SINGAPORE – About 41,000 pet cats have been licensed since compulsory rules kicked in a year ago requiring pet cat owners to license and microchip the felines.

The Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), in a statement on Sept 1, also said more than 41,500 people, including dog owners, have completed the online pet ownership course – compulsory for first-time cat licence applicants.

Of the cats that were licensed, 95 per cent were sterilised.

The pet cat licensing scheme was rolled out under the Cat Management Framework on Sept 1, 2024, to ensure cat owners can be held accountable for keeping their cats responsibly.

Owners must license and microchip all their pet cats by Aug 31, 2026 . Licensing will be free until then.

After that, it will cost $15 for a one-year licence for a sterilised cat and $90 for an unsterilised cat, the same as the cost of licensing pet dogs.

It will be an offence to keep unlicensed pet cats from Sept 1, 2026, under the Animals and Birds Act.

Since April 2024 , more than 8,000 pet cats have also been microchipped at 45 free microchipping and licensing drives held by AVS island-wide.

Similar sessions held in collaboration with veterinary clinics saw 500 more pet cats microchipped, AVS said.

The Pet Cat Sterilisation Support (PCSS) programme , and the Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage (TNRM) programme for community cats were also launched on Sept 1, 2024 .

More than 1,300 pet cats have been sterilised and microchipped under the PCSS programme, which provides the services to lower-income households for free.

AVS is also launching a month-long line-up of events in September to mark the first anniversary of the Cat Management Framework.

They include a free seminar on cat welfare and behaviour at the Singapore Botanic Gardens Botany Centre’s function hall on Sept 10 , and an educational carnival with exhibits at Boon Lay Community Club between Sept 13 and Sept 14.

There will also be roving exhibitions and special programmes, including storytelling and craft sessions for children, at community spaces and selected public libraries.

The public can visit go.gov.sg/cat-framework for more information on the Cat Management Framework.

Details on the licensing process and requirements can be found at go.gov.sg/cat-licensing

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