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Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 7:55 am
by SuttonRider
I want to put a collar on my cat with a name tag. I brought a safety release buckle collar, but he's worked out if he gets his back leg under it he can break the release, is it OK to put him in a non safety release collar?

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 8:21 am
by Marla
No, if he gets his leg caught in a non quick-release collar, that can cause a terrible injury.

Find a soft, non-stretchy, cat collar with a quick-release clasp. Check that the clasp releases - some aren't as good as others. Remove the bell as he might be annoyed it and that's why he's removing the collar. Adjust the collar so that you can fit only 1-2 fingers between the collar and the neck. That's 1 large or 2 slender fingers. You want it comfortable but snug. People tend to put collars on too loosely which annoys the cat and makes it easy to get its leg through the gap. Check the adjustment daily.

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 8:35 am
by SuttonRider
Thanks for the quick reply, everything you suggest I've done. I even went to a pet shop yesterday and tried various safety releases they all seemed about the same. I've tried various degrees of tightness of the collar, but he still gets out of it. I don't think he likes a collar, maybe I'll just have to leave him without one.

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:02 am
by Ruth B
If he won't keep a quick release collar on he is better off without one.

Ones that don't release not only put him in danger of choking if it catches on something when he's off exploring, but I've seen photos of the horrific injury that cats can get if they manage to get a front paw through the collar and it doesn't release. These injuries not only look horrendous they are also extremely difficult to heal and can require surgery, I've even heard amputation of the leg being talked about as a possibility if the vet couldn't get the wound to close (it was a stray that had been brought into a rescue so the wound had had time to develop, it had been cleaned and stitched several times by that point, fortunately it did heal in the end but it had been a serious option).

My first couple of cats did wear collars, a lot did back then and it was before micro chipping was common. It was also before quick release collars were readily available, just ones with an elastic section. I always hunted down ones which had a buckle without a pin so if the worst happened the collar would just pull loose. We lost several and always had to keep a selection of collars and tags in just in case we couldn't track down where it had been lost. Then I got a Ragdoll and decided i couldn't put a collar on that ruff and give him a collar line so asked about chipping. I've never looked back, since then all my cats have been chipped.

My one bit of advice is to contact whoever the chip is registered with and make sure that it is registered and that your details are kept up to date. I did hear of someone who had his kitten chipped and soon after he went missing, when he rang the registry it turned out the paperwork must have been mislaid and the chip wasn't registered. It got sorted out and the kitten returned on his own accord, but it could have been a much worse outcome.

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:18 am
by SuttonRider
Thanks Ruth, You've convinced me, no collar is best in this case. He is chipped and the details are correct.

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 10:50 am
by Ruth B
Sorry if that tale upset you but so many people don't realise how much damage a collar can do in the wrong situation. At least these days we have alternatives.

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 10:57 am
by SuttonRider
Not at all. I just needed confirmation I was doing the right thing. It's good to have a forum like this.

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:41 pm
by Marla
I was given permission from the owner of Cat Chat to post link to our website since we're a sponsor. (Thank you!)

SuttonRider, I'd be happy to send you one of our personalised cat collars free of charge to see if it helps. You too, Ruth B, if you'd like to try one. You can contact me through my profile.

Our personalised cat collars are super soft, have a quick-release clasp, and there's no tag to annoy the cat. The tag *might* be why he's removing his collar.
https://www.kittycollars.co.uk/personal ... t-collars/

I can't guarantee it will resolve the issue, but you may find that it does.

The problem with relying on microchipping alone is that many people assume that a collarless cat is homeless, start feeding it, the cat doesn't leave, and they end up adopting it. Because we advertise on Cat Chat, we get many calls from people thinking we're a rescue, wanting to find a home for a "stray" they adopted years ago. I ask if they've had the cat scanned for a microchip and they usually say "what's that?".

A woman called recently to order a collar for cat that had appeared in her garden several years before. I asked if she had ever had the cat scanned for a chip and she hadn't, despite her own cats being chipped.

Also, the person who finds a cat may not have a cat carrier or transport. A man called me about a cat in his garden. I asked him to take it to a vet to be scanned for a chip. He asked if it would be OK to wrap it in a towel and take it on a bus!

We recommend a microchip plus a personalised cat collar.

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:24 pm
by SuttonRider
Thank you Marla, I've contacted you through your profile.

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 3:24 pm
by Ruth B
Thanks for the offer, but for the time being I'm happy without collars.

All my three currently know where home is and come when called. Neither of the girls ventures far and while the lad will stray more he also seems happy to come home when ever he wants something. It's also the type of area where everyone knows who owns which cat. When we eventually move then I might be in contact.

Re: Collar

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 4:03 pm
by Marla
Please do, Ruth B! They're also really useful for vet trips. :)

Re: Collar

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:24 pm
by Catotum
I tried cat collars of all sorts when I first had cats. After spending a small fortune on them (clever cats get rid of nasty collar when human not looking) I gave up. They are all chipped, so ownership cannot be in doubt. I agree: don't use a non-safety collar. They can be lethal.

Re: Collar

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 3:15 pm
by SuttonRider
Having tried other collars with no success, either the catch comes undone when he scratches or they just seem to irritate him I took Marla up on her kind offer of a collar from Kittycollars. He's been wearing it for nearly 2 weeks now and it's never unintentionally come undone, it doesn't seem to irritate him and he look good in it. Also, although the cat has been chipped, I feel much happier knowing that he has his/my phone number and address around his neck when he's out strutting his stuff. Thank you Marla, a great product. :D

Re: Collar

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 3:33 pm
by Marla
Thank you so much! :D