Collars for cats: types, choices and features of use

When planning to have a pet at home, you need to think about where he will live, what to eat and how he will spend his free time. Those who have cats in an apartment usually do not let them go outside in order to protect them from street animals, dirt and disease. But there are owners who prefer to walk with their pets or give them plenty of fun on their own. To make these walks safe for the cat, it is best to put a collar on it. The comfort of the pet and its owner largely depends on his choice.

A collar for cats is necessary as well as for dogs, especially if the animal will be free to move around the street. Now you can buy any version of the product with different functions, sizes and colors, so there is no problem of choice. To more accurately understand whether a pet needs a collar, it is worth analyzing what its purpose is.

1. It helps to make the cat calmer, makes it clear who is the boss in the house. The presence of a collar contributes to a faster and more successful training process.
2. Gives a certain benefit to the pet: protects from pests, helps to quickly find a lost pet, gives information about the cat and its owners if it gets lost. For a cat actively walking on the street, this accessory is a must.
3. Convenience of walking a pet with a leash if a self-detaching collar is used.
4. It makes it possible to decorate your pet, make it stylish and irresistible thanks to rhinestones, sparkles and any other little things.

When looking to buy a collar for a cat, do not stop at products for dogs, as they are not suitable for cats. In the creation of such products, not only the size and design, but also the safety of animals were thought out. Due to the fact that cats often climb trees, fences and other places, they can accidentally catch on something with a collar. To prevent the pet from strangling itself in this way, the collars are provided with a self-unfastening lock or elastic inserts that make it possible to get out of the collar.

To buy a suitable collar, you should thoroughly inspect it. It should not have an odor, the material should not leave traces of paint on the skin, for safety, certain measures should be provided. Fastening the strap around the cat's neck, you need to choose the right size, leaving a gap between the animal's neck and the collar of no more than a centimeter.

Most often, collars are made of natural or artificial leather, but now you can also find fabric products, options from rubberized materials and plastic. The main quality that this accessory should have is elasticity. To prevent the cat from experiencing health problems, the strap should not cause him an allergy. Since the variety of cat breeds grows quite intensively, collars are made with this in mind. For hairless varieties, it is worth choosing specialized options made from a softer and more delicate material so as not to damage the pet's delicate skin.

Another selection criterion is the age and size of the pet. For kittens, it is worth buying special products that are smaller and of high quality workmanship. You can buy a thin collar for small and slender cats, a wide strap is more suitable for dense and large cats. For a cat after castration, it is worth buying such a collar so that a protective collar can be attached to it, preventing contact with the operated area.

Since the functionality of the collar can vary, it is worth learning about it as much as possible. more to choose the right collar for your pet.

• Antiparasitic - This is a cat strap that effectively counteracts fleas and ticks, which are often found in animals that spend a lot of time outdoors. With daily wear, you can not only get rid of, but also protect the animal from parasites. Such a strap can only be worn by adults, kittens and pregnant cats should not wear it. This species has a specific odor that scares off fleas, which may not be to the liking of the cat itself or even its owners. The cat has a risk of allergies, as well as people susceptible to the components of the collar. It is better not to buy such a collar for a pet if there are small children at home. An alternative would be ultrasonic options, which consist of a small device that emits special pulses that negatively affect the parasites and cause them to leave the animal.

• Decorative - needed for those cases when you need to dress up and decorate your pet. A beautiful collar is worn for exhibitions or photo shoots. It is better to use this accessory only on occasion, and then remove it, as it will cause discomfort to the pet. Its appearance differs due to the material used, the width of the product and the decorations. Decorative collar can be with crystals, engraving, bell.

• Self-unfastening - the most suitable option for walking with a cat and if the pet likes to walk for a long time. The design of the product assumes a flexible base that will stretch if necessary and prevent the animal from suffocating if it gets caught on something. There are options with a clasp or a notch that will free the cat from the restraining object.

• Electronic device Is a collar with a tracking sensor that allows you to be aware of exactly where the cat is at a particular moment. A strap with a navigator costs a lot, but it gives full confidence to the owner and the cat that they will not lose each other. The design of such an accessory can be with a beacon or with a chip. With a GPS tracker, the cat will be protected not only in any place, but also in any weather, since the manufacturers made its design in such a way that moisture and extreme heat are not terrible for it.

• Personal - This is a cheaper variation of the collar, where instead of tracking sensors there are other aids. Often these are straps with an address tag, a medallion, a phone number or a personalized accessory with the pet's name. On such products, the name of the animal and the address at which it lives are indicated. The owner's emergency telephone number may also be written.

• Luminous - collar, which is partially or completely covered with reflective paint, which allows you to see the cat well in the dark. This option is very convenient for those owners who walk with the cat late at night and do not want to lose it. More modern products have a sensor that turns on the collar at nightfall.

• Sound - makes it possible not to see, but to hear the animal walking on the street. A simpler modification is equipped with a bell, and the modern one has an electronic warning system. This option is perfect for visually impaired or blind owners who value their pet.

• Calming - this product is impregnated with special pheromones that have a calming effect, with it even the most obstinate cat becomes calm and adequate.

• Magnetic - can have magnets of two types - with medicinal properties and without them. An ordinary magnet can be useful if a special door is made for the cat, which the collar can open. The medical product helps to improve the well-being of the pet, helping with diseases of the kidneys, stomach, intestines and joints.

To choose the right collar for your cat, you should pay attention to the following parameters like:

• right size;
• suitable shape;
• optimal color;
• comfortable material;
• variant of the castle design.

To know the desired value, you need to measure the width of the neck and add another 3-4 cm to this value - this will be the desired collar size for the cat. If you buy a strap from parasites, then it usually does not have a dimensional grid, it will have to be adjusted to fit the pet yourself. Having put on and fastened the strap correctly, you need to check if he sat down tight and if the cat will take it off on his own, and if everything is done correctly, then the excess part is simply cut off.

The optimal shape will be a round cross-section that does not rub the skin and does not fray the wool at the point of wear. The choice of color can be anything, this moment is decided by the owner himself without any special recommendations. You can select the range depending on the sex of the animal - the females are lighter and brighter, the males are darker. To increase the safety of your pet, it is better to initially purchase a collar with a reflector, which will save the cat from the wheels of the car or will make it possible to quickly find it on the street.

The quality of the product is important, namely the materials used for its manufacture.Usually, manufacturers select components that do not cause allergies, discomfort, odors in cats, so pets get used to them calmly. Sometimes you can buy a low-quality product that is made of unusable materials and can harm the cat... To distinguish a good collar from a bad one, it is worth looking at the product as a whole, at its fittings, workmanship, and also read reviews about the manufacturer.

When choosing a collar, you should pay attention to the lock itself, it should be safe, convenient to use and not interfere with the cat, especially when it comes to long-haired breeds. The best option for a cat collar would be a narrow product with a smooth inner side, made of quality materials and designed specifically for cats. Special care should be taken in the case of kittens - an adult collar is not suitable for them, therefore, you should carefully choose an accessory. For small pets, you can purchase antiparasitic products that can be used from the age of three months. An important feature that distinguishes this option from an adult will be the amount of active substance that is on the collar.

It is worth remembering that babies grow quickly and the collar will have to be changed or re-strapped from time to time, and it is advisable not to miss the moment when the product begins to become cramped.

The optimal age when it is worth starting training to the strap is 6 months, when the pet is a little stronger and ready for training. Very small kittens have too fragile bones of the spine and can harm themselves if they have an extra accessory on them. Adults with great difficulty get used to innovations, therefore, it is not worth delaying with the beginning of accustoming to the accessory.

In order to properly put on a collar on a cat, it is important to follow a number of recommendations.

• Having bought a collar, you need to show it to the cat, give it a sniff, play with it and study it well. If you put an unfamiliar thing on an animal, it will instinctively reject it.
• The first attempts to put on the strap should be short-lived, because the cat will not like the new accessory, and he will take it off.
• To increase the length of time you wear the collar, you can wear it before meals and give food, praising the cat for obedience and wearing the strap. A positive experience, which will be repeated several times, will begin to stimulate the pet to feel comfortable with the new product around the neck and get used to it.
• From day to day, you need to strive to increase the time spent in the collar from a few minutes to an hour. When the cat is used to it and does not pay attention to the strap, you can no longer take it off.

Only after practicing at home, you can go outside in this way, otherwise the walk can turn out to be very difficult for both the cat and the owner. In the event that training is going on hard and the cat does not want to try on the collar at all, you do not need to insist on this, scold the pet and punish him. By such actions, you can achieve only the opposite effect and the pet will definitely not walk in a belt. It is better to leave him alone for a week, or even a month, and try to repeat the procedure again, evaluating the results.

For those owners who plan to let the cat out or walk with him, the collar training procedure is necessary, because, in addition to controlling the animal, it gives him protection from parasites, makes him noticeable in the dark and promotes more correct behavior. Only by choosing the right product and by timely and gradually accustoming your pet to it, you can achieve the desired result.

For information on which flea and tick collars are most effective, see the next video.