would quickly reunite pets with their owners.

It is believed that there are more than 9 million cats in England alone, of which 2.3 million aren’t yet chipped.