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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

Do your black cats wear collars?

56 replies

Catatlast · 08/10/2021 08:41

We're about to start letting our 2 black cats outside. We've never had collars on cats before but these ones are completely black so I'm wondering if a reflective collar would be a good idea so cars have a chance of seeing them?
We're planning on keeping them in at night but even late afternoon it's dark.

OP posts:

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TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 08/10/2021 08:49

I don't but wish I could! She's had a think on her neck, an itchy spot, that turned nasty and ended up needing many rounds of steroid cream, an operation, then treatment at a specialist skin centre. It seemed to start from scratching where the bell was on her collar. So maybe a nickle allergy, or just that the fact she's a wee arsehole. Its all healed now but we don't want to tempt fate.

She doesn't go out much tbh, but my other 2 cats tolerate collars just fine, make sure they are the safe kind though!

My other cats

ReiltinDubh · 08/10/2021 08:50

Yes I have a bright green collar with high vi's bits on my little black cat. Am terrified of her being knocked down! And it really is getting darker so much earlier (she is not that happy with being dragged in from play at 7 these days )

Nishkin · 08/10/2021 08:55

Photos of black cats anyone? I have a cat allergy and 30 years ago I had to give away my black cat and his sister. Only to my parents so I saw them regularly ( dosed up on antihistamines) and they had a lovely life. I loved both dearly, but my black cat was the best cat ever .

( with my brothers black cat, who also retired to my parents a close second 😄)

Original poster

Catatlast · 08/10/2021 09:25

Here's one of ours asleep on the chair. This is pretty much where she always is. The other one is usually asleep on top of the wardrobe

OP posts:

Allergictoironing · 08/10/2021 09:32

@Nishkin

( with my brothers black cat, who also retired to my parents a close second 😄)

You may want to look at THIS thread for black cats

JorisBonson · 08/10/2021 09:34

Neither of mine will. They turn to liquid and slip them every single time.

PinkSyCo · 08/10/2021 09:36

Won’t nobody think of the birds and put collars on their cats with bells on?

TheLongRider · 08/10/2021 09:40

Birds don't necessarily recognise the sound of a bell as meaning that a predator is near.

FAQs · 08/10/2021 09:42

I did but one somehow managed to get herself tangled in it, she hobbled in with her front leg caught in through the collar, she is part feral though and a bugger. The others just lose them.

helpfulperson · 08/10/2021 09:48

I would love to but decided that the risks of collars are greater than the risks of getting run over. I did wonder about little hi vi's jackets but thought the other local cats would make fun of them

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 08/10/2021 09:50

None of my cats have collars (3 are black).

They are fine outside.

little hi vis jackets

YetAnotherSpartacus · 08/10/2021 10:10

I have seriously thought about hi-vis jackets.

The more electric cars there are the less our feline friends will be safe :(

Myusernameisnotmyusernameno · 08/10/2021 10:15

We put a collar on our tuxedo cat but thankfully she never goes out the front, only the back. She's lost quite a few collars though. It has a bell bit she's still managed to catch birds, mice and a frog which I managed to rescue lol

NotMyCat · 08/10/2021 10:40

@PinkSyCo

Won’t nobody think of the birds and put collars on their cats with bells on?

Mine doesn't catch anything so no bell needed!

YetAnotherSpartacus · 08/10/2021 10:42

No leaf is safe from Ollie, surely? Or milkshake.

InTheLabyrinth · 08/10/2021 10:53

Tuxedo here. With a collar and bell to reduce mouse hunting. Also on a curfew.

NotMyCat · 08/10/2021 11:04

@YetAnotherSpartacus

No leaf is safe from Ollie, surely? Or milkshake.

Good point. He might well mug someone if they have milkshake....

AlfonsoTheDinosaur · 08/10/2021 11:18

Everyone's milkshake brings Ollie to their yard.

Original poster

Catatlast · 08/10/2021 11:23

I did wonder about little hi vi's jackets

I thought about this too, or little reflective harnesses, but too high a chance of getting caught in a branch

OP posts:

Angel2702 · 08/10/2021 11:31

Ours does but her first is long so you can’t actually see the collar.

Theunamedcat · 08/10/2021 11:35

I had good luck with the glitter collars when I had outdoor cats they reflected more than the reflector collar

ReiltinDubh · 08/10/2021 11:36

Aren't most collars these days safety ones? So they open if too much pressure applied.
Here's my little miss miaow. Though you can barely see her collar!

Nishkin · 08/10/2021 15:31

@Allergictoironing thank you !

Also thank you for the lovely photos on this thread x

GigantosaurusRex · 08/10/2021 15:38

I've got one with a tag in the cupboard and now that the nights are drawing in I think I will be putting it on him but I will be double checking the quick release. Gratuitous photo because he's a handsome wee devil!

nordica · 08/10/2021 15:40

Mine don't because they don't roam but I would recommend it in case your cat goes missing! It's very difficult to ask people to keep an eye out for a black cat with no identifying features - much easier if you can say look for a black cat with a yellow collar, for example. I helped a friend look for a missing black cat once and with no collar, she was just being sent photos of random black cats taken from a distance and it was impossible to tell if that was her cat or not.

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