Moving house does not update your cat’s microchip record automatically. Find the database holding the chip number, change your address and contact details there, then keep confirmation with your moving documents. In England, this is both a practical reunion safeguard and part of the legal microchipping requirements.
Know what the law currently says
GOV.UK states that cats in England must be microchipped and registered by 20 weeks old, including cats that normally stay indoors. The rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so use the government page rather than assuming one UK-wide deadline.
The same guidance makes the keeper responsible for maintaining current contact details. A chip under the skin and an out-of-date database record are not the same as a useful, current registration.
Use this four-part moving check
- Locate the chip number. Check the certificate, veterinary record, pet passport or insurance paperwork.
- Identify the database. If you have the number but not the provider, use the checker linked from GOV.UK. If you cannot find the number, ask a vet or rescue centre about scanning.
- Update the record. Contact the registered database directly and change the address, phone number and any other outdated details.
- Keep evidence. Save the confirmation and database contact details somewhere everyone caring for the cat can find.
Be cautious with unexpected payment messages. GOV.UK maintains the list of databases meeting government standards and warns that unsolicited approaches from other databases may be scams.
Connect the record to the rest of the move
Add microchip confirmation to the same checklist as registering with a new vet and updating insurance details. Our cat-furniture packing plan covers the large physical items; the chip record belongs on the administrative side of the move.
The pictured Velvet Nest can be assessed as familiar bedding if your cat already uses it, but buying a new bed does not replace taking familiar scents and essentials. Do not wash every familiar item immediately before moving merely to make the new room look tidy.
Check again before outdoor access
Confirm the new address is showing on the database before an outdoor cat is allowed outside at the new home. Keep the registration reference accessible rather than relying on memory during a stressful first week.
England-focused legal information checked 12 September 2026. Check GOV.UK for later changes and rules elsewhere in the UK.
