20 Sept 2023
Officials have highlighted the case of a feline who was returned home after being missing for three weeks in a bid to encourage owners to chip their animals before new laws are brought in next summer.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Tia relaxing back at home after going missing for three weeks.
A cat was only reunited with her owners after being missing for three weeks because her microchip details were up-to-date, RSPCA officials say.
The charity is highlighting the case of the Burmese cat, named Tia, in a renewed drive for owners to ensure their pets are microchipped before new rules come into force next year.
Officers were alerted to Tia’s plight last month when residents at a property in Neasden, North London, saw her and feared she may be underweight and injured.
Animal rescue officer Philip Heyes said the cat was healthy and only around 100m away from her home before he returned her, based on the details contained on her microchip.
He added: “This is an excellent example of why cats should be microchipped, and why owners should check all their details are up-to-date.
“You can’t stop a cat from roaming, but you can get them home if their details are correct.”
From June 2024, it will be a legal requirement for cats aged 20 weeks and above in England to be microchipped and for their owners to maintain current details on a microchip database.
The plans, which are similar to the requirements that have been in place for dogs for several years, were first announced in the spring.
But an RSPCA survey suggested nearly half of adults were not aware of the planned law change.
The charity said the best time to microchip a cat is when they are neutered at around four months old.
The group is also calling for the Welsh Government to introduce similar rules to those planned for England.
