collars?

[belle8bete]

So my kitties are indoor only and I have them wear collars.  I like to know where they are and the bells keep them from ambushing any unsuspecting souls.  

Is it bad/mean to do this?  They are safety collars, and I take them off for a day here and there so they can groom that part of their bodies.  

 

[msbedelia]

I don't think it's mean, but I would recommend that you put ID on those collars if you haven't already.

Our kitties wear breakaway collars, even though they're indoor-only. It's our first line of defense if they ever get outside somehow, and since they're breakaway I don't have to worry about them getting hurt. We got these tiny metal plates with their name and our phone number that gets screwed right into the collar, so they don't have dangly tags or noticeable extra weight/stuff. We were bell-less when there was just Gracie, but now that we have two cats they wear bells. They're still in the process of intros, and I think they'll feel better if they can have a sense of wear Other Cat is without having to see them (or hear the pounce coming!).

Our Gracie cat was not a feral cat, but a lost cat who was never found by her original owners. (Or, perhaps, released by bored/moving/etc. owners.) She was found outside on a cold day, meowing to come in, spayed, at one year old. I'd hate for her to be in that situation again, or to not have the best chance at finding the girls if a screen broke or a workman left a door open. That's why they're also microchipped.

They even seem to do a pretty good job licking under the collar to groom! I only take em off when I put on Revolution.

 

[belle8bete]

I've noticed LH get annoyed sometimes when she is trying to clean...and they sometimes get in the way of her eating off of plates.

They have dangle ID tags with their names and my phone number...I just couldn't resist.  LW has a purple heart (he totally earned it) and LH has a heart with a crown on it....

Sometimes LW can sneak around and not make the bell jingle.  Crazy. 

 

[msbedelia]

Gracie looks annoyed to me when she cleans around it, but I'm just impressed she's able to and so pleased that she's identifiable that I have no sympathy!

I don't think there's anything wrong with dangle tags, it was just hard enough getting Gracie to accept the collar! I feel like it makes less of a difference since they have dangling bells now anyway. Your tags sound adorable!!!! ^^

And yes, cats do have crazy epic frightening ninja skills! Though its very funny, Gracie startles herself with the jingle if she shakes her head.

Well, I think it's time for me and the kitties to go to sleep. Pleasure chatting with you!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

My 2 have worn safety collars since they were kittens and they are indoor only.  They also have id tags and their tag with the microchip number on it.  I had the ID tags made we were prepping for a hurricane to come through.  I figured it would be useful.  I change their collars for Christmas but otherwise they wear them year round.  Noodles doesn't seem to like the process of changing them; but doesn't act as if it bothers her any other time.  I keep about 2 finger widths of space between the collar and their neck.

They do make collars that you can get custom embroidered with  your kitty's info. I believe that is what jcat's cat wears.  I've also seen metal plate tags that have 2 holes so they slide along the collar without dangling.  Does that make sense? 

 

[jcat]

There's a TCS article on collars that discusses the types available and why your cats should wear one: Cat Collars Safety Guide

Bells are the first thing to go when I buy collars, since if they annoy me, they certainly must annoy my cat with his superior hearing. Jamie, who went outdoors on a leash, always wore a breakaway collar with an ID tag and a tag with his microchip number. His were reflecting collars, because he was in the habit of "dive-bombing" us on our rather dark staircase. He was so used to wearing a collar that he had a fit whenever it was removed.

Mogli's only access to the great outdoors is our secured balcony. He's on his 4th or 5th collar in the 3 1/2 months we've had him, because chewing collars is one of his hobbies. He currently has two: a cotton breakaway one with his name, including our last name, and our telephone number embroidered on it, and a cloth and vinyl reflecting safety collar with an ID tag. He's wearing the second one right now, and we'll go back to the embroidered one once he gets bored with slipping his collar off and chewing on it. He's also microchipped, but I don't trust people to actually check for a chip should he accidentally get out. Jamie was microchipped and tattooed.

View media item 164404

 

[leshelby]

Both my kitties wear collars, one I adopted was already microchipped so I have her chip number on the tag and the phone number for 24 pet watch you can call (I want to get the tag that the previous posters talked about, the non dangling one, but I'm not sure where I could find/order it so I can put my phone number instead). Hers is a pretty blue velvet collar with a bow, I saw it at Petsmart and couldn't resist. That's another reason I love collars, they're cute little accessories too! Thor has been a weird cat for collars though...I usually only buy breakaway but he would keep tearing it off and hiding it! I went through three collars before I finally bought one of the stretchy, adjustable collars, that way it can come off if he gets stuck but he can't tear it off.

 

[msbedelia]

Today, I came home to find Gracie's collar undone on the ground. I was very pleased when she didn't fuss at all when I put it back on! I wonder what shenanigans she was up to. ^^