Cat Collars - Science Supports Collars On Cats

Nationally, less than 5% of cats in shelters are returned home.

Hopefully, many cats are returned home before they reach a shelter. Microchips are also helpful. However, if you have ever found a cat, you know the delays in scanning the cat, many people will not scan a cat, and microchips are often not properly registered so the owner is not found.

The American Veterinary Medical Association reported a study in 2010 on the usefulness of cats on collars.

538 cats owned by clients were in the 6-month study
3 types of collars were used: plastic buckle, breakaway, and elastic stretch
391 of the 538 cats (72.7%) successfully wore the collars for the entire 6-month study
18 cats (3.3%) caught a forelimb in the collar or caught the collar in an object or their mouth
477 of 478 microchips remained working for the 6 months

The AVMA recommends all cats wear collars and be microchipped.

Iowa Pet Adoptions recommends Boomerang Collar Tags and we sell them for $7. Boomerang Collar Tags are stainless steel, wrap around the collar, silent, and come with a lifetime guarantee to remain on the collar and remain legible. Our adoption fee includes one free collar tag for each adopted pet.

Because many cat owners - unfortunately - allow their cats to roam outdoor, we suggest placing I AM LOST on the TOP LINE of any cat collar tag, to urge people to take your cat seriously as a missing family pet, and contact you. People who find pets often need to make a split second decision on whether to help that pet return home. Coaxing a lost cat to come to the cat finder can be a time consuming, dangerous adventure.

Important Excerpts From The Study

Are Cat Collars Dangerous?

An additional barrier to owners never having placed a collar on their cats was the perception that collars were dangerous. In our study, although uncommon, collars did pose some degree of danger in that 3.3% of cats got their collars caught on an object, in their mouths, or on their own forelimbs. These reasons were also reported with similar frequencies for cats that had worn a collar in the past, prior to the study. The median interval to a collar getting caught in a cat’s mouth was only 5 days, which suggested cats should be watched closely for the first few days after collar application to ensure they are tolerating the collar. For the 1 cat that got its collar caught in its mouth and was withdrawn from the study at 175 days after application, the collar actually became caught in the mouth on the first day of the study but the owner elected to continue. Given the serious nature of this event, if it occurs, owners need to consider trying a different collar type, refitting the collar, or not using a collar for their cat. All 3 cats that got their collar caught on an object had worn the elastic stretch safety collar. We found during the study that these collars stretch and become loose, making them easier to become caught. With any collar type, it is important to teach owners the importance of checking the collar periodically to ensure it does not need to be adjusted.

Breakaway Plastic Buckle Collars And Stretch Collars Do Not Work As Designed

For all circumstances in which a breakaway plastic buckle safety collar became caught on a forelimb, in the mouth, or on an object, the collar did not break away as the design was intended.
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All 3 cats that got their collar caught on an object had worn the elastic stretch safety collar. We found during the study that these collars stretch and become loose, making them easier to become caught.

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Cat Collars - Science Supports Collars On Cats

Important Excerpts From The Study

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