Cat collars have been a topic of debate for a long time. Some people think collars are uncomfortable and wonder about taking a cat collar off at night.
However, many insist that cats should wear collars non-stop since you never know when your pet will escape.
A collar is more than just a cute accessory for your furry friend. It ensures your cat can always be identified if it gets lost and lets you sleep peacefully.
If your cat has any way to get out of the house at night, definitely keep the collar on. But if you properly lock the entrance and windows, a collar might not be necessary.
Collars are generally not harmful to cats and can be worn day and night. However, the collar should be comfortable and fit correctly, or it may have consequences for your pet’s health.
A Cat Can Escape at Night
Cats enjoy walking outdoors from time to time, and some spend most of their day exploiting wild terrains. They have a natural tendency to do so, and many owners happily encourage their pets to express their instincts.
One of the primary cat collar purposes is identification. When a stranger sees a cat with an ID tag, they can instantly understand it isn’t a stray. And if the cat gets injured, they can contact the owner immediately.
If you have a cat door or leave the window open for the night, leave your cat’s collar on. Accidents can happen at any time of the day.
Consider a reflective nylon collar if your cat walks outdoors at night or you’re worried about it being struck by a cat. The collar ensures your cat is visible in the dark, making it less likely to get hit.
Plus, a bright cat collar reduces wildlife hunting because birds and rodents notice the cat from a distance and have time to escape. This prevents diseases associated with eating prey and maintains the bird population.
However, your cat doesn’t need to wear a collar at night if it has no way of escaping. If you properly close all windows, lock the entrance door, and don’t have a cat flap, your cat won’t be able to get out at night.
Cats Might Fight at Night
Collars with bells prevent aggression among cats. If you have several cats and one bullies others, the bell alerts them of the bully approaching and gives them a chance to avoid confrontation.
You can supervise your cats during the day, but you cannot stay awake all night to stop fights. Furthermore, cats more often fight at night because they are more active at dusk and dawn and spend their day sleeping.
Ensure The Fit Is Comfortable
If you decide that your cat needs to wear a collar at night, ensure that the fit is comfortable. Prolonged wear of an overly tight collar can lead to hair loss on the neck and hinder blood supply into the brain.
Plus, a too-tight collar makes a cat’s muscles stiff, causing chronic pain in the long term. Some cats have permanent wounds from wearing tight collars non-stop. For this reason, PETA strongly advises against wearing collars in general.
Fortunately, housecats with caring owners are unlikely to experience such consequences. Still, even a slightly tight collar is simply uncomfortable and causes distress to your cat.
However, the collar shouldn’t be too loose either. Otherwise, your cat might get its paw or chin caught in the strap. You should be able to fit two or three fingers between the collar and your cat’s neck.
It’s important to remember that collars don’t grow with your pet, and kittens grow fast!
If you don’t check and loosen the collar often, your pet can suffer excruciating pain. Even if your cat is an adult, check the fit occasionally because it can gain weight.
The best cat collars are from soft yet durable materials that don’t rub against the neck. You may also consider cat collar alternatives.
For example, if your primary concern is wildlife hunting, consider bird bibs that are much softer and more lightweight than traditional collars.
Some studies show bells are bad for cat hearing, but we need more research on this matter.
Ensure that the collar doesn’t have sharp elements that stick out and can harm your cat’s sensitive skin. The bell or ID tag on the collar should be lightweight and attached securely because they are a choking hazard.
Consider Microchipping
Most modern cat collars have a breakaway mechanism that works when the strap gets caught on something. A breakaway mechanism can save a cat’s life, but here’s the catch – when it works, the cat runs away without the collar.
As a result, the cat loses any means of identification. If your cat escapes at night and loses its collar, people will have no way of knowing who’s the owner and how to contact you.
Microchipping resolves this problem. Whether microchipping is a substitute for collars or an additional safety measure is a topic for debate.
Microchips are tiny capsules that are implanted harmlessly under the cat’s skin between the shoulder blades. Each chip contains a unique ID number that vets or shelter workers can read with scanners to access the owner’s information.
On the one hand, ID tags can be annoying for cats. They also tend to be heavy, so many owners are hesitant to make their pets wear collars.
On the other hand, one must drive the cat to the nearest veterinary clinic or shelter to scan the chip and find out who’s the owner. Plus, people might think a cat without a collar is stray and adopt it.
Microchips don’t have GPS, so they can’t track your pet. However, if your pet is stolen, microchips serve as legal proof that you own it.
Even if your cat finds a way to escape at night, but it has a microchip, you will likely find it. Still, it’s best to use both identification means for extra safety.
Consider Making Your Home Safer
Cats are curious creatures. While you are asleep, your cat is likely wandering the house since it’s more active at dusk and dawn than during the day.
Most owners don’t let their cats walk outdoors at night because of coyotes, wolves, and drunk or sleepy drivers who might not notice the cat and hit it with a car.
But cats are pretty creative and can pass through gaps you’d never imagine they could. Ever heard the joke about cats being liquid? I strongly believe it’s true. The point is that your cat can escape even if you’re careful.
A cat flap with a timer prevents cats from escaping. Such cat flaps can be locked at night, preventing cats from going out at night when it’s unsafe but allowing them to roam during the day. Old-style flaps have no locking mechanism.
Keeping your cat busy and entertained will also keep it from looking for adventure elsewhere.
You can make this easier by providing mentally-stimulating toys and activities. You can find a lot of treat puzzles and interactive toys online.
Ensure that your cat has no hidden ways out. Look for any holes in your basement, garage, and attic. Some cats abuse “secret paths” for years without their owners knowing.
Do All Indoor Cats Need Collars?
“Do all cats need collars?” is a common question. Though you might think a collar and ID tag isn’t necessary for an indoor cat, experts recommend one for every feline. An ID tag is the fastest way to get a lost cat back home.
Of course, you can rely on posters hung around your neighborhood. But not everyone pays attention to posters, and some people might think your cat is stray if it doesn’t have a collar.
Many well-meaning people take in missing cats because they think it’s a stray. Cat collars let everyone know your cat has a loving home. That’s the primary point in favor of keeping the collar on at all times.
Plus, most indoor cats aren’t street smart like outdoor cats, so they might be scared when they first get out. A collar alerts people that your distressed cat doesn’t belong outside, so they will return it safely to its owner.
Collars can also prevent aggression in multi-cat households because a bell ringing alerts other felines that a bully is approaching.
Note that your cat might be hesitant to wear a collar at first. Cats are slow to accept new things, so experts suggest taking things slowly.
Offer rewards and praise your cat for sniffing and inspecting the collar until it gets used to the accessory. Then, you can attempt putting a collar on your cat.
It’s important not to rush things. While some cats adjust to the collar fairly well within a day or two, others take weeks or months before they are habituated to it.
It’s best to start cat collar training at a young age, about six months old, or whenever your kitten gains interest in outdoor life.
If your cat has no way of getting out and lives alone, it doesn’t need to wear a collar. However, consider microchipping to find it in the unlikely event your pet escapes when you open the door or window.