Thank you for contacting me about cat microchipping.
To their owners, cats are cherished members of the family and I understand that their disappearance and deaths can cause a lot of distress.
The Government is committed to improving the welfare of cats and has a manifesto commitment to introduce compulsory microchipping of cats. Last year, Defra published a call for evidence on compulsory microchipping for cats, which attracted over 3,000 responses. I am aware that the responses are now being assessed, with a view to publishing the summary of these in due course. In the meantime, I would encourage all cat owners to microchip their felines, ensuring relevant records are kept up to date.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Craig Whittaker MP
November 2020