cat collars

hampshirebabe

Following on slightly from 2 other threads, are cat collars safe to use, if so, seeing as they seem to loose them quite easily, is there anywhere I can get cheap collars with their details on them?
My cat went missing day before yesterday, was gone about 24 hours, wandered in in the middle of the night quite cross I wasn't there imediately to feed him, although he wasn't that hungry, so either someone else fed him, or he caught something and ate that. But he's done it twice before and he's only 18 months old, even though he's done it before, I was still worried sick, imagining him lying in a gutter somewhere, at lest if he's got a phone number on him I might hear if someone finds him, he is microchipped too, but not sure I'd have thought to take a squished kitty to the vets to be scanned before I had my cats.
The other question is about flea collars for cats, are they any good, or do they work out expensive for cats that loose them quite often?
Thanks
Mary

pukkamum

I do not agree with collars for cats at all, I just don't think they are safe, a cat was found in a neighbours shed, it had it's paw stuck in the collar, it had been there for ages, not to mention the risk of strangulation when climbing trees etc.

Angelicdevil

I use the breakaway collars, under pressure (not that much) they snap open. It does mean if they get caught and the collar breaks away, then you'll have lost the collar if it wasn't in your own house or garden.

To stop the paws getting caught you need to make sure the collars are adjusted adequately around the neck. Tight but not too tight! I found a new collar I bought is useless though, it doesn't stay at the tension you set it at and it just gets looser and looser, that's when my kitty's paw started to get caught.

He's also got a bell (so I can hear him coming and don't tread on him!) and a little tag with his name and my mobile number on it.

I found this to be a very good site and get all my tags and collars from here:

http://www.coolcatcollars.co.uk/all-cat-collars.html

stir_crazy

I've tried collars but my cats protested so much that I just took them off. I got the ones with bells on so that they couldn't sneak up on each other and any potential prey. But the little b&^%ers just played with the bells constantly (imagine a large cat on your pillow dinging the bell in your ear at 2am and every evening I'd have a chorus of jingle bells). The last straw was when I noticed the kitten had agitated her neck so much that she was left with a bald spot.

Faith177

I use the quick release ones and haven't had any issues with them except having to keep replacing them.

My oldest Hades sussed out that if she purpously hooks her collar on a branch and pulls forwards it comes off. She seems to have shown the others how to do it too

Only 1 of mine has a collar now and that's my little girl Sophie but I think it's because she likes it.

joansgirl

I tried to post on this thread earlier but don't know what happened to it. It seemed to disappear!

Anyway, a few years back we left our Ginger Tom (neutered, micro chipped) with MIL. He escaped. Despite leafleting, postering, knocking on doors etc there was no sign. 6 months later he turned up dead. He'd been living rough about a mile away from MIL's house and the woman who found him dead on her doorstep (hit by a car) had been feeding him as she thought he was a stray, because he didn't have a collar on! Luckily she took his body to a vets who scanned him and found his chip.So, after that, all my cats have worn collars and tags. Thomas didn't have a collar because I was worried about him getting trapped by it or hanging himself on it. So I killed 2 birds with 1 stone and used elasticated flea collars after that, with name tags.

paddypaws101

I use collars with break away catches, but add a thin piece of clear elastic thread to form a kind of 'guard chain' as you would see on an expensive watch or bracelet. this thread will keep the collar in place long enough for the cat to get home with it still loosely in place but would break easily if the cat got caught. i also use engraved tags with my address and phone number.....and often get 'lost' collars returned to me by friendly neighbours.
I have to say that they go through a phase of losing lots of collars when young but seem to grow out of it.
Most people will not take a stray animal to a vet to be scanned but Will check a collar or tag. It also helps to identify your cat if you are asking around....one of mine escaped recently and my neighbour conformed she had seen her because of her distinctive tag.

Lizzie_Bennet

Hi

A few years ago our cat went missing from a boarding kennel. When he was found by a lovely lady four months later he had an awful injury caused by his collar. He hasn't worn a collar since but he never strays further than the back garden. Today I've bought a quick release collar and bell for our 16mth old baby boy, mainly to help warn birds of his prowling. We've had three victims this week but have managed to save two. Fingers crossed the collar will do the trick.

Both our boys are chipped which is how our eldest was returned to us.