Where to Find Free Cat Microchipping in the UK

In the UK, it’s a legal requirement to ensure your cat has a microchip – just another part of life with pets. If you adopted your cat from a rescue, they might already be microchipped, or you might have ensured that your cat got a microchip yourself. But if not, you might be looking for free microchipping services to ensure you keep your cat safe – and avoid a fine of up to £500. 

If you’re on the lookout for somewhere to get your cat microchipped for free, you’re in the right place. Here, we’ve brought together the free microchipping services for your cat.

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Can you get a cat microchipped for free?

While many people will pay to get their cat microchipped, there are ways to get your cat microchipped for free or at a reduced rate. There are a few different places that offer this service, such as charities and community groups. 

How to find free microchipping for your cat

Online resources and groups

Many animal charities and groups offer free microchipping from time to time, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on their websites.

• Cat’s Protection

• People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA)

• Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)

Community events and clinics

Sometimes, charities and organisations such as the RSPCA and Cats Protection host free cat microchipping days and weekends and free cat welfare clinics, like this upcoming event hosted by RSPCA South London in Tooting on 3 April and this one set to be hosted by Cats Protection Liverpool on 10 April. Others in the past have included this event in Telford and this one with the Cotswolds Dogs & Cats Home, both from 2024.

In 2023, the pet database company Track Your Paws offered a mobile service to microchip pets free of charge around Northwich in Chester, too. 

To find an event in your area, it’s worth searching on Facebook – you might decide to join some local groups for pet parents and you can ask there, or scour the pages of your local animal charities – or setting up a Google Alert for a phrase such as “free cat microchipping” followed by your town or city, and searching for similar phrases on X (formerly Twitter). It’s always a good idea to ask your vet, as well as friends or relatives who also have pets, if they know of anything coming up near you too.

Veterinary clinics and animal shelters

Some vets offer microchipping free of charge. If you need to get your cat microchipped for free, it’s worth speaking to your regular vet to see if they might be able to help you. Alternatively, find a vet in your area here, to see if any of the vets nearby could help. 

If you’re receiving certain benefits, you may also be eligible for free or low-cost veterinary care through the PDSA at one of its Pet Hospitals – including microchipping. If you don’t live near one of the charity’s Pet Hospitals but receive those benefits, you may be eligible for its Pet Care scheme instead. The programme allows you to pay a small monthly fee to get access to low-cost treatments via partner veterinary practices.

The RSPCA also provides low-cost vet care including microchipping. Meanwhile, you can expect any cats you adopt from reputable shelters like Cats Protection to already be microchipped when you bring them home. 

Why you should microchip your cat

Microchipping your cat means that, if your cat is lost or stolen, your cat has a better chance of being reunited with you, even if they don’t find their way home themselves. Collars and tags can come off or be removed, but a microchip won’t. While they could become a thing of the past in years to come, they’re one of the best tools we have at our disposal right now. 

And, while a microchip isn’t legal proof of ownership on its own, your cat being microchipped will give you a much better chance of getting your cat back – even if you have to offer evidence such as veterinary records or proof of adoption too. 

You won’t find out where your cat has been, however. A microchip is quite a bit different from a tracker!

New microchip laws

On 10 June 2024, Parliament passed a law that makes microchipping cats compulsory, with limited exceptions. If you live in England, your cat must be microchipped by the time they’re 20 weeks old, even if you have an indoor cat. Only feral, farm, unowned and community cats with limited or no human interaction are exempt. 

It must be fitted by a trained professional, like a vet, and you must ensure that your cat is registered on a government-approved database. 

If your cat is found to not be registered on one of these databases, you’ll have 21 days to get them a microchip otherwise you could be fined up to £500. 

The law is a little different in the rest of the UK, and if you live in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, you don’t need to microchip your cat. However, it’s still strongly recommended. 

How does microchipping work?

A microchip is a tiny electronic device, around the size of a grain of rice, that is inserted under your cat’s skin near the shoulder blades. It holds a unique number that connects your cat to you via an online database containing your contact details, so when a lost cat is found and scanned, there’s a better chance of them being reunited with their parents. 

Microchipping is a safe and speedy process that’s unlikely to cause too much distress – it’s similar to getting an injection, and will help you keep your cat safe in the long term.

​​Final thoughts: free cat microchipping

How much does microchipping cost for cats?

The cost of a microchip can vary slightly, costing between £10–£30 in most cases. However, it’s sometimes offered for free or at a reduced rate. However, microchipping is sometimes offered for free or at a reduced rate, such as at PDSA Pet Hospitals for those eligible. 

How much is it to microchip a cat at Pets at Home?

The cost of microchipping a cat at Vets4Pets and Companion Care, both under the Pets at Home Vet Group, can vary. However, microchipping is also included in the health plans they offer for a monthly direct debit.