Collars and microchips: What does your cat have?

[jcat]

If anyone has a brand they can recommend please post them?  The ones we were getting at PetSmart, and similar were of no use.  

Mogli went through several brands and types of collars and managed to get every one off (and chew it up) within days. Sometimes he wrecked two in a week. He'd use the tags to pop the clasp, slide along the balcony net to snag the adjustable collar slide and pop or break the clasp or pull the collar off, etc.. In desperation, I finally tried Beastie Bands, which are very stretchy and have a Velcro clasp. He likes them and doesn't even attempt to remove them. I don't think they'll hold up very long, but they're inexpensive. He's got a Boomerang slide-on tag, too, which doesn't annoy him and he can't use to remove the collar.

 

[mservant]

Anyone else had their cat tangle themselves up in their collar?  My girls weren't chipped and I spent quite a few years collaring them - mostly for colour coding as all my visitors were useless at telling them apart. 

 

I used the buckle with elastic expansion type but eventually gave up as I would sporadically come home to my snow leopard hobbling about like the hunchback of Notre Dam.  She'd wear the collar for a few months then get fed up for some reason and try to clamber out of it.  She never managed to break the elastic or suspend herself so she'd slip out: she'd try and squeeze through the collar one leg at a time and get stuck after the 1st leg went through. I'd come in from work and find her limping about with one leg stuck out in front of her, pinned in against her throat under the collar, and unable to either get that leg back or squeeze the rest of her body through. I decided she'd end up strangling herself and gave in when they were about 5.  My guests just had to start asking which one was coming in to the room to find out it was safe to go in for a cuddle - or not. 

 

 

[sivyaleah]

Mogli went through several brands and types of collars and managed to get every one off (and chew it up) within days. Sometimes he wrecked two in a week. He'd use the tags to pop the clasp, slide along the balcony net to snag the adjustable collar slide and pop or break the clasp or pull the collar off, etc.. In desperation, I finally tried Beastie Bands, which are very stretchy and have a Velcro clasp. He likes them and doesn't even attempt to remove them. I don't think they'll hold up very long, but they're inexpensive. He's got a Boomerang slide-on tag, too, which doesn't annoy him and he can't use to remove the collar.

Thanks so much!  Going to look those up right now.

 

[nekochan]

I use a mix of Ragtime Collars which are custom embroidered, Beastie Bands, K9 Closet Smoothie collars (also embroidered) and sometimes I've used these:

 

[Norachan]

I would have mine chipped if it were done in Japan, but it's really uncommon and they don't scan stray cats to find out if they've been chipped or not.

Mine all wear safety collars that glow in the dark, just in case the venture as far as the road.  The tags are tiny so all I can fit on their is my phone number and the kanji for my name, but the main reason I make they wear them is that they all go out and I want them to be distinguishable from all the strays around here. If they lose their collar they're not allowed out until I replace it.

The two older cats have had the same collar for over a year now, but the younger ones get through about one a month. Somewhere out there is a tree festooned with all the collars they've lost

 

[eb24]

 
EB, your post was excellent.  I've been very negligent since we got our second cat about collaring them.  Our first one, used to wear it all the time until he figured out how to get it off.  She, hasn't worn one since we have her (9 months) but we've had several instances of thinking she escaped the house (all times found in the house) and once where she did indeed slide right by my feet out the patio door.  She ran right back into the house.  Our boy, also got out the same way one time and also ran right back once we called his name.  We, were lucky.

We had already made a promise to get them both microchipped at their next vet appointment which is coming up shortly.  But really, after reading that I think we'll go back to using the collars again also.

If anyone has a brand they can recommend please post them?  The ones we were getting at PetSmart, and similar were of no use.  

Thanks. 

It's so easy to put stuff like this off and I know we are all guilty of it in one form or another (be it getting them chipped, collared, spayed, annual appointment- whatever). Good for you to re-committing to ID'ing them! 

You have already had some excellent suggestions but I will re-mention the Puddy Tat brand because I love it so much. Yes, they are a bit pricey but IMO so worth it. And, they are just so dang cute! 

 http://woofwear.us/putatbywo.html

I have also heard good things about BeastieBands and love the embroidering idea. I think a tag is still a good addition but it would be awesome to embroider something like "I'm lost!" on the collar and have contact info on the tag. Or, perhaps you can fit it all and not have to worry about the jingly tag. For sure worth looking into! 

 
Anyone else had their cat tangle themselves up in their collar?  My girls weren't chipped and I spent quite a few years collaring them - mostly for colour coding as all my visitors were useless at telling them apart. 

 

I used the buckle with elastic expansion type but eventually gave up as I would sporadically come home to my snow leopard hobbling about like the hunchback of Notre Dam.  She'd wear the collar for a few months then get fed up for some reason and try  to clamber out of it.  She never managed to break the elastic or suspend herself so she'd slip out: she'd try and squeeze through the collar one leg at a time and get stuck after the 1st leg went through. I'd come in from work and find her limping about with one leg stuck out in front of her, pinned in against her throat under the collar, and unable to either get that leg back or squeeze the rest of her body through. I decided she'd end up strangling herself and gave in when they were about 5.  My guests just had to start asking which one was coming in to the room to find out it was safe to go in for a cuddle - or not. 

 

Unfortunately snagging does happen, though I think you would have very different results with a different type of closure on the collar. This is the primary reason that I didn't even bother with the elastic type- because it is so easy for them to hook a leg through and get all tangled up. I would seriously try a different brand and see what happens!

 
I would have mine chipped if it were done in Japan, but it's really uncommon and they don't scan stray cats to find out if they've been chipped or not.

Mine all wear safety collars that glow in the dark, just in case the venture as far as the road.  The tags are tiny so all I can fit on their is my phone number and the kanji for my name, but the main reason I make they wear them is that they all go out and I want them to be distinguishable from all the strays around here. If they lose their collar they're not allowed out until I replace it.

The two older cats have had the same collar for over a year now, but the younger ones get through about one a month. Somewhere out there is a tree festooned with all the collars they've lost

That's an understandable reason not to chip (there would be no point) but you are still very smart to collar them. The little I know is that there are many cities in Japan that are overrun with feral colonies and many neighbors don't take kindly to any cats in their space because of it. Having the collar helps re-assure people that they are healthy and have a home!

 If you ever find that tree please take a picture! It's amazing how many they can lose, isn't it? 

 

[chibinekochan]

I can't get my boy to wear his collar, but I keep trying anyway.

I was going to have him microchipped, although an indoor cat, because, well you never know, do you?

However, a vet - friend of mine, said that no-one will ever bother to scan a cat in Greece and also, the satellite program that's supposed to help you find a lost pet never operated in Greece, even if the law states you MUST chip your pet...

I really don't know what to do, submit my boy in all that trouble, if there's no reason whatsoever? I wonder...

 

[sarahliz]

I just wanted to say that I have successfully put a collar on Chowder! Popped it right on 2 days ago and he hasn't complained or tried to get it off. I ordered his Red Dingo tag last night!

 

[betsygee]

My cats lose their tags now and then so I'm always looking for decent (and decently priced) replacements.  I just ordered several, with spares, from this place:  https://www.makemethis.com/ssl/list.pt04.php

I'd never been on this website before, just stumbled on it.  It said the tags were made from aluminum, so I was afraid they'd be low quality.  I was really impressed, though.  I ordered them on Sunday, they shipped the next day!  They're cute, sturdy and not too bulky for the cats' collars.  Yay!  

(I have no affiliation with this company 

,  just sharing a good buy....)

 

[hakeemtarabulsi]

I do believe that an additional option should had included in the poll, which is None, as there are many cat keepers (including me!) don't use either, where we could have more-precise ratios.

 

[sarahliz]

I do believe that an additional option should had included in the poll, which is None, as there are many cat keepers (including me!) don't use either, where we could have more-precise ratios.

I realized that after I made the poll, sorry!

 

[betsygee]

Well, crap!  After I posted about those cool new tags I'd bought, I got them on the cats and Ozzy made it one full day before losing his.  

   Good thing I bought spares.  :-)

 That cat is forever losing or taking off his collar.  Silly boy. Good thing is I often find them eventually around the yard or house.  

 

[lunariris]

 

[eb24]

 

[mycatsinthetub]

Both. They have microchips and wear harnesses with their tags. 

 

[sarahliz]

I wanted to update and show you guys a picture of Chowder in his collar and his new Red Dingo tag.  I couldn't be happier with the Red Dingo tag quality and size for a cat.  Also, it was really cute that they addressed the envelope it arrived in to Chowder c/o Me.  I would show you the backside, but I don't really want my phone number floating around on the internet!

20131008_222021.jpg

• sarahliz
• Oct 22, 2013

 

[sivyaleah]

That's adorable!

 

[jcat]

Very cute! I got Mogli a Red Dingo tag, but he unfortunately used it to pull his collar off a number of times, so I switched to slide-on collar tags. I love the Red Dingo designs and colors, and the quality is great.

View media item 183833

 

[goldeye]

At the place I've adopted my pet from microchips were required and part of the fee. I got her a collar just because I saw one that was so cute I couldnt resist. it does stretch and break off if she ever gets caught on something but she will be kept indoors so its just more of a fashion accessory than an id.

 

[stewball]

I wanted to update and show you guys a picture of Chowder in his collar and his new Red Dingo tag.  I couldn't be happier with the Red Dingo tag quality and size for a cat.  Also, it was really cute that they addressed the envelope it arrived in to Chowder c/o Me.  I would show you the backside, but I don't really want my phone number floating around on the internet!

20131008_222021.jpg

• sarahliz
• Oct 22, 2013

What a pretty little face.