The pros and cons of putting a collar on your cat vary widely. The cat also plays a major role in this, not every cat or situation is the same. That is why it remains the owner's choice, but what do you do well?
A collar for the cat can be used in many ways. Some cat owners like it and therefore opt for a decorative cat collar. In addition, other people can see at a glance that your cat already has an owner.
If your cat is a real outdoor cat, a flea collar will be very nice to provide continuous protection against fleas and ticks. If your cat already has a collar on, you might as well put on a collar too. Does your cat use a cat flap but are you bothered by unwanted visitors? Sometimes choosing an automatic cat flap with a sensor is a must to keep strange cats out of your house. To give your own cat the privilege, you can attach the corresponding tag or magnet to the collar so that your cat can get home safely.
Is your cat an outdoor runner who sometimes stays out at night while you worry? Attaching an address tube with your details to the cat collar is already a nice idea. This way, even people without a chip reader can bring your cat home safely. The ideal solution is to attach a GPS tracker to your cat's collar. The nice thing about this is that you can often follow the routes your cat takes and where it is currently walking via an app on your phone.
If your cat is already wearing a collar, opt for a reflective one for better visibility and don't forget to ring a bell. Otherwise, before you know it, you will have a bird or mouse on your mat every day. Very handy to warn them when your cat is approaching.
– It is clear that your cat already has an owner
– Anti-flea collar; well protected against fleas and ticks
– Cat flap magnet; access only for your cat
– Address tube; finders know how to reach you
– GPS tracker; follow your cat anytime, anywhere
– Bell; warn those poor birds and prevent mice in the house
– Reflective; makes your cat visible, even when it is dark
Although there are so many advantages and options that can come in handy, there are also disadvantages to a collar on your cat. The scary stories of the past, in particular, continue to resurface in people year after year. But what are the drawbacks? Can a cat collar be dangerous? The answer to this is unfortunately yes. A cat collar can ensure that your cat can get stuck in branches or fences, get caught with a paw by the collar or get stuck with other animals. Not a very nice idea of course.
Fortunately, through experiences and good collaborations between veterinarians, pet shops, animal lovers and manufacturers, good research has been done and various solutions have been devised. For example, when you buy a cat collar at the better pet store, you can now let your cat outside with a collar on.
For example, look at the cat collars at pet store ZOO&ZO. Here they only sell cat collars with safety closure. When the collar is pulled or it catches on something, the closure will release and your cat is safe and free. In addition, there are also variants with a piece of elastic so that the collar comes off the head when your cat is stuck.
First of all, it is good to consider the situation in which your cat is. Is your cat not an outdoor cat but a real house sparrow? If your cat never goes outside, you would quickly think that a cat collar is not necessary. But what if your cat escapes and is suddenly outside without being known? You can still solve this problem with a cat collar. Your cat is also already used to a collar, in case you ever want to move or if your cat is allowed to go outside.
Not every cat accepts putting on a collar. It is good to approach this step by step. Let your cat get used to the collar indoors for an hour now and then. Cuddle or play with the collar on and practice putting on and taking off, some cats are more accepting with a small reward.
Do you want to go for a walk outside or get used to your cat? Instead, opt for a cat harness, so that your cat will not suffer from throat and neck problems when he tries to run away and the leash is used up. In this situation you don't want a safety lock that can come loose, you can solve that with a cat harness.
When you are convinced of the usefulness of a cat collar, quickly get the desired cat collar at home, make sure it is the right size, make sure it is not too tight (1 finger play between neck and collar) and let your cat get used to it. . Is there elastic on it? Periodically check whether the elasticity is still in order. Very nice if your cat can safely go outside with a collar on.