What the New Cat Chipping Law Means for Pet Owners in England

Do you remember all the contentiousness about the Brexit campaign? Given the British propensity for debating everything ad nauseam, our grandchildren will probably still be arguing the point.

When 99% of people surveyed by the government are in favour of a new law, though, it’s probably safe to say that it’s a good idea. This was the case with new legislation, which, though not having any earthshattering geopolitical implications, does promise to solve a problem somewhat closer to home: how to find a lost cat and return it to its loved ones.

The 2024 Cat Chipping Law in a Nutshell

• All cats older than 20 weeks must now be chipped and registered.

• The same rule has applied to dogs since 2016 and helped thousands of lost pets to be returned to their owners.

• The serial number of each implanted microchip is registered, along with the owner’s contact details, in any of a number of government-approved databases.

• For now, the new cat law applies only in England, not Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

Why Was this Law Necessary?

Before you start to complain about the nanny state gone mad, consider that the government may have actually gotten it right this time. It’s really just forcing cat owners to do something they were probably planning to get around to anyway. According to some estimates, there are about 9 million cats in the United Kingdom. Around half a million of these sleep rough, many of them because it’s the only kind of life they’ve ever known. Of the remainder, at least before giving domestic cats implanted electronic pet ID tags became mandatory, almost 2 million did not have chips.

Think, however, about all the cats that get lost every year: accidentally left behind when their owners move, scared off by another cat encroaching on their territory, or just wandering off after a tasty-looking squirrel and unable to find their way home. Around 150,000 cats enter shelters every year, and it’s tough to figure out what to do with them all.

The RSPCA and other volunteer organizations doing their best are then left with several difficult options: spending considerable time and effort trying to locate the owners, trying to get a new family to adopt them, housing them in cages for extended periods of time, or euthanising them if all else fails.

If a cat is chipped, however, dealing with such cases involves a lot less heartbreak. Volunteers can simply use a contactless electronic scanner to read off the microchip’s serial number. Cross-referencing this against a database instantly tells them the owner’s address and phone number, so lost kitties can be reunited with their humans in a matter of hours.

What May Happen If You Ignore the Cat Microchipping Law?

If your cat is found not to have a microchip, you’ll generally be given 21 days to rectify the situation. If you refuse to, you may be slapped with a fine of up to £500. Considering that getting a cat chipped costs only a tiny fraction of that, the economics of this situation seem clear.

Finally, if you stubbornly refuse to comply with the cat law, your local council may choose to confiscate your cat, have it chipped, and drop it at your house again. Then, they will send you a bill for the microchipping procedure as well as the fine.

It’s important to note that enforcement of the cat-chipping law is left mostly to local authorities. It’s hard to imagine Scotland Yard, or indeed any regional police force in Britain, establishing a dedicated Feline Crimes Unit equipped with the latest in submachine guns and fluffy kitty toys. Failing to install a microchip in your cat isn’t a criminal offence, so nobody is going to come and kick your door down if Mittens doesn’t join the digital age.

So, in most areas, you will probably be able to get away with ignoring the law on microchipping cats. Still, it simply is the right thing to do: I certainly sleep more soundly knowing that there’s a way to locate my cat if she should wander off one day. Refusing to get your cat chipped doesn’t make you a modern-day Robin Hood; it just means you may not be ready for the responsibility of taking care of an animal.

Potential Problems with the New Law on Microchipping Cats

The new cat law on microchipping is certainly a step in the right direction. As always, though, the devil is in the details, and we can expect to see one or two problems going forward:

• According to one independent report, half of cat owners in England don’t actually know that they’re supposed to chip their cats. With all that’s going on in the world, this bit of information seems to have slipped through the cracks. A number of cat lovers also seem to think that the new cat law doesn’t apply to indoor cats; however, felines that aren’t used to the great outdoors are extremely likely to get lost, even close to home, if they manage to escape.

• Most local councils have enough on their plate, including potholed streets, limited housing availability, and trying to fulfill their existing functions with ever tighter budgets. We’re likely to see spotty enforcement of this new law in different areas.

• What about cats that live on farms but come and go as they please? If you occasionally feed a stray cat but don’t consider it a pet, are you still responsible for getting it chipped? In broad terms, the law says that cats “with limited human interaction,” like those who are often treasured features of village commons and public areas, are exempt. As we all know, though, how much contact different cats want or allow falls on a broad spectrum. It’s entirely possible that some officious busybodies with an excess of good intentions may threaten innocent people with that 500-quid fine.

• Glitches, omissions, and irregularities in the database of electronic pet ID tags may become a problem. If a cat is rehomed, will you remember to transfer ownership? When you move, will someone remind you to update your contact details with the vet after canceling the gas, electricity, internet, and all those other things that tie you to your old address?

• At least in theory, this cat law will also enable the authorities to hold people who deliberately abandon their cats accountable. So far, official sources haven’t commented on this one way or the other. Personally, though, anything that makes people think twice about neglecting or abusing animals is all right in my book. Image by the Friends of SCAC

Final Thought: When Should You Get Your Cat Microchipped? NOW!

This is one of those regulations that just makes sense. The age requirement of 20 weeks, or about the age at which they get neutered, makes it logical to have both of these necessary operations done at the same time. The same microchip can also be used to activate a smart cat flap, allowing your cat to come home whenever they want without being able to invite in all their feline friends. Spending half an hour and the price of a pizza to get your cat chipped is really a no-brainer.

FAQs

Does getting chipped hurt a cat?

The microchip itself is only about the size of a grain of rice. A veterinarian uses a special needle to inject it between their shoulder blades under local anesthesia. So, while your cat may be a little sore the day after, it’s not going to suffer any real pain or ill effects.

How much does it cost?

All told, you’ll need to shell out no more than 25 quid to get your cat permanently tagged. If money is a bit tight, many animal charities are willing to help out. Note that this is a one-off expense: these microchips are designed to last for a lifetime.

Where can I get my cat microchipped?

Though this is a simple operation, DIY veterinary surgery remains a bad idea. You can approach your regular vet, local council offices, or animal shelters to schedule an appointment.