How to Check and Update Your Cat’s Microchip Registration

By Dr Duncan Houston

You know your cat was microchipped, but can anyone reach you through that number? A receipt from the appointment cannot answer that on its own.

Set aside the chip number, the registry name and your current contact details. Those three pieces make the check straightforward.

Quick Answer

Find your cat’s microchip number, identify the registry and check the record directly with that company. Update changed contact details and complete any transfer required after adoption or rehoming. A successful scan confirms a readable number; it does not confirm that the database details are current.

1. Find and confirm the number

Look in the microchip certificate, adoption paperwork or veterinary record. If you cannot find it, ask your veterinary practice to scan your cat. Copy the whole number carefully and keep it with the registry’s contact details.

At routine visits, ask the team about checking that the chip remains readable. If a scan does not find it, let them investigate rather than assuming a new implant is automatically needed.

2. Identify the right registry

The company that made a chip and the company holding the registration may not be the same. In the United States, AAHA’s Microchip Registry Lookup can help identify participating registries associated with a number. It does not display the keeper’s private details or let you edit the record.

A lookup can return potential suppliers when registration is missing. Follow up with the companies listed rather than treating a search result as proof that your details are on file. Elsewhere, use the relevant local database lookup or ask the practice for help.

3. Check the record itself

• Does the chip number match your paperwork?
• Are the cat’s identifying details correct?
• Is your current telephone number listed?
• Are your email and address current?
• Have you received confirmation that the update was saved?

Update the registry promptly when you move or change numbers. Changing a veterinary practice record or an app profile does not necessarily change a separate registration database.

4. Complete adoption or rehoming transfers

Ask the organisation or previous keeper how the transfer is handled. Cats Protection, for example, updates registration for cats formally adopted through its organisation; other arrangements need checking individually. Keep the confirmation and follow the registry’s verification process if the existing record is in another name.

For England, use the current government list of databases and registration guidance. Verify the destination before paying a registration or update request. Charges and optional services vary.

What if your cat is already missing?

Tell the registry and check that its contact record is usable. Contact local veterinary practices and animal shelters, and follow a practical search plan. A microchip cannot locate the cat; someone must find and scan them first.

Common mistakes

• Stopping after finding the chip number
• Updating a lookup website instead of the actual registry
• Assuming every adoption transfer happens automatically
• Waiting until a cat is missing to correct old details

Frequently asked questions

Can AAHA change my registration?

No. Its lookup identifies registry contacts; the database company handles the record.

Does moving require a new microchip?

A change of address is a registration update. Contact the registry rather than booking another implant.

What if the registry has closed?

Ask your veterinary practice or an established registry how to re-register the existing number. Do not assume the old record transferred elsewhere.

Where can I learn what a chip actually does?

Read what cat microchip identification can and cannot do for the difference between identification and tracking.

Finish with a working contact record

Save the confirmation somewhere you can retrieve it. The useful endpoint is a correct, accessible record linked to the number in your cat.

Sources and further reading

• AAHA: Microchip Registry Lookup
• Cats Protection: registration and transfers
• GOV.UK: updating microchip details
• AVMA: maintaining a microchip record

ASK A VET™ supports informed everyday animal care. Your veterinary team can help with questions specific to your animal.