Register your cat's microchip before you need it
A microchip does nothing on its own. Registering it links the chip number to your contact details, so a scan at the vet or shelter turns into a call to you, not a dead end. With United Pet Club, it's free for the life of your cat.
Five steps to register your cat
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Step 1: Get your cat chipped
Your vet implants the chip during a regular visit. It takes a moment and most cats barely react. You'll leave with a record showing the chip's unique ID number, photograph it or file it somewhere safe.
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Step 2: Pick a registry
The chip's manufacturer may run its own database, but you can register anywhere that accepts the chip's ID. Register a microchip with United Pet Club to get a registry that takes any brand and checks against the AAHA universal lookup tool.
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Step 3: Fill in her details, and yours
Enter the chip ID, typically 15 digits, your cat's name, breed or colouring, age, and a photo, along with your name, address, phone number, and email. Indoor-only cats need this just as much as cats that go outdoors, a security gate left open or a startled bolt through the kitchen door is all it takes.
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Step 4: Check the registration cost
Some registries charge a once-off or recurring fee, others are free. Check what you're agreeing to, including whether the registration lapses without renewal.
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Step 5: Update it after every move
Change your address, phone number, or email in the registry as soon as they change, and again after every move. A chip registered to a flat you left two years ago won't get you a phone call today.
Why registration matters more for cats than owners assume
Cat owners sometimes skip registration because their cat never goes outside. Indoor cats get out anyway, through a security gate left ajar, a torn screen, or a moving day with the front door propped open. A cat that's never been outdoors tends to run and hide rather than come when called once it's out, which is exactly when a registered chip matters most. Collars and pet ID tags help a neighbour identify your cat on sight, but cats are notorious for shedding collars, and a chip doesn't come off.
Vets and SPCA branches scan every stray cat that comes through the door, whether it arrived as an owner surrender, a trap from a colony, or a walk-in. If the chip is registered, that scan produces your phone number in seconds. If it isn't, the cat gets treated as unowned, and a much slower process starts from there.
If you adopted a cat that already has a microchip, don't assume the registration transferred with the paperwork. Contact the registry listed for that chip and request an ownership update using your adoption record as proof, or register the microchip fresh with United Pet Club, a current registration takes priority over an old one. No chip at all? Register your cat for free now and add the chip number after the vet visit.
What a registered chip does for your cat
Backs up a collar that comes off
Cats slip collars constantly, whether by design, a breakaway safety buckle doing its job, or by accident. The chip stays put either way.
Speeds up shelter intake
A scan matching a registered record can mean same-day contact instead of your cat sitting on a stray hold.
Covers indoor cats too
Registration doesn't assume your cat goes outside. It just means that if she ever does get out, there's a way back.
Moves with you
Update your details after a move and the registration stays current. The chip itself never needs to be touched.
Questions cat owners ask
How do I know if my cat's chip is already registered?
Check the paperwork from your vet or the shelter you adopted from, it usually lists the registry and ID number. Can't find it? Register with United Pet Club anyway, a newer registration takes precedence over one you can't verify.
Does an indoor cat really need a registered microchip?
Yes. Most lost indoor cats got out by accident, not habit, which makes them harder to recover by sight alone. A registered chip still works even if she bolts without a collar.
What happens when a vet or SPCA branch scans my cat?
Staff read the chip's ID number and check it against the registry it's recorded in. If your details are current, they call or email you directly instead of holding her as a stray.
Do I need to re-register after adopting her?
You need to update the ownership record, even though the cat already has a chip from a previous owner or shelter. Contact the existing registry with your adoption paperwork, or register fresh with United Pet Club.
Do I need to re-register when I move?
You don't need a new chip or an entirely new registration, but you do need to update your address, phone number, and email. The registry is only as useful as the contact details behind it.
How do I register my cat's microchip in South Africa?
With United Pet Club, free for the life of your cat. There's no single national law requiring it the way rabies vaccination is required, but the SPCA strongly recommends microchipping cats too, and any brand of chip qualifies. Updating your details after a move never costs anything.
Get your cat registered
It takes a few minutes, and it's the difference between a scan that reaches you and one that doesn't. Questions first? Contact us before you start.