Cat owners face £500 fine if they don't microchip their pet by deadline as new law comes into force

Cat owners could face a hefty fine if they don't make sure their pet is microchipped, after the Government introduced a new law making it compulsory.

The legislation, which was laid in Parliament on Monday, March 13, means that owners will have until June 10, 2024 to get their cat microchipped. Any owner whose cat is found not to have been microchipped after this date will have 21 days to get it done, or risk being slapped with a fine of up to £500.

There are more than nine million pet cats in England alone, as many as 2.3 million of which are not microchipped, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). It's hoped that the new rules will make it easier to reunite lost or stolen cats with their owners.

READ MORE: Cat who ate dry pasta to survive still looking for loving home a year after being rescued from Durham house

Under the new law, cats must be implanted with a microchip before they reach the age of 20 weeks, and owner contact details must be stored and kept up to date in a microchipping database. It is already compulsory for pet dogs to be microchipped, with this legislation having come into effect in April 2016.

Microchipping involves a small chip, around the size of a grain of rice, being inserted under your cat's skin by a vet or other trained professional. This chip gives your pet a unique code, which can be scanned and matched to your contact details in the event that they are found away from home.

Microchipping a cat costs between £20 and £30 depending on where you live, although charities and cat rescue organisations may be able to offer the procedure for a reduced rate, according to Cats Protection. The charity assures owners that microchipping is "quick and painless", comparing it to getting an injection for your moggie.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said: "Cats and kittens are treasured members of the family, and it can be devastating for owners when they are lost or stolen. Legislating for compulsory microchipping of cats will give comfort to families by increasing the likelihood that lost or stray pets can be reunited with their owners."

READ NEXT:

• Meet the 37 dogs and cats looking for their forever home after a lonely winter in kennels

• Desperate fight to save beloved Birtley cat which contracted rare disease caused by feline coronavirus

• Dog owners hail 'genius' Pets At Home treats designed to hide tablets in

• See the adorable animals in the snow at a Gateshead community farm

• Spring flowers that are toxic to dogs including daffodils, bluebells and tulips