How to bell the cat
March 2, 2010 5:25 PM Subscribe
Collar for an inside-only kitten? And where to find a non-heinous looking one to fit his tiny neck?
I recently adopted a 4-5 month old kitteh from the local animal shelter. Boris (sorry for the lack of pictures but he's solid gray with blue-green eyes for those of you out there with vivid imaginations) has already been microchipped, thanks to the shelter but I'm wondering if I should get him a collar to wear as well.
He's definitely going to be an inside only cat; I live in a second story apartment with a fully screened-in balcony that he'll be able to explore in due course. Though he hasn't even ventured down the stairs yet (which are inside my unit), I am a bit concerned that he might get outside if maintenance workers leave the door open when I'm not there or something.
Because of the microchip, I know if he got lost and ended up at the shelter or a vet's office, I would be notified; however, the chip won't help if no one took him there. If he had a collar with ID tags (plus his rabies tag and/or city pet license), it would be more immediately apparent that if he's outside, he's lost. Is it worth it to buy him a collar when admittedly, the possibility of him ending up outside is rather remote?
Bonus question: If the collar is a good idea, where can I find a decent kitten-sized safety collar? I've found a couple online, but they are rather hideous, what with the ruffles and rhinestones and all. They don't seem too appropriate for such a fierce big boy like Boris. Ideally, I'd like something in a solid color like red or bright blue; a bell might be nice, since he tends to get underfoot, and it'd be nice to have something to alert me before I trip over him.
I recently adopted a 4-5 month old kitteh from the local animal shelter. Boris (sorry for the lack of pictures but he's solid gray with blue-green eyes for those of you out there with vivid imaginations) has already been microchipped, thanks to the shelter but I'm wondering if I should get him a collar to wear as well.
He's definitely going to be an inside only cat; I live in a second story apartment with a fully screened-in balcony that he'll be able to explore in due course. Though he hasn't even ventured down the stairs yet (which are inside my unit), I am a bit concerned that he might get outside if maintenance workers leave the door open when I'm not there or something.
Because of the microchip, I know if he got lost and ended up at the shelter or a vet's office, I would be notified; however, the chip won't help if no one took him there. If he had a collar with ID tags (plus his rabies tag and/or city pet license), it would be more immediately apparent that if he's outside, he's lost. Is it worth it to buy him a collar when admittedly, the possibility of him ending up outside is rather remote?
Bonus question: If the collar is a good idea, where can I find a decent kitten-sized safety collar? I've found a couple online, but they are rather hideous, what with the ruffles and rhinestones and all. They don't seem too appropriate for such a fierce big boy like Boris. Ideally, I'd like something in a solid color like red or bright blue; a bell might be nice, since he tends to get underfoot, and it'd be nice to have something to alert me before I trip over him.
You can make a serviceable strangleproof collar for almost nothing by cutting piece of elastic band from the fabric and stitching the ends together to make a ring that's just the right size to fit him. Then you can write his name and your contact info directly on the band with permanent marker and he's got a lightweight collar with no junk hanging off it, that will slip off safely if he gets it caught on something.
posted by contraption at 5:45 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by contraption at 5:45 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
The fabric store.
posted by contraption at 5:46 PM on March 2, 2010
posted by contraption at 5:46 PM on March 2, 2010
Best answer: My three black cats (all indoor-only) wear these breakaway collars, from petsmart. A steal at $4. I cut off the bells, obviously. A lot of the time it's the only way I can tell them apart (I have the blue, pink and purple ones.).
Bonus -- the break away part really does work. I found the pink collar on one of the higher (wire) shelves in the closest, where it must've broken free after the cat jumped off the lower shelf (I'm guessing) with it caught. I searched my house head to toe trying to find the damn collar, after noticing my collar-free cat.
posted by cgg at 5:48 PM on March 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Bonus -- the break away part really does work. I found the pink collar on one of the higher (wire) shelves in the closest, where it must've broken free after the cat jumped off the lower shelf (I'm guessing) with it caught. I searched my house head to toe trying to find the damn collar, after noticing my collar-free cat.
posted by cgg at 5:48 PM on March 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
Sorry -- I hate collar bells. With three cats, one is always underfoot. The ringing would never end.... But it's there if you want it!
posted by cgg at 5:51 PM on March 2, 2010
posted by cgg at 5:51 PM on March 2, 2010
I vote the elastic collar that contraption offered up. I used a safety collar on my cat and even at a tight setting she managed to get her jaw stuck in it--and it did not break away. I'm lucky I was there when it happened.
Then again, a lot of cats do great with safety collars. Just be sure to watch how he acts when he wears it for a long time before leaving him alone with it on. He may just leave it alone and never try to stick his bottom jaw in it.
posted by sherber at 5:55 PM on March 2, 2010
Then again, a lot of cats do great with safety collars. Just be sure to watch how he acts when he wears it for a long time before leaving him alone with it on. He may just leave it alone and never try to stick his bottom jaw in it.
posted by sherber at 5:55 PM on March 2, 2010
My cats have Safe Cat brand safety collars. The collars are very plain and so not hideous. They come with bells though and I hate bells on cats (mostly out of sympathy for the cats - it's hard to do cat things when you jingle) so I had to break those off. My cats have always been able to pull off safety collars before. These are the first ones they've let stay on.
posted by dchrssyr at 6:12 PM on March 2, 2010
posted by dchrssyr at 6:12 PM on March 2, 2010
One of my cats likes the Beastie Bands -- secured with velcro -- while the other prefers the kind with the fastex-style breakaway plastic buckle. Both have non-dangly nametags from Boomerang Tags.
posted by phliar at 6:14 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by phliar at 6:14 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Beastie Bands are the best collars out there. You should definitely get a collar for your cat. You can get a few Beastie Bands and cut them to size as your kitten grows up. They are really simple to size - just velcro them to fit around the neck while being able to fit two or three fingers underneath, and snip off the excess with scissors. You can find them in lots of specialty pet stores or online, and normally they are pretty inexpensive. Each collar has a coated metal eyelet for attaching a tag which is very sturdy, and although the material of the collar is a little stretchy and squishy, it doesn't seem to wear around the eyelet, nor does it get stretched out. They come in lots of different silly patterns and bright colors, but there are plenty that are more subdued. My cat Scully has one right now that's just black with white skulls on it (I couldn't resist) and our friend-cat has one that's red with yellow pawprints, for example.
posted by Mizu at 6:14 PM on March 2, 2010
posted by Mizu at 6:14 PM on March 2, 2010
In your position, I would not get the collar. I've never met a cat that likes a collar. It's true that indoor cats sometimes escape, but most make it back within a day on their own when they're done exploring. In the painful-to-contemplate other scenarios, a collar is only helpful in one--someone finds the cat, wants to return it, and doesn't check for a microchip. Cars and coyotes don't care about collars.
And certainly no bell. Having a bell around my neck would drive me crazy. To me, it doesn't seem like a nice thing to do to a cat.
posted by kprincehouse at 6:14 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
And certainly no bell. Having a bell around my neck would drive me crazy. To me, it doesn't seem like a nice thing to do to a cat.
posted by kprincehouse at 6:14 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I know it may sound cruel and heartless, but I agree with kprincehouse. I do have a collar for my cat for when I take him outside, but around the house he would not stand for it, and I accept that.
posted by rebent at 6:22 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by rebent at 6:22 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I think all cats should have a collar with info on it - indoors or no. The breakaway ones are a really good idea, especially for a kitten who hasn't figured it all out yet. However, mine has chewed off and wiggled out of every one we've ever put on him. Even the non-breakaway ones. I'm considering doing a graffiti-tag on his fur with our phone number at this point.
posted by Kloryne at 6:26 PM on March 2, 2010
posted by Kloryne at 6:26 PM on March 2, 2010
Collars are still useful for inside-only kitties. I've four cats and none of them really mind wearing them (one of them tried to chew on his tags but he stopped after a couple months). I find collars w/ bells useful because I startle easily, thus being able to hear the little furballs coming is a very good thing. Also, I get a different bell for each cat so I can tell them apart when not in view. Just make sure it's a safety collar (e.g. SafeCat) on the off-chance that it snags on something.
It's true that the bells/charms technically run counter to stalking, but as I've observed oh so many times, if the cat is determined enough, it can maneuver without making a sound...
posted by Yoshi Ayarane at 6:34 PM on March 2, 2010
It's true that the bells/charms technically run counter to stalking, but as I've observed oh so many times, if the cat is determined enough, it can maneuver without making a sound...
posted by Yoshi Ayarane at 6:34 PM on March 2, 2010
Oh and no bell if he's inside-only. You will go mad!!
Live in a small 1 bedroom with a cat--who doesn't hate his collar--who has a bell on his collar and have yet to go mad! If he ever gets out, birds and other small wildlife will thank you for the bell; that's what it's there for.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:05 PM on March 2, 2010
Live in a small 1 bedroom with a cat--who doesn't hate his collar--who has a bell on his collar and have yet to go mad! If he ever gets out, birds and other small wildlife will thank you for the bell; that's what it's there for.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:05 PM on March 2, 2010
Fergus does not do collars. Lord knows I've tried. He's indoor only, but he manages to sneak out once or twice each summer and then gets stuck 30 feet up a tree. If you put a collar on him he claws at it or chews on it until it's totally shredded and unsightly. I'd like to have a collar on him simply because I don't trust folks to take him to check for a microchip if he was found by someone - he's just that awesome. But I can't find one that he won't shred AND that's snag-free. Can anyone vouch for the shreddability factor of those Beastie Bands?
posted by elsietheeel at 7:13 PM on March 2, 2010
posted by elsietheeel at 7:13 PM on March 2, 2010
I just want to chime in (GET IT???) on the bell issue. My indoor cat has a bell on his collar, and I think it's great. I take comfort in hearing it chime softly as he walks around or grooms himself. I especially love hearing the little dings as he walks into the bedroom at night, followed by a moment of silence and then a big ring as he jumps up on the bed.
posted by kitty teeth at 7:50 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by kitty teeth at 7:50 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
It can be a lot easier to get a baby animal used to something [potentially] annoying than it is to get an adult animal used to it. If you ever think there might be the slightest chance that your cat could at some point get outside, start getting him used to wearing a collar now. It will be that much harder to do later if you find he's the type of cat to make a break for it whenever the door is open.
I find that using two tags on a collar is much less annoying than a bell, and it makes enough of a tinkle to do the job. I just leave last year's rabies tag on the collar when I get the new one, but you can easily buy metal ID tags at a pet store. (Plastic ones don't make enough noise.) PetCo has them in a vending machine so you can have it engraved while you wait.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 8:42 PM on March 2, 2010
I find that using two tags on a collar is much less annoying than a bell, and it makes enough of a tinkle to do the job. I just leave last year's rabies tag on the collar when I get the new one, but you can easily buy metal ID tags at a pet store. (Plastic ones don't make enough noise.) PetCo has them in a vending machine so you can have it engraved while you wait.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 8:42 PM on March 2, 2010
No bell. I think they are annoying to the cat. Imagine if you had to listen to a bell go off near your ear every time you moved.
Make sure he can get the collar off his head if it gets caught. since he is little now, make sure you check the collar so it does not become too tight.
You might consider a tattoo in his ear. That way if the collar gets lost, he will have an identifying mark in his ear, perhaps your phone number. My cats are chipped and tattooed.
posted by fifilaru at 9:46 PM on March 2, 2010
Make sure he can get the collar off his head if it gets caught. since he is little now, make sure you check the collar so it does not become too tight.
You might consider a tattoo in his ear. That way if the collar gets lost, he will have an identifying mark in his ear, perhaps your phone number. My cats are chipped and tattooed.
posted by fifilaru at 9:46 PM on March 2, 2010
My cat wears the same collar that ccg's cats wear...this breakaway collar from Petsmart. She's never had a problem with it, despite having been a stray before that. We also have a tag on her, more for aesthetics than anything else...she's microchipped, so I'm not really counting on the tag to be the thing that saves her.
We keep the bell on. I like hearing it and it's easy to find her if she disappears into the boxspring or underneath the dresser...I just shake her treat box and listen for the jingles. It's also really easy to hear her coming when I leave the house- definitely helps to keep her inside.
posted by kro at 9:55 PM on March 2, 2010
We keep the bell on. I like hearing it and it's easy to find her if she disappears into the boxspring or underneath the dresser...I just shake her treat box and listen for the jingles. It's also really easy to hear her coming when I leave the house- definitely helps to keep her inside.
posted by kro at 9:55 PM on March 2, 2010
Definitely a small collar with a tag if he'll tolerate it. I have 3 indoor cats, all chipped, and they all wear collars with tags. On the tags are their names, my number, and "indoor cat," so that if they get out and someone finds them it's clear that they don't belong outside.
Collars are good for several reasons:
1. Cats can escape through open doors and popped out window screens. They could also get out if someone breaks into your house and leaves a door or window open, or if you have a house fire or some other disaster that causes a lot of chaos. Someone in my neighborhood just lost their 2 dogs who ran away in fear after a house fire. Hopefully none of those things will ever happen!
2. It's good to get your cats used to wearing a collar in case they ever need to. If you have to travel with them, or if you have to ship them somewhere, like in the cargo bay of an airplane, you'll want them to be wearing ID. If you ever need to evacuate from your area for whatever reason or kennel them, it'll be good for them to have ID. I started thinking about this after Katrina & hearing about all of the pets who got left behind because the shelters wouldn't allow animals. Now I have a plan for what to do with my cats if I have to evacuate.
Yeah, I'm probably overthinking it, but there you are. I got my very manly man cats plain red & blue collars at Petsmart or Petco. But they were chubbers even as kittens, so size wasn't an issue.
posted by Fui Non Sum at 10:02 PM on March 2, 2010
Collars are good for several reasons:
1. Cats can escape through open doors and popped out window screens. They could also get out if someone breaks into your house and leaves a door or window open, or if you have a house fire or some other disaster that causes a lot of chaos. Someone in my neighborhood just lost their 2 dogs who ran away in fear after a house fire. Hopefully none of those things will ever happen!
2. It's good to get your cats used to wearing a collar in case they ever need to. If you have to travel with them, or if you have to ship them somewhere, like in the cargo bay of an airplane, you'll want them to be wearing ID. If you ever need to evacuate from your area for whatever reason or kennel them, it'll be good for them to have ID. I started thinking about this after Katrina & hearing about all of the pets who got left behind because the shelters wouldn't allow animals. Now I have a plan for what to do with my cats if I have to evacuate.
Yeah, I'm probably overthinking it, but there you are. I got my very manly man cats plain red & blue collars at Petsmart or Petco. But they were chubbers even as kittens, so size wasn't an issue.
posted by Fui Non Sum at 10:02 PM on March 2, 2010
I would forget the collar and attach a clear sign on my door that says: "Attention: Please don't let cat out!"
posted by bunny hugger at 6:12 AM on March 3, 2010
posted by bunny hugger at 6:12 AM on March 3, 2010
A friend of mine had a cat who wore a collar with a bell on it so that birds would hear it coming. That worked for a few weeks until the cat figured out how to hunt birds without making the bell ring.
My two cats are indoor cats and do not have collars. I'd heard that even the breakaway collars sometimes don't break away and I'd rather not worry about it.
Additionally, why isn't anyone posting cat pics?
See? No collars.
posted by bDiddy at 8:14 AM on March 3, 2010
My two cats are indoor cats and do not have collars. I'd heard that even the breakaway collars sometimes don't break away and I'd rather not worry about it.
Additionally, why isn't anyone posting cat pics?
See? No collars.
posted by bDiddy at 8:14 AM on March 3, 2010
Sammy TwoCollars!
I wouldn't worry too much about break away collars not breaking away. Back when Sammy Katz was indoor-outdoor, he regularly lost as many as three collars a month doing sundry cat-things outside.
For this reason, I'd actually recommend leaving the vaccination tags off the collar and instead just getting a tag with your contact information on it.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:28 AM on March 3, 2010
I wouldn't worry too much about break away collars not breaking away. Back when Sammy Katz was indoor-outdoor, he regularly lost as many as three collars a month doing sundry cat-things outside.
For this reason, I'd actually recommend leaving the vaccination tags off the collar and instead just getting a tag with your contact information on it.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:28 AM on March 3, 2010
I would forget the collar and attach a clear sign on my door that says: "Attention: Please don't let cat out!"
Would that people gave a shit! I wish all the contractors and guests who traipsed through the 6-7 cat circus I lived in would have a) noticed the signs b) known how to read them c) read them and d) been considerate enough to follow the simple direction.
Never minding you have fewer cats and fewer visitors, your kitty WILL ESCAPE. Cats are by turns devious and dumb, and you want it to be as easy as possible for him to get home.
Please use a collar on your indoor kitty.
posted by whatzit at 12:32 PM on March 3, 2010
Would that people gave a shit! I wish all the contractors and guests who traipsed through the 6-7 cat circus I lived in would have a) noticed the signs b) known how to read them c) read them and d) been considerate enough to follow the simple direction.
Never minding you have fewer cats and fewer visitors, your kitty WILL ESCAPE. Cats are by turns devious and dumb, and you want it to be as easy as possible for him to get home.
Please use a collar on your indoor kitty.
posted by whatzit at 12:32 PM on March 3, 2010
Response by poster: Well for Boris's very first collar, I bought one of the Petsmart collars cgg linked to, in red. I must say, Boris looks super cute with it on, but he's not too sure about the whole bell thing. He thinks he's a toy now, and keeps batting at it. I'll give it a few days to settle in, and then decide whether to keep the bell or not.
posted by mesha steele at 3:27 PM on March 3, 2010
posted by mesha steele at 3:27 PM on March 3, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Petsmart sells some pretty basic kitten collars.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 5:36 PM on March 2, 2010