Member

Posts: 173
From:Murfreesboro, Tn, USA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 11-21-2003 07:21 AM         

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hello all
Ok so i have posted here before about how my cat wants to get out of the house. I try to keep him in as best i can, but still sometimes he gets out. so after one horrible night of worring, i thought that maybe i should get him a collar, just in case he gets out and someone else finds him.

Good idea right? NO he hates his collar. finds anyway to get it off of him. i came home the other day and he had gotten the thing stuck in his MOUTH!!Is there anyway i can get him use to this collar, or is he just going to have to go with out one. I am at a lose with this cat. I dont want him to run away. i just dont know what to do.

I read in a book about how to train a cat to wear a collar is by giving him treats or catnip. well catnip is out of the question becasue that stuff makes him go nuts. he gets really mean and crazy, runs all around the house like a madman! (its kinda funny he will attach walls, i thought that stuff was suppose to mellow cats out!!) and if i could find a treat he likes then maybe that would work, but i couldnt tell you how many cat treats i have bought him, and he has turned his nose up to all of them. i really dont know why he is so picky about treats, hes not that way about food. silly cat!

well thanks for any help, sorry for rambling on!!
jacks mommy

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Member

Posts: 18
From:New York
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-21-2003 07:52 AM         

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Hmm, I don't know. I have 3 cats that are now one yr old. Since they were like 4 months, I put collars on them, and trained them to go outside and I out a leash on them. They are free to roam within 20 feet, and cannot run away. If they get out, they know to stay close. Its great. Now...I had tried about 5 different collars. They ripped off all but one. It had a great, strong clasp. I found it at a local pet store. Its been on now over 5-6 months. When you test it out, make sure that you can't put the collar apart. It will take a good day or so for the cat to get use to it. My one cat use to get it in her mouth and run with it in there. (I had to make it a little tighter). Good luck, Hope it works for u. Its great once they are use to it!!!

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Member

Posts: 123
From:Vancouver, WA USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 11-21-2003 09:47 AM         

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I'm working on it too and have just about given up. My cat also got his collar stuck in his mouth. I think it must not have been tight enough.

I have to disagree with the previous post. You want to be sure that you can pull the collar open. You wouldn't want your kitty to be strangled by his collar if it were to get stuck on something (even indoors). I'm surprised they even sell collars these days that aren't break away.

Another option would be getting a microchip injected into him, but thats a lot more expensive than a collar.

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Member

Posts: 123
From:Vancouver, WA USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 11-21-2003 09:47 AM         

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I'm working on it too and have just about given up. My cat also got his collar stuck in his mouth. I think it must not have been tight enough.

I have to disagree with the previous post. You want to be sure that you can pull the collar open. You wouldn't want your kitty to be strangled by his collar if it were to get stuck on something (even indoors). I'm surprised they even sell collars these days that aren't break away.

Another option would be getting a microchip injected into him, but thats a lot more expensive than a collar.

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Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 11-21-2003 09:57 AM         

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Have you tried a harness instead of a collar? They hate those too, but I would think he would get used to it.

Jamiya

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Member

Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 11-21-2003 10:40 AM         

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My vet does microchipping for 35.00, it's a lot cheaper than it used to be.

I think you should try a breakaway collar. It will come apart if your cat gets caught on a branch or something. This can keep your cat from getting stuck or even strangled if he gets snagged on something. My cats always hated their collars at first, but they got used to them. You might try a harness also, although like Jamiya said he probably wont like it either.

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Member

Posts: 18
From:New York
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-21-2003 11:37 AM         

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They have cheap, chintzy break away collars that break away if you even put an ounce of pressure against it, or they have strong ones that WILL break away if caught on anything inside or outside. I leave my 3 cats home all day, anything can happen, but I know they will break away and not get caught up on something. Regardless....Good luck.

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Member

Posts: 52
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 11-21-2003 11:38 AM         

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I have my cats all microchipped. Like Fleafly said, it's only about $35. I would suggest getting a microchip put in your cat, even if you do get him used to a collar. That way, if the collar falls off, they can still scan him with the microchip and return him to you. Good luck.

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Member

Posts: 173
From:Murfreesboro, Tn, USA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 11-21-2003 12:51 PM         

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i am thinking about getting the harness, you know so i can take him on walks. but a mircochip, how does that work? thanks to all that replied

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Member

Posts: 84
From:Hull, UK
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-21-2003 01:38 PM         

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Microchips work as a small electroncic implant is injected into the scruff of their neck, it doesnt hurt them though. The chip carries a number which is registered on a national database. the chip is read when a machine is passed over it and the number comes up, most vets and rescue centres have a reader, they then phone up the national database get your address and hey presto you get your cat back!

As for collars, they are a pain I have found that buying a nice soft fabric helps and occassionally taking it off so they can have a good scratch and wash under the collar stops them being so irritated by it. I get the elastic one's instead of the breakway collars, they do pretty much the same thing but the dont snap just strect enough for the cat to be able to get out. The best one I have found is the ID cat collar by animal care as once you take the bell off it doesn't have any annoying dangly bits that the cat tries to chew and therefore they tend to leave their collar alone. I dislike bells as a cats hearing is 4 times more sensitive than ours, a bell round their neck is like someone letting off a foghorn in your ear!!!! If you must protect birds there are electronic devices you can buy that make a sound outside the cats hearing range.

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Member

Posts: 173
From:Murfreesboro, Tn, USA
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 11-21-2003 02:14 PM         

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thanks i never thought about the bell that way. why do they put bells on cat collars anyways. you know?! it doesnt make much sense. like they dont put them on dog collars. oh well thanks again

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Member

Posts: 84
From:Hull, UK
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-21-2003 02:47 PM         

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to warn birds and other small creatures the cats is there

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