Indoor/outdoor cats & collars. ARGH!

Formula86 · 11-30-2005, 06:30 AM

Ok, so Charlie came inside and he is missing his collar. AGAIN. This is the 4th time overall. I just replaced his collar 3 weeks ago, and now it's gone.

I'm beginning to think that someone in my neighborhood (perhaps his original "owners") are taking it off. WTF?!

Do outdoor cats really lose their collars this often?

I always buy the cat-safe kind cause I'm scared he'll strangle himself if I get a dog one.

It just sucks cause I have to replace the collar, his ID tag, his rabies tag, AND his microchip tag. That's a lot of money each time! I'm mostly just tired of replacing the tags cause that takes a long time to get all 3 again.

Should I get a dog collar for him? What about a cat harness?

Pickles · 11-30-2005, 06:57 AM

I would try the harness first. Is it an option to keep him in?

Formula86 · 11-30-2005, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pickles

Is it an option to keep him in?

Unfortunately, no. I tried that for the first 8 months or so (I rescued him from off the streets of my neighborhood) and his mental state was really bad. He cried all the time and was spraying on everything. I tried to do everything I could, but in the end my vets and I decided he was just better off as indoor/outdoor. He is much, much better now. He was already 3-4 years old when I adopted him. So he just couldn't adapt.

Will he get stuck on stuff with a harness? I just have visions of him hanging on some fence post.

(I'm off to bed. Will respond tomorrow.

)

Pickles · 11-30-2005, 07:04 AM

Well I suppose that would be a possiblility with a harness...our cat Ashes once fell off the deck wearing a leash and harness and was hanging there for about 2 minutes while my stepmom was rinsing out/refilling her water dish. She lived...no worse for the wear. But I suppose their collar could get caught on anything.

najiwench · 11-30-2005, 10:12 AM

i hate the idea of anything on an animal that they can't get out of easily..cats like to go in little places..and it's entirely possible he's just learned how to take off his own collar, pepper did it all the time.

perhaps if you just replace all his stuff, and then keep the "important" tags safely in a drawer and just leave a cheapie id tag on a cheapie collar that would be easy to replace? that way his address would be there, and then if something happened they could bring him to you and you would have the other information on hand?

Riddick · 11-30-2005, 10:57 AM

Easiest solution to this, get him micro chipped. It is painless for the animal and will safe you tons of money on replacing collars and tags, and there is no risk of him getting caught on anything. My cat is micro chipped, but he doesn't go outside, he was chipped before they let him out the shelter door. My cat also has a dog collar on, with tags, but that is because I am parinoid and want him to have more than one identification on him, but he doesn't go into small places, so I don't worry about his collar getting stuck on things.

najiwench · 11-30-2005, 11:06 AM

unfortunately, not everyplace checks for microchips

and i think she said he is already microchipped, didn't she?

Amethystbelle · 11-30-2005, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by najiwench

i hate the idea of anything on an animal that they can't get out of easily..cats like to go in little places..and it's entirely possible he's just learned how to take off his own collar, pepper did it all the time.

perhaps if you just replace all his stuff, and then keep the "important" tags safely in a drawer and just leave a cheapie id tag on a cheapie collar that would be easy to replace? that way his address would be there, and then if something happened they could bring him to you and you would have the other information on hand?

I totally agree with the idea about the cheaper tag and keeping the others at home. If he is going to keep on losing his collar then its the cheapest solution all round apart from him actually keeping the collar on

I also am not keen on the idea of a dog collar or harness as if he gets stuck he might not be able to get out of it the same as he would a quick release cat collar

Formula86 · 11-30-2005, 03:24 PM

Thank you so much for your input, guys!

Btw...Charlie IS microchipped.

So you guys don't think he needs his microchip and rabies tags on there? The rabies I can see leaving off, but I like having his microchip tag on there.

I don't think he takes them off on purpose cause they don't seem to bother him at all. He went a few months one time (when I first got him) without losing his collar.

I seriously think someone is taking them off or (more likely) he's just getting them caught on stuff.

Would it be worth it to buy one of those locator thingies for it?

Denise · 11-30-2005, 03:25 PM

What's a locater thingie?