Three years after Sweden's cat registration law took effect, the Djurskyddet animal shelter in Strängnäs reports no noticeable reduction in the number of stray cats arriving at their facility. According to Kicki Holmberg, the cat shelter manager, the shelter continues to receive approximately 50 cats annually, with most being found strays.
"We notice no difference," Holmberg told SVT Sörmland, expressing surprise that more cat owners aren't registering and microchipping their pets. In one recent month, the shelter received five cats, four of which were unmarked.
We notice no difference
While the Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket) reported 21,459 registered cats in Sörmland county last year, Holmberg believes many cats remain unregistered throughout the region. The cats arriving at the shelter are typically found strays, with some coming from estates of deceased owners.
Holmberg emphasized the importance of registration for pet recovery: "If you want to get your lost cat back, you have to mark it too." The shelter manager is now calling for increased awareness among cat owners about their responsibilities under the registration law.
If you want to get your lost cat back, you have to mark it too