How to put a collar on a cat correctly

The first attempts to wear a new accessory should be short-term. First, the animal must get used to this thing, and secondly, the owner needs to observe the reaction of her body.

How to put on a harness: step by step instructions with photos

Before walking with the pet, a logical question arises: how to quickly put the harness on the domestic cat? Letting the cat go for a walk is the height of irresponsibility. City roads are sprinkled with chemicals, trash is dumped, and dogs are let off leash. A frightened pet can easily get lost or run away. A purebred cat can easily be stolen or thought to be lost.

There are several types of leashes for cats. The choice depends on the owner's personal preferences and budget. For example, a harness vest is more expensive than a regular girdle. Varieties of harnesses:

Below is a photo of how to put any harness on a domestic cat so as not to harm it.

• harness width. Narrow straps hurt the body. The optimal width is 1-2 cm;
• Sturdy fasteners. Weak fasteners can tear or unfasten;
• A small space should be left between your cat's body and the harness so it won't let him escape, but it won't restrict his movements either.

The design of a figure-of-eight harness

This is the most common and cheapest option. At first glance it is completely unclear how to properly and neatly put the harness on the domestic cat, because the design looks like a long strap, perpendicularly sewn with a short one.

• The short strap is placed under the cat's belly;
• the long strap is threaded into the hole at the buckle. A ring is created, which is intended for the head;
• then the lug is put through the hole again, which is at the bottom of the short strap;
• The loops are put on through the head;
• the foot is put through the hole formed by the long and short strap;
• The tip of the long strap is fastened on the animal's back with a buckle. The buckle tongue is inserted into the hole on the strap.

Final scheme of how to correctly put the harness "figure eight" on the cat.

Attention! A space of 2 fingers should be left between the cat's body and the harness. This ensures the comfort of the cat.

Purpose

The collar for cats is necessary as well as for dogs, especially if the animal will move freely in the street. Now you can buy any version of the product, which has different functions, sizes and colors, so there is no problem to choose. To understand more accurately whether the 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 master in the house. Having a collar contributes to a faster and more successful training process.
2. It gives a certain benefit to the cat: protects it from pests, helps to find a lost pet faster, gives information about the cat and its owners if it gets lost. For an active outdoor cat, this accessory is a must.
3. Makes it easy to walk your cat with a leash if you use a self-adjusting collar.
4. Gives the opportunity to decorate the pet, make it stylish and irresistible thanks to rhinestones, sequins and any other little things.

Going to buy a collar for a cat, you should not stop at products for dogs, as they will not be suitable for cats. In the creation of such products thought about not only the size and design, but also the safety of the animals. Due to the fact that cats often climb trees, fences and other places, they can accidentally get caught on something with a collar. To prevent your pet from strangling himself or herself in this way, collars have a self-adjusting lock or elastic inserts that allow you to get out of the collar.

To buy the right collar, you should inspect it carefully. It should be odorless, the material should not leave paint marks on the skin, and some measures should be in place for safety. When fastening the strap on the cat's neck, you should choose the right size, leaving a gap between the animal's neck and the collar of not more than a centimeter.

If you tighten the product tighter, it will cause the pet discomfort and rub the neck, but if you make it looser, the pet will very quickly get rid of the extra object.

Types

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

• Anti-parasite – is a cat strap that can effectively counteract the fleas and ticks that often breed in animals that spend a lot of time outdoors. With daily wear, you can not only get rid of, but also protect your pet from parasites. Wearing such a strap is possible only for 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. The cat has a risk of allergies, as well as people who are susceptible to the components of the collar. It is best not to buy such a collar for a pet if there are small children at home. An alternative can be ultrasonic options, which consist of a small device that emits special pulses that have a negative effect on the parasites and make them leave the animal.

• Decorative – Needed for those cases where it is necessary to dress up and decorate the pet. A beautiful collar is worn at shows or photo shoots. This accessory is best used only on occasion and then removed, as it will make the pet uncomfortable. Its appearance differs due to the material used, the width of the product and embellishments. Decorative collar can be with rhinestones, engraving, bell.

• Self-locking – The most suitable option for walking with a cat and in case the pet likes to walk on its own for a long time. The design of the product assumes a flexible base, which will stretch if necessary and prevent the animal from suffocating if it catches on something. There are variants with a clasp or notch that will allow the cat to be freed from an embarrassing object.

• An 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. Strap with a navigator costs a lot, but gives complete confidence to the owner and the cat, that they will not lose each other. The design of such 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, because the manufacturers have made its design in such a way that moisture and strong heat are not terrible for it.

Types of walking collars for cats

To choose the right collar for a cat, you need to study the functionality of different models. Consider the most popular types of walking accessories and their useful options.

Collar with gps navigator

Overseas have long been popular collars for animals with built-in gps-navigator. In Russia such accessories on walking cats can be met very seldom, which is caused by its rather high price (average price – 10 000 rub).

The collar with gps navigator is a handy accessory that allows owners to always control their pet who prefers to walk outside on their own.

A collar with a medallion-addresser

So that strangers who care about your cat can always return the lost cat, you need to buy a collar with a medallion, which will be written down the address or phone number of the owner.

If the cat already has a collar, the owner can buy a separate medallion with engraved data and attach it to the already used accessory.

Personalized Collar

A personalized name collar is a cute accessory that has the pet's name on it. Available in different variations. Performs only a decorative function.

Decorative collar

In the range of collars for cats a lot of decorative models made of different materials. Accessories with jewelry, rhinestones, beads in a variety of colors and designs are used for photo shoots and exhibitions, when the cat needs to dress up and draw attention to his persona.

Luminous collar

Luminous collars are coated with reflective paint, allowing the cat to be seen in the dark. Some models have a sensor control that automatically turns the collar lights on when darkness falls.

Such accessories are convenient for owners who walk their pets in the late evening hours.

Collar with bell

For visually impaired people, it will be convenient to use a cat collar equipped with a bell. These models allow you to hear rather than see the animal walking in the street. With the sound, the owner will always be able to find his beloved pet.

Special collars for cats

Special collars for cats, which have a certain protective effect, are especially popular. Let's take a closer look.

Collar repellent against ticks and fleas

Protect your pet from fleas, ticks and other blood-sucking insects with a special repellent collar. The product is treated with active substances that repel parasites. The composition may include essential oils, peppermint, geranium, eucalyptus and other compounds. For cats, such a collar is safe, except for pets who have an individual intolerance to the constituent components.

The average duration of the repellent collar is 2-3 months. It is not used to protect kittens under 2 months of age.

Veterinary therapeutic collar

The Veterinary Therapy Collar is a special barrier therapy collar that restricts your pet's access to certain parts of the body. It is used in the treatment of wounds, after spaying, neutering and other surgical procedures.

Due to natural instincts, cats lick wounds, but in some cases such therapy is unacceptable. This is the purpose of the protective veterinary collar, which is prescribed to be worn by a specialist.

Pheromone Calming Collar

A special collar with pheromones is recommended to relieve the cat's excessive anxiety in any situation. It works immediately after you put it on.

Cats can become stressed during bathing procedures, long journeys, vet visits, therapeutic procedures, change of residence, etc. This condition may manifest as signs of anxiety or aggression. A collar with pheromones, which has a specific scent that is soothing to cats, can help them deal with this problem without the need for medication.

The collar has no negative effect on the cat's body. Contraindicated to animals with individual intolerance to the components.

Anti-miaow collar

Anti-meow collars are designed for cats who are too "talkative". They are equipped with an ultrasonic sensor that activates as soon as you hear a cat meow. They do not respond to other animals' voices.

How to put a collar on a cat

wikiHow operates on a wiki basis, which means that many of our articles are written by multiple authors. Volunteer authors worked on editing and improving this article while creating it.

Cats can be a little irritable when trying to put a collar on them, especially if they are not used to wearing one (which is often the case if you are dealing with an adult cat). Putting a collar on an adult cat is a little more difficult than on a kitten, because kittens adapt more easily.

Before you try to put the collar on, think about whether or not you should trim the cat's claws. It may seem an odd idea, but you don't want to be horribly scratched (trim the claws the day before, so your cat won't have as much to deal with in one day).

Consider buying a collar with a bell or, if your cat usually walks outside, a magnetic collar. A bell allows birds and other small animals to escape before the cat attacks them, but if she has never worn a collar, it is best if you take the bell off for a day or two to get your cat used to it. There are times when a cat will rip and lose more than one collar in a few hours, but if you try to put it on without the bell, the cat will literally not notice that he has the collar on. The best collars have elastic elements that allow the collar to stretch or "unstrap" itself around the cat's neck, which will help your pet get free of the collar if he or she gets caught in a tree branch or something else (in these cases, the collar will prevent the cat from getting hurt or dying from suffocation while hanging from a branch).