Registering your cat in the pet identification register

Registration links the cat to you through a microchip, a small device the size of a grain of rice that a vet inserts under the skin and that carries a unique numeric code. That code, tied to your details in the register, lets a vet, a shelter or the authorities trace who cares for the animal. It is the difference between a lost cat that comes home and one left without a name.

• Recovery: if the cat goes missing and is taken to a vet or shelter, the microchip read against the register leads back to you.
• Proof of keeping: the register entry documents who cares for the animal, useful in many procedures.
• Local obligation: in several regions registering a cat has become mandatory or strongly recommended, each with its own timing.
• Travel and transfers: a stable identity is the basis for other procedures, from the passport to a change of ownership.

Registration almost always goes through the vet, who applies the microchip and sends the details to the register, or through the veterinary public health service. Turning up with the right information makes it quicker and avoids repeat visits. Here is what to bring.

• A valid identity document and your tax code, because the entry must be in the name of a real person.
• Your current contact details: address, phone and any email, so whoever finds the cat can reach you.
• Any existing documents on the cat: health booklet, a certificate for an already applied microchip, or paperwork from the breeder or shelter.
• Whether the cat already has a microchip: sometimes one is present but not registered in your name, and only the entry needs updating.
• The questions to ask: obligation in your region, timing, cost and what proof of registration you receive.

1. 1

   Check the obligation and process in your area

   Contact the veterinary public health service or your vet and ask whether, in your region, a cat must be registered, within what timeframe and with which body. It is the step that guides all the others.

2. 2

   Book the microchip appointment

   Set an appointment with a qualified vet. If the cat has no microchip, the vet will apply one; if it already has one, the vet will simply read it and check the registration.

3. 3

   Have the microchip applied or read

   Application is a quick procedure, similar to an injection under the skin. Afterwards ask for confirmation of the fifteen-digit code linked to your cat and note it down with the other details.

4. 4

   Register your details

   The vet or the public health service send the microchip code and your keeper details to the register. Check that your name, tax code and contacts are written correctly before closing the procedure.

5. 5

   Get proof of registration

   Ask for the document or receipt that confirms the registration and the microchip code. It is the paper that proves the cat is registered in your name.

6. 6

   File everything in a safe place

   Keep the microchip code, the proof of registration and the register's contact details together with the animal's other documents, so you can find them quickly when needed.

A register entry is only worth as much as the truth of its data. If your address, your number or the animal's keeper changes, the entry must be updated, otherwise whoever finds the cat cannot reach you. Keeping the documents tidy saves last-minute scrambles.