Cats must be microchipped

All pet cats in England must be microchipped under a new law which could see their owners face a £500 fine if they do not get it done. Millions of cats are set to be inserted with the small electronic device by June 2024 after the compulsory cat microchipping legislation was introduced in Parliament on Monday.

Under the new rules, 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. The aim is to make it easier for lost or stray pet cats to be returned home safely, which Environment Secretary Therese Coffey described as a time of "devastating" loss for many owners.