We moved to this area 14 months ago and in that time I have had to replace my cat's collar at least 10 times.

Before we moved here Thomas (who is microchipped) had a collar and tag that had our details, the vets details and the fact he was microchipped on it. But within a month of moving his first collar went missing. At first I thought that he had snagged it on something and being a saftey collar left it behind. Now however any new collar only stays on for a week at the most.

Until recently I had visions of a bush or tree somewhere festooned with cat collars, but a neighbour mentioned the other day that someone could be taking the collars off Thomas and using them for their own cats. Has anyone else come across this or experienced a high number of collar losses?

Thomas now has a new collar which if it doesn't stay on will be his last.

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"Because I be what I be. I would tell you what you want to know if I could, mum, but I be a cat and no cat anywhere ever gave anyone a straight answer."

~The Paw Relations Blog~
~Nikki~
Owned by :-
Izzy - Congo African Grey
Missy - Galah Cockatoo
Shen - Black Labrador
Thomas, Charlie and Lola - Cats
Honey and Mustard - Rabbits
Gill and Rocket - Goldfish
~ Rest in Peace ~
Deedee - Timneh Grey 31.05.01 - 22.06.06

Strange eh!
Sorry to hear you have to keep replacing the collars!. I hope someone notices somebody doing that, and reports it, that would be so blooming annoying.

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We were loosing loads of collars from one of our cats, then I got phone call from a man in the next street who had found them in one area of his garden so I actually think she had just found a good place where she could prise them off.

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I thought he could be doing that also, just strikes me as odd that at our old home he had his collar for over 2 years. Then they suddenly start vanishing when we move here.

Strange as it sounds I don't like to see him without a collar for two reasons. First, I think it makes him look 'unowned' and second, I get the ones with the bells as a warning to local wildlife (could be a reason why he might prise them off, cramping his style).

__________________

"Because I be what I be. I would tell you what you want to know if I could, mum, but I be a cat and no cat anywhere ever gave anyone a straight answer."

~The Paw Relations Blog~
~Nikki~
Owned by :-
Izzy - Congo African Grey
Missy - Galah Cockatoo
Shen - Black Labrador
Thomas, Charlie and Lola - Cats
Honey and Mustard - Rabbits
Gill and Rocket - Goldfish
~ Rest in Peace ~
Deedee - Timneh Grey 31.05.01 - 22.06.06

I assume that you are using the saftey collars? If so, its probably more likely that Thomas is catching it on the same bush/ tree and getting it off that way.

Remember that a cat needs to be pretty friendly with someone before they will allow you to take a collar off/on so i don't think the collar stealing explanation is likely - unless Thomas is a really trusting cat.

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Thats exactly the reasons why mine wear collars, they are all chipped so it isnt so much for id (although they so have tags as well). I've now got loads of collars which I picked up from the helpfull man who found them so she can loose them for a while without me having to buy more.

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I suppose you're right. It's just been playing on my mind since the neighbour mentioned it.

We have yet to find the bush or tree. It must be very decorative by now and must jingle in the wind! lol

__________________

"Because I be what I be. I would tell you what you want to know if I could, mum, but I be a cat and no cat anywhere ever gave anyone a straight answer."

~The Paw Relations Blog~
~Nikki~
Owned by :-
Izzy - Congo African Grey
Missy - Galah Cockatoo
Shen - Black Labrador
Thomas, Charlie and Lola - Cats
Honey and Mustard - Rabbits
Gill and Rocket - Goldfish
~ Rest in Peace ~
Deedee - Timneh Grey 31.05.01 - 22.06.06

that used to happen to my cat we lost 14 collars until we decided not to bother anymore, this was 12 years ago so they were just normal collars, no release catch or anything!

I started putting notes tied round them (I was only 14!) Asking people please not to steal his collar! I was hoping that someone would write back to me!!

Still it disappeared! They are pretty intelligent so im sure that he was just taking them off, we didnt bother after that everyone knew him in the road so it didnt seem worth wasting anymore money!

I did buy 1 6 years later when I moved & the same thing happened so its a mystery!

Like you said, wheres the bush with all these collars on!!

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All that said. People WILL nick anything!!!

Dunno why they'd nick ten!

My cats came home once with another cats collar in their mouths! lol Like a trophy or something!

My cat has also lost a few collars, which were on purely for scaring birds but I don't bother any more. I did meet someone once who said any cat he saw with a collar on he would take it off as he thought it was cruel. I wouldn't mind seeing the "collar" tree though!