Cat collars

[duckling]

Can anyone recommend a cat collar that will break off if the cat gets tangled but isn't too easy for him to remove himself?!

My 9 month old cat Reggie obviously prefers to be naked and has perfected the art of removing his collar. I've been using the Ancol ones with the plastic safety catch, but these seem to come off very easily and I'm often finding them around the house or garden. In the last 2 days, he's lost 2 collars that must be in the neighbours gardens as I can't find them anywhere!

His brother has no such problem and has never managed to remove his collar, but I have no idea what Reg is doing to get them off. I need him to have a collar for the ID tag as he's still quite new to going outside, and for the bell - our neighbour has free range chickens and though he seems totally unbothered by them, I'd prefer to look like a good cat owner giving them some warning!

 

[Casey76]

I'm afraid none of my indoor/outdoor cats are collared. They climb trees and go through hedges and I don't trust the safety collars I've seen on sale here to break.

 

[Blanche]

Your cats collars coming off is a good thing as it means he can't hang himself. Having seen two cats hanging dead from tree branches as they had collars that didn't break( one was a dog collar)I'm glad they do come off . My cats don't wear them because of the hanging threat and the horrific injuries they can get when they get a leg through. I can fully appreciate why you are trying to keep one on and it is your decision to make.

 

[Lanky Loll]

I've given up on collars for both of mine - they were averaging two a week and it just seemed ridiculous especially as the bell didn't seem to stop them catching anything. When we lived in town I religiously made sure they had reflective collars with bells etc and they weren't so bad at losing them but since we moved it's been silly.
Regarding the tag - get the cat chipped and make sure the details are kept up to date.

 

[Equi]

Another that doesn't collar cats here. They are microchipped though.

 

[duckling]

Oh they're both chipped, I just worry that not many people would take a wandering cat to a vet to check the chip... At least if he has my address and phone number round his neck it's a bit easier

I've just caught him in the act... He was rubbing against a tree trunk until the collar pushed up to his jaw and popped open.

I think I might keep persevering with these Ancol collars... I'm obviously glad the collar will come off if he gets stuck so they do seem safe, I just wish he wasn't quite so clever at removing them! I'll buy a few to keep as backup... I've asked my neighbours to throw any they find back over the fence so hopefully I can recoup a few that way!

 

[FubsyMog]

My older cat is not a collar loser (doesn't do adventures!). She had one that kept coming off (just in the house - she doesn't go too far) because the catch was just not 'grippy' enough. Same type of safety catch as her old one had had, just very loose. Replacement we got (again, same catch) was really tight and quite hard to pull apart. I felt I couldn't trust it to come open if she got caught in the hedge, so she never wore it. I just test collars now by opening and closing them a few times to see how they feel - I know how 'grippy' it should feel to stay on within reason, but break open if caught.

The kitten is a dreadful collar loser as he loves climbing through the garden hedge. I buy two-packs from Poundland and just write the phone number on them as he loses one every couple of weeks.

Both cats are microchipped, but I am reluctant to forgo collars with ID as the older one was hit by a car a few years ago and thankfully somebody phoned us - I do not think she would have survived otherwise (full recovery, minus an eye).

 

[Umbongo]

I use the ancol ones. My cat is fat so he has a bright red one saying 'DO NOT FEED ME'
Is the collar on tight enough? Should be able to get a finger or two between the cat and the collar. If it is too loose then easier to hook it on something to pop it open?

 

[C1airey]

My cat went through a stage of losing collars by the dozen. I just bought the cheapest ones I could find with safety clips and replaced them as needed. He used to have a habit of crawling right into a hedge and I think they got caught on branches. Occasionally people would post them back through my letterbox if they found them in their gardens. He's since grown out of the habit, but somewhere near my old house, there must be a hedge festooned in cat collars...

 

[duckling]

My older cat is not a collar loser (doesn't do adventures!). She had one that kept coming off (just in the house - she doesn't go too far) because the catch was just not 'grippy' enough. Same type of safety catch as her old one had had, just very loose. Replacement we got (again, same catch) was really tight and quite hard to pull apart. I felt I couldn't trust it to come open if she got caught in the hedge, so she never wore it. I just test collars now by opening and closing them a few times to see how they feel - I know how 'grippy' it should feel to stay on within reason, but break open if caught.

Good idea, I wonder if this might be it as the one he has on currently has been on since I posted, yet he has others that he's lost within 24 hours! I'll be the one standing in the pet shop opening and closing collars Good idea about writing the phone number on the collar too, saves me having to fiddle around with those little ID barrels too.

Umbongo - I think they're tight enough but will check. He seems to rub it rather than hook it, cheeky cat!

C1airey - lol, he was just decorating the neighbourhood

 

[mattydog]

Mine both have reflective collars that are entirely elasticated and have a buckle fastening. If they did get caught up the collar stretches so they can get out. I have had them come in with a leg through a couple of times, although very rare. They are in and out all the time so regularly checked and never causes wounds.

 

[FubsyMog]

Good idea, I wonder if this might be it as the one he has on currently has been on since I posted, yet he has others that he's lost within 24 hours! I'll be the one standing in the pet shop opening and closing collars Good idea about writing the phone number on the collar too, saves me having to fiddle around with those little ID barrels too.

I use a Sharpie to write on them. Not the most pretty look, but fairly effective. And yes, I have been known to stand for some minutes repeatedly opening and closing collars to find the best one! Also, getting it adjusted exactly right is important - too loose and they can easily get the collar off, slightly tight and they tend to 'burst' off. With the kitten, 'just right' is actually slightly looser than on the non-adventuring older cat - I think because he twist and turns, the muscles expand more and so pop the collar off.

Cats, eh?! It's as well they're soft and furry and cuddlesome!

 

[Goldenstar]

I used to use the cheap ones with an elastic insert I then cut through the elastic so only about a quarter was left .

 

[KVH]

Hi Kate, I feel your pain, mine would never keep theirs on, I have to say I gave up in the end, they'd generally be lost within a matter of hours!
They did used to break which was a comfort, I just used to get cheap ones with an elastic insert from Sainsburys.

But no tips on how to keep the collars on I'm afraid, possibly a losing battle!

 

[wkiwi]

, possibly a losing battle!

The dilemma is that some cats will persistently remove a collar regardless of what you do. It is a catch-22 situation as you need a collar that will come off in an emergency, but some cats work out that they can either break the ones with a catch or stretch the ones with elastic. Sounds like you have a Houdini type! Mind you, it means he will have a lot of personality too.

 

[duckling]

The dilemma is that some cats will persistently remove a collar regardless of what you do. It is a catch-22 situation as you need a collar that will come off in an emergency, but some cats work out that they can either break the ones with a catch or stretch the ones with elastic. Sounds like you have a Houdini type! Mind you, it means he will have a lot of personality too.

I think this is my problem! Touch wood, he has been wearing his current one since my last post and has only removed it in the house where I can find it and put it back on...

I bought some magnets today. They are ring magnets with a hole in the center. I would think they are safe enough as long as I sew them onto the collar. I can't imagine one of my cats trying to eat them! I've heard some of types of magnets will snap easily. I tried to find ones that wouldn't... I could see a cat trying to eat a broken magnet.

Ooh interesting, so using a magnet fastening rather than a clip or buckle? Let us know how it goes!

 

[duckling]

Thought it was only fair if I added some photos of the offending cat

This is Reggie - he obviously like's this collar as he seems to be keeping hold of it, maybe it's cos it's dapper

And I can't leave out his brother Hugo (who doesn't litter the neighbourhood with collars)

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Lovely pics. Reggie is very handsome (as is Hugo) but I am partial to black moggies.

 

[duckling]

Lovely pics. Reggie is very handsome (as is Hugo) but I am partial to black moggies.

Me too unbelievably, the rescue centre we got them from had lots of people wanting to take Hugo but no one wanted little Reg! Luckily they wanted them to stick together so kept them for us, even though it meant waiting a week in the cattery whilst we were abroad at a wedding.

Reg is a real character too, a big softie, often can found with a bemused expression and his tongue stuck out He has one spot behind his ear which if you scratch he falls over in ecstasy

Hugo's much more boisterous and loves to play, purrs like a generator and loves to race up the stairs (he always wins)!