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REQUIRED Flanders Wallonia Brussels

Do I have to have my cat microchipped and neutered?

In short

Yes. Your cat must be microchipped and registered in CatID by the age of 12 weeks at the latest. Neutering is also compulsory in all three regions.

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This rule in 45 seconds
Video transcript

A little kitten has come to live with you. Required: A cat must be chipped and registered in CatID by 12 weeks at the latest. Neutering is compulsory in all three regions too. The right way: See a vet: chip, registration and neutering on time. Update the record when you move. Outcome: Animal welfare: Administrative fine; Flanders maximum: 100.000 €; Cat without a chip: Hard to find if lost.

What is not allowed, what is required?

  • Your cat must be microchipped before the age of 12 weeks and registered in the central register (CatID).
  • Neutering is compulsory in all three regions: in Flanders before the cat is 5 months old, in Wallonia and Brussels before it is 6 months old.
  • You need a licence to breed cats (to breed and sell kittens).
  • When the owner changes or you move house, the registration must be updated.
  • In Wallonia, everyone automatically has a permit to keep animals. However, when you get an animal from a shop, a shelter or a breeder, you are asked for an extract from the central register (extrait du fichier central) that is no more than 30 days old.

Penalty and indirect consequences

PENALTY NOTICE
Fine / payment
Administrative fine under animal welfare rules. The amount depends on the region and how serious the breach is; the legal maximum is high (e.g. 100.000 € in Flanders).

Legal basis:Bruxelles Environnement – Bien-être animal (chap. 13)

Court / prison
In Flanders, the law also lists 8 days to 5 years in prison for these violations; under the new Criminal Code this corresponds to level 3 (art. 78). An administrative fine can also be imposed instead.

Legal basis:Codex Dierenwelzijn, art. 66

What really matters: the indirect consequences

Why does this rule exist?

A registered animal that gets lost can be returned to its owner. Neutering reduces the number of stray cats and the number of cats put down in shelters. Belgium is the first country to make neutering cats compulsory nationwide, and the number of cats in shelters has dropped noticeably.

Where can you go?

  • Regional nature agenciesFlanders: Natuur en Bos · Wallonia: DNF · Brussels: Bruxelles Environnement
  • MunicipalityMunicipal forests, animal registration and places for sacrificial slaughter
  • Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.

This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses

Source and reliability

Official source
Source check
15 / 15 statements in an official source
Checked: 02.11.2026
Last checked
22.10.2026
Rules can change
Show the 15 checked statementsopen

The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.

General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?

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