Does Anyone Actually use the Bell?

3cathouse · Apr 7, 2005

Does anyone out there actually use the bell that comes on the cat collar? I, like most, remove the darned thing as the first thing I do before the collar goes on the cat...

But tonight. But tonight, Max (my HUSBAND's Cat) snuck out when he was leaving to pick up dinner. When he came home, Max was just sitting near the driveway in the rain, like nothing was wrong. He sneaks out occasionally, but never leaves the concrete on the patio. And we had always noticed him slipping out and retrieve him within a minute or two. My husband was beside himself (kitty care has always been my domain, so his display of concern is highly unusual) and now actually wants to put the bell back on his collar.

Since Max is the only one that actually tries to get out, at least we wouldnt have all 3 running around jingiling, but I am curious how well the cat will tollerate it. He has been wearing collars since kittenhood, but he is 5 now and I am not sure how he will take to the change.

Any thoughts?

ali012281 · Apr 7, 2005

Meish used to have a bell collar. It drove her nuts... maybe you could put the bell on for a few hours each day and see how he (as well as the other kits) react to it. You can always increase the hours so he gets used to the noise.

3cathouse · Apr 7, 2005

NEVERMIND!!!

My husband went to give the trio their dinner & gather them into the basement for the night (don't worry, its a finished basement with windows and lots of cat toys & a cat tree) and... there were no cats! Where are the cats?

When he came upstairs to "find the cats" we knew there was something wrong. Nothing gets in the way of the international "dinner time" signal, the sound of food hitting the bottom of the bowl... No cats. Where could they be? Abbey, a "slim" 16 lbs now, doesn't fit into tight spaces, so the fact that all 3 were missing was extra mysterious.

We started to look high and low.... UNTIL we realized that the dining room windows had been open earlier. Apparently it slipped his mind that when we bought the house, one of the screens was missing

We looked outside the front door, and what did we see? All 3 of them.. WET (It's been raining for hours) Well, that explains how Max got out in the first place. He didn't slither by my husband, he just waltzed out an open window, go figure!

We are just now settling into bed, relieved this was not an all-night fiasco resulting in mass consumption of antacids... At least now we will be more careful when we open the windows, and you can bet your furry little friends that we will be going to Lowes this weekend to get a screen made for that window!

caterpillar · Apr 7, 2005

I'm glad that all is well.

Your story reminds me of a day last summer when I closed the screen door to the porch and went out to drain the pool. When I returned, Cindy and Lucy were sitting together on the back porch watching me. Cindy pulled the screen door open with her paw and both escaped. It was so funny! Now, I can no longer just close the screen door and work outside, I have to close the screen door and the glass patio door. Cindy is just too clever!

rarepuss · Apr 8, 2005

I have a bell on Marsh's collar. I enjoy it too, there are NO suprises!

miaozbi · Apr 8, 2005

lol once i have a puppy and i put a bell on him...
but i cant sleep whole night as he's running here and there making lots of noise!!!!!

talon · Apr 8, 2005

Glad you found out how he got out!

My 4 cats all have bells, it doesn't seem to bother them at all.

marianjela · Apr 8, 2005

Originally Posted by RarePuss

I have a bell on Marsh's collar. I enjoy it too, there are NO suprises!

I'm glad I'm not odd man out, Willow's collar has a bell on it and I like it also. No sneaking up me or getting underfoot! This is the first cat I've ever had though that would tolerate a collar! I half expected her to reject it. But no problems.

eburgess · Apr 8, 2005

When I would take Limerick home I'd use a bell. The house is alot bigger then my apartment and there are hundreds of places to hide. That was until he was injured by a collar. I will never put a collar on him again because of that.

laureen227 · Apr 8, 2005

Originally Posted by 3CatHouse

Does anyone out there actually use the bell that comes on the cat collar? I, like most, remove the darned thing as the first thing I do before the collar goes on the cat...

But tonight. But tonight, Max (my HUSBAND's Cat) snuck out when he was leaving to pick up dinner. When he came home, Max was just sitting near the driveway in the rain, like nothing was wrong. He sneaks out occasionally, but never leaves the concrete on the patio. And we had always noticed him slipping out and retrieve him within a minute or two. My husband was beside himself (kitty care has always been my domain, so his display of concern is highly unusual) and now actually wants to put the bell back on his collar.

Since Max is the only one that actually tries to get out, at least we wouldnt have all 3 running around jingiling, but I am curious how well the cat will tollerate it. He has been wearing collars since kittenhood, but he is 5 now and I am not sure how he will take to the change.

Any thoughts?

i always left the bell on, for this reason! now, i use beastie bands, which don't have a bell, so i bought bells to add. altho my girls don't go outside, i like being able to hear them. if i can't find one, i can call & listen for the bell! when i first put collars w/bells on, they didn't like it, but they got used to them.

gilly · Apr 11, 2005

I cannot stand the bell

That is the first thing I did when I got my cats new collar is take the bell off. It drives me nuts that his toy balls have bells in them - I can just about cope with that but to have him running about jingling as well... no way! lol

sharky · Apr 11, 2005

Originally Posted by RarePuss

I have a bell on Marsh's collar. I enjoy it too, there are NO suprises!

All three four legged children have bells .. different ones and it is great

gailc · Apr 12, 2005

As some of my cats go outside I keep the bell on!! But remove the collar at night so I can sleep.

tari · Apr 12, 2005

None of my cats have a bell, but my mom has one that MUST have it. She has tantrums if it falls off.

3cathouse · Apr 12, 2005

Originally Posted by Tari

None of my cats have a bell, but my mom has one that MUST have it. She has tantrums if it falls off.

The cat, or your mom?

talon · Apr 12, 2005

grapegal45 · Apr 15, 2005

I've heard some say it isn't the best for the cats but for me, it was the bells or losing my cats. All 3 of my cats have collars and THE BELL. They are indoor kitties. None of them care and were're all used to it. It gives me great peace of mind to know that we can hear them as one in particular is a master at sneaking out and when we can hear him it really gives us the heads up.

graykittenlove · Apr 15, 2005

Both my boys wear their bells. It makes me happy to hear that ringing when they chase each other through the house. Other than that I've evidently tune them out unless I am trying to find them.

bigorangemenace · Apr 15, 2005

I love bells, mostly because it reduces the "Tripping over the cat" ratio from about 50% to about 10% of the time XD. Its cute to call their names and hear them jingling toward you also.

talon · Apr 15, 2005

Also if you think you caught one of themdoing something they shouldn't (and they know it) - when you catch them - you can hear the jingle run through the house and under the bed.

Does Anyone Actually use the Bell?

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