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

Original poster

When to put collar on kitten

43 replies

Happymummys · 15/08/2022 15:11

Hello 👋 Our kitten has been with us 9 days. Wanted her to settle in before I put a collar on her. Is there a specific age I need to wait for her to be before I put one on her? I have a break-away collar for her. Thanks

OP posts:
HappyHamsters · 15/08/2022 15:13

Why does she need a collar, they can get trapped and cause terrible injury. My cats never had collars. Have you got a photo we can smooch over.

SparklingLime · 15/08/2022 15:13

Does she need one at all yet? She won’t be going outside for some time?

ZeroFuchsGiven · 15/08/2022 15:17

Why would you need or want to put a collar on her?

thecatneuterer · 15/08/2022 15:18

Never. That is when to put a collar on. Even the 'safety' ones can fuse (particularly if spot on flea treatments are used - it interacts with the plastic) and all can cause serious injury and even death. They serve no purpose at all. Also, a lost cat wearing a collar will need to be in a much worse state than one without a collar before people consider doing something to help it, as they assume the one with the collar has owners around.

A microchip is essential. Collars are dangerous.

mattressspring · 15/08/2022 15:19

Never. Why do you want to out a collar on her?

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 15/08/2022 15:20

My cat was tolerant of collars but had two really bad fights when the collars didn't spring apart in time. He doesn't have one now just a chip.

MrsOwainGlyndŵr · 15/08/2022 15:21

Another vote for never.
What is your reason for wanting the kitten to wear a collar?

Yarnasaurus · 15/08/2022 15:23

Another vote for never!

They are a completely unnecessary risk.

iknowimcoming · 15/08/2022 15:42

I won't go into the (literally) gory details but suffice to say our first cat (years ago) had a collar (one with a safety release) and sustained a dreadful injury from it which she fortunately recovered from, but it put me off collars for life!

Back in the day it was useful for cats to have a collar with their home phone number on in case they got lost but these days we have local Facebook groups for this purpose Wink

Original poster
Happymummys · 15/08/2022 15:43

Thanks all. She won’t be going outside for a long while yet. Unfortunately a lot of people in my area see a cat without a collar and assume it’s a stray or lost and take them in or start feeding them. I don’t want other people feeding her either.I’m forever seeing posts on Facebook of people asking if anyone knows who owns a cat because it doesn’t have a collar on.

OP posts:
StrawberryFizz27 · 15/08/2022 15:45

I have a collar on my youngest, it has a bell and he wears it so he can't become a hunter extraordinaire like the other 2, who don't wear collars.

I put it on him pretty much straight away after bringing him home from the rescue to make sure he was used to it.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 15/08/2022 15:46

Happymummys · 15/08/2022 15:43

Thanks all. She won’t be going outside for a long while yet. Unfortunately a lot of people in my area see a cat without a collar and assume it’s a stray or lost and take them in or start feeding them. I don’t want other people feeding her either.I’m forever seeing posts on Facebook of people asking if anyone knows who owns a cat because it doesn’t have a collar on.

So rather than listening to people who have seen first hand the injuries collars can cause, you are going to put a collar on her anyway?

Hmm
ZeroFuchsGiven · 15/08/2022 15:47

StrawberryFizz27 · 15/08/2022 15:45

I have a collar on my youngest, it has a bell and he wears it so he can't become a hunter extraordinaire like the other 2, who don't wear collars.

I put it on him pretty much straight away after bringing him home from the rescue to make sure he was used to it.

First thing I done when I got my girl was remove the collar that she had on.

Divebar2021 · 15/08/2022 15:47

I think those posts tend to crop up when the cat is hanging around one house a lot or is looking a bit scrawny not just going about their life. I can’t remember the last time I saw a cat with a collar - mine certainly wouldn’t tolerate one.

Original poster
Happymummys · 15/08/2022 15:48

I’m just asking for advice

OP posts:
Original poster
Happymummys · 15/08/2022 15:49

Hmm ok thanks. I’ll speak to her vet tomorrow and see what they advise.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 15/08/2022 16:12

I can only tell you my huge 6.5kg male Bengal couldnt get a safety collar off with a snap release fastening. He came in on three legs with a front bottom fang caught in the elastic and a front leg caught in it.

Chemenger · 15/08/2022 16:17

thecatneuterer · 15/08/2022 15:18

Never. That is when to put a collar on. Even the 'safety' ones can fuse (particularly if spot on flea treatments are used - it interacts with the plastic) and all can cause serious injury and even death. They serve no purpose at all. Also, a lost cat wearing a collar will need to be in a much worse state than one without a collar before people consider doing something to help it, as they assume the one with the collar has owners around.

A microchip is essential. Collars are dangerous.

Listen to thecatneuterer, she spends her whole life looking rescuing cats. Cats don’t need collars, kittens definitely don’t need collars. I’ve had a cat come home with a leg stuck in her collar 30 years ago and haven’t used one since. That includes when I had three identical black foster kittens who I couldn’t tell apart!

Chemenger · 15/08/2022 16:18

Also I’ve taken collars off quite a few of my foster cats and their fur was worn down under the collar, that can’t be comfortable.

sunsetsandsandybeaches · 16/08/2022 06:25

Sorry, but I agree with everyone else - cats don't need collars. They're dangerous and can cause so many unnecessary injuries.

Twillow · 16/08/2022 06:27

Happymummys · 15/08/2022 15:43

Thanks all. She won’t be going outside for a long while yet. Unfortunately a lot of people in my area see a cat without a collar and assume it’s a stray or lost and take them in or start feeding them. I don’t want other people feeding her either.I’m forever seeing posts on Facebook of people asking if anyone knows who owns a cat because it doesn’t have a collar on.

People who 'adopt' cats like this will take no notice of a collar and very likely remove it anyway. It's no safeguard.

Celticdawn5 · 16/08/2022 06:44

Definitely agree with the no collars. I never use them for our our cats and I rarely see them on other cats in the locality.
collar or no collar you will always get people who feed cats that don’t belong to them.

Clymene · 16/08/2022 06:50

My cats have never had collars. No one has even nicked them or thought they were strays

Logoplanter · 16/08/2022 07:04

Agree with no collar. They are a huge risk to cats. Any decent vet should say the same.

toffeechai · 16/08/2022 07:17

My friend’s cat almost died after his collar caught on a tree branch. It was meant to be a breakaway one.