Cat Collars

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Collars are an old-fashioned accessory - identification is being replaced by creepy but effective ID chips under the skin, and flea collars have come under scrutiny for toxicity - but they endure as  an affordable ID method, an instant locator (bells!), and a true fashion statement. If you plan to have your cat wear a collar, start young. It makes the adjustment easier.

Things to Consider

  • Fit: You want your cat to be comfortable but unable to get out of the collar.
    • For kittens, make sure the collar is very adjustable. They will grow, after all.
  • Safety: Avoid some of the dangers normally attached to collars.
    • Dangers include poisoning from flea chemicals and hanging risks.
    • Can't stress enough: If yours is an outdoor cat, be sure to purchase a safe collar,  breakaway style for example. Otherwise your cat can get caught and stranded on a branch or in some shrubbery.
  • Style: Let your cat make a statement.
  • Attachments: Include name tags,  leashes,  or bells 
    • For ID, for walks, or for tracking your cat as it prowls the house or the yard.

Recommended Product

A breakaway collar  (buckled) with reflective strips. Link a bell to the collar if you have trouble finding the cat around the house.

Types of Collars

Classic Collars 

  • Expressive without ostentation.
  • Can hang a name tag.
  • Pick your fabric, color, etc.

Flea Collars 

  • Contain some chemicals to keep fleas and ticks at bay.
  • Potentially toxic (to cats and children). Ask your vet, and consider some natural remedies (like a good diet).

Breakaway Collars 

  • These will either break off or stretch so your cat can wriggle free if caught on a branch.
  • Best choice for outdoor cats.

Reflective Collars 

  • Reflects headlights, streetlamps, etc.
  • Helps you spot the cat in the dark.
  • Great for outdoors-- and for indoor cats who like to escape.

Fancy Fun Collars 

  • Something a little more luxurious.
  • Put jewels, unconventional materials, and even fur on Fluffy's neck.

Harnesses and Leashes

Cats that stay exclusively indoors but either lack proper exercise or have an insatiable curiosity about the outside world can be walked, much like dogs. It is a common practice, if not one you see often. Cats don't know how to be walked naturally, they must be trained. Anyway, it's worth at least a try even if all cats don't love it.

Collars (listed above) can work with well-behaved Fluffys. Your best bet, however, is a harness,  which fits snuggly around the body to ensure the cat doesn't escape. Any leash, though best if short (four to five feet long), can attach to leash or harness.

Read up on walking a cat first, starting at Cats International.

External Links