One week countdown before cat microchipping becomes law

There is just one week left to get your cat microchipped before it becomes compulsory

The RSPCA is urging owners to ensure their cat is microchipped ahead of the new law coming into effect in England on Monday (10 June) making microchipping your moggy mandatory.

Any owners who fail to have their cat microchipped could be handed a hefty fine – including indoor cats.

Despite the incoming law change, on average, one in 10 cats coming into the RSPCA’s care are still not microchipped and February of this year saw the most unchipped cats in one month with 44% of the rescued moggies being unchipped.

RSPCA ambassador and CBBC vet Rory Cowlam, said: “The thought of a pet going missing and never being able to find them is a pet owner’s nightmare, which is why microchipping is so important. Having microchipped many animals myself, I can assure you it’s quick, easy and is the best way to ensure that if your pet does go missing, or becomes injured, they can be reunited with you.

“It’s also vitally important to keep the details up-to-date if you change your address, phone number or email address, this all needs to be updated so that whoever scans your cat for their chip has the correct details for you to let you know they’ve been found.

“As an RSPCA Ambassador and a vet myself, I’ve heard stories of cats being found by members of the public or RSPCA rescue officers who either weren’t microchipped or had out of date details and heartbreakingly couldn’t be reunited with their owners. Also, amazing stories of cats being reunited with loving owners years after they went missing all thanks to this tiny chip!

“For anyone who hasn’t had their cat chipped yet please book an appointment with your vet before June 10 when it will be compulsory for all owned cats to be microchipped.”

As well as reuniting lost cats with loving owners, the RSPCA also hopes this new law change will improve cat welfare and reduce abandonments. More than 7,500 abandoned cats were reported to the RSPCA last year and over 1,500 so far this year. The charity hopes that compulsory microchipping will provide a deterrent to owners and reduce the number of cats being dumped.

Alice Potter, cat welfare expert at the RSPCA, said: “We all want the best for our cats so with one week to go we are urging cat owners who haven’t got their cats microchipped yet to ensure they are chipped before the new law comes in.

“In just one week, cat microchipping becomes mandatory for all cat owners, so – 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. From 10 June, it will be compulsory for all owned cats aged over 20-weeks to be microchipped or owners could face a hefty fine – so it’s time for cat owners to act. Owners will also be required to keep their contact details up-to-date on a pet microchipping database.

“We hope this change in legislation and the power of this tiny microchip will have a huge, positive impact on cat welfare.”

The RSPCA is also campaigning for the compulsory microchipping of owned cats to be introduced by the Welsh Government in Wales too.

Cats reunited thanks to the microchip

An elderly indoor cat from Cardiff who had been lost from her home for over a month has now been reunited with her grateful owner.

In February, Lyra was spotted limping and struggling to walk and appeared very skinny so a kind member of the public decided to contact the RSPCA for help.

The RSPCA say Lyra’s amazing rescue in Cardiff highlights why the Welsh Government needs to emulate the UK Government and introduce the compulsory microchipping of owned cats – giving more felines a chance of finding their family, just like Lyra.

Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Danielle Wilson (pictured right with Lyra) took the cat to the RSPCA Merthyr Tydfil Clinic for a vet check where she was found to have an unusual gait on her back legs potentially caused by an injury sustained whilst she was lost. She also has an abnormal heart rhythm.

When the officer scanned Lyra for a microchip, it was flagged that the feline had been reported missing so the officer was able to contact the owner and reunite them just a few days later.

Lyra’s owner, Fflur Arwell, who lives just 400ft (120m) from where her cat was found, said: “Lyra has always been an independent feline with a taste for adventure but when she escaped in early January we were distraught.

“She’s a small, older indoor cat. The weather was terrible. And she was lost in unfamiliar surroundings.”

Despite registering her missing with the microchip company, and searching the area with her neighbours, they still hadn’t found Lyra weeks later and were very worried about her.

Fflur added: “She had been gone for more than a month before the RSPCA found her.

“We still can’t believe she’s back. We are so grateful to our wonderful neighbours who helped search for her and to the RSPCA for rescuing her, caring for her and bringing her home safely.

“We are so lucky to have our little Lyra back but we never would have been reunited had she not been microchipped. We urge all cat-owners to get their cats microchipped. It’s a simple and quick procedure and by far the safest way to ensure you are reunited with your feline should they want to go on an adventure!”

RSPCA Inspector Danielle Wilson said: “Lyra is such a friendly cat – she walked straight up to me meowing and purring when I rescued her as though she was grateful for my help. I’m so pleased that we were able to reunite Lyra with Fflur. It really does show the importance of microchipping your cats!”

A cat who disappeared from his family home in October last year has been reunited with his family thanks to a microchip that helped the RSPCA find his owners

The RSPCA was called to a property in Ilford when a cat believed to be stray had appeared to stop eating and drinking. Animal rescue officer (ARO) Nicola Thomas collected the cat and had him scanned, and was found to have registered keepers that lived just a mile away on Wensleydale Avenue.

Six year-old Simba was returned to Rabia Ali (pictured below with Simba) and her family in November last year. She said: “When he went missing we searched day and night for him, there were a lot of tears. We’ve had him since he was a kitten and he is very much a member of the family.

“Despite extensive searches we heard nothing – until 23 November when an RSPCA animal rescuer came to my door and asked if I had a cat called Simba – and said he would be back home in five minutes! I thought the worst had happened so I really couldn’t believe it. I think it’s so surreal he is here. I’m in disbelief. The whole family is overjoyed, we thought he was gone.”

“As a family we feel so blessed and thankful for the work the RSPCA does. Until it happens to you, you don’t realise how vital the charity is. We are so thankful.”

ARO Nicola said: “It was so lovely to bring Simba back home after all that time away. He’s been fed by someone living nearby since April and was assumed to be a stray. Thankfully he is healthy and seems very happy to be home in comfort!

“The obvious distress was visible in his owner’s face when I first spoke to her as she thought I was going to tell her he had died. She squealed with joy when I told her he was alive and well and I would be bringing him home shortly.

“This would never have been possible without his microchip. Such a simple thing that people often fail to keep updated but is essential in helping reunite pets with owners if they become injured or go missing.”

For more information on microchipping visit: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/cats/health/microchipping

This month the RSPCA celebrates its 200th anniversary the animal welfare charity wants to inspire one million people to join their movement to improve animals’ lives. To find out how you can join their million-strong movement for animals visit www.rspca.org.uk/200.