New rules will mean all 10million pet cats in the UK will have to have a microchip implanted, according to reports.
The move will be part of a package of measures put forward by a Government taskforce created to cut down on pet thefts.
Cat owners who refuse to get their pets chipped will face a £500 fine, reports the Daily Telegraph.
Pet thefts have soared by more than 12 per cent in lockdown as the price of buying a cat or dog rocketed.
A pet can now cost you more than £2,000 - meaning cat theft has tripled in five years, according to police.
It is already law that dogs in this country have to have a microchip - meaning they can be traced back to their owner.
The pet theft task force includes Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Environment Secretary George Eustice.
As well as a rise in cat theft, dog theft has gone up by more than 20 per cent in 12 months,
Two million people are reported to have bought their first pet in lockdown.
The new rules would require vets to scan all cats and dogs they see - checking the details against the owner's name and address.
According to the Telegraph, other measures to cut crime could include a ban on buying pets with cash and there could be tough new sentences for pet thieves.
At present thieves can be fined just £250 or £300 - while selling the animals they have stolen, and their litters, for thousands.
