On 13 March 2023, the Government laid new legislation in Parliament to introduce compulsory microchipping for all owned cats.
There are over nine million pet cats in England, with as many as 2.3 million unchipped, meaning that it would be very difficult to reunite them with their owner if they get lost or stolen.
The new rules mean cats must be implanted with a microchip before they reach the age of 20 weeks and their contact details stored and kept up to date in a pet microchipping database. All owners must have their cat microchipped by 10 June 2024 and owners found not to have microchipped their cat will have 21 days to have one implanted, or may face a fine of up to £500.
It will not be compulsory for cats that live with little or no human interaction or dependency, such as farm, feral or community cats. Owners with cats that are already microchipped should ensure their details are up to date.
