All cats in England must be microchipped and registered on a database from today (Monday, June 10) under new laws. The new legislation applies to all cats aged 20 weeks and older, including indoor cats.

The RSPCA said that one in 10 cats going into their centres were still not microchipped, despite the incoming law change.

Pet owners found breaking the rules face a £500 fine if they do not comply within 21 days.

Data from a Cats Protection survey suggested about 1.9 million cats in England were not microchipped. The charity said owners of about 300,000 cats were not sure if they were microchipped or not.

Microchipping involves a small chip being “quickly and simply” inserted under the animal’s skin to give the pet its own unique code. The chip can then be scanned and matched to the owner’s contact details that are kept on a database.

RSPCA said the new rules would improve cat welfare, help track down missing pets and could stop owners abandoning their animals. The charity said that last year more than 7,500 abandoned cats were reported to the charity and more than 1,500 so far this year.