Cat collar - yay or nay?

My kitten is about 8 months now. She's been wearing a collar since we got her at about 12 weeks. The little bell is so handy for knowing where she is. I also wrote my phone number on it. However, even the elasticated collar, I'm worried she'll get trapped or hang herself. She is microchipped but I don't think many people would get a cat checked for a microchip, if she was missing.

What are your own opinions on cat collars? I feel more confident she wont get lost with the collar on, but stressing about her tree climbing fetish and getting trapped.

braddun

yes

Mountainsandh

My cat doesn't wear a collar for the same reasons as you worry about OP. He was a great climber when younger, and although I did buy the elasticated collar, I was just too worried to leave it on.

I'm in the countryside, so plenty to climb, and not much chance of wandering off to be adopted by someone else.

He's microchipped, at least it's something.

If you are near other houses, I suppose you have the added worry that he might be taken for a stray if he doesn't wear a collar.

Sorry I can't help much, as I said for me it's a no.

Mountainsandh

Mountainsandh wrote: »

My cat doesn't wear a collar for the same reasons as you worry about OP. He was a great climber when younger, and although I did buy the elasticated collar, I was just too worried to leave it on.

I'm in the countryside, so plenty to climb, and not much chance of wandering off to be adopted by someone else.

He's microchipped, at least it's something.

If you are near other houses, I suppose you have the added worry that he might be taken for a stray if he doesn't wear a collar.

Sorry I can't help much, as I said for me it's a no.

Yep, exactly the same! I live in a quiet Dublin suburb so yes she could be accidentally adopted. She's also the world's most socialable cat. When she was five months she showed up in a neighbour's kitchen. They only came over to us because she had a collar on so they reckoned she was owned. Though she's such a healthy cat, anyone who knows cats should know she's obviously a pet cat. But we live next door to a busy supermarket carpark and I've seen her being petted by people there, and she always roars like she's starving, so people might just take her thinking she needs care! But we also have lovely big trees around that she's always climbing.

It's a difficult one!!

SillyMangoX

The way I had it was I kept a collar and name tag on them while they were totally indoors, so if they got out they would be returned. Never came to that though. When they were old enough to be outside for a while I went through countless collars and they kept losing them so I gave up. They are chipped though. Plus all the neighbours around know my guys anyway, we are the only ones around with pet cats at the moment, all the others are Ferals!
Funny story though, my old cat went missing for ten months then showed up one day out of the blue so we got him a collar and name tag with our numbers on it so if he returned to where he had been hiding for the last while the people could know he had a home. He came back the next day with no collar. The day after he had it on again!! So they took off the collar, read it, and never bothered calling us! Honestly if cats climb trees or go through bushes a lot they will just lose the collar and you'll spend a fortune replacing them every time :P

amdublin

Cost me a fortune until I found quick release ones in dealz - 2 for 1.49.

I hate them because I'm afraid of him getting caught and hung but like them because he's a brat for just moving into people in my estates house and they have to ring me to come collect him *embarrassed face*

Salt001

Yes I would be worried that she would get caught on a branch or fence etc. I do think now though that vets and rescue centres etc. do check for micro chipping for cats

boomerang

Go for the quick release collars, they're usually only €2-€3 and buy a few at a time so your cat is never without one. At the moment I can get the Rogz ones (really good brand) for €1.49 in our local discount shop, Mr. Price.

And you can get a stack of ID tags from ebay seller CNATTAGS for half nothing.

Salt001

Salt001 wrote: »

Yes I would be worried that she would get caught on a branch or fence etc. I do think now though that vets and rescue centres etc. do check for micro chipping for cats

My concern is that someone who finds her might keep her and not look for a vet or rescue to check her chip - she is a really lovely cat, one of the best I ever met (which is why I worry so much about her being accidentially adopted!). And the fact that she runs up to strangers in the carpark and has walked right in the door of a neighbouring house doesn't help! At least if she has the collar on they know she is somebody's cat!

The quick release collars sound great! I don't mind how many collars she goes through. Sounds like best of both worlds. She's currently collarless because we're in my ma's house and she's made best friends with a little Labrador puppy. He tried to rip her collar off and ended up flinging poor Amelia five feet across the kitchen!! She thought it was great fun. But I miss the little bell letting me know where she is, because she is a very naughty kitten.

mademoiselle_r

No matter what collar I get my kitty, she always seems to get it off her head.

Now she can kill mice without it, so maybe it's a good thing.

Zapperzy

I use the latch type, put any pressure on it and it pulls straight apart and releases. Much easier to lose accidentally. Spent a fortune replacing these in the space of a few months when my old cat used to venture out in her younger days, still used to find them lying around the house the odd time after getting caught on something as an indoor cat.

Think someone posted a link to a cheap source for these to bulk buy not too long ago.



While the elasticated ones are safety collars I'd still worry about them not stretching enough for a light weighted cat or them getting twisted around and not stretching or snapping. Buckle types are a sure no no.

I'd always put a collar on a cat if at all possible. To non-cat savvy people it's a sure sign it's an owned cat should anything happen. Lots of people come across friendly good conditioned cats and presume it's been dumped or strayed and wouldn't put much or any effort into finding an owner. I'd put a collar on for this reason alone at the least, tags come in handy for tracing back to you but at least if someone see's a collar they'l try harder to search for you.

While my cats are always microchipped I'm not too sure how widespread checking of chips in cats are. A vet laughed at me when I wanted to get my cat chipped in '11, it was the first time she'd heard of anyone chipping a cat.

EDIT: Spent about 20 minutes typing that and missed boomerangs post about cheap sources of collars!

mademoiselle_r

mademoiselle_r wrote: »

No matter what collar I get my kitty, she always seems to get it off her head.

Now she can kill mice without it, so maybe it's a good thing.

I heard this about other cats! Meels doesn't bother with her collar. She has killed meece even with the collar on. Just owning her has sorted our mouse problem anyway, even in my room where she's barred. I have three budgies in there and she's quite the fan of them. I took advice from someone else that said rub a cloth on your cat's nether regions and leave it in the room. I did this (Amelia was annoyed!) and left it where the mice nested last year. Mice love to eat budgie food. I set my old traps anyway, not a single mouse this year!

Zapperzy

Zapperzy wrote: »

I use the latch type, put any pressure on it and it pulls straight apart and releases. Much easier to lose accidentally. Spent a fortune replacing these in the space of a few months when my old cat used to venture out in her younger days, still used to find them lying around the house the odd time after getting caught on something as an indoor cat.

Think someone posted a link to a cheap source for these to bulk buy not too long ago.



While the elasticated ones are safety collars I'd still worry about them not stretching enough for a light weighted cat or them getting twisted around and not stretching or snapping. Buckle types are a sure no no.

I'd always put a collar on a cat if at all possible. To non-cat savvy people it's a sure sign it's an owned cat should anything happen. Lots of people come across friendly good conditioned cats and presume it's been dumped or strayed and wouldn't put much or any effort into finding an owner. I'd put a collar on for this reason alone at the least, tags come in handy for tracing back to you but at least if someone see's a collar they'l try harder to search for you.

While my cats are always microchipped I'm not too sure how widespread checking of chips in cats are. A vet laughed at me when I wanted to get my cat chipped in '11, it was the first time she'd heard of anyone chipping a cat.

EDIT: Spent about 20 minutes typing that and missed boomerangs post about cheap sources of collars!

You echo my concerns and experience exactly!! I will check out collars when I get on a decent connection, internet is awful where me and kitten are Christmassing (but the craic is ninety!).

Meels is a little slip of a cat, which is why elasticated collars scare me with her. I'll definitely invest in good collars. Don't care how many she loses. I just feel a lot easier knowing she has one. I get indelable marker and write my number on it.

Posy

I always got Ancol collars for my cat- he lost a reasonable few over the years, but never came to any harm because of a collar as a result!
Plus, he couldn't kill birds, which was a definite bonus- for me and the birds at least!

Posy

Posy wrote: »

I always got Ancol collars for my cat- he lost a reasonable few over the years, but never came to any harm because of a collar as a result!
Plus, he couldn't kill birds, which was a definite bonus- for me and the birds at least!

I would praise my kitten for killing a bird. I love birds. I own pet birds! But I praise Amelia for killing. If she ever shows me a rat then she is the best pet I ever owned, I'd love her more than my old horse Harvey!

fatherted1969

Had a collar on my last cat. He would go rambling for a couple of weeks from time to time although he was nuetered. He came back one time after being gone for about 3 weeks and must have put his paw up under his collar.

It had torn all under his leg, looked horrific. Straight to vet where he stayed for a week. Made a full recovery although my wallet never recovered €300. Wouldnt put a collar on one after that although those quick release ones sound ok

bluecherry74

A friend of mine at work got a call from a vet in another town a few weeks ago to say they had his cat. Turns out his neighbour had decided to adopt the cat and brought him in to be neutered, claiming to own him. The vet scanned him anyway (I imagine alarm bells went off in his head when he saw the cat was already neutered) and called my friend. Hopefully most other vets would do the same, so microchipping can definitely help.

I use the breakaway collars from time to time. They're usually lost within a week or two but they're the only ones that I feel safe putting on my cats. So even though they don't always have a collar they have one often enough that people would realise they're not strays. I also limit their access to the great outdoors to daylight hours, so they're not roaming 24/7. This reduces the likelihood of "accidental adoption" (love that phrase! ) and also their risk of getting run over.

pawrick

Snap collar definitely yes - the drawbacks of having a cat with no sign of ownership out way the risks imo and these risks are further reduced by having the pressure release on the collar if it does get caught on something.

Having some identification on your outdoor cat such as a snap off collar with a phone number and registered microchip with up to date contact details would help a lot in finding their owners and save a lot of trouble all round when a cat gets lost/injured or is picked up/"adopted" by someone meaning well.

I'd also add a bell to help reduce the number of bird kills, cats will be cats but any help towards reducing unnecessary kills is a good idea with the amount of ferals already out there.

the beer revolu

Regarding bells :
I've read that bells can teach a cat to become more stealthy hunters and hence more deadly.

True or not?
I don't know but it does make some sense.

Capercaille

Deleted User wrote: »

I would praise my kitten for killing a bird. I love birds. I own pet birds! But I praise Amelia for killing. If she ever shows me a rat then she is the best pet I ever owned, I'd love her more than my old horse Harvey!

I nearly vomited when you said that

the beer revolu wrote: »

Regarding bells :
I've read that bells can teach a cat to become more stealthy hunters and hence more deadly.

True or not?
I don't know but it does make some sense.

I read a RSPB report that bells on cat's decrease bird kills by up to 45% for most cats. I have 4 large bells on my cat's quick release collar. He hardly ever catches a bird now. You can hear him from a good distance. I have several bird feeders in the garden and he will try a hide near them and ambush the birds. The trick is to move them often and make sure he has no cover to hide behind near the feeder.

metaoblivia

Both of my cats wear quick release collars, even though both are strictly indoors only. I like keeping tags and collars on them though just in case they happen to get out (my momma cat nightmare is that an earthquake hits and somehow they get out of the house and are lost in the chaos). Microchipping is probably the most secure way, but like others have said, that only works if the cat falls into the hands of a local shelter or vet. If you have a nice, friendly cat, people are more than happy to take them in and never get them checked for a chip.

Pumpkinseeds

We tried all kinds of safety release collars on Felix and he kept getting them off. One night he was having a wash on our bed when 1 of his paws got stuck in the collar some how. The collar didn't come off and he really got himself into a panic. It took both of us to hold him to get the collar off and I dread to think of what would have happened if we hadn't been there. All 4 of ours are microchipped, as a result of what happened to Felix we'd never ever put a collar of any kind on them again.

I think the cons out weigh the pros when it comes to putting a collar on a cat, and sorry but I really hate the idea of a bell on a cat, I don't think it's fair to the cat.:)

Tearin It Up

Caught my cat today pouncing on a bird or trying to. The bird flew off. It had a lucky escape.

Have to get the cat a bell collar.

Capercaille

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

We tried all kinds of safety release collars on Felix and he kept getting them off. One night he was having a wash on our bed when 1 of his paws got stuck in the collar some how. The collar didn't come off and he really got himself into a panic. It took both of us to hold him to get the collar off and I dread to think of what would have happened if we hadn't been there. All 4 of ours are microchipped, as a result of what happened to Felix we'd never ever put a collar of any kind on them again.

I think the cons out weigh the pros when it comes to putting a collar on a cat, and sorry but I really hate the idea of a bell on a cat, I don't think it's fair to the cat.:)

If the cat keeps getting them off they I suppose you can't put one on them. You should then keep your cats indoors then to prevent predation of birds.

Pumpkinseeds

Capercaille wrote: »

If the cat keeps getting them off they I suppose you can't put one on them. You should then keep your cats indoors then to prevent predation of birds.

Judging by the massive amount of birds that land on the grass outside when I put bird food out every day my cats aren't having much of an impact on the bird population and not a bell on any of them.;)

Capercaille

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Judging by the massive amount of birds that land on the grass outside when I put bird food out every day my cats aren't having much of an impact on the bird population and not a bell on any of them.;)

That's a poor excuse. Unless you are trying your best to limit/stop them killing birds you should not let the cats out.

Pumpkinseeds

Capercaille wrote: »

That's a poor excuse. Unless you are trying your best to limit/stop them killing birds you should not let the cats out.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, the topic never ends well.

ewinslet

I have had my reservations about cat collars. They're lovely to look at - my cat has a lovely green velvet one with diamonds on it - but I'm always afraid it'll get caught in a branch or something like that. So it's got to be tight enough for that not to happen, but not so tight that the cat will feel uncomfortable. If you can fit your finger between the neck and the collar it's probably fine.

Capercaille

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, the topic never ends well.

Probably. It's annoying to see that (some) cat owners seem to think it's ok for their cats to kill/torture wild birds. The old Irish excuse "Sure I can't do anything to stop it". If a dog owner let it's dog attack sheep there would be uproar (rightly so), but when it comes to our native wildlife (some highly threatened) a lot of people could not care less. Going by your post history you seem to have a lot of empathy for pets, but it is disheartening when people like yourself refuse to see the damage their cats do.

Pumpkinseeds

Capercaille wrote: »

Probably. It's annoying to see that (some) cat owners seem to think it's ok for their cats to kill/torture wild birds. The old Irish excuse "Sure I can't do anything to stop it". If a dog owner let it's dog attack sheep there would be uproar (rightly so), but when it comes to our native wildlife (some highly threatened) a lot of people could not care less. Going by your post history you seem to have a lot of empathy for pets, but it is disheartening when people like yourself refuse to see the damage their cats do.

Really? You really want to drag up this old argument again? Life's just too short.

Capercaille

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Really? You really want to drag up this old argument again? Life's just too short.

You're right there. A leopard don't change it's spots.