What cat owners need to know about Spain's animal welfare law

Spain’s Animal Welfare Law was approved towards the end of 2023, but despite the fact it’s been in force for a while now, it’s still causing confusion among pet owners as to the exact rules.

Because there are so many dog owners in Spain - at least 27 percent of Spanish households have one - most articles have been directed at them, but many of the laws are applicable to cat owners too.

It may seem like Spain is a nation of dog lovers, and while it’s true that there are more, there are a total of 5.8 million pet cats according to the European Pet Food Federation (FEDIAF).

We may not see them out and about as much, because many cats in Spain are house cats, particularly in cities where it’s not looked upon favourably for them to be outside, but there are a lot of them.

READ ALSO: What are Spain's new rules on owning multiple pets?

Microchipped

Firstly, the law states that it’s mandatory for cats to be registered and microchipped. In many regions, it was already mandatory, but since the law came into force, all cats nationwide must be properly identified with a chip. Identification is obligatory in order to locate missing cats, those that have been stolen or abandoned.

According to La Gatoteca website dedicated to cat owners in Spain, only 51 percent of domestic cats were identified and microchipped before this. Failure to get it microchipped can land you a fine of between €10,000 and €50,000.

Sterilisation

Secondly, all cats over six months of age must be surgically sterilised, whether they’re male or female. If you get a kitten younger than this, then you will have been given it under the condition that you must take it to be sterilised as soon as it’s old enough.

Only registered breeders are allowed to leave their cats un sterilised.

How long can cats be left alone?

Thirdly, cats may not be kept regularly on terraces, balconies, rooftops, storage rooms, basements, or patios, and they may they be left alone for more than three consecutive days. If you’re gone longer than this you should either take them to stay with someone else, take them to a pet boarding facility or get a pet sitter to stay with them at your home.

But many cat organisations and experts believe that even three days is too long for a cat to be left alone, and advise that it’s not on its own for more than 48 hours.

Vaccinations

There are no direct rules in the Animal Welfare Law for cat vaccinations because each region manages this individually, so it’s important to contact your vet to find out which ones your cat needs.

La Gatoteca always recommends giving your cat a primary vaccination, with the RCP cat vaccine, also known as FVRCP, which protects cats against feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and feline panleukopenia and a booster vaccination at approximately 21 days of age.

After this, they recommend administering boosters throughout the cat's life, depending on each individual case.

It’s worth noting that although it’s not mentioned in the law, most cat shelters or adoption agencies in cities in Spain, won’t let you adopt a cat, if you don’t have the necessary protection on your home, which can include cat nets installed on your balconies.

Fines

There are hefty fines for not abiding by the Animal Welfare Law. Minor violations carry a warning or fines ranging from €500 to €10,000. Serious violations carry fines ranging from €10,001 to €50,000; and very serious violations range from €50,001 to €200,000. Therefore, it’s important comply with your obligations as a cat owner.

In April 2025, a resident of the Madrid municipality of Ciempozuelos was fined €9,000 after being caught trying to abandon a cat in the street.

Fake cat news

There has been a lot of fake news regarding the law doing the rounds, specifically in regards to cats, so it's important to know what's true and what's not.

For example, a video on social media has recently surfaced with a man saying that Spain has made it illegal to feed street cats under the Animal Welfare Law and has been shared and commented on many times.

This is not true at all, the law does not prohibit you from feeding street cats and in fact there are several organisations and groups all over Spain that organise volunteers to feed colonies of feral cats.