First Time With A Collar

[marblesmom]

hi! I just got 9-mo-old Marbles a Beastie Band collar and just put it on for the first time. How long is it likely to take before she stops obsessing about trying to get it off?? She can't focus on anything else right now they than scratching her neck and writhing around on the floor trying to get it off

 

[kittens mom]

Mine usually bucked it out within an hour and a few days to weeks to totally ignore it.

 

[abyeb]

I'd recommend starting by just leaving the collar out for Marbles to sniff. Then you can try putting the collar on her for a short time, and then progressing as she seems to get used to it. Make sure that it's not too tight, ideally you should be able to put two fingers under the collar when your cat is wearing it.

 

[marblesmom]

She's still constantly scratching it, it's been a day. I loosened it justice for now so that I could fit *three* fingers under it without stretching it. I'm having a hard time trying to figure how right it should really be, since it's so stretchy? Two-finger fit without stretching it at all?

 

[JimmyJimmy]

hi! I just got 9-mo-old Marbles a Beastie Band collar and just put it on for the first time. How long is it likely to take before she stops obsessing about trying to get it off?? She can't focus on anything else right now they than scratching her neck and writhing around on the floor trying to get it off

About a week ago I plucked up courage to put a collar and ID tag on my Norm! It didn't go well he hated it and soon managed to flick it off! I will try again on Monday

 

[kittens mom]

My cats call all flick their collars off. The trick is to simply put it back on after examining it for any legitimate reason. They do get used to it. When they are very young I take the collars off when not supervised and overnight. My cats groom their tags and keep them clean. Toad refused to wear her collar until I removed the bell.

 

[JimmyJimmy]

My cats call all flick their collars off. The trick is to simply put it back on after examining it for any legitimate reason. They do get used to it. When they are very young I take the collars off when not supervised and overnight. My cats groom their tags and keep them clean. Toad refused to wear her collar until I removed the bell.

I think a cat that has been Ferel for 90% of his life is a different ball game? My Norm has only just begun to be relaxed and allow grooming and brushing of his long coat.He did his own thing for the first 4 years of his life and lived off his wits with virtually no human contact

 

[kittens mom]

I think a cat that has been Ferel for 90% of his life is a different ball game? My Norm has only just begun to be relaxed and allow grooming and brushing of his long coat.He did his own thing for the first 4 years of his life and lived off his wits with virtually no human contact

A feral would see a collar as a threat to its life.

 

[JimmyJimmy]

Yes I think you are spot on but as Norm was a Feral in Washington DC for 1st 4 years of his life he has never worn a collar.He is a very chilled and gentle loving cat but one thing that does wind him up is any touching to the back of his neck? I know his sad early history in the USA and that he was badly and cruelly abused by some spoilt little rich brats and can't help thinking it involved something to do with the back of his neck?

 

[kittens mom]

Yes I think you are spot on but as Norm was a Feral in Washington DC for 1st 4 years of his life he has never worn a collar.He is a very chilled and gentle loving cat but one thing that does wind him up is any touching to the back of his neck? I know his sad early history in the USA and that he was badly and cruelly abused by some spoilt little rich brats and can't help thinking it involved something to do with the back of his neck?

When I was still training horses I refused every year after the BLM auctions to take on a feral horse. The psychology is completely different and I am not/was not qualified to make sure the animal I handed back was reasonably reliable for the level of training contracted for. You can't really guarantee training on any animal horse, dog or cat. Feral cats and horses brought into human contact after that first short period after birth tend to bond best and be happiest with 'their' person.

 

[JimmyJimmy]

Yes - I've always found that Feral Cats tend to bond with just one person- usually the person who feeds them (of course!) but they seem to pick people who let the chill and don't keep pulling them about,calling them over and being over friendly