At cat collars come in a vast array of styles from plain to fancy. They can serve multiple purposes depending on the type. This article will explain the different types of collars you can use on your cat.

Safety (break away) collars

Cats are at risk of strangulation if they become snagged on something (for example a tree branch). There are two types of collars available for cats. The first (and most common) has an elasticated strip which stretches to allow your cat to slip out should it become snagged. Then there are the cat safety collars.

Safety collars are the safest type of collar. They are designed to break enough pressure is applied, therefore greatly reducing the chance of choking. The safety collars are the best type to use on your cat.

Flea collars

There are many different types of flea collar on the market. Some are insecticide only & work by killing adult fleas on the cat. Other flea collars contain IGR’s to kill the eggs & larvae.

Flea collars often only kill fleas on the cat’s head & neck, but fleas further down the body survive.

Some cats can develop a rash from the chemicals in the flea collar. This is known as flea collar dermatitis or flea collar rash. If your cat develops a rash from the flea collar, it should be removed immediately & an alternative flea control method should be used in future.

Decorated collars

Decorated collars add a bit of bling. There are literally hundreds of different styles available. If this is the type of collar that appeals to you, make sure it has an elasticated strip which will enable your cat to wriggle out of the collar should it become snagged on something.

Magnetic collars

These collars have a magnet attached which is used in conjunction with a cat flap. The purpose is to allow your cat entry into your house but not neighbourhood cats or wild animals.

Reflective cat collars

Reflective collars are either made out of reflective material or have a reflective strip. If your cat is outside on a night, the reflective collar will glow when it is exposed to light (such as car headlights), making it easier for car drivers to see your cat.

It should be noted though that cats should not be outside, especially at night & while these collars may be of help, there is still a good chance that if your cat is out on a road or street, it faces a very real risk of being hit by a car.

Identification tags for collars

Tags come in various shapes & sizes including plain disks, barrels which contain your cat’s information on a slip of paper & fancy tags in different shapes such as love hearts & bones. ID tags are cheap & can be obtained from most pet shops or supermarkets, disadvantages are that they can easily be removed/fall off & as such cannot be considered permanent. Identification tags should be used in conjunction with a microchip, which is a permanent means of cat identification. A small microchip the size of a grain of rice is inserted under the skin by either your veterinarian or an authorised implanter.

With any type of identification, it is important to keep the information up to date. So, if you change phone numbers & or address, make sure you change your cat’s ID tag & microchip details with the relevant registrar.

Bells for collars

The purpose of bells attached to collars is to alert wildlife that your cat is near. The usefulness of bells is debated, with many people believing that bells serve little purpose as cats can learn how to move more stealthily, preventing the bell from making a sound.

A fact sheet put out by the Mammal Society but unfortunately no longer available on their website showed that putting bells on cats does not limit their hunting ability, in fact belled cats in one particular study caught more wildlife than their unbelled equivalents. Some reasons given were that belled cats learn to move even more stealthily, the bells are not loud enough to alert wildlife of danger anyway, and inertia holds the clanger stationary and therefore silent when the cat makes the final attacking leap. At least two other studies have highlighted that the belling of cats has no effect on number of birds caught. “The efficiency of fitting cats with bells is contentious. Barrette (1998), found that belling of cats has no significant effect on the amount of prey caught. *

Collar safety

Never use collars designed for dogs on your cat. These typically don’t have the safety clasp or elastic strip, and therefore can pose a danger if your cat gets snagged as it won’t offer the opportunity for your cat to slip out of the collar.

Kittens under 6 months of age should not wear a collar.

You should be able to fit two fingers between the collar & the neck.