# How to get kittens used to a collar?



## Smiler

I have two male bsh kittens, they'll be neutered in a couple of months and will then start to go outside. They're microchipped but I want them to wear collars with our phone number on and to say that they're chipped.

We've bought them little kitten collars, but the performance when we put the collars on the kittens is ridiculous. To start with I thought it was the bells, so I removed the bells and tried again a week or so later. They ignored them for a while but then one seemed to flip out and desperately try to remove it, and I took it off again.

So my question is, whats the best approach? Put the collar on for a few mins at a time and gradually build it up, or just put it on and let them deal with it?


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## Themis

My 2 did this as well. I was worried that they would hurt themselves so I took them off again. In the end though I just put them on and let them get on with it. They forgot about them after about an hour and went to sleep.


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## Simba9952

Themis said:


> My 2 did this as well. I was worried that they would hurt themselves so I took them off again. In the end though I just put them on and let them get on with it. They forgot about them after about an hour and went to sleep.


Totally agree, put the collars on and let them get used to it. If you make an issue of it so will they


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## buzzmaster

i think majority of kittens when you first put collar on go ballistic i know mine did in fact he was jumping around all over  he was in no danger of hurting himself i ignored him and within about an hour he did not bother after that and at least with the bell on i know where he is and also no fear of him attacking little birds


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## Cazza1974

When we first got Dorrie she was ok when I put a collar on her. Then she sussed out how to get them off( they were the ones with the safety clasp on them). She thought she was so smart and clever and was like hah ha you don't know where I am.
So I went and got her a collar with safety elastic and a buckle fastening and she was gutted when she couldn't get it off. She tried for about 10 mins and then went off and found something else to do. She has never tried to get it off again.
I never made a fuss when she lost her collars and just the same when I introduced the new one.
So I agree with the other posts. Just do not make a fuss and they will be fine.


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## Smiler

Thanks everyone. I tried again the other day, one kitten almost ignored it and the other one went mad. He got his foot stuck in the collar, and my other half got all flustered and took the collar off him. I personally would have just unstuck his foot and carried on with him wearing it. OH then had a big flap about not doing it again and that if Eddie didn't like it then he didn't have to wear it. I just didn't say anything

OH is going away for a week at the end of May, by the time he comes back the kitties will be wearing their collars.  Shhh, don't tell him. 

They're going to start going outside when they're neutered, and I want their collars to show they are microchipped.


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## 1971

Do you take them out on a harness? 
this will help and also get the use to your garden. 
After they got use to harness add the collar bit by bit.
Good luck


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## Guest

Try putting the collar on before breakfast or dinner as this will help to distract him as he'll be to busy eating and he will hopefully forget about his collar.


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## sarahdisco

Smiler, 

I has the same problem with my little menace - she's make such a fuss over her collar. 

Everytime she took it off I'd put it straight on withouth saying anything to her, stony silence. After a few days or so she got better and then we had her spayed. Im hoping once this cone comes off she'll be so used to the cone that a measly little collar will be no problem. 

Greyhare has a point though - keep them busy and they dont notice the collar.


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## Kaitlyn

Harley went stupid when he first had his collar on.. got his jaw under it, claws at it and everything.. sounds bad but i just left him to it and kept an eye on him. He's been wearing it for nearly 2 weeks now i think and he doesn't bother about it now. 

Only time hes tried biting it is when i've had to take it off to give him a quick wash or make it a little bigger.. he's growing like the clappers  

Tiggr was the same and she was already 4 when i first got her collar. After half an hour or so they give up trying to get rid of it.


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## billyboysmammy

agree with the others, its a case of letting them get on with it. I only use a collar on one of my cats (all indoor cats btw) - rose my psycho nervous girl. The bell helps me locate her in the house so she doesnt get shut in a room.

However....

I found the advice about getting a collar that they CANT get off to be dangerous. The whole idea of safety collars is that the cat CAN wriggle out (or the collar snaps) if it gets caught on anything. I have seen cats strangled to death after getting their collars caught, its not a pretty sight and its totally avoidable.

if useing a breakaway collar. The collar needs to be a close fit, not loose enough for the cat to get a leg/foot/jaw through. If it gets caught on anything it should come open and free the cat with minimal force, it pays to shop around for the most easily openable collar (some require more weight than others and so arent suited for lighter build cats. I do not like cat collars which have just elastic or proper buckles... these collars are dangerous.

One more top tip... give the kittens their dinner a little late, then give them something SUPER tasty (warm up some tuna in the microwave to make it like cat heroin)... then put the collars on. Hopefully the temptation of the lovely food with distract them quickly enough that they soon forget about the collar. Its not always foolproof but worth a try.


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