Your
cat should always have a collar on if it is an indoor/outdoor
cat, and if your strictly indoor cat may be able to escape
out of your house you may consider keeping one on him all
the time.
Collars
are available in an assortment of colors and patterns in
pet stores and online. You should look for a collar
with a break-away feature, which allows the cat to escape
if it gets caught on something so that they do not choke
themselves. Some also have bells attached to them
(or you can attach them yourself easily), which can be
handy in a large house, during the dark hours of night,
and outside. Another feature you may look for if
you have an indoor/outdoor cat is a reflector that attaches
to your cat's collar and works like a reflector on a bike
when he is around streets.
Because
collars come in a variety of sizes, you should measure
your cat's neck or take him along with you to the pet store
when shopping for a collar. Remember that if you
want to buy him a collar as a kitten, you will end up buying
another one when he reaches full size. When the collar
is on your cat's neck, you should be able to fit your finger
between his neck and the collar comfortably, ensuring that
he has enough room and will not choke.
Leashes
should never be attached to collars; rather,
you should get a harness for
your cat.
Personalized
Adjustable Cat Collar 8"-12"
Price: $9.99 at
Petsmart
These collars allow you to have your cat's
name and phone number (or any other information you want)
embroidered directly onto it so you can eliminate the
need for a license. They have a safely buckle in
case your cat gets caught on something, and a bell so
that you can hear them all the time.
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Whisker
City Reflective Adjustable Cat Collars
Price: $6.99 at Petsmart
These
are an example of basic collars that you can find
at any pet store. They are made of comfortable
nylon, feature a safety buckle, sometimes come
with a bell, and are available in an assortment
of sizes and colors. These particular collars
have little patterns on them - different pet stores
and sites online feature full colored and patterned
varieties.
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Licenses
are available at most pet stores and online, are cheap
($5.00-$10.00), and can be customized to say whatever you
like. You should include your cat's name, address,
and phone number in case your cat gets outside (if it is
an indoor cat) or injured. The words "I'm lost" can
also be added to an indoor cat's tag to ensure that a stranger
will know he doesn't belong outside. I personally
prefer the licenses from the machine at Petsmart - I have
found these to be the nicest looking and the highest quality. I've
had one for my oldest cat for 2 years and it has very little
wear on it.
Licenses
like these can be obtained at your local pet store.
Petsmart, and other pet stores, has a machine that
lets you personalize your license up to 3 lines (2
for smaller tags) in minutes for $5.00-$10.00.
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Fancy
Cat Bells by Top Paw
Price: $1.19
at Petsmart
Bells like these can be obtained from your pet store
(or you can make one yourself using bells, paint, and
jewlery attachments from a craft store) to give your
cat some personality.
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Because
collars and license can easily fall off if your cat gets loose
outside, you should consider microchipping your
pet.
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