Poll: Do your cats wear collars?

[wendyb]

Two of my girls are long haired show kitties so I don't use the collar since it can wear on the hair.  But they're chipped.  Even my elder rescue is chipped to be safe; her collar came off when she started fighting it a year ago (she'd had collars for 15 years).

I do know that two of the three are cuddle bugs and adore people so if they get out, the chips will get them home.

 

[catwithmycoffee]

I tried a collar on Bazinga when she was 5 months old, shortly after we brought her home.  She freaked!!  To the extent that she was in danger of seriously injuring herself.  So she doesn't wear one.  Whenever I take her outside, she wears a harness (on a leash!) with an I.D. tag.

Sam and Lizzie - haven't tried collars on them yet.  I'm guessing that their previous owner never had collars on them as there is no sign of wear around their necks.  I'm not sure I even want to try.  The image of Bazinga spazing out is still fresh in my mind, even though it occured over two years ago now.

Am going to look into having them microchipped.

 

[rawrmonster]

All our babies have breakaway collars since some like to wander or the apartment with us. No one has gotten outside, but we'd like whoever finds then to poor up posters if we weren't able to bring them insi de. 2 of them definitely respond to us calling their name. But our youngest is still pretty skittish.

 

[iluvcats3]

I don't use collars because my kitties take them off. They don't do it right away, but after a week or two, no collar. And it takes me weeks or months before I find the things because they drop it behind some furniture, or some corner of the basement.  So I gave up. I have a porch, so the kitties have to dash thru 2 doors to get out anyhow. Plus I take them out closely supervised from time to time, so they will not freak out if they get out the door by accident.

 

[mewlittle]

Agree, the bells are awful. I've never understood the excuse of needing to hear where they are either.

About 2 years ago I bought bell collars all my cats went nuts so I took them off and got new collars for them

 

[sivyaleah]

We gave up the collar for Casper.  He kept managing to get it off.  Although, we do put it on when we take him to the vet, "just in case".

We haven't gotten Cocoa one yet.  We will as soon as we get her registered with the county for rabies (she's been vaccinated, just need to prove it to them to get the tag).  We'll do the same for her, just for outings.  Both are indoor only, although she's a stealthy one and we already spent over 7 hours last week trying to find her in the house.  I know bells aren't the best but I'm seriously thinking in her case, it might be useful; being as small and tricky as she seems to be.  

Casper?  He's too large, fat and lazy and we can see him everywhere 

 

[mewlittle]

We gave up the collar for Casper.  He kept managing to get it off.  Although, we do put it on when we take him to the vet, "just in case".

We haven't gotten Cocoa one yet.  We will as soon as we get her registered with the county for rabies (she's been vaccinated, just need to prove it to them to get the tag).  We'll do the same for her, just for outings.  Both are indoor only, although she's a stealthy one and we already spent over 7 hours last week trying to find her in the house.  I know bells aren't the best but I'm seriously thinking in her case, it might be useful; being as small and tricky as she seems to be.  

Casper?  He's too large, fat and lazy and we can see him everywhere 

I get my tags from the vet did you ask your vet to contact the county to prove that you got them vaccinated? or ask the vet place to ask the county for the tags for you?

 

[di and bob]

I have had collars on all of my cats at one time or another, the breakaways DO work 'cause they've sure lost enough of them. My main reason to be pro collar is that if a person sees a cat with a collar hopefully they wouldn't be so quick to try to harm them, some people just are just anti cat. Another is in case they did get out of the house, what if a dog chased them too far away? Hopefully the telephone number on the collar would get someone to call.
 

 

[sivyaleah]

I get my tags from the vet did you ask your vet to contact the county to prove that you got them vaccinated? or ask the vet place to ask the county for the tags for you?

We didn't have the proof when we brought her over for her first visit.  She was adopted from a foster home, and they were the ones that had her vaccinated.  Then, they had to scrounge for the certificate.  I just got it via email a few days ago.  

 

[tj1159]

My girls do wear collars, yes with bells too LOL  I like the bells so I can find them & know where they are, we live in a 3 floor apt. so it helps. I put the collars on them at 5 months, they didnt like them at first but they got use to them pretty quickly.  I do take them outside on a leash.

 

[mewlittle]

We didn't have the proof when we brought her over for her first visit.  She was adopted from a foster home, and they were the ones that had her vaccinated.  Then, they had to scrounge for the certificate.  I just got it via email a few days ago.  

Oh I get it I understand now do you have the fosters parents name and info? maybe if you call the county and tell them you got the cat and say the fosters info and if you know the date the vaccine that might help in the phone call

 

[dejolane]

Bella and Thunder used to wear them but I might go back to using them again soon. They just didn't like them but now they play with the bell so yes.

dejolane

 

[meuzettesmom]

I use to have collars on four of my nine cats.

Yeah, that is use to. The cats voted no. So we are collarless these days

 

[amby]

My first cat wore a collar for 10 years of her life. Until one day I was petting her and noticed that under her collar, all her fur was gone! So I took it off... even years after having the collar removed, the fur hasn't completely grown back. She is part ragdoll with very thick long hair mind you!!!

From that experience, and because I think it's degrading (she's not a slave, she's my baby lol) I don't bother putting a collar on my kitten. I also don't want her to be uncomfortable and struggle to get it off. She is strictly indoors and has no interest in going outside, so far.

I will be getting her microchiped, and I'll have a collar with my number on it for when she leaves home (to the vet, kennel etc) or when I am on vacation and there is a pet sitter.

 

[dejolane]

Should a indoor cat wear a flea collar  that doesn't have any ?

dejolane

 

[otto]

No cats should wear flea collars. They are toxic and can make the cat sick. If your indoor cats do not have fleas, and there are no fleas in the indoor environment, you do not need to treat them for fleas. If you do have fleas in the house, treat them with a known safe spot on product such as frontline plus or revolution.

 

[spiderplant]

I wish people would take the bells off, if you are putting collars on. Cats have really sensitive hearing. Imagine having to listen to a jingling in your ears all the time. It won't deter them from hunting, because they learn quickly how to move, when hunting, without making the bell jingle. Cats are very stealthy when hunting. But every time they run and play, jingle jingle in the ears. Awful.

Thank you for making this point about cat hearing.  We removed the collars from our two "former outside" boys about a month ago.  I was using the dumb logic that we could hear them if they ran to the door and could locate them faster if they did escape.  Neither cats attempt to escape -at all- now(it was just part of the thrill of being in a new house) and they only wear their collars for car rides and vet visits.  My logic there: we currently live in an area where people simply don't think to bring a cat into a shelter/vet to be scanned if they find them so I want them to be easily identified as "someone's cat" if they somehow slip away.  I'm obviously a bit paranoid

I've found the best way to keep cats from running outside is to make them happy inside(of course), put a cat tree(or anything really) by the door so they have a place to perch and greet when you're entering/exiting, and of course.. to use caution.  

 

[bigperm20]

Microchips FTW!

 

[GoldyCat]

Microchips FTW!

What does FTW mean?

 

[angels mommy]

Angel has always worn a collar. I always take the bells off though, As said above, I'm sure it's annoying to them. (between his rabbis tag & his name/info tag, on it,that's enough noise).

 The collar has been off for a while now, as we have been dealing w/ the bouts of cystitis, so w/ having to give him fluids every other day right now, it's better off & out of the way. He likes it better too.