Does your indoor cat wear a collar?

[golondrina]

I did try once but my Cucumella became so desperate trying to take it off that I gave up .  My building is on a very busy street and at the corner passes a beach road also very busy and dangerous. Also there are several dogs living in this building and some owners take them out without a collar.  I wanted to take her out in all security but it didn't work. Shame.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Those are beautiful collars for gorgeous cats! 

 

[sulveks uncle]

My sister is very picky when it comes to collars for Sulvek. She's had a total of 3 collars, her first was when she was bairly a couple months old. We made it as small as it would go and it was still so big it could slip right over her head. Most people that first see her think she's male because her collars have been chrome plating and Skull and Crossbones.

Regardless of beauty, my sister prefers to keep a collar on her so we know where she is. My sister is paranoid of Sulvek slipping out when a door is open just a hair too long. It was more of an issue with an aunt that lived with us. She would open the doors far wider than necessary and not check for the approaching feline and Sulvek would slip right out. Thankfully both escape attempts were in the fenced in back yard and she didn't get far. (Can't remember how many times the dogs would slip out) But either way, we keep the bell on to insure we know she's somewhere in the house and as a warning that she's on the move. And there is no mistaking the jingle. With a bell, vaccine tag, and a dog tag, she makes an awful racket when she's on the move.

 

[amsnider82]

Ru has a bright green collar with a bell. He is so quiet and likes to hide so the bell helps when I call his name I can hear where she is coming from. He gets his microchip on Friday. I bought a break away collar just in case he ever gets caught on something

 

[raina21]

All 3 of mine normally wear collars. Zazzie (the one who is terrified of the outdoors) recently lost hers somewhere in the house. I think she hid it because I can't find it anywhere lol!

I'm not worried about her getting outside though so that's a plus.

 

[crazy4strays]

All 3 of mine normally wear collars. Zazzie (the one who is terrified of the outdoors) recently lost hers somewhere in the house. I think she hid it because I can't find it anywhere lol!

I'm not worried about her getting outside though so that's a plus.

I understand what you're saying. I have one cat that tries to bolt out the door a lot and one cat that won't go anywhere near the door and probably wouldn't leave even if I left the door open all day.

I figure that the escape artist has a 100% chance of escaping and the other cat has about a 0.005% chance of escaping. LOL! I have collars on all of mine, but when my non escape prone cat lost his, I didn't stress about it. I found it a few days later on the floor in my house. 

Now when my escape artist loses his, I make a point to put a replacement on him ASAP. My escape artist wears a Beastie Band collar though and I've had really good success with that brand. He's never lost it, though he's lost numerous conventional breakaway collars.

All 3 of my cats are microchipped as well.

 

[raina21]

I understand what you're saying. I have one cat that tries to bolt out the door a lot and one cat that won't go anywhere near the door and probably wouldn't leave even if I left the door open all day.

I figure that the escape artist has a 100% chance of escaping and the other cat has about a 0.005% chance of escaping. LOL! I have collars on all of mine, but when my non escape prone cat lost his, I didn't stress about it. I found it a few days later on the floor in my house. 

Now when my escape artist loses his, I make a point to put a replacement on him ASAP. My escape artist wears a Beastie Band collar though and I've had really good success with that brand. He's never lost it, though he's lost numerous conventional breakaway collars.

All 3 of my cats are microchipped as well.

crazy4strays

Zazzie and Tesla both wear Beastie bands. I figured Zazzie probably got it caught on her claws when she was scratching her neck or something and freaked out and pulled it over her head. This is the 3rd time she has managed to get a Beastie Band off but I literally cannot find it anywhere.

 

[choc biscuit]

Hi I'm a newbie and I've just read about beastie bands ? Could someone please explain,

 

[raina21]

Hi I'm a newbie and I've just read about beastie bands ? Could someone please explain,

C choc biscuit

Beastie Bands are basically a safety collar that is similar to a basic elastic stretch collar.

They are stretchy all the way around and they have a velcro closure + an eyelet to attach ID tags or a bell.

One of the main benefits of these collars is that cats who are able to get out of regular breakaway collars usually aren't able to get a beastie band off, but the collar is very stretchy and will slip off over their heads if they happen to get it caught on something.

They are also pretty cheap at about $5 a piece.

Also, they are able to be sized to fit your cat's neck perfectly. All you do is wrap the collar around their neck, make sure it fits snugly, but make sure you can fit 2 fingers between their neck and the collar.fasten the velcro and cut off the end of the collar that sticks out.

The one downside is that they do seem to get shredded/worn out pretty fast but that is easily dealt with by applying a thin layer of super glue over the top (patterned) part of the collar. This will keep it from getting torn up by the cat's claws but using only a thin layer will ensure that the collar is still stretchy.

Here is a picture of 2 of my kitties in their Beastie Bands

20170119_144355.png

• raina21
• Jan 19, 2017

 

[tiptopper]

No. We know they are safe indoors and would not be comfortable with something around their neck.

 

[catmom marcia]

My indoor cats do not wear collars but I have collars for each of them with their names and emergency ID info on them in case we ever have to evacuate.

 

[raina21]

No. We know they are safe indoors and would not be comfortable with something around their neck.

My cats are indoor only too but Tesla (the really fluffy kitty in the post above yours and the cat in my Avatar picture) is kinda an escape artist and where we live, stray cats and cats without visual ID are not treated kindly. I live in the country so sadly stray cats are more likely to be shot than be taken in. But if they have visual ID, they are more likely to be reurned home. In fact, the tag on Tesla's collar says "Indoor only, if found outside I am lost!" And it has our adress and phone number on it as well.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Good on you for the collar.  

Just FYI, it is a FELONY in all 50 US states to harm or neglect ANY cat.  Anyone doing what you describe needs to be documented if possible and turned in to the police.  They are criminals, not only morally, but also legally.

 

[crazy4strays]

My area is like that, as well.

Laws are only as good as their enforcement sadly. If your police are corrupt, then laws are basically useless. Someone once called the cops on someone shooting at feral cats. The police came out and told them that it was okay to shoot them, because he wouldn't want cats either.

So realistically I have to assume that my cats are in severe danger if they inadvertently end up outside. They are collared and microchipped. I would get them tattooed and give them a bulletproof vest and concealed carry permit if it was possible.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Perhaps true, but the more of us who follow through, speak up, call and call again, and quote the law to them, the more they have to sit up and take notice that it IS the law and that a FELONY isn't jaywalking.

 

[southerncatmom]

Yes, because despite being terrified of outside when we adopted Jazz she now thinks outside looks neat and has tried to run out when I let the dogs out.