Pet owners urged to act now or face £500 fine by next Monday

Some 19 per cent of cat owners surveyed who have not yet had their cats microchipped said they were worried the procedure would hurt their cat

Pet owners are being urged to take action now to avoid a fine of up to £500. From Monday, June 10, it became law that cats in England had to be microchipped, with owners that don't do so facing a £500 fine.

However, owners were given a grace period until July 1. Cats must be chipped and registered on a database by the time they are 20 weeks old. Rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

New research from Direct Line Pet Insurance reveals one in five (20 per cent) cat owners surveyed do not plan to ever get their pets microchipped. A large number (18 per cent) of cat owners surveyed are not aware of the new legislation and risk being fined, while 56 per cent of cat owners surveyed did not know the maximum fine if their pet was not chipped after July 1.

Research amongst England-based veterinary surgeries showed that almost two thirds (60 per cent) of vets have seen an increase in appointments for cat microchipping, with nearly a quarter of vets (24 per cent) experiencing a significant uplift in bookings as we approach the deadline. There is still time and availability for cat owners to have their pet microchipped, with 98 per cent of vets saying they still have appointments available.

A fifth (19 per cent) of cat owners surveyed who have not yet had their cats microchipped said they were worried the procedure would hurt their cat and 17 per cent said it was too expensive. The average cost across England to have a cat microchipped is £28.34 but some surgeries are charging as much as £55. The average cost is significantly higher in London, at £39.71. Liverpool was the cheapest area to have a cat chipped at an average of £23.10 per appointment.

Veterinary nurse Madeline Pike said: “Microchipping is a very quick and relatively painless process no more painful than having an injection or blood test. It’s also one of the most effective and efficient methods of finding lost pets. We urge cat owners who haven’t yet done so to seek an appointment in the next few weeks and by July 1 at the latest.

"Nearly every vet we spoke to said they still have availability or could make room for anyone needing an appointment. The compulsory microchipping of cats will provide families with much-needed comfort and peace of mind that if their cat gets lost or strays, they can more easily be reunited with their much-loved feline friends.”