Collars?

My cats refuse to wear collars and always have. I've tried, but they tear the collar off or scratch at it and just look miserable. Since my kitties never go outside, I habe not worried about it.
Is there anyone else here whose cats do not wear collars?
Thanks! Bobbie

If you don't keep a collar on them, it might be a good idea to microchip them, just in case.

another thought: if you want them to wear a collar, you might want to try beastie bands - they're very soft & lightweight, stretch all over to release for safety, and are easily tolerated by most cats - mine don't even seem to notice them. I keep a collar & tag on mine even though they're microchipped, just in case they ever get outside by mistake.
www.beastiebands.com has a description, and you can check their retailers page for where to find them.

Thank you! What does microchip mean????

Originally Posted by tuxedokitties

If you don't keep a collar on them, it might be a good idea to microchip them, just in case.

another thought: if you want them to wear a collar, you might want to try beastie bands - they're very soft & lightweight, stretch all over to release for safety, and are easily tolerated by most cats - mine don't even seem to notice them. I keep a collar & tag on mine even though they're microchipped, just in case they ever get outside by mistake.
www.beastiebands.com has a description, and you can check their retailers page for where to find them.

Click to expand...

It's really a nice thing - A microchip is a tiny identification chip that is inserted under the skin at the back of the cat's neck by a veterinarian - it holds a number that you register with the microchip company, so that if your cat is lost, and is picked up by someone it can be taken to a vet or shelter and scanned, and the cat can be traced back to you.

The vet can insert the microchip while the cat is under anesthesia during a spay/neuter or dental, or without anesthesia - it's a big needle, but it's very quick. 2 of my cats were done without anesthesia, and the other 2 were done during dentals.

Here's some websites with info:
http://www.avidmicrochip.com/index.htm
http://www.avidmicrochip.com/answer.htm
http://www.homeagainid.com/

AVID and Home Again are the major US microchip makers, I think. Microchipping isn't a 100% assurance you'll get your pet back if lost, but it can help. A lot of shelters microchip animals before adopting them out.

There are no retailers in Statesboro. I do not especially want them to wear a collar, but I thought I might train them to walk on a leash....and I thought I would want one for that.

OK, got it! If you want to train them to walk on a leash, it's best to use a harness - ideally a figure-eight style (cats can slip out of dog-style harnesses).

Collars for cats are usually used for identification or decoration rather than leash walking, and cat collars always need to be safety release because cats can get a non-safety collar caught on something and be hurt or killed.

yeah, fawn suggested a place where the collars are stretch.
my cats are 4 3/4 years old and have never been on a leash before. They have only been outside when I take them out to the car to go to the vet.
do you think that i can teach them to walk outside on a leash?
For Paws Only is the name of the place where fawn sent me.
Thanks so much for your help! Bobbie

If you're wanting a Beastie Band collar for your cats, you can buy them off ebay... it's usually a couple of bucks and they have some really cute styles.

As for teaching your cats to walk on a leash - I know many who have, and many books that tell you how. I think if you're interested, hit a bookstore and see if any books there can help you out.

Just a thought!

Hi, girl! I will do that!
Thanks a lot, and I hope you have a great day!
I plan to plant seeds, read, watch movies, and play with my 2 little darlings.
Tell Baylee hi. WHo is Ari? Is it you?
How was work yesterday?
Did you find more books?

Originally Posted by batgirl2good

Hi, girl! I will do that!
Thanks a lot, and I hope you have a great day!
I plan to plant seeds, read, watch movies, and play with my 2 little darlings.
Tell Baylee hi. WHo is Ari? Is it you?
How was work yesterday?
Did you find more books?

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Do you have a garden? Is that what you mean by planting seeds? If so... what do you plant? That's really cool if you do!

I'm Ari, by the way - short for Ariana. I haven't found any more books... unfortunately I just realized that my paycheck has to go exclusively towards bills. I'll definitely have to look into a library card! Baylee says hi to you and your gorgeous kitties!

My two both have harnesses and leashes! I think it is possible to train them but can sometimes be a long (and funny) process!!

If you atert off by letting them wear their harness around the house for a couple of minutes - increasing it daily - then they will realise that it isn't too bad. Then add on the leash and let them take you around the house!

When they - and you - feel comfortable with that, then you can take them outside!!

You may experience jelly legs or similar when you first try it on your kitties! They look like you have added a ten tonne weight to their backs!! But it does improve!

Also, cats walk humans and not the other way round!

Good luck with it!! I am sure you'll have fun!

Originally Posted by Sar

If you atert off by letting them wear their harness around the house for a couple of minutes - increasing it daily - then they will realise that it isn't too bad. Then add on the leash and let them take you around the house!

Click to expand...

Baylee has a harness that she tolerates a million times better than a collar. I put her on it whenever I'm toting her around in her soft carrier because it clips to the bag. To get her used to it, I just put it on her daily and let her go about her business with it on - feeding her, giving her treats, playing with her, etc.

The jelly legs look is hilarious by the way!

Cool idea! Now where do you gewt harnesses?
Four Paws Only? I have that site. I did not see any suitable ones at Wal-Mart.

I love your suggestions, all of you are a HUGE help!

Originally Posted by Sar

My two both have harnesses and leashes! I think it is possible to train them but can sometimes be a long (and funny) process!!

If you atert off by letting them wear their harness around the house for a couple of minutes - increasing it daily - then they will realise that it isn't too bad. Then add on the leash and let them take you around the house!

When they - and you - feel comfortable with that, then you can take them outside!!

You may experience jelly legs or similar when you first try it on your kitties! They look like you have added a ten tonne weight to their backs!!

But it does improve!

Also, cats walk humans and not the other way round!

Good luck with it!! I am sure you'll have fun!

Click to expand...

Aahhh collars... I've bought so many different kinds for my babies. They hate them all! Bijou can't see how beautiful she is in her crystal-studded collar and just spits at it when she sees it. Pele can't see how his red beastie band complements his buff fur and will walk backwards for hours trying to get out of it until I finally take it off. Scarlet's lovely green collar (looked great on his red fur this Christmas) always mysteriously ends up under the bed. And the kitten, Frank Sinatra, can't understand that his collar is not a toy! I'm giving up and getting microchips! I would like to try taking them for walks (individually -- I'm not *that* brave, ha!), and would use a figure-8 harness, but I'm worried about fleas. I use frontline but can't always afford it every month. While they're in the house I don't worry about it. Does anyone who walks their cat have a problem with fleas?

Rosie was about 1 year old when she had her first collar, and she was fine with it.

Sophie was a different story because she kept snapping them open

It wasn't until she got spayed when she had to wear an e-collar.

She eventually got used to wearing it that i had a brainwave to put her collar back on her when the e-collar was removed!

Success

It took about a week but Bijou got used to his harness (and he also has a collar since he is not microchipped). It's true - he walks us where he wants to go not where we want him to go. He is hooked up to a dog run in the summer but only under supervision.

So far we have been lucky and he has not picked up fleas although he has been out in the yard and in the grass.

No cat will probably like the collar and harness but will get used to it if you are persistent.

Bijou now will sit and wait at the door while we put his harness on.

Originally Posted by Sar

Also, cats walk humans and not the other way round!

Click to expand...

I had a rabbit that I used to walk on a harness, but they too walk their humans, just like cats!

I 'll admit I have a bit of a thing about collars, I really don't like them, even the elasticated ones can be dangerous. I have seen (on animal rescue TV shows) cats with the most awful wounds under their 'armpits' where the front leg has gone through the collar & got stuck, and the collar has rubbed its way into the flesh of the cat. It can be life-threatening. That's why I'd prefer to microchip. But a harness is not so dangerous, as they wouldn't be in it for long, and not unsupervised. Good luck with harness-training your cats.

Sue

mine wear beastie bands, & don't seem to mind them at all. i like how i can cut them to adjust them for Cable. she's not wearing her adult collar - i'm saving Mouse's for her, since it's a tiger pattern, & Pixel's is a leopard. right now Cable's wearing old collars i had after switching... Mouse washed Pixel so much she would wear the collars down. i changed to the all-over patterns to help prevent this, & it did.

Thank you all! I have not done anything just yet.