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 get cats in the apartment usually do not let them out on the street to protect them from street animals, dirt and disease. But there are owners who prefer to walk with their pets or give them plenty to frolic on their own. To make such walks safe for the cat, it is best to wear a collar on it. The comfort of the pet and its owner largely depend on his choice.

The collar for cats is necessary as well as for dogs, especially if the animal will move freely along the street. Now you can purchase any version of the product with various 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. It gives certain benefits to the pet: it protects against pests, helps to quickly find a lost pet, gives information about the cat and its owners if he gets lost. For an active cat walking on the street, this accessory is a must.
3. The convenience of walking a pet with a leash if a self-unfastening collar is used.
4. It makes it possible to decorate a pet, make it stylish and irresistible thanks to rhinestones, sparkles and any other little things.

If you are going to buy a collar for a cat, do not stop at products for dogs, as they are not suitable for cats. In creating such products, not only size and design were thought out, but also animal safety. 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, a self-unfastening lock or elastic inserts are provided on the collars, which make it possible to get out of the collar.

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

Most often, collars are made of genuine or artificial leather, but now you can also find fabric products, options made of rubberized materials and plastic. The main quality that this accessory should possess must be elasticity. So that the cat does not experience health problems, the strap should not cause him allergies. Since the variety of cat breeds is growing quite rapidly, collars are made with this in mind. For hairless varieties, it is worth choosing specialized options made of a softer and more delicate material so as not to damage the delicate skin of the pet.

Another selection criterion is the age and size of the pet. For kittens, it is worth buying special products that have smaller sizes and high quality workmanship. You can buy a thin collar for small and thin cats, a wide strap is more suitable for thick and thick ones. After castration, a cat should buy a collar so that a protective collar can be attached to it, preventing it from contacting the operated area.

Since the collar’s ​​functionality can be different, you should learn about it as much as possible. more to choose the right collar for your pet.

• Antiparasitic - This is a cat strap that allows you to effectively counteract fleas and ticks, which are often wound up in animals that spend a lot of time on the street. With daily wear, you can not only get rid, but also protect the animal from parasites. Sock of such a strap is possible only by adults, kittens and pregnant cats should not wear it. This variety has a specific smell that repels fleas, which may not be to the liking of the cat itself or even its owners. A cat is at risk of allergies, as is susceptible to collar components. It is better not to buy such a collar for your pet if you have small children at home. An alternative may be ultrasonic options, which consist of a small device that produces special pulses that adversely affect parasites and cause them to leave the animal.

• Decorative - needed for those cases when it is necessary to dress and decorate a pet. A beautiful collar is put on for exhibitions or photo shoots. This accessory is best used only on occasion, and then removed, as it will cause the pet discomfort. Its appearance is different due to the material used, the width of the product and decorations. A decorative collar can be with rhinestones, engraving, bell.

• Self-locking - The most suitable option for a walk with a cat even if the pet likes to walk for a long time. The design of the product involves a flexible base that will stretch if necessary and will prevent the animal from being strangled if it clings to something. There are options with a clasp or notch that will free the cat from the object that constrains him.

• Electronic device - This is a collar with a tracking sensor, which allows you to be in the know where exactly 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 anywhere, but also in any weather, as the manufacturers made it so that moisture and intense heat are not scary for her.

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

• Luminous - a collar that 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 in the evening and do not want to lose it. More modern products have a sensor that includes a collar with the onset of night time.

• Sound - makes it possible not to see, but to hear an animal that walks 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 hosts who value their pet.

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

• Magnetic - It can have two types of magnets - with and without healing properties. An ordinary magnet can be useful if a special door is made for the cat, which the collar can open. The therapeutic 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 a cat, you should pay attention to such parameters like:

• right size;
• suitable form;
• optimal color;
• comfortable material;
• lock design option.

To know the desired value, it is necessary 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 a strap from parasites is bought, then it usually does not have a dimensional grid, it will have to be customized for the pet yourself. Having correctly put on and fastened the strap, you need to check whether he has sat down tightly and whether 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 is a round section that does not rub the skin and does not rub the wool in the place of wear. The choice of color can be any, this moment is decided by the owner himself without any special recommendations. You can select the gamut depending on the sex of the animal - females are lighter and brighter, males - darker. To increase the safety of a pet, it is better to initially buy a collar with a reflector, which will save the cat from the wheels of the car or will make it possible to find him faster on the street.

Of great importance is the quality of the product, namely the materials that are used for its manufacture.Typically, manufacturers select components that do not cause allergies, discomfort, smells in cats, so pets calmly get used to them. Sometimes you can buy low-quality goods, which are made from unsuitable materials and can harm the cat. To distinguish a good collar from a bad one, you should take a look at the product as a whole, its accessories, workmanship, and read reviews about the manufacturer.

When choosing a collar, you should pay attention to the castle 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 is a narrow product with a smooth inner side, made from quality materials and designed specifically for cats. Particular care should be taken in the case of kittens - an adult collar is not suitable for them, so 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 the kids grow quickly and the collar will have to be changed or discontinued from time to time, and it is advisable not to miss the moment when the product begins to become cramped.

The optimal age when you should start accustoming 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. Adult individuals 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 cat collar, it is important to observe 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 tear it away.
• The first attempts to put on the strap should be short-term, because the cat will not like the new accessory, and it will remove it.
• To increase the length of wearing the collar, you can wear it before eating and give food, praising the cat for obedience and wear of the strap. A positive experience, which will be repeated several times, will begin to stimulate the pet to calmly relate to the new product on the neck and get used to it.
• Every 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 and does not pay attention to the strap, you can no longer remove it.

Only after practicing at home, you can go in this version to the street, otherwise the walk can turn out to be very difficult for both the cat and the owner. In the event that the training is difficult and the cat does not want to try on the collar at all, there is no need to insist on this, scold the pet and punish him. Such actions can only achieve the opposite effect, and the pet will definitely not be walking in the 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 on the street or walk with him, the procedure for accustoming to the collar is necessary, because, in addition to controlling the animal, it gives it protection from parasites, makes it noticeable in the dark and contributes to more correct behavior. Only by choosing the right product and timely and gradually accustoming the pet to it, you can achieve the desired result.

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