As of January 1, 2023, it will be illegal not to ID your cat.
But it is only from January 2 that cat owners can do one of two steps in the process – namely to register as a cat owner on the authority's website.
- Cats need the same good care as dogs and that's something that doesn't work today, says Anders Elfström.
In the clip, Anders Elfström explains what the risks are if cat owners don't ID tag their cat.
Over 100,000 homeless cats
Today, a large number of cats live in Sweden without a home.
Often they have run away or been abandoned by their owners.
As it has not been mandatory to chip your cat in the past, the exact number is not known, but according to the Swedish Agency for Agriculture, there are more than 100,000 homeless cats per year.
According to Anders Elfström, the new law is hopefully part of the solution to that problem.
- The law makes it easier for cats to be reunited with their owner but also to take care of untagged cats better.
If they are not marked, there are others who can take care of them, for example cat shelters who can then help bring the cats to new homes, says Anders Elfström.