What You Should Know About Cat Collars

A collar is not necessarily merely decorative. A tag may be attached to it so that the cat can be identified if it gets lost or injured.

An identify tag may be a simple engraved disc or a screw topped cylinder containing a roll of paper with the cat’s name, owner’s address and telephone number, and sometimes the vet’s emergency number. Magnetic tags that allow your cat exclusively entry to its cat flap can also be fitted on collars.

Most collars come with a bell which rings when the cat moves and will reduce the death toll among garden birds and other potential hunting targets.

Some collars are impregnated with an anti flea substance, but keep a careful check on your cat when you first put one on it, as they can cause an allergic reaction.

Signs of irritation around the neck or eyes are the main indications of allergy. A flea collar should never be combined with any other form of flea control.

Collars have two main disadvantages. If work continuously, as they should be if they are carrying any form of identification, they will damage the fur around the neck, especially that of longhaired cats.

This can be unsightly and is considered unacceptable by many exhibitors, although most show judges realize the reason for any marks around the neck; they may still penalize the cat.

Secondly, there is always the fear that the collar can become caught when the cat is hunting in trees or shrubs. However, if it is made of soft leather, suede, or soft fabric and has an elasticized insert, this will stretch if the collar catches, and the cat will be able to free it.

The collar should always be adjusted so that it will slip over the cat’s head in an emergency, but not loose enough to allow the front leg to slip through and the collar to lodge under the armpit, which could cause injury.

A soft, padded flea collar comes with a bell and an elastic section. Flea collars should only be used on cats over six months old. They may cause an allergic reaction in some cats.

Soft leather solar comes with the all important elastic section. Any collar you buy should have this, for if the collar is caught the elastic will stretch, allowing the cat to escape unharmed.

Fabric collars, which can be cut to size without fraying, are useful for kittens and small cats. They are cheap enough to be changed regularly, or even to have a selection of different colors.