Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Microchipping cats to become mandatory

80 replies

RustyBear · 11/05/2021 15:36

The Queen's Speech has included an intention to make microchipping cats mandatory - not sure whether this is for all of the UK just England.

Background in this article from the Guardian last month:

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/apr/15/plans-for-compulsory-microchips-for-cats-amid-rise-of-thefts-in-uk

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 12/05/2021 17:54

Cats don’t generally bugger off and “choose” a different home unless they are enticed in by food.

LST · 12/05/2021 17:57

@BobaCobb

The thing that doesn’t add up for me is that cats are treated as wild animals in law. They are allowed to roam where dogs are not and can be feral where dogs may be picked up by a dog warden. How does this match up with micro chipping, what happens if they have no owner? Also cats definitely decide who their owner is and they won’t care if the chip doesn’t match where they wish to live.
Mine gets fed by multiple people. He always comes home.
ozymandiusking · 12/05/2021 18:16

One of my cats was run over and died. She was chipped and vaccinated.
Fortunately (odd word I know) A man picked her up and took her to a vet near his place of work. They were able to scan her and phone us straight away and give us the sad news. If she hadn't have been chipped and scanned this wouldn't have happened. Another good reason for chipping.The vets were superb and she was layed out in a room on her own, so we were able to have a quiet word with her. I was devastated as you can imagine.

IHaveBrilloHair · 12/05/2021 18:34

@Wolfiefan
That's how I got my first cat, but her owner rarely bothered with her, so she came to my house.
I made sure the owner knew.
Eventually she said, "oh keep her, I'm getting a dog anyway"

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 12/05/2021 18:38

All 8 of my cats over the years have been microchipped, I'd be devastated if one got run over and was never identified.
As it happened one did get run over and I was informed almost straight away. I was so glad I knew what happened to him or I'd have been in mourning forever.
They are also all insured so if one was taken to the vet after an accident I'd be able to give permission for treatment.

coogee · 12/05/2021 18:42

Cats don’t generally bugger off and “choose” a different home unless they are enticed in by food.

Or harassed by dogs and/or small children.

Fluffycloudland77 · 12/05/2021 18:59

We had one move in because the dog used him as a chew toy. My mum was furious and nabbed him.

His owners were banned from keeping animals by the rspca so they shouldn’t have had pets again.

SappysCurry · 12/05/2021 22:44

@ozymandiusking

One of my cats was run over and died. She was chipped and vaccinated. Fortunately (odd word I know) A man picked her up and took her to a vet near his place of work. They were able to scan her and phone us straight away and give us the sad news. If she hadn't have been chipped and scanned this wouldn't have happened. Another good reason for chipping.The vets were superb and she was layed out in a room on her own, so we were able to have a quiet word with her. I was devastated as you can imagine.
That’s so sad 😪 💐
SappysCurry · 12/05/2021 22:51

@coogee

Cats don’t generally bugger off and “choose” a different home unless they are enticed in by food.

Or harassed by dogs and/or small children.

I think that’s spot on actually, cats are very clever and if they aren't happy maybe they actively search for a better home??. I remember years ago when I was a teenager my mum took in a gorgeous Siamese cat that had chewing gum and paint all over his paws and fur, the home he was from had several feral children in - he didn’t seek out a new home as such but I think my mum knew the owner and stepped in, he was so happy and content in our quiet home, still have photos of him he was a really handsome cat.
caringcarer · 12/05/2021 23:11

My 4 cats hot chipped as kittens when they had second injections. Other cat we took in when friends marriage broke down and house got sold, and both went into separate rentals that did not allow pets, got chipped and vaccinated shortly after coming to us.

PickAChew · 12/05/2021 23:13

@Wolfiefan

Why euthanise? Cats that are found and not chipped could be taken to rescues for rehoming. Similar happens with dogs. Cats shouldn’t simply move in. Either it’s yours and you get it chipped and pay all other bills. Or it isn’t.
Some cats have other ideas.
PickAChew · 12/05/2021 23:25

We had one move out, when I was growing up. She was such an affectionate kitten and well bonded with her brother and another cat. Then she was speyed. I suspect it was botched as she had an awful scars and she suddenly stopped being playful and cuddly and started disappearing for increasing lengths of time. She'd bolt her food and run away if you tried to pet her. At first she put on weight and was clearly either hunting really well or getting fed elsewhere. Then she vanished for weeks on end and occasionally came in looking increasingly unwell.

OhRene · 12/05/2021 23:36

@coogee

Cats don’t generally bugger off and “choose” a different home unless they are enticed in by food.

Or harassed by dogs and/or small children.

Or any other change at home. Doesn't even have to be harassed they may just not like it.
MilduraS · 13/05/2021 07:20

I follow the local lost cat FB pages and am surprised by the number of people whose cats aren't microchipped (or neutered but that's another story). There are also a lot of posts from people concerned about cats looking worse for wear who want someone to come scan their chip to check if they are stray. I think the new law will be a good thing. More cats could be reunited with their owners rather then presumed to be strays in need of rehoming and it will stop homeless cats being left to fend for themselves because nobody knows they are homeless. We had a lovely story a few months ago about a "stray" cat that was caught on an industrial estate by a local rescue centre, he had been missing for over 3 years and was reunited with his owner who had kept her details up to date.

Oldraver · 13/05/2021 08:12

@ShockOche

If you were crazy enough to steal a cat, presumably you might be crazy enough to remove the chip? I could always feel my cats’ chips and a relaxed cat and a quick nick with a razor blade and I reckon l could have had it out, had I been so inclined/desperate/crazy
This is going to sound crazy, and I wish I had checked, but Ern once came home with a perfect square of fur missing on the back of his neck

It did puzzle me

Soubriquet · 13/05/2021 08:20

My cat is chipped but she needs to be re-chipped

The vets buggered up with it and never registered the chip so she has basically a chip that doesn’t have any details on it

Soubriquet · 13/05/2021 08:21

I also can’t feel Tootsies chip but I can feel the dogs chip.

coogee · 13/05/2021 08:49

The vets buggered up with it and never registered the chip so she has basically a chip that doesn’t have any details on it

If you know the chips's number, you can register it yourself. If you don't, just get her scanned. She won't need a new chip.

coogee · 13/05/2021 08:51

There are no details held on a chip. It just has a unique number. The matching details are held in a separate database so can be updated via a web page or app without going near the animal.

ErrolTheDragon · 13/05/2021 09:03

@BobaCobb

The thing that doesn’t add up for me is that cats are treated as wild animals in law. They are allowed to roam where dogs are not and can be feral where dogs may be picked up by a dog warden. How does this match up with micro chipping, what happens if they have no owner? Also cats definitely decide who their owner is and they won’t care if the chip doesn’t match where they wish to live.
The cat can behave that way, but someone who wants a cat as a pet should still behave responsibly. Having a cat chipped decreases the chance of it going missing, and should reduce strain on refuges.

A beautiful roaming cat is maybe more at risk of theft than a dog which should be under control. Hopefully there will be some deterrent effect.

I guess various charities will offer free/cheap chipping for owners who can't afford it, as with dogs.

It may not be perfect but I can't really see any negatives.

maslinpan · 13/05/2021 09:10

No one has asked the big question: what is Bill Gates going to do when he has microchipped all the cats?

Lonecatwithkitten · 13/05/2021 09:42

@maslinpan

No one has asked the big question: what is Bill Gates going to do when he has microchipped all the cats?
They will develop apposable thumbs be given apple devices and then we are stuffed!
Fluffycloudland77 · 13/05/2021 09:52

Cats can’t be controlled 😺

MotherOfGodWeeFella · 13/05/2021 13:55

@Lonecatwithkitten - I was going to post something very similar then saw your comment! Grin

dodobookends · 13/05/2021 13:56

What about dogs?