Am I allowed to have an outdoor cat in Sweden?
Yes — a cat may roam free outdoors, but you as the owner are responsible for it. Since 1 January 2023, ID-marking and registration are mandatory for all cats, both indoor and outdoor, under the Supervision of Dogs and Cats Act (2007:1150). The cat must be marked and registered in the Board of Agriculture's cat register before it is 4 months old, and before you sell or give it away. Registration costs 40 kr via the e-service (100 kr on a paper form). The commonest misconception is that indoor cats are exempt — they are not. An unregistered cat is more readily treated as ownerless, and inside a detailed-plan area in Stockholm police permission is needed to put down a stray cat.
📋 The rules
- A cat may roam free, but the owner is responsible
- ID-marking + registration mandatory since 1 Jan 2023
- Register in the cat register before the cat is 4 months old
- Fee: 40 kr via the e-service (100 kr on paper)
- The register is run by the Board of Agriculture
🔓 Exceptions
- A cat assumed abandoned may, as a last resort, be put down by the hunting-rights holder
- Inside a detailed-plan area (most of Stockholm) police permission is needed to put down a cat
- Indoor cats are not exempt from the ID requirement
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There is no fixed fine for an unregistered cat, which is why many assume the rule has no teeth. The consequence is a different one: the county board can issue an injunction with a conditional fine, an amount you pay if you still fail to comply. But the real risk is carried by the cat. Without ID-marking and registration nothing links it to you, and a cat assumed to be abandoned may, as a last resort, be put down by the hunting-rights holder — inside a detailed-plan area only with police permission. Animal-welfare failings can also lead to the cat being seized.
📎 Official sources
- Board of Agriculture · Mark and register a cat →
- Supervision of Dogs and Cats Act (2007:1150) · Riksdagen →
- County Board · Cats →
❓ Frequently asked
Can my cat roam outdoors freely?
Yes, a cat may roam free outdoors. But you as the owner are responsible for it, and since 1 January 2023 the cat must be ID-marked and registered with the Board of Agriculture, whether or not it goes outside.
Must I register my cat?
Yes. Since 1 January 2023 all cats, indoor and outdoor, must be ID-marked and registered in the Board of Agriculture's cat register. Indoor cats are not exempt, even though they never leave the home.
When must registration be done?
Before the cat is four months old, and always before you sell or give it away. If the cat is already older and still unregistered, you should have it marked and registered as soon as you can.
What does it cost to register the cat?
40 kr if you use the Board of Agriculture's e-service, or 100 kr if you send in a paper form. On top of that comes the cost of the ID-marking itself, which must be done before the cat can be registered.
What happens if the cat is not registered?
There is no fixed fine, but the county board can issue an injunction with a conditional fine. The cat is also more readily treated as ownerless, and a cat assumed abandoned may as a last resort be put down by the hunting-rights holder.
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