? Question about cat collar preferences!

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FarmKitty

FarmKitty

Member Since 2020
Hey all! Non-diabetes question here for a change :) I'm moving to a place that requires Dixie (indoor cat) to wear a cat collar. I've never used a cat collar before, and I'm ordering one online, so I'd like to know your experiences.

What I know I want so far:
  • Breakaway collar (I think I will get the buckle version instead of the stretchy ones).
  • Slip-on identity tag with name + phone number.
  • Apple AirTag that slips on the collar (which I will modify to prevent it making sounds). If this it too big for her then I won't use it, but it seems like such a cool idea to track her if she escaped.
  • No bells
  • I won't get anything that hangs on her collar because that will get so much food on it when she eats from her plate!
  • I will get her micro chipped
Questions:
  • What width of collar should I get? The options are 3/8" or 1/2". Anyone notice any preference here? Dixie is 12lb and has long fluffy hair.
  • She is an indoor cat. I've heard that orange collars signal that a cat is indoor-only and has escaped. Have any of you heard this? I'm guessing it isn't common knowledge, so probably wouldn't make a difference in the long haul
  • Do these collars actually help? I've seen cat tags online and the text is so tiny that it won't be seen through her fur at all. Who would pick up a strange cat to then look at their collar?
  • Should I add extra info to her collar about her having diabetes or being micro-chipped? I've seen some people do this
  • Any specific material I should buy? I don't want it getting super dirty, or causing her skin irritation.
  • I used to have a dog and she had the same leather collar most of her life. Are cat collars similar, or are you expected to keep buying them new ones because they lose their old ones?
 
My Merle came with a collar, it is ½" width w/breakaway buckle. The breakaway feature does work and the width is good. He had medium, fine hair.
I never heard anything about what a color means
I say colors can work if friendly cat. I subscribe to the NextDoor community and found cats are not infrequently posted and thus info on collar like name and phone number or similar would be helpful. Some end up going to vet or shelter to scan for microchip which makes it more burdensome to the finder.
I see no reason to add that cat is microchipped. Adding that diabetic may nudge finder to find the owner faster.
A woven nylon or similar collar is good.
Likely collar will have to be replaced since they can breakaway and you can't find the collar. My dog has hd the same nylon collar for 13 years.
An AirTag is a good idea but it is 1¼" diameter which in my opinion is too big for a cat.
 
Cat collars are super super important, and increase the chance of the cat returning home if they ever escape.

Couple of comments: a bell is put on cat collars to help preserve the songbird population, they may learn how to hunt without jostling it, but considering the new variant of avian flu I would keep it on- as a just in case measure, even if the cat is indoor only. You never know if they might escape or get lost. Breakaway collars are very important, just make sure its not too loose on the cats neck. If it is, it might get caught on something and the cat might not provide enough force for the safety mechanism to work, leading to tragedy. You should be able to fit two fingers under the collar, but not looser or tighter than that. Thicker collars are not recommended for cats as their necks are very fragile, partially due to floating collarbones!

Cadmium wears a collar from LupinePet as they are breakaways, and also have a lifetime guarantee even without receipt or packaging. If it is damaged, chewed, or you just want a new look, you can exchange it for a new one!

And yes, I have heard of the orange collar thing. It's primarily in the US, but it's meant to evoke "escaped convict" when its bright safety orange ;)
 
I heard studies have been done about how damaging the bell sound is to the cats ultra sensitive ears. If your cat is indoor only, there’s no threat to the bird population so I’d leave it off. Both my cats had breakaway collars and every time they wrestled, the collars would come off and I’d find them all over the house. I was conflicted on that one but ended up going with regular collars because I thought what would be the benefit of a collar when they’re lost if it comes off that easily? I like the apple tag idea and was doing some research on that and gps collars. The tag works fine for indoor cats because it has a very small range, but it works in most homes. If your cat did wonder off, you likely wouldn’t be able to track it with the tag. That’s where the gps tracker comes in.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
My Merle came with a collar, it is ½" width w/breakaway buckle. The breakaway feature does work and the width is good. He had medium, fine hair.
I never heard anything about what a color means
I say colors can work if friendly cat. I subscribe to the NextDoor community and found cats are not infrequently posted and thus info on collar like name and phone number or similar would be helpful. Some end up going to vet or shelter to scan for microchip which makes it more burdensome to the finder.
I see no reason to add that cat is microchipped. Adding that diabetic may nudge finder to find the owner faster.
A woven nylon or similar collar is good.
Likely collar will have to be replaced since they can breakaway and you can't find the collar. My dog has hd the same nylon collar for 13 years.
An AirTag is a good idea but it is 1¼" diameter which in my opinion is too big for a cat.
Click to expand...

I’m on my NextDoor too and recently posted about a cat that had been coming to my front porch every day for the last couple of weeks. I’ve been feeding her but no collar. I scooped her up on Monday and no chip either. Even if a cat is chipped, the collar is an easy way to reach out to the owner. I also have neighbor’s outdoor cats that every once in a while get in my backyard and with the contact info on their collars, I’m able to call and make sure they’re not lost pets.
 
Some of my cats wear collars but that is because they eat out of microchip feeders and wear the tags on their collars. I use the nylon with the break away connection.

I think adding that your cat is diabetic on the tag with your contact info is a good idea. I have done that with my cats. Also I think some of the microchip registration sites allow you to add notes to your cat's records. Adding that your cat is diabetic to the record is a good idea
 
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