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collars and beds?

post #1 of 13
5/23/11 at 7:53pm
Thread Starter 
I just have a few questions before I bring home Emma

I want to make her a bed. I was thinking of making a fleece pillow case and putting it in a wicker basket ... what do you guys do?

Also how do I introduce my kitten to her harness and collar?
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post #2 of 13
5/24/11 at 4:32am
I wouldn't worry about a harness until you are well settled in weeks from now IMO.

Collars are also optional if your cat is going to be indoors. I found that my cats were happier without the collar on, and really only tolerated it because they couldn't get it off so eventually gave up. Fur bunched around the area as well, and no reason they don't have to groom that area any less than the rest of their body. I do keep ID'd collars around for vet visits and the like, but thats just a matter of slapping it on. Make sure its a breakaway and you should be able to slip two fingers under there.

I just bought beds from Petsmart, but really they will sleep anywhere, and its hard to predict what they'll like. My beds went for months without being used, but now they are favorites though after I tweaked the location and they figured out its comfy. Many people find that beds are never used though, so are a risky investment. I have found that my cats prefer to sleep up high, where they feel safe and can let their guard down. One cheap bed I had considered was a corner hammock, where you literally just make a three point connection w/ some cloth on a corner up somewhere they can jump to.
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post #3 of 13
5/24/11 at 8:35am
My cat doesn't like collars. he always takes it off, no matter which ones I get. I think Microchipping is the better option.. Emma'd never lose that information.

As for beds, try it. Emma would either like it, or prefer to sleep with you on YOUR bed
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post #4 of 13
5/24/11 at 9:58am
I agree about the collars - I bought some cute breakaway ones for my boys and got little hearts engraved with their names - SO CUTE! and they refuse to keep them on, lol. They only go on for vet visits. They're 100% indoor so I'm not too, too worried about it - except I do worry that maintenance might come into my apartment and leave the door open
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post #5 of 13
5/24/11 at 10:22am
On leash training, I have heard that the younger they are when you start them, the more successful they'll be. Here are some tips about how to leash train your kitty (too bad we can't just snap on the leash & go like dogs do... ):

http://cats.about.com/cs/behaviorali...leashtrain.htm

I don't use a collar either, as my girl is strictly indoor. She never liked the collar, and it got broken at the vet one time so I just decided to leave it off for good. I've heard too many stories about the dangers of collars, plus she's microchipped, and I just feel safer having her collar-free.

Good luck!
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post #6 of 13
5/24/11 at 11:06am
Thread Starter 
I wasnt going to get a breakaway since she is indoor only. Its more of just in case she slips out the door without a collar people around here dont think to check for microchips. I do plan to get her microchipped though Better safe than sorry. There is also nothing in my house the collar can be caught on and she is coming home at 6 weeks ( I had to talk the owner into keeping her with her mom past 4 weeks ) So hopefully she'll learn to tolerate the collar and leash

The only problem with her sleeping in my bed is my dads 2 huge cats already do lol. We've found they only want to sleep where we are or on the floor So since she's so young she'd learn to do what they do lol... I'll just pick up a cheap bed and see how it goes maybe purchase a more expensive one if she uses it even sometimes.
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post #7 of 13
5/24/11 at 6:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elliriyanna View Post
I wasnt going to get a breakaway since she is indoor only. There is also nothing in my house the collar can be caught on
You might be surprised - I'd say this is definitely a case of better safe than sorry. Breakaways are the same price as the other kind, so no reason not to do one.
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post #8 of 13
5/24/11 at 6:42pm
Thread Starter 
I just don't believe in breakaways they are cheaper actually but that is not the point. Cats too easily take off breakaways.
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post #9 of 13
5/24/11 at 10:08pm
My girls have never taken off their breakaways, however I do replace them every couple years as they do get stuck on something in the house and lose them.

Don't ever think a cat can't get stuck someplace, they'll prove you wrong.
Better to have a breakaway or no collar at all.

I tried to tell this very thing to a friend.
His 14 year old cat, who had worn the same collar her whole life, was found strangled by it, she was caught on something as trivial as a tiny finial on the back of a dining chair.
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post #10 of 13
5/24/11 at 10:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arlyn View Post
I tried to tell this very thing to a friend.
His 14 year old cat, who had worn the same collar her whole life, was found strangled by it, she was caught on something as trivial as a tiny finial on the back of a dining chair.
Poor baby!!!! Such a sad story.
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post #11 of 13
5/25/11 at 3:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elliriyanna View Post
I just don't believe in breakaways they are cheaper actually but that is not the point. Cats too easily take off breakaways.
If you adjust them to the proper tightness, they shouldn't be able to get it off easily.

And usually the collar is for if they ever get out, at which point there are a ton of things to get stuck in, especially if they are hiding in bushes or trying to wiggle through or climb over chain link fences. Too many cats are strangled otherwise, which is why breakaways are the norm.

Everyone I know uses breakaways, but something we did find with a friends cat is that he got his bottom canine stuck on the collar, likely because it was adjusted too loose. She said it was hard to catch him as he was flipping out, but eventually kitty pulled hard enough to pop it off. With a non-safety collar, imagine if that happened while she wasn't around and the cat was panicking for hours... probably come home to find pee and poo everywhere and then have to deal with calming a frightened cat and if you have another hope there wasn't redirected aggression.
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post #12 of 13
5/25/11 at 6:03am
My cat is indoor only and I have had her for over 6 years and has always worn a breakaway color. She has never taken her color off. About a month ago I heard a huge racket from behind the couch. Abby came walking out with no color. It had gotten caught in the heating system and thankfully broke away. Better safe than sorry.

I always buy Lupine brand collars - www.lupinepet.com
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post #13 of 13
5/26/11 at 4:06pm
How old is she? If she's a kitten, personally I would start with the harness right away, as the younger they are the more likely to accept it with no problem. When I rescued a kitten he was too young to be safely allowed loose in the house, so he had one kitten-proof room he would stay in when I was not home, and I used a harness to let him explore the rest of the house safely. He took to it very quickly and easily. Often with a younger kitten all you need to do is put the harness on and leave it for a short amount (with no leash at first) a few times and they get used to it. Just make sure if they have the harness on that they are being supervised because it can get caught somewhere.
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