Since 10 June 2024, it has been a legal requirement in England for owned cats over 20 weeks old to be microchipped.
Despite this, the animal welfare charity is still seeing high numbers of cats coming into its care who have not been microchipped.
Since the law changed, only 27% of the cats coming into the RSPCA’s care were microchipped*. While this was a slight increase on the 19%* who were chipped during the year before the law changed, the figures still show most cats coming into the RSPCA’s centres have not been microchipped.
Microchipping is the best way to ensure that should a cat become lost, stolen or injured, they can more easily be reunited with their owners. The RSPCA also hopes that compulsory chipping will lead to a reduction in the number of cats being dumped.
Alice Potter, RSPCA cat welfare expert, said: “It’s concerning that one year on since this law came into effect and so many cats are still not being microchipped and ending up in RSPCA care.
“It’s possible many of these cats could have ended up back with their owners had they been chipped.
“It’s important all cat owners in England understand the law and their responsibilities when it comes to their pets. We’d urge owners to ensure their cats are microchipped from 20 weeks of age and the details on the chip are always kept up-to-date.”
The charity recently reunited a 17-year-old cat with their grateful owner (pictured) after the feline had been missing for six months. The RSPCA received a report about concerns for a cat in the Notting Hill area of London in April. However, when Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Eve Mannings arrived she found that the cat, a black domestic shorthair called Lilly, had been found by a member of the public in a church courtyard and the woman who found her had been feeding her.
Eve said: “Lilly was in good condition but she was obviously lost or straying so I scanned her for a microchip which showed that this elderly lady had been missing from her owner for half a year! I was able to locate the owner thanks to the details on the chip. Her owner was extremely emotional at the reunion and the whole family were so pleased to have her back. Sometimes, it’s hard not to think the worst has happened when a much-loved cat goes missing but thanks to the power of the chip, this golden oldie could be returned to her loving home.”
A poll carried out on RSPCA supporters at the start of the year found that over a third (36%) said that one of the most common challenges to microchipping their cat was the cost. Having an indoor cat they didn’t believe needed to be chipped (21%) and a lack of vets or struggling to get a vet appointment (17%) were other reasons given for not getting cats chipped. Meanwhile, 11% of respondents said they were unaware of the law change making it compulsory in England.
Alice added: “We know that sometimes cost can be a barrier to getting a cat chipped. But with the average cost of microchipping coming in at around £15 to £30, it is much more cost effective to get them chipped than risk a hefty fine of up to £500. It’s also a good idea for owners to do their research to see if any local animal charities or groups offer low cost or free microchipping to help with the costs.
“As we strive to create a better world for every kind – we’d urge owners who haven’t got their cat microchipped yet to contact their vet to book an appointment. Owners will also be required to keep their contact details up-to-date on a pet microchipping database, which is a great way to ensure your feline stays safe.”
The RSPCA is also campaigning for the compulsory microchipping of owned cats to be introduced by the Welsh Government in Wales too.
