Putting on a Collar...

My Simon wore a collar when he first came home. When he outgrew it, we bought another that turned out to be a tad too large. We waited until he grew into it; by that time, he was adverse to wearing it and managed to get it off his neck (or at least onto his bottom jaw).

I feared that I'd come home to find him seriously hurt from a collar stuck on his bottom teeth, so I've not made him wear one since. But now that he's a year old, I want to put one back on him, if only to make myself feel better (due to the fear of him ever getting loose).

Does anyone have any suggestions about how to get a cat to re-accept a collar? I've read to play with the cat for about 20-30 minutes, by which time he should have forgotten about it. But that didn't work with Simon. *sigh*

Thanks,

Jenk

i normally put the collar on and make sure it is snug, not tight, but tight enough that they can't put a paw through it. It is also key to make sure the collar is comfortable. Certain collars cats accept better then others. Playing with them or feeding them after you put it one helps them to forget it is there.

Collars are my pet peeves, to many sad emails from cat owners about cats getting hung up with one on and bad things happening. If you do get a collar, please get a break-away collar, so your cat doesn't end up an email statistic

We don't collar our cats, as they are indoors only and the risk of them getting the collar hung up on something during their escapades is too scary.

I test collar brands to make sure I feel they are safe before I put them on the cat. If it doesn't break away like it is supposed to that I don't use it. most important is to make sure you kitty is safe/.

I have 3 outside cats and I supervive my breeding-cats outside time. My cats DON'T tolerate collars and I think they are not the best idea seeing as my cats climb & stuff etc etc, I think my neigbours think my puss Yogi is a stray coz he always goes there for food

Wow. I'm actually surprised that everyone would say, "Don't have your cats wear collars." I understand your point of view, but I thought it was important in the event that a beloved feline ever escaped. (Despite being an indoor kitty, Simon is very curious and likes to try to peek out the front door.) Hmmm... I will need to consider this matter further.

All my cats are microchipped and some are tatooed, depending on their history. None of my cats will every wear collars to many things can happen to them.

Are the very stretchy kinds almost as safe as the break-away types? I bought both, the stretchy and the break aways and am using the stretchy right now. They actually seem to have more give then the BAs. Any thoughts on that?

as long as your cat can get lose from it if the kitty gets caught on anything then I think it is okay. MoeMoe is the craziest climber I have ever seen and he has been wearing a collar now with no problems. None of my cats would wear collars but I finally found a kind they would keep on. I can't even count how many collars I have lost under cabnets before I found these.

feared that I'd come home to find him seriously hurt from a collar stuck on his bottom teeth, so I've not made him wear one since. But now that he's a year old,

Click to expand...

This is something you really need to be careful of. My RB kitty Zasper died because her collar got stuck on her bottom jaw. If it's something that he would do regularly when he had a collar on I would suggest a microchip or a tattoo. If it's stuck on the bottom jaw long enough they can choke and die, even if it's a break away collar. Unfortunatly I had to learn that the hard way and since then I don't keep collars on my cats.

Originally posted by uabassoon
This is something you really need to be careful of. My RB kitty Zasper died because her collar got stuck on her bottom jaw. If it's something that he would do regularly when he had a collar on I would suggest a microchip or a tattoo. If it's stuck on the bottom jaw long enough they can choke and die, even if it's a break away collar. Unfortunatly I had to learn that the hard way and since then I don't keep collars on my cats.

Click to expand...

The kind I use they can chew through. Neo has chewed through two because I had them on to loose he is so bad sometimes

Hissy writes:

All my cats are microchipped and some are tatooed, depending on their history. None of my cats will every wear collars to many things can happen to them.

Click to expand...

Ahhh... There is so much conflicting info. out there. That is, some experts say that tags are still the best method for ensuring that you get your pet back, as many shelters do not have the equipment to scan for microchips and/ or think to look for tattoos. And, yet, pet owners are speaking from experience about collars causing major issues.

All I know is that I'd be completely devestated if any of my companions ever got away and the person who found him/ her couldn't contact me. I am so torn on this issue, it isn't funny.

I know it's a touchy subject, but I prefer to keep collars on mine even though they have microchips just b/c so many people don't even know about chips, plus I want it to be obvious to the casual observer that my cats are pets. I strongly recommend breakaway collars, and be sure to check them in the store to make sure they'll release easily - a small cat's weight might not be sufficient to break open a stiff buckle.

For the tags, I order ones that have my info on one side, and on the other side I put "If I'm outside, I'm lost!".

I put a stretchy collar on my puss and she got it off. She had to undo the buckle. I want her to have identification but, as she climbs trees, I worry she will get hung up on a branch or something. I am definately going to get her microchipped.