It's natural to want to make sure your cat is safe and can find their way back to you if they get lost, but we don't recommend putting a collar on your cat. Unlike dogs, cats have something called a 'right to roam'. This means, if you have an outdoor cat, they can pretty much go wherever they want.
PDSA agrees: “We recommend leaving your cat collarless – it's usually safer and much more comfortable for them. It's natural to want to protect your cat and make sure they can find their way back to you if they get lost. That's why a lot of cat owners choose to buy a collar for their pet.
No, you do not need to take your cat's collar off at night. If you have achieved the perfect fit and your cat is happy in their collar, they should feel as one! This means that your cat is happy to wear its collar every hour of the day and should feel comfortable enough to sleep in it too.
Microchipping your cat is an excellent idea and has helped to reunite many cats with their owners over the years. However, it is not a fool-proof system, so having your cat wear a collar in addition to a microchip is often advised by vets and animal rescues.
The collar must be worn until the wound has fully healed. Depending on the nature of the injury, it may be as short as a few days, or as long as a few weeks. To minimize the time that the collar must be worn, it is important to follow the instructions you receive from your veterinarian.
Wearing a collar all the time, especially if it's not fitted properly, could rub against your cat's skin. This can make their skin sore and cause them to lose fur around their neck.
A collar may feel strange or uncomfortable to your cat at first, and she may scratch at it or try to get it off. With patience (on your part), however, she will get used to wearing a collar. Start with a plain collar (without tinkling bells or tags), and place it on your cat. Reward him with treats and playtime.
Some cats just do not like wearing a collar. They chew them off. Others pull them off, with even reports of some great teamwork where cats help each other to pull them off (we're super impressed by this!). Many are also just plain miserable when they are wearing one.
According to Veterinary PhD student Rachel Malakani, a collar bell will produce sound at about 50-60 dB, but studies have shown cats to be unaffected by sounds under 80 dB. While some cats with anxiety may not react well to the bell's sound, it's likely that the majority of cats simply won't care.
No matter if your cat likes to explore indoors or outdoors, hazards like branches or kitchen hooks can be present. If your cat's collar gets snagged on such objects, it could lead to entanglement or a choking hazard. To protect the safety of your feline friend, consider a collar with a breakaway buckle.
It's a good idea to get your kitten used to wearing a collar before she starts going outside, but only when the kitten is at least 6 months old and the collar fits properly.
The safest collars for cats are the 'quick release' or snap opening collars. This means that if your cat's collar was to become caught, it will be more likely to pop open and release your cat so they don't get hurt or stuck. We wouldn't recommend an elasticated collar.
It's easier for a young cat to get used to wearing a collar than an adult or senior cat. However, even older cats can get used to wearing a collar. We recommend starting cat collar training as soon as your cat has reached their full size, when they can safely wear a breakaway collar.
Pros: Cat collars can hold identification and registration tags. This is critical in case your outdoor cat becomes lost or is picked up by a concerned individual. Also, collars can hold bells or other noise generating items to scare away potential prey.
Since your cat has been wearing it for a long time, it feels the collar is a part of her. Also, it has her smell. So she feels connected to it. It's like her favourite toy.
The pros of a breakaway collar are that it can save your cat's life if they get stuck in something. However, the cons are that they can break away sometimes and leave your cat without their ID tag. Non-breakaway collars don't have these problems but could potentially strangle your cat if they get caught on something.
Bell alternatives
If you're unwilling to put a bell on your furry buddy, you do have another option – cat bibs. Sold under names like Birdsbesafe, these devices are brightly colored to alert potential prey to the cat's presence before they can pounce.
According to cat behaviorist specialist Dr. Rachel Geller, many cats don't like belly rubs because their tummies have a heightened sensitivity to touch, an evolutionary mechanism that helps to protect those vital organs just under their swaying belly flap.
Collars do actually need to be quite firmly fitted – you should only be able to get 1-2 fingers underneath. If too loose then the cat can gets its leg through. When you first fit the collar your cat may tense its neck muscles so always re-check the fit after a few minutes and adjust if necessary.
Skin issues
Many collars will rub away the fur on your cats neck and some can cause itchy or red skin. Always monitor your cat closely for any symptoms of skin problems, especially if you start to use a new collar.
Scruffing removes the option to retreat and a sense of control for the cat, which commonly results in an escalation of stress, fear, and anxiety. Lifting a cat or suspending their body weight by the scruff is unnecessary and could be painful.
Some cats will benefit from a fragrance-free product like the breakaway ComfortZone Calming Collar. But not every cat will be happy wearing a calming collar, as they tend to be stiff. And while rare, cats with sensitive skin sometimes experience a reaction. In these cases, a plug-in diffuser makes sense.
Cats can hate collars based on numerous factors. Most commonly the collar has been introduced too quickly. Cats might also dislike their collar due to the smell or feel of its material – we'll explain why the right material is important soon!
Spray with Feliway, which is a calming pheromone for the cat. Another technique is to rub a facecloth gently around the cat's mouth and cheeks to get some of the cat's own scent, then rub the collar with the cloth so the collar smells familiar. Rubbing the collar on the cat's bedding may also prove effective.
Collars are commonly seen on dogs of all sizes and even on some cats, but should your kitten wear a collar? The short answer is yes! As tiny as kittens can be, wearing a collar is important for a variety of reasons and it is best to familiarize them with one at an early age.