do microchipped cats (with a microchip catflap) need collars?

[MimiSam]

We got two rescue cats a few weeks ago. Kept them in for 2 weeks, now they are going in and out happily. One has lost 2 collars and tags in less than a week. They were quick release collars, with engraved metal tags with our phone number on - that's £20 down the drain and I can't afford to keep replacing them. Can anyone recommend cheaper alternatives? From another thread on here, it seems many people with microchip catflaps take the view that collars aren't necessary, but I think that if the cats get lost, it is easier for people to look at a tag and give us a quick ring, rather than catch and keep the cat, then take it to a vet for the chip to be read...

We (Celia Hammond's) generally advise against collars as long as cats are chipped. Partly because even the quick release ones can cause injury (my friend's cat was hit by a car and dragged along by his collar - it was a quick release one but he was injured in that second that it took the collar to release. The vet said if it had been a standard collar he would have died, but if he had had no collar at all then he would probably have been uninjured).

But mainly because if a cat gets lost/becomes stray and it has a collar people tend to assume it's fine as it obviously has an owner. The cat with a collar will have to be in a much worse state for people to start to worry about it and take care of it than one without a collar.

That's really useful and timely advice thecatneuterer - thanks!

Our (microchipped) kitten is just about to start 'going out' and we were wondering whether to collar or not to collar

I don't have collars on mine. Microchip flap and microchipped cats. If injured or badly lost I would expect someone to take them and check for chips as I would with any I found. It's so common now.

They are so finickity about their grooming I imagine a collar is a constant irritation as well as risky for trapping them. And I think bells are cruel, like giving a cat tinnitis.