There are many responsibilities we have as pet owners, and one is to take managing the welfare and wellbeing of the animals we’re sharing our lives with seriously.
Most responsible cat owners will know that a healthy diet, ready access to water, regular vaccinations and preventative measures to keep fleas and other parasites at bay – not to mention lots of love and attention! – are all essential to ensure a happy and healthy cat.
But not everyone may consider that microchipping their cat fits into the same category. Some may consider it cruel to the cat (it isn’t) or even an invasion of privacy (it isn’t).
So what is microchipping and why has the law covering it recently changed? The team at Green Lane Farm is here to answer all your questions!
What is microchipping?
Microchipping is a cheap and safe means of identifying individual cats, including the names and addresses of their humans. A tiny microchip is implanted into the cat, which includes a unique identification number that anyone with the right scanning equipment can read.
Each number is stored onto a database containing details of the cat’s owners’ contact details. This means that if a cat goes missing and is handed into a vet or an animal welfare charity such as the RSPCA or Cats Protection, it can be easily identified and returned home.
Is microchipping cats mandatory in the UK?
Yes. From 10 June 2024, it became mandatory for all cats in the UK that are over 20 weeks old to be microchipped. Failure to comply with this new law could lead to a fine of up to £500.
This includes indoor cats, because cats are wily animals and can still find their way outside despite the best laid plans of their humans. In fact, an indoor cat that unexpectedly finds itself outside is probably more likely to bolt and get lost than one that is used to wandering the neighbourhood.
The only exceptions to this new law are non-domesticated cats, such as feral and farm cats that have little or no human dependency.
Why is microchipping important?
We all know that cats like to wander and most of the time they return home healthy, happy and probably hungry. They are, after all, renowned for having an excellent sense of direction, with tales of cats finding their way over many miles to a previous address being the stuff of legend.
However, whether through being injured, scared or chased off by another animal, situations do arise when they are unable to find their way home – and this happens far more than you might think. In fact, according to research conducted by Admiral Pet Insurance and reported in The Guardian in August 2023, there are likely to be at least a quarter of a million cats unaccounted for in the UK.
This means that microchipping can reduce the number of cats that are left to fend for themselves when they go missing, and ensure they have a chance of being returned to their owners to be looked after and cared for in the way they should be.
Will microchipping hurt my cat?
No. Cat microchipping is no more painful than the annual injections needed to stay healthy – but, unlike those injections, it will only be a once in a lifetime experience!
What if I move house after my cat has been microchipped?
You should have been given your cat’s unique 15-digit identification number either when you had it microchipped or when you got your cat if it came from an animal welfare charity. If you don’t have the number, your vet should have it or be able to scan your cat to retrieve it.
Enter your cat’s identification number at this website to discover which database it is registered on – once you have that information, you can go to that database’s website to update your details.
Here at Green Lane Farm Boarding Kennels and Cattery, we strongly support the new legislation, because it will mean even more people will be able to be reunited with their beloved pet in the event of it losing its way.
As experienced carers of all kinds of family pets, we take their welfare extremely seriously, including being able to provide vet care in the event of an emergency. We’ve been trusted by pet owners for more than 50 years and we’re sure you won’t find a better place to board your pet in and around Kingston, Chessington and the wider Surrey area.
Get in touch now to find out more.
