Hi

we have just got a 12 week old kitten. I have bought him a collar-one of the ones that clicks open if there is any obstruction. However after reading some information about cat collars I'm not sure whether I should use it or not? Some websites have said its best not to use them as they can be dangerous. Just wondered what your advice is? Collar or no collar and if so how old does the kitten have to be before he can wear it?

Thanks again!

I don't really like collars on cats. In case of snagging, nasty people can get hold of them easier, their legs can get caught in them and if they run away from you or get lost who will loosen or remove the manky old tight collar for them?
But they can be useful too.
So it's purely your own decision.

We normally get our cats from cats protection and they advise against the use of collars. Even the snap ones that are supposed to come off if they get caught can still be dangerous apparently, and if they come off anyway what's the point of having one. CP and our vet recommend micro chipping. But it is totally your decision. If you have your kitten neutered or spayed they can do the microchip at the same time which then makes it slightly cheaper. Our vet charges £18. Good luck with what you decide.
Sharon
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Sheldon doesnt really wear a collar when he goes out. The collar i have doesnt have his name or address on so i jst think wats the point.
we had a little accident with a clip release collar when we 1st got him. It didnt snap altho it was stuck on his lower jaw so we had to cut it off. needless to say he doesnt like wearing a collar now.

you will prob be better off gettin him chipped but then you jst have to think of how many ppl if they found him wud no to take him to the vets to get him scanned. whereas with a collar anyone can have a look and see the info you have on the tag

good luck with your decision

That is a good point Hayley and one that I have wondered about. When my cat got run over the person who ran him over just took him home and buried him. Didn't think of taking him to a vet to see if he was chipped. He isn't a pet owner so didn't think. Luckily after hours of investigating I found out who he was and he did think of taking a photo of Ted before burying him so that if somebody did contact him they could identify him. That was how I found him and then we went over and removed him from his temporary grave and brought him home to bury him in our garden. I still shudder to think that if I hadn't have checked around about the cat that had got run over that everyone was talking about I would never have found him and he would be all alone in a strangers garden. I know some people that have their cats chipped and still put a collar on. It's one of those questions isn't it, should I or shouldn't I. After losing two cats that were both killed by cars and not living on a busy road I now have the question indoor or outdoor cat???
Sharon
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All my cats wear collars.

Horris has one that has his name and my phone number on the tag. Its helpfull as he likes to bolt for the door and i end up chasing him thro the parking lot complex looking under cars and sometimes inside them. He did get out once for three weeks and then showed up in the backyard.

Decker has one with her tag on it with her name and my phone number. Also her rabies shot tag is there to (I have papers for horris but not a tag for him).
She also like to take sneaky jump out the door to

Kira doesnt have a tag but just a collar we dont have to worry about her as she doesnt leave her chair until night time or when no one is home.

None of the cats are outdoor but i feel safe knowing if they got out they hav info on them and in the future i plan on micro chipping horris and decker.

Mine are house cats and are neither chipped not wear collars.

I dont like the way collars always seem to be irritating to animals and it ruins the pile of their fur.

I did want to get them chipped but vet said that as they had already been neuterred she didn't want to chip them without anesthetic.

I have internal doors which are always closed before an outside door is opened. Lola escaped before but we got her back after 5 days...

My two are chipped but I thought it was best to also use collars because as you say a non pet owner might not think to take them to the vets to see if they are chipped. Unfortunately Fizgig was going through a collar every day or so, so I gave up. Kira lasted longer with her's but came in the other week without it. So I have gave up on both of them now. They don't wander far from home anyway...

How was your vet going to chip them??? Mine held them by the scruff of the neck, jabbed them and that was it. It is only about the size of a grain of rice. Fizgig wasn't under as he was only in to get his booster at the time. They shouldn't have to go under to get chipped.

I've never used collars on my cats, seems a bit hyprocritical seeing as I sell cat collars but really it's down to your opinion! I always trust my cats to come back and they always do but if you have a concern maybe a collar is a good way to go?

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