cat collars and bells cruel?

marmiethecat

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No, it is not  CRUEL unless you fasten the collar too  tight.
Cats kill innocent wildlife for no reason, just for fun like some cruel people who
hunt animals for one which is actually illegal, so why can't it be illegal for cats?

The bells don't ring that much unless they run really fast so it can't drive them crazy
It all depends where you purchase the collar really. Giving a bell to your cat on its collar is a good  and useful  thing.
Unless you want you savage cat to kill all the birds and little creatures in your garden then take off the collar.
 

maiaelizabeth

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Foley has had a collar with a bell on since I brought him home and it doesn't seem to bother him at all. It also helps me to know where he is when in occasions he plays hide and seek. Maia had a collar with a bell but she outgrew it. Haven't had a chance to buy her another. She scares the hell out of me pretty much every day when I call her name and can't find her. So I'm glad Foley has his little bell on that way I know he's here. they're both indoors and never ever ever have been outside by themselves I used to take Maia for car rides before or to visit my mom and she loved it. I wouldn't let her go outside by herself and there's absolutely no risk for them to escape or go outside but am a bit paranoid. [emoji]128514[/emoji][emoji]128514[/emoji][emoji]128514[/emoji]
 

otto

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How do you know the bell doesn't bother him? He can't tell you, "hey mom this thing jingling in my ears every time I move is driving me crazy."

Cats have very sensitive hearing. Imagine having to listen to jingling right next to your ear, every time you move.
 

maiaelizabeth

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Foley has had a collar with a bell on since I brought him home and it doesn't seem to bother him at all.d. [emoji]128514[/emoji][emoji]128514[/emoji][emoji]128514[/emoji]
As I said he seems fine with it. Everyone knows their cat and how they act. When he's bothered by something he would try to chew it take it off or will meow until he has what he wants. He's a very spoiled cat and I would definitely know if it bothered him. It only rings when he runs though not every time he walks.
 

helsic

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In my personal opinion I think it must be annoying for their ears because they have better listening skills than us so for them must be really annoying. I think with time they get used to the bell but it doesn't change the fact that the sound is still there all the time...

All my cats wear collars without a bell.
 

nora1

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In my personal opinion I think it must be annoying for their ears because they have better listening skills than us so for them must be really annoying. I think with time they get used to the bell but it doesn't change the fact that the sound is still there all the time...

All my cats wear collars without a bell.
I agree. My Nora doesn't like to wear collars with bells, she tries to chew them off. The only thing on her collar is her ID tag, which makes little to no sound:)
 

magister

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There are alternatives to traditional pet bells. I loathed the idea of putting bells on my two when I got them at ten weeks, but, having sight damage (now many years past), simply I was not prepared to take the risk that I might not see them. Tripping on a cat is bad enough; stepping on a tiny kitten is something I did not want to do! :(

The compromise was to use tiny, decorative craft bells. These are a true bell shape (as opposed to the typical spherical or ovoid pet bells), make a fraction of the noise of pet bells (just loud enough to hear without being intrusive), and, as the hammer is so tiny, the jingle is a far softer, gentler sound.


The effect is tremendously more comfortable for the owner, and, I suspect, for the cat.


These can be bought for a fraction of the cost of pet bells (assuming even that one is able to buy a pet bell without buying a collar), come in packets of a dozen or so, and in various tones and sizes. IMO, definitely a vastly better solution for anybody who needs to bell their cat, but is concerned about the racket.
 

tuxedoontheloos

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None of my cats growing up had collars. Two had very sensitive skin and would develop crusty sores. They were from the same litter so I suppose it was genetic. The third was good enough at getting out of them to make it pointless. He was also big enough that finding a break away collar that fit could require searching multiple stores. They were all indoor cats so it didn't really matter.

Current cat will get a collar if he can tolerate one since by-law here requires even indoor cats to wear their registration tags. However, if he doesn't tolerate it I'm comfortable withbreaking this particular law. He got a tattoo while being fixed so whether he's tagged or not he has ID visible. He is indoor only as well.

As far as bells go, I don't think they do anything to stop hunting, but I also don't think they're cruel. I wear a big key ring at work. We jokingly call it my cat bell. I don't noticr it at all, but everyone else can hear me a mile off. I think it's probably the same for cats. After awgile they don't notice.
 

Margret

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I've never seen a cat bothered by a bell.

My youngest two wear tags that jingle just as much as a bell would.

They are the only two likely to slip out, so they wear visible ID and rabies tags because this is a high risk rabies area.


There are cats here in the park that are quite successful in hunting with bells on, and I know that cats can walk (without skulking) without their bells making the slightest sound.


I honestly don't think it fair that you imply that those who do have bells on their cats are cruel though.

I don't find that behavior much different than someone implying the owner of an indoor cat cruel, or implying the owner of a cat allowed outdoors cruel.
I've found an escaped cat, in a bad situation, specifically because her collar bell tinkled when the sun went down and she decided she was invisible and came out. This was in a desert rest area in Idaho -- if we hadn't found her then, she'd have been gone for good. You'd better bet Jasmine has a collar with a bell, as well as a microchip, and tags with her name, my name, and three phone numbers, her rabies tag, and the tag from the microchip company. She's an indoor only cat, but she fancies herself as an escape artist.

I believe that all commercially available cat collars (at least in the U.S.) are breakaway. Even the Beastie Bands collar I got for her, which is harder for her to deliberately slip, is stretchy and closes with velcro; I'm not worried that it will strangle her, nor is her vet.

Margret
 

chromium blues

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Our shop cat has to wear a collar. She has her rabies tag, name tag, microchip tag, and an interesting identification tag from Royal Canin. She has a soft red leather safety collar with rhinestones on it. I don't think she appreciates it, but its one more thing that helps to keep her safe.
 

mrcloverthecat

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Clover wears a collar all the time, and he's not bothered by it one bit. When he's bothered by something, he'll start constantly meowing, and if you get close, he'll look at you in the eye with fright and then run away from you. It's not a very loud bell, so it's not that bad, and it doesn't jingle very much. But it's important that he has the bell because if he ever runs away, it will be easier for people to find him. He has the bell, a microchip, and a microchip tag with the microchip number and the microchip company. I think he likes the collar; one time he almost bit me when I was taking it off to wash it and when I put it back on him after drying it, he didn't even try to bight me 


The whole bell issue is being taken a different way than it should. Think of necklaces. Some people, like me, will only put on a necklace if it's for something special. Other people, like my brother, barely mind them. My brother used to wear two necklaces when I was younger, and so you could always hear them clinking next to each other. They were a little loud, too.

If your cat doesn't mind a collar, then you should absolutely give them one in addition to their microchip. If they don't mind the tag, that too. If they don't mind the bell, that too. But if they do mind, then you should try to find an alternative for their own safety.
 
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mckernon22483

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My three month old kitten has a bell because my husband works night shift and doesn't necessarily watch where he is walking so her bell alerts him that she is around so he pays attention. So far the bell doesn't bother her one bit
 

stewball

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All my cats over the last 20+ years have worn collars with bells with no problems. The think the servants, us, worry more about the bell than the kitties do.
 

NewYork1303

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This thread is from forever ago, but I'm going to put in my two cents anyhow. Both my cats wear bells and they are indoor cats. They wear them so that we can hear if they are running toward the door or doing something they shouldn't . Even the four month old kitten knows how to walk without it making noise. The bells only jingle when the cats run or jump up on things so they certainly aren't constantly jingling and driving the cats crazy.
 

rebeccalynn

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My father came home one day with a box of three all black kittens. We bought them collars solely to be able to tell them apart but the bells are the best part. They do occasionally get outside if we aren't careful. The bells help us know hear them better and better locate them when trying to get them back inside. It also helps us be aware of them at night since they can't be seen the bells help us know that they are around and to be aware and careful of where and how hard we step. My little girls is a devoted hunter and will catch anything she sees. The bells hasn't stopped her from being able to hunt or caused her to lose hunt. I have notice with my three that since they know where to get food in the house and that dinner time is coming that the kittens no longer fiercely hunt, like they used to. My tip to you would be feed your cat in the same place and same time every day and hunting will just be for fun and they won't mind their bells at all [emoji]128568[/emoji]
 

chibster

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Umm..I think saying it's cruel is a little too much. As long they are being taken care of, it's not cruel at all. Some cats should have their collars removed for a while if they start itching their necks.
 

catminionjess

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I think it's very judgemental to say collars and collars with bells on cats is cruel. it's very harsh, over-sensitive and melodramatic. I'm not beating my cats or starving them or making them stay outside in extreme weather.

My 3 indoor only cats wear break-away collars with bells. They always have and always will. If you use a break-away collar and make sure it is loose enough that it can slip over the cat's head, it is perfectly safe for the cat. I think it is not much different than a woman wearing a jingly necklace. Two of my cats are micro chipped and have the Homeagain tag and rabies tag on the collar as well. The other one has a metal tag with his name, my phone number and city on it and rabies tag on his collar. My 2 boys are black cats and they blend in to the shadows, so having a pop of color and the jingle helps keep me from tripping over them or kicking them on accident. The little jingles helps me know where they are at in the house. Since they all don't seem to get along with each other well, it also helps to alert each cat when one of the others is near so they can get away so fights don't break out.

Also, I live in north central Texas and all cats and dogs are supposed to be registered with the city you live in and they are required to wear ID tags, license tag and rabies tags. Obviously not everyone registers their pets. I only did the first year I had my oldest cat. I do know I could pay a hefty fine if any of my cats got out and got picked up by the city. I do keep their rabies up to date and renew the micro-chip subscription every year.
 

Margret

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My Jasmine is a feline genius. She's figured out where the red dot comes from. She knows the difference between pointing and presenting a finger to be sniffed. She understands that when she's looking out the window, with her claws hooked in the curtain to get a bit higher, the way to disengage is to retract the claws, not to dig in deeper and pull. But she can't figure out that if she runs right in front of me when I'm walking she gets kicked. Or that if she trips me, I'll land on her. The bell gives me that miniscule extra warning that I need to make sure it's a gentle kick, and to steady myself.

Margret
 

stewball

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I don't think you can compare cats collars to a woman wanting to wear jangly necklaces but I do agree with the collars. All my cats wore collars with bells on and we're inside and wore them so I knew where they were. However my two cats now are collarless. As I'm getting older i keep imaging awful things happening with the collars so they don't wear collars.
But I say to everybody who wants their furbabies to wear collars, go for it.
:clap:
 

Margret

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You know those little gold or silver balls that chime beautifully? Many years ago, I saw a pair of earrings with very small chiming balls dangling from them. I commented to the jeweler that it must be extremely annoying to have those ringing in your ears constantly, and she said that her customers had told her it was not. The earrings only chimed when the wearer began moving her head in an agitated manner, at which point the chime provided some much needed soothing.

Now, I don't believe that a collar bell is equivalent. I do believe that, for the most part, it only rings when the cat is tearing around at top speed, and too involved in whatever game she's playing to give a darn about a collar bell.

Margret
 
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