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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Does my cat need a collar?

20 replies

Anjelika · 07/12/2018 08:51

I've had cats for donkeys years and have always given them a collar. The collar usually had an ID tag on so, if the cat got lost or injured, people would know where to take her. I now have 5 month old kittens and they are regularly going outdoors so I bought them new collars yesterday. Boy cat loathes his and last night managed to drag it in his mouth and I think cut his mouth a bit in the process. We removed it and tried again this morning with the same result. Both cats are microchipped so does he really need a collar? I always think a collar tells people a cat is not a stray but I can't risk him injuring himself.

OP posts:

CanYouHearThePeopleSing · 07/12/2018 08:54

Our cat doesn't have a collar (and has full access to outside). Our last cat had one for a few years, but she lost a few so we gave up. My main worry would be them getting caught on something and causing injury.

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/12/2018 09:50

I don’t use a collar, they cause injuries.

Original poster

Anjelika · 07/12/2018 11:27

Thanks for your reassurance. I've just never had a cat who hasn't worn one. My previous cats needed one for the magnetic cat flap but, as we are still training this pair to use it, we've taken the mechanism out. Tbh there are so few other cats where we live now I don't think we'll need the magnetic part to keep strangers out and there are always the microchip ones.

OP posts:

FlamingoCactus · 07/12/2018 12:20

We stopped using them when one of ours came back without his after 4 or 5 days missing, looking a bit skinny and sort for himself. We think he probably got himself stuck on something 😞😞 doesn't seem worth the risk!

Merrz · 07/12/2018 12:23

If they're chipped i wouldn't put a collar on them for the reason FlamingoCactus pointed out, they are quite dangerous for getting caught on things.

Celticdawn5 · 07/12/2018 12:28

None of ours wear a collar.In the past we did,but after one of our cats inexplicably caught her paw in one we decided not worth the risk.
It was odd though,she had worn a collar for years then one morning we heard distressed mewing and found her in the kitchen with her paw through the collar. I don’t think she had been outside at that point in the day anyhow they were all removed at that point.
They are microchipped.

SushiMonster · 07/12/2018 12:35

I don't use a collar. My cat is chipped and doesn't look like a stray. You do see so many fuck-wits posting on the local FB sites feeding cats that aren't theirs though because they don't have a collar.

SushiMonster · 07/12/2018 12:36

My previous cats needed one for the magnetic cat flap

You can get microchip cat flaps now

blackcat86 · 07/12/2018 12:53

Collars are recommended by the RSPB as the bells help warm birds and reduce the number killed by cats. I always use the ones with a florescent strip to help my cat be seen at night (in case of non observant drivers and because he's black) and an anti choke clasp. This means that if it tugs on anything the collar releases. If the cat flat our refuses there isn't much you can do.

Original poster

Anjelika · 07/12/2018 14:14

Hi blackcat. I thought the same about the bell and also bought fluorescent ones so the cats would be seen at night. Like you say though, if the cat just won't wear it...His sister on the other hand doesn't seem remotely bothered by her's!

OP posts:

Dollymixture22 · 07/12/2018 19:23

I have sone with my phone number on it - printed in the fabric. It’s a quick release so she shouldn’t get caught anywhere.

It’s not essential - my kitten isn’t really allowed out unsupervised but sometimes dashed through the door and because she is so little (7 months) I don’t want anyone to adopt her!!

She is microchipped, but that only helps if she is taken somewhere she can be scanned.

She isn’t bothered by it - if she started pulling it off, I would just leave it.

minkies11 · 07/12/2018 19:28

Fluorescent safety collar with ID tags are brilliant. You'll never regret having them if your cat strays or is injured. You can buy them on ebay cheaply so it doesn't matter if you lose a couple.

citiesofbismuth · 09/12/2018 00:10

Mine have quick release collars. The people round my way would take a cat in as a stray if it didn't have a collar on. Mine are all microchipped and confined to the garden, but I worry about accidental escapes.

sugarplumfairy28 · 09/12/2018 09:05

To be fair I'm not a fan of microchipping (although all of ours are) as not everyone will check for a chip, a collar on the other hand people recognise a cat with a collar belongs to someone.

In my experience when we've had cats go missing a chip means nothing, but people will say oh I saw a cat that looks like X with a red collar. We have one boy who hates collars, I ended up getting an extra small dog collar with no bell and he is fine. It came in incredibly useful Friday night when we had to go find him in the garden and it was his collar that reflected the light.

Also while I understand the whole bell idea with regards to wildlife, it doesn't seem to have affected my lots ability to hunt, with or without a bell they all bring back about the same amount of 'gifts'.

I would try a collar without a bell, and if that doesn't work, at least you have tried everything.

Dollymixture22 · 09/12/2018 09:33

I really don’t like the bells on collars. Imagine an inrrotsting tinkling every time you walk - how annoying!

PeridotCricket · 09/12/2018 09:36

I had a cat seriously injured by getting trapped by a collar with an elasticated bit. Mine are no collars and microchipped. Same cat, different occasion, reunited via microchip.

Tried quick release collars but they stayed on about twenty seconds.

SushiMonster · 09/12/2018 10:27

Lol at the bells stop them hunting... my old cats were daemon hunters despite collars with bells.

I’ve got a cuddly pretty kitty this time who despite the lack of bell has never bought home a single dead animal b

Sallygoroundthemoon · 09/12/2018 13:28

I hate collars on cats and think they are cruel. As long as they are microchipped that's fine for getting lost, catflaps etc.

DramaAlpaca · 09/12/2018 13:30

I would never put a collar on a cat. They are dangerous and unnecessary.

Bamaluz · 09/12/2018 13:38

DS found a young cat near his flat in a bad way with it's leg caught in it's collar so he took it to the vet, but it sadly died.

I will never put a collar on my cat.

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