We have adopted a gorgeous kitten, and trying to train her early.

What is the earliest you can get them used to wearing a collar? It seems they dont make them for under 6mths? so wait till then? But i thought they could go out at that age which confused me, unless that just harnessed, because i'd want a collar+tag on when they first go out.

Cheers

Hi.

Winnie was 13 weeks old before she wore a collar. That's what it said on the back of the packet.

following information is taken from wikianswers:

12-16 weeks is standard. I strongly suggest using a product obtained through the vet. They are much safer than store-bought products. You might consider a natural flea collar if you do want to go the store-bought route.

Hope this helps.

I've never used collars on my cats.

I just think they are so semi-wild that having a collar on them takes something away.

My cats have never worn collars before. They can be very dangerous if they get caught in a tree or the cat can gets it foot caught in them as well. If you do put a collar on get one thats a quick release one so if the cat becomes caught it can easly get out of it. Has your cat being neutered/speyed yet i wouldnt let them out before that either. Also get your cat micro chipped as well. I live in a villiage and i know of only 2 cats with collars on.

We would only ever use the quick release collar on her. We have a kitten one, we have tried today when we are around in the house, and she was ok. But wasn't from the mixed messages from online. I'll check at the vets tomorrow i think.

I dont want to put you off using them its i just dont like them at all. All my cats that go outside are chipped and dont wear a collar. A collar is might be a good idea if you live in a built up area.

i was just reading this mind, but dont have first hand experience
http://www.kittycollars.co.uk/faqs.htm

I was still cautious of these points
Q: My cat is microchipped. Does he need a personalised cat collar?
Q: My cat is an outdoor cat. Does he need a personalised cat collar?

still kind of implying needing all the gubbins. I think we will.

We stopped putting collars on our cats when we found out in the winter all those we replaced where hanging on the nearby trees like decorations.
It would go like this:
Monday a put new collar on then Tuesday collar gone
Wednesday put new collar on and Friday collar gone.
We use harnesses and only just before they go out as it has proven to be much, much cheaper this way.

My cats have almost alway worn collars (the quick release type, Canac Simba - they don't make them kitten-size but you can cut them to size). I first put them on when they are about 10 weeks old, to get them used to them. Immediately after putting them on, to stop them fussing with the collar I give them a game with a bit of string or something. I also don't put anything on the collar for the first couple of weeks (bell, ID tag) as they can see it in their peripheral vision and may try to bite at it, so I wait till they are used to wearing a collar before adding extras.

I never leave a collar on a kitten at night - I take them off before we go to bed in case they get caught up when I'm not there to check. That also gets them used to having a collar put on and removed, so they don't make a big palaver when you need to change the collar.

Their collars have got them reunited with me several times, and the quick release ones do work - I have found the collars snapped at the bottom of trees for example.

I also use the quick release collars that Lippincote recommends and they do work as Smudge lost two (complete with engraved tags) in the space of two days last week. However I would rather pay out for new tags than worry about them getting caught. I first put collars on my two when I started letting them out after their jabs which was about 14 weeks old I think. Both of them are chipped but it just gave me a bit more peace of mind that it would be easy for someone to phone me if they got lost.

You may find the collars get returned through your letterbox if you have your address on the tag FQ - mine sometimes do! The collars are usually ruined but you can reuse the tag.

I don't like collars but the quick release ones sound better. I would still recommend micro-chipping cats.

I had my cat micro-chipped last week, but he doesn't have a collar.

Our kitten didn't mind her collar on for 4 hours last night, then we took it off for night. We'll try it on again at the weekend, but not over nights.

I went to the vets on way home tonight, and they thought it was a good idea, and agreed about taking it off when not supervised.

how old were they?

Even if your cat wears a collar I would strongly advise microchipping too, so you still have a good chance of getting your cat back if lost or injured, even if it has lost its collar at that point
Kittens can be microshipped at any age but at the time of the first or second vaccines is usually considered convenient as you are then at the vet's anyway and the kitten shouldn't be going out before then.

Agree about microchipping, all my cats are also microchipped. I usually have them chipped when they are neutered at 5 months, but as Tass says you can also have it done when they get their second vaccinations at around 12 weeks.

Cats Protection do not recommend collars.

Not quite:

"Cats Protection recognises that correctly-fitted quick-release collars with bells are an effective way of reducing predatory activity and has issued the following advice to minimise the risk of injury to the cat" more info at:

http://www.cats-inverurie.co.uk/News/Jun05/birds.htm

Animal welfare societies emphasise that you have to ensure the collar is quick release and properly fitted, but often recommend you use a collar on your cat as an additional ID measure. A collar is also necessary if you want your cat to wear a bell re predation (although I am unconvinced bells are effective) and for working magnetic catflaps. The society I worked for issued guidelines similar to those in the link.

I use a collar on my cat mainly as an additional ID measure. She's microchipped, but ID'ing her via a collar is a much quicker method if she's found by neighbours. My cat tends to be very adventurous and loves exploring any open door, cubby hole so the collar really is in case she ever manages to get herself shut inside anyone's property etc.

And i'd never use anything other than a quick release collar. They obviously do their job well, because my cat is on her 4th collar in a year as every now and then she returns home without it!

Don't agree with a bell though, i've heard that after a while cats can learn to adapt to wearing a bell on a collar and manage to get around stealthily enough to prey on birds etc anyway. And there's nothing more annoying than a bell, especially when you want to get some sleep.

I agree re bells. I know there has allegedly been some research showing they help avoid predation, but that has not been my experience at all. As you say, cats move stealthily when hunting and my youngest cat found a bell absolutely no bar to bringing in every type of prey imaginable, so he no longer wears one. He brings in far less prey now, probably just because he's grown up and the novelty has worn off.

Shes been a brilliant girl today, she has had her collar on her and its not bothered her in the slightest. I asked at the vets on the way home the other day, and they said as long as its not too big there isn't really a too young age for them to start in the house getting used to them.

Both my cats had collars from about 13 weeks when they first started venturing outside. They wear quick release ones with name and tel number tags and numerous bells. They are also microchipped but I like the 'belts and braces' approach.

Fred is four. I have tried collars on him, but they keep coming off. I used to put one of those collars with the magnetic key on him, I stopped that though when the wire on the collar came out and cut his neck.

KittyKit has some cool Kitten collars that will look good on your cat MEOW!