Do you keep your indoor cats collared?

I've been thinking about this, probably after I read about a lady that had an apartment fire - it wasn't a bad fire, but one of her cats went missing after it was over. Nobody got killed, she was sure of that, but during the hubbub one cat got away and disappeared. She looked for weeks after the fire, in the neighborhood and at vet's and animal shelters - she never found her cat.

My indoor cats don't wear collars, but this makes me think - what if I had a fire? If they got out, and got away I would be devastated. And cats get so scared at things, like firemen, or their home destroyed.

But on the other hand, I get paranoid that a collar could get caught on something, and choke them.

I know I worry too much, but what about you guys? Collars on indoor cats?

Edwina has never had a collar around her neck (harness outside.)

However, she is microchipped.

Yeah, I'm worried about that, too. Bo has had a collar on (he used to be an indoor/outdoor cat) but Abby and Hanna have never had one on.

I wanted Hanna to get microchipped when she got spayed, but the wires got crossed in my instructions and they didn't do it. I didn't want to have it done when I picked her up from the spay - I figured she had been through enough and I'll probably have it done when she goes in next year for her shots. I read some pros and cons about microchipping, and one of the cons is that there are still a lot of vets/animal shelters that don't always scan for chips. I'll probably have it done anyways, hopefully to all three cats.

The only one that would even allow it is Basil. He wears one...and to be honest...more for the amusement of my hubby and I...he looks really cute in it. :)

He wears the safety collar, they break open if they get in a "situation".

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Originally posted by NoahsMommy
The only one that would even allow it is Basil. He wears one...and to be honest...more for the amusement of my hubby and I...he looks really cute in it. :)

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I think we need to see a picture. :)

I like Basil, he's such a unique color.

Safety collars, that's what I was thinking of. When I had my outdoor cats, one of them was really good at getting his collar off. I would find them all over our property, he hated wearing one.

By all means, unless you are 100% sure that they'll never get outside, either collar them or chip them.

My cats are allowed outdoors and I'm fanatical about making sure that they always wear collars. I use breakaway collars and the kitties do occasionally lose them, so I have backup collars ready the moment they come home naked. (of course, since you have indoor cats, you'll be able to find the collars)


Also, make sure you have some nice photos so that, worst case scenario here, if they do become lost, you are able to make posters with their pictures on it.

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Originally posted by catland
Also, make sure you have some nice photos so that, worst case scenario here, if they do become lost, you are able to make posters with their pictures on it.

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LOL! LOL! If anyone has pictures of our cats, it must be us Pet talkers!! :D :D

Now seriously, I think it's a very good idea to have your cat microchipped or something similar. I'm not sure how much it's done in Denmark, but many cats here gets earmarked - Fister is. :)

Oh yeah...I have pictures! :D

I am 100% sure my cats don't get out, but in the case of a house fire, all bets are off. The dogs would be easy - put them in the yard away from the house (we have a huge part of our yard fenced), but the cats would be scared.

I think I will start looking at collars, maybe some pretty ones - with safety features. And microchipping, I am pretty much sold on that.

I stopped putting collars on my cats because of Zasper death. She had a safety collar and everything, but it didn't seem to help. I came home one day and she had passed away because she choked on her collar, it somehow got stuck in her jaw. It was one of the scariest and most tramatic things I'd ever experienced. So since then I don't think I will ever put a collar on any of my cats. As soon as I get a little extra money I'm going to get Corkscrew and Tibby microchipped. Here's a picture of my Zasper, she's very missed but I know she's happy at the rainbow bridge.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...6/fd14e230.jpg

Ours don't wear collars when indoors. We were thinking about it, but the sad story of Zasper helped change our minds. Ours are microchipped and they wear elastic collars with bells if they're in the garden

mine do NOT wear collars indoors. I tried it once with Neko. Luckily my fiance and I were home because he got the round hook that attached his rabies tag to the collar stuck behind his bottom canine teeth. Poor thing was trying so hard to get it off he was bleeding everywhere. We had to make an emergency visit to the vet on a sunday so she could cut it off. We will Never do that again!!! If the cat isn't used to wearing a collar, it's not worth it

Oh no, Uabassoon, how sad. What a terrible thing. Now I'm thinking I'll just stick with the microchipping. But if not all vets/animal shelters scan for chip, it would be terrible to lose a cat just because they weren't scanned.

I wish I could take a big marking pen and write their name and phone number on them. (just kidding, but I do wish there was something else I could do).

maybe you could keep them shaved on the tummy and tattoo your phone number! sorry I know it's not a funny subject, it scares me too, very much. if any of them were ever to get out and got lost, I would be so upset, panicky.
no collars for my cats, but I am considering microchiping.
but the real thing that scares me, about them getting outside, is the coyotes! I lost a cat that way once. at least Im pretty sure thats what happend..

Now that I am all worried.
I only have a collar on one. But it has no tags. I have never had much luck with collars on the cats. They fight it. And only one is microchipped. I know that anything could happen, but we are extremely carefull with the door open. I just have to have faith that they will stay safe.

How sad, uba....I am sorry about Zasper. I don't think I will collar mine...but I think I will stay away from the shaving and marker idea, too...

Oh Uabassoon - I feel your pain, because I recently lost a kitty too.:(

No matter what we do, it just sometimes isn't enough and a terrible, tragic accident occurs. I'm still reeling from my loss as well.

So maybe the chips and a couple of good photos are the best protection we can offer our kitties. In the meantime, we just have to give them lots of love every day.

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Originally posted by Uabassoon
I stopped putting collars on my cats because of Zasper death.

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Freckles, strictly an indoor cat, doesn't wear a collar, but is chipped.

About 1970, my cat Jerry, was licking and cleaning his chest. Suddenly a lower canine tooth caught in the buckle of his leather collar. Fortunately, he was sitting right in front of me when it happened. I had to cut the collar off. None of my cats ever wore a similar collar again.

xx

All of our cats and dogs are collared, for the chance they get loose outside. They all have a message with our number:

Help Me
Find Home
###-###-####

The ones on the cats stretch. One time, our Rosie was using the handle on the heater register to scratch and her collar became hooked. Her just pulling away, pulled it over her head, no harm done.

I think we got those at Petco. The pictures on their web site do not show enough detail. :(

xx

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Originally posted by All Creatures Great And Small
http://members.aol.com/myerssh61/prkty.jpg

Hmmm.......maybe I shouldn't get the kitty started on piercing.....he might get carried away:p

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LOL :D :D :D None of my cats wear collars. They are strictly indoor cats. I used to have collars on Storm and Pepper but they hated them and my vet said that since they're indoor cats they really don't need collars. Sunny is microchipped and I'm going to get Storm and Pepper microchipped as well when they go to the vet for their annual check up.

All of my cats wer collars with identification. They are the elastic type that expand so they cannot risk choking to death. I too have had my cats get their teeth stuck intheir collars, usually it were kittens that had just worn a collar for the first time, and they eventually get used to the fact that there is something around their neck and there isn't much they can do about it.

I will be getting my cats tatooed when I have enough money. The thought of microchipping scares me. It's a devil satin thing. And I would rather have my cats heads cut off then go to hell, lol!

Tatooing is fairly common, especially for exotic pets. For cats, they just shave the ear and tatoo the inside. I have also thought of ear tags too.

Both Livvy and Cassy are microchipped and Livvy wears her collar constantly (Breakaway style). I try to keep a collar on Cassy due to his door-dartting (darting?) but he's adept at loosing them. :( At one time I kept his id on him on a halter, but the pet sitter kept taking the halters off saying it was dangerous....

How about a ring on their leg, like they put on birds, with the address/phone number on it? Do you think that would be safer than collars? Just a suggestion. I have no idea how cats would react to a ring on their leg. Also, just wondering, how do they microchip cats and how does it work?

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Originally posted by popcornbird
How about a ring on their leg, like they put on birds, with the address/phone number on it? Do you think that would be safer than collars? Just a suggestion. I have no idea how cats would react to a ring on their leg. Also, just wondering, how do they microchip cats and how does it work?

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I would guess cats would be more against a ring on their leg than the collar :confused:

As I have been told, microchip involves inserting a small chip under the skin between the shoulder blades, its about the size of a grain of rice I think. This chip or marker has a code that can be read by certain readers to give the code number which indentifies a database record of the pet, owner, location, maybe even a phone number.

Beau wears a collar, Felicia doesn't because she fights it. After what I have been reading, I am considering tatooing or microchiping.

I have indoor only kitties and none of them are collared. Mostly becuse they're all still kittens and I could never find a collar small enough for them not to get out of...then I worry about choking, Scout's big enough to wear one now and since he's the ony one with an outdoor fascination he most probably will get a collar and tags. Actually he has a Harley Davidson collar and his rabies tag...I'm just waiting to go to Petsmart to make one of those tags with his name any my phone number. I just know he's going to hate it.

I just got the boys chipped two weeks ago. I feel better.
It is not fail-safe. Like you all know, someone has got to FIND your cat. If they just disappear...well, it's better that nothing.
What I'm waiting for is a tracking device, possibly on the GPS system, where if your cat goes missing you can find his location. (I suppose if this were possible, they'd to it for those 'fur-less cats' (kids))

We could use it in case of fire, when the cats go in the closets.

Please, someone invent that.

My cats all wear collars . They are also of the elastic type ; they cannot get choked ... . I buy those with a tiny bell on it . This is the only reason why they are wearing their collar : I can always here where they are ... ;) ! I feel more at easy knowing this ! Of course , I take Inka's collar off , everytime I comb her hair (she is a long-haired kitten ; looks like a Main Coon) .

http://www.cindydrew.com/cats/graphics/tig4.gif

Yup, all of them except Polly Paws. She rips out all her fur under the collar if I try to put one on her. They are also all microchipped and have ID tags on their collar. Glacier is tatooed too-i had that done before chips were popular. Hmm, that sounds a little obsessive doesn't it?

Rose,

I've read that they are testing a GPS tracking device (for dogs?) in Europe right now. It's tied into cellphones so that you can dial a number and when you get close to the collar (and animal, with luck...) either the phone or the collar will ring. I remember when I read it that it seemed neat and that I wished it were being tested in California. Does anyone else remember this article? Was it posted here?

I need a memory transplant! :rolleyes: :confused: :eek:

It seems like the device was relatively heavy (several ounces) which is why it's being tested on dogs, not cats. Maybe it can be scaled down/ refined soon. Does anyone else remember reading about this?