Am I just unlucky or could someone be stealing my cat's collar?!

[tigwig]

My cat has a magnetic cat flap meaning he has to wear a collar with a magnet on it to gain entry to our house. Over the years he has only lost about 2 until recently. Just before Christmas he lost his collar and we tried to go without one at all but noticed his food was been eaten by someone else lol. So I bought a new collar and the magnets that go on them all seperately and today thats gone too. He's only had it on for less than a week. I'm so cross and am now going to have to buy yet some more grrr. So do these safety collars snap too easily or could someone be stealing them or taking them off him for a joke? Can anyone recommend a decent collar that wont come off so easily?

[bednobs]

the other day someone posted on here baout a flap that works with the microchip in your cat - what a great idea! is he microchipped?

[tigwig]

Yes he is and I really wish we had paid a more to get this catflap before the magnetic one. Unfortunately now I cant really afford to spend so much on another. I'm sure the magnetic one was expensive in the first place and the microchip ones are a lot.

[albaqwerty]

One of our darlings went through a stage of losing one collar a week for what felt like months and months. I think he just found a new playmate to visit and the route was a bit precarious for his collar.

[wildwood]

Could be that he's found a way to remove it when grooming. Not an easy solution to that.

[lcg]

be wary and double check your door handle/lock cannot be accessed via cat flap x

[boxtops]

I've got an advert for the microchip cat flap on this thread! http://www.sureflap.c.../1-microchip-cat-flap

it's more costly that a normal flap and your cat has to be chipped (but I am sure yours is) - but collars and magnets are just vile for cats. Rover nearly hung himself twice on his collar - once on a tree and once on a window-catch- I'd never put a collar on my cats again.

[Andyvon]

We had a cat many years ago and she often came back without her collar. We thought someone was stealing them until a cat-loving neighbour we knew assured us that cats often remove their own collars. Many cats don't like being encumbered by a collar as it affects their ability to assess gaps to squeeze through. They also feel it's a hinderance when climbing or jumping. According to this neighbour, many cats are adept at removing collars by snagging them on something and then wriggling out of them. Most owners don't fit the collar tightly as they feel it might be uncomfortable. However, that gives the cat enough of a gap to squeeze out once it's snagged the collar on a branch or something.

Hope that helps Tigwig. Your cat's collar isn't being stolen by the local kids as we thought, he just doesn't like it and he gets rid of it when you aren't about.

[tigwig]

Yeah of course, I stupidly never thought about him getting it off himself! The little sod, obviously thinks I've nothing better to spend money on replacing bloody collars and magnets.
Maybe we might have to get one of those microchip cat flaps in the future. Better get saving!

[China Doll]

The collars are supposed to come off realy easily or else the cat shouldn't be wearing it as they can get caught and hurt or kill themselves. Eric has a quick release collar and the only reason he even has a collar is because it's reflective and there's a road near us, mostly my cats have never worn collars.

[catlover123]

Hi Tigwig,

That must be such a pain to keep losing your cat's collar, particularly as it is used to operate your cat flap. Have you considered a Sureflap microchip cat flap instead? It uses your cat's microchip to open so your cat wouldn't even need to wear a collar. Here's a link to their website: http://www.sureflap.co.uk

[catlover123]

That must be such a pain to keep losing your cat's collar, particularly as it is used to operate your cat flap. Have you considered a Sureflap microchip cat flap instead? It uses your cat's microchip to open so your cat wouldn't even need to wear a collar.

[EvianBaby]

That's teh exact reason I won't put a collar on my cat Boxtops. Don't want to come home one day to find him hanging by it on one of the trees around the garden.

[jackthehat]

You may also find you have a cat-owner nearby who is, also, of the opinion that cats shouldn't wear collars!

We had one near where I used to live.....she was always having people shouting at her for taking their cat's collars off.