How Do I Know If My Cats Wearing Their Collar Properly
This is a question we get asked a lot. Of course you dont want the collar on too tight so its almost strangling your pet, but at the same time you dont want the collar on too loose that it slides off easily.As a general rule, when the collar is on your cat you should be able to get 2 fingers underneath the collar, some people say 3 fingers but its always advised to use your own discretion.We have added a video below to make it easier for you to see and check the collar fits your pet correctly.
Its important you check your cats collar frequently to make sure it hasnt become too tight around your cats neck.
Cat Collar Advice And Help
We sell a range of gorgeous and exclusive designer cat and kitten collars in our Cat Shop including diamante, real Swarovski and fabric handmade cat collars. Heres some information and advice on cat collar fitting and use.
1.;;; Why should my cat wear a collar in the first place?
Good question! A cat collar can help with all sorts of things in a kittys life, and we only ever recommend a safety cat collar that will allow your kitty to break free and escape if it gets caught or trapped.
a);;; Outdoor cats
Outdoor cats live a very free and carefree life. Because we dont keep an eye on them 24 hours a day, unlike a dog, were not sure where they go, what they do and where they travel to. If a cat gets lost or even if he ventures into territory further away from your home, people will see that your cat belongs to someone and is owned and has a home somewhere and is not a stray or abandoned. A cat collar will also provide the vehicle for an ID tag with contact details for you so that your cat can be checked for an owner and if needs be returned to you quickly and easily.
b);;; Indoor cats
c);;; Micro chipped cats
2.;;; What is a safety breakaway collar?
3.;;; How do I measure my cat for its new collar?
All of our cat collars are adjustable, either by buckle and holes or an adjustable glide on our fabric collars.
4.;;; How do I fit my cats collar? Fabric safety breakaway collars
5.;;; How do I fit my cats collar? Elasticated safety cat collar
6.;;; Adjusting and checking your cats collar
Preparing For The Collar Discussion
Veterinarians, armed with data from this cat collar study, should include during annual feline wellness exams a discussion about the importance of pet identification, according to The Ohio State University.
Discussion pointers, as cited by the researchers:
;Indoor-only cats can get lost.;To ensure proper fitting, make sure there is room for two fingers between the neck and the collar.;Owners should carefully observe their cats behavior with new collars for the first few days, when problems apparently are more common as the cats adjust.;For cat owners who are concerned that collars can be dangerous, one argument is that a cat is much more likely to get lost than it is to be injured by a collar.;Microchipping cats remains a useful backup identification method.
The return-to-owner rate is abysmal for cats, said Linda Lord, DVM, Ph.D., assistant professor of veterinary preventive medicine at the university and lead author of the study. Fewer than 2 percent of lost cats are returned to their owners. If we could get cat owners to try using a collar with identification, it would be a big deal.
In general, collars with the plastic buckle didnt come off as much, according to Margaret Slater, DVM, an epidemiologist with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and co-author of the study.
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Should I Put A Collar On My Cat All About Cats And Collars
Cats and collarsthough quite the catchy phrase, the two are less commonly associated than, say, dogs and collars, right? You might be asking yourself the question, Should I put a collar on my cat ? The answer is simply: it depends!
While there is no one-rule-fits-all here, many pet owners do choose to put collars on their cats while others dont. Putting a collar on your cat truly depends on you and your felines needs.
In this article, we will discuss whether or not you should put a collar on your cat. We will also offer some suggestions to help your cat adjust to wearing a collar .
Importance Of Checking A Dog Collar Regularly
Just like people outgrow their clothes, canines do not wear their original collars for a lifetime. Their collars may become ill-fitting over time, for instance when a puppy grows or when adult dogs become stronger or add weight. As a result, their current collar may become too narrow or too tight. In such scenarios, the dog may become restricted and can cut into or even be strangled by their collar and this is when you need to get a new collar.
Pert owners should always conduct random visual checks of their dogs to determine whether the collar still serves its purpose and it is a perfect fit. The collar should not irritate the fur or hair in any way causing them to fall or over harden. Frequent checking of the collar can also help you to know whether any fastenings or joints are loose.
For GPS or electronic collars, you need to check the construction and battery status regularly to ensure that it is in perfect working condition. For the anti-parasitic collars, you need to carefully monitor the replacement intervals.
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Collars With Elastic Inserts
Collars that have a length of elastic as part of the design can also cause serious injuries.;While, many years ago, this was thought to be a safety feature that would allow the cat to wriggle out of the collar should it become hooked on something, in fact what happened was that there was enough give for cats to get one leg through the collar and then get stuck, causing serious injuries.; Collars also got caught around cats jaws. International Cat Care would advise never to put a collar with an elastic section on your cat.
What Injuries Can Collars Cause
- Minor problems, such as hair loss due to rubbing or a reaction to a chemical in a flea collar
- Injuries caused by the cat getting the collar caught around its jaw
- Injuries caused by the cat getting one front leg stuck through the collar
- Strangulation by becoming hooked on something and the collar not coming off or breaking open
- Problems cause by attachments or poor stitching.
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How To Find Dog Collars That Fit Perfectly
To suit all breeds of dogs, collars come in a variety of ;sizes. Most manufacturers will utilize sizing labels like Large, Medium, or small. However, you should never take these collar sizes at face value. This is because dog collars are just like human clothing and the sizes will vary from one brand to another. Keep in mind that you can easily adjust the collar to ensure it is tighter, however, you cannot add more material to make the collar looser. When buying collars for your dog, you should always check the following:
Best Cat Collar Practices
When putting a collar on a cat, do make sure that you can fit at least two fingers between the collar and your cats neck.
Putting a collar on that is too tight can cause trachea damage to your cat. Not to mention this is very uncomfortable and will make it painfully difficult for your cat to breathe, eat or drink! So please be attentive. Always check your cats collar after sometime just to make sure it hasnt tightened up on its own.
Also make sure your contact information is readable on the collar or ID tag. This is very important for others to help identify your cat and contact you in case of emergency.
When first introducing a new collar to your cat, always observe your cats behavior. Your cat may also try to bite it off. Its really hard for them to get their jaw unstuck, so make sure to always observe your cats new collar. Yoda once got his jaw hooked in his collar, but thankfully I was watching him at the time and immediately went to his rescue!
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How Old Does A Kitten Need To Be To Wear A Collar
As a general rule, the sooner you can introduce a collar and ID tag to your kitten, the easier it will be. Kittens are tiny sponges, building up a picture of the world around them, and if they’re introduced to collars and tags early on, they just accept them and move on!;
The main thing to pay attention to is your kitten’s weight.;You need to wait until your kitten is heavy enough to break the safety buckle of the collar that you’ve chosen.
For instance, our Supakit kitten collars have a minimum weight of 1kg / 2.2lbs, so you need to wait until your kitten is that weight or heavier .;
However, other brands will vary – so do make sure you check or ask the manufacturer about their collar breaking weight.;
Is It Dangerous For A Cat To Wear A Collar
If you have looked at your cat and wondered if their collar could ever cause any danger. Then you may be interested in this section because I will explain.
Yes, a cats collar can be dangerous, if it is fitted incorrectly. If it is fitted incorrectly, it can get caught around her armpit or even cut into its neck. Other dangers could be if its not a breakaway collar, and it gets snagged on its travels.
These breakaway collars will allow your cat to escape in the event of these situations. Such as, getting snagged on a tree twig while they are climbing. But, if you just have an indoor cat, do you even need a collar?
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What Else Should I Expect
Many cats will inadvertently knock over objects or accidentally get stuck in confined spaces until they become accustomed to the collar. Check your home for areas where your pet could become trapped and if possible eliminate these areas or restrict your cat’s access to them. Some pets will become more nervous or easily startled while wearing the E-collar since their peripheral vision is obstructed and they are unable to see to the sides and above themselves normally.
Cone Safety And Comfort
Cats can get stuck more easily while wearing a cone, so block off areas where this might happen , and monitor your cat’s whereabouts while wearing a cone. Litter boxes can be difficult to enter and exit for your cat while wearing a cone consider removing the lid of their litter box to make it easier on them. If you have a cat that;usually goes outdoors, you should block off their outdoor access during recovery for proper healing and safety reasons, and never let them wear an Elizabethan collar outdoors.;
Note: Preventive Vet recommends that cats not be let outside without directobservation. This is for their own health and safety, as well as the health and safety of other animals in your neighborhood and even you and the other members of your home .
If this sounds like a good enough reason to transition your outdoor kitty to an indoor lifestyle, see;how to keep an indoor kitty entertained and happy.
Watch to see how your cat does with eating their food and drinking water while wearing their cone. If you cat has trouble eating or drinking while wearing the cone, try hand-feeding them or holding their dishes up for them to eat out of while they’ve got their cone on, or trim down the cone length . For some cats you;might need to remove the cone while they;eat and drink, but you need to be around and;monitor them closely to make sure they aren’t fiddling around with their stitches while their cone is off.
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Strip The Collar Back
To get started, begin by removing;everything;dangly from the collar. This includes bells, identity tags, charms – anything but the plain band of the collar.
Once your cat has got used to wearing their collar, you can introduce those things gradually. But to start off, let’s keep things nice and simple.
Choosing A Cat Collar
It can be difficult to place the first collar on some cats, especially kittens or adults that have never worn a collar. Even though the process can take some patience, dont let the challenge stop you from putting a collar and ID tag on your feline friend. A collar and ID tag may be your cats ticket home if she accidentally escapes or wanders off. Even indoor-only cats should wear collars, because if your cat does get out, a well-meaning person may think your cat is a stray and take her to an animal shelter. With an ID collar, your cat has a better chance of safely and quickly getting back home.
Your cat may scratch at the collar at first, since it feels foreign, but she should adjust to it with time and patience. Try using a tasty treat, catnip toy or climbing post to distract your cats attention from the new collar. By the time she finishes the treat, she may have forgotten the collar entirely. You may have to repeat this trick a few times, but stick with it the benefits are certainly worth the effort.
Pain in the neck
Break-away safety collars
Be sure to buy a break-away safety collar that can easily come open if it gets caught on something. This will prevent the collar from accidentally strangling your cat.
Microchipping
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How To Put A Collar On Your Cat
Putting a collar on your cat can seem daunting – but it needn’t be! Here at Supakit we’ve helped thousands of cats around the world discover the joys of wearing cat collars, and we’d love to share what we’ve learned along the way with you. Here’s our simple step-by-step guide to get your cat wearing their collar happily in no time at all…
We’ve written this guide so that it applies to all;breakaway cat collars, but if you’d like to stack the odds in your favour we’d recommend that you use our;ultra-soft breakaway cat collars
Build Up Time In The Collar
All you have to do now is shower your cat with love and affection and pat yourself on the back for doing so well! Leave the collar on your cat for as long as they are comfortable with on this first encounter, and then build up over;the next few;days until they are wearing their collar full time.;Continue to offer your cat treats and lots of praise while you do so.
Eventually, if their collar is comfortable enough, they’ll soon forget it’s even there! Then you can finally start to add things back to the collar, like bells or ID tags – remembering that each one of these will be vetted by your cat. The good news is that you can use the exact same process you used for the collar to reassure them that these things are OK too.;
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When Its Too Loose
If Rubys collar dangles freely from her body, like a necklace, shell be more apt to get things stuck in it. While shes scratching her head, she can easily get one of her paws trapped in the collar, leaving her with only three free limbs to walk on. She could also wind up stuck to something — blinds, a prickly bush or edge of the wicker furniture — if she quickly rubs past it while chasing a toy. Some felines even get their lower jaw stuck in the collar while eating or drinking.
Identification Tag For Your Cat’s Collar
All cats should have an ID tag on their collar. Your cat’s name, your name and your current contact information should be included on the pet ID tag. A collar with your visible contact information is your cat’s ticket home to you.
According to The Humane Society of the United States, pets found wandering without visible identification have a tragically poor track record of being reunited with their people. Many of these unknown and unclaimed cats will perish in shelters while their “owners” search frantically.
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How Should A Dog Collar Fit Properly
The dog collar must be long enough to guarantee a perfect fit on the neck. Keep in mind that canines tend to grow a little bit each day, this is true, especially for puppies. Therefore, when fitting a choker on your pet, you must check whether it fits properly as often as possible. Full-grown dogs may not grow much every day, but you should still check their collars once in a while.
To confirm whether it fits perfectly, you can put two fingers inside the collar to determine whether there is adequate space to wiggle them. If you feel that the space is too tight for the two fingers, then it is definitely too tight for your pet. It is always best to have an adjustable dog collar irrespective of the type of breed you have. This way, you can easily change the size within a few seconds.