Bald ring where collar has been

[myotherusernameisbetter]

My cat, now 7, has worn a collar since she was a kitten - she hunts a lot so the bells at least must save some wildlife. Anyway a few weeks ago I saw that her collar was a bit tight - tighter than I'd put it on and you could see the original crease where the buckle had been and it had been moved. OH and two teens say they hadn't touched it and I trust that they didn't. So when I took the collar off I didn't put it back on as I'm not sure if someone has deliberately tightened it from outside the family.

Anyhoo, it's been off for a while but I've noticed that she has a completely bald ring round her neck - is that just because she's always had a collar and the hair has worn away or is it something more suspicious? the neck is fine btw, its not red/inflamed or sore looking - just bald.

No, ime, it just means she has been wearing a collar for a long time. If you leave the collar off, the fur will eventually grow back - or it did on my cats.

How odd that someone might have been fiddling with the collar.

Thanks dumbledoresgirl I thought it was probably just the collar that had rubbed the hair away - she isn't bothered in the slightest.

It is odd and until I think of a rational explanation I'm reluctant to put the collar back on - she is not the most sociable of cats though wouldn't scratch etc a stranger and she is used to the collar so doesn't resist you putting it on or anything but I can't see how anyone would be able to get her to come to them for them to adjust it.

it's just that spring is coming and I don't really want to be overrun with fauna!!

You're very trusting of your teens.

I do trust them cozie they have never given me cause not to.

DS1 is 14 and has no interest in the cat at all - he is borederline aspergers and pays no attention to anything that isn't his PC - he doesn't lie.

DS2 is 13 and loves the cat - he wouldn't do anything that he thought would hurt her - has never been known to lie - sometimes is overly honest in that he will tel me things that don't show him in best of lights when I'd never ever find out about them :o

Your poor cat. Please do not put the collar back on her, they are cruel and unnecessery

And I second what Cozie has said, You are very trusting of your teens (and their mates).

This happened to one of my cats and even though we left the collar off after seeing her bald neck, the fur never grew back. She didn't seem to be bothered by it - it didn't hurt and she quite liked her baldy skin to be stroked.

Just that I remember being that age - and sometimes the intention of an act overrides its consequences. (IE - unless it was done for a 'bad' purpose, fibbing is acceptable in a teenage mind.) I only mention it because you were perplexed as to how someone outside the family could even get near her.

I appreciate that cozie and yes, they wouldn't have had a bad thought but I was there when i asked them and I'm sure they weren't fibbing.

Fair enough - and I'm sure that in any case, you've explained thoroughly to them how dangerous a tight collar might be.

I'd take the collar off as well. It can't have been comfortable for her.

thanks all and yes cozie, they know that it can be dangerous :)

So, anyone any ideas how I can curb her bird habit now? She has a serious mouse and shrew habit too but the bell has no effect on those I understand.

With my last outside going cat - a fearsome hunter - I restricted his outside times to after dawn and before dusk (cats are more successful hunters in lower light conditions in my experience) and kept a weather eye on plantings and bird food placement. (No 'lurking' cover for them is useful.)

Very difficult in spring, though, with baby birds flobbling around the ground everywhere. And neither can you do anything about neighbours' gardens if she leaves yours.

This might nonetheless be a useful read for you.

Thanks cozie I'll have a read. Our garden is pretty bare but we have borders full of shrubs et on the other side of the fence - part of the estate that is managed by a factor as well as some neighbours who are keen gardeners and bird feeders :(

She has a flap so comes and goes as she pleases but is definitely worse in the rain (which she loves) and the dark (she often brings in live birds late at night), we hear the commotion from bed and have to attempt midnight rescues - she is a wee devil.

Maybe think of adopting a new regime of flap shut/on in only after tea time and then opened at breakfast? It would mean having a litter tray but then you'll likely need one for foul weather/sickness anyway - and my own experience is that they come to accept the new rule very quickly as long as they have faith that they'll get out in the morning.

Best of luck.

I'll experiment with that but she is very used to having her own way and is noisy if she doesn't get it. and she loves foul weather, the wetter, windier and snowier the better - she is weird :)

She sounds it! I recall when The Lodger (the 'fearsome hunter') decided to move in with us from the streets, though. We had a discussion about it and it was explained that he would have to lose two of his ....attributes....and stay in overnight. It was still a pretty good deal and he stayed put happily.

(Although it's fair to note that my DBro once said that that if I were a collie, I'd have been bred for my 'eye'. Any cat in this house that tried to wake me out of hours would get very short shrift indeed. )

Ha ha - she not only vocally complains, she scratches at the carpet until she gets access to the bedroom of whomever she has decided to grace with her presence - usually DS2. Despite being a teenager, he will get in and out of bed during the night to satisfy her whims - totally without complaint - he will even get up to let her in our room - she is the little sister he never knew he wanted :o

she also "customises" cardboard boxes to her exact requirements by biting of chunks and spitting the bits everywhere.