Companion Animals

Cat Feline Microchip Advanced Welfare

Mandatory cat microchipping in the UK since 2024 is transforming owner reunion rates and reducing welfare costs of lost and stray cats.

Key Facts

UK law requires microchipping of cats over 20 weeks old as of June 10, 2024
Microchipped cats have dramatically higher owner reunion rates from shelters
Chip migration affects a small proportion of chips and can be detected through scanning multiple body areas
Database registration with current contact details is essential for chip to function in reuniting lost cats
International microchip standards allow chips registered in one country to be read in another

Welfare Considerations

Unidentified lost cats face prolonged shelter stays, unnecessary euthanasia, and prolonged owner separation. Mandatory microchipping prevents these welfare costs by ensuring all cats can be identified and reunited with owners.

What You Can Do

Microchip your cat and register with a licensed database with current contact details
Update your contact information on the microchip database whenever you change address or phone number
Advocate for database consolidation to allow any chip to be traced through a single lookup service