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Collarless Cats

miss anniemiss annie
edited June 2011 in Local discussion
I have noticed quite a lot of 'missing cat' posters around the place recently. This happens every summer when cats get bored and wander off for a bit but I am curious as to why so many of them state the cat has no collar. Surely a collar with a tag giving contact details is a must, no?
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  • SiolaeSiolae
    edited 4:36AM
    If you acquire a cat as an adult and it is not used to being collared it is almost impossible to get them to wear it. Also collars are not terribly safe for cats as they are climbers and can get their collars caught and strangle themselves. Most vets and animal charities advise against them.
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  • tosscattosscat
    edited 4:36AM
    Nyan cat?
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  • barebackreaderbarebackreader
    edited 4:36AM
    Collars are dangerous (they can cause asphyxiation, torn ligaments and all sorts if they get caught on something). It's better for the cat, if more hassle for the owners, to have to make the odd batch of missing posters.
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  • djmattyoungdjmattyoung
    edited 4:36AM
    my cat doesn't have a collar for the reasons above. He is micro chipped and if he gets lost that's his own silly fault but I do hope that never happens.
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  • londonianlondonian
    edited 4:36AM
    Our white cat didn't come home for dinner last night, we live on Wray Crescent. The cat is small, 10 months old, white, had no collar for reasons above and is tagged. If anyone finds a rather mouthy and affectionate white cat around Wray Crescent please let me know.
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  • djmattyoungdjmattyoung
    edited June 2011
    @Timmymc
    I live on Wray Crescent too I think I've seen your cat around. There's another white one that is scruffier but yours is smaller.
    If yours is the one i'm thinking of I saw it having a ruck with a completely black cat about a week ago, your cat legged it as its only small.
    I'll keep an eye out.
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  • londonianlondonian
    edited 4:36AM
    Exactly that, white, not the big scruffier one.
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  • londonianlondonian
    edited 4:36AM
    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645451@N07/5859542527/" title="photo by timmymc, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2799/5859542527_b39c2b5abd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="photo"></a>
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  • nick_mnick_m
    edited 4:36AM
    If your cat doesn't wear a collar, how can you have them wear a bell to alert our ever-diminishing population of wild birds of their presence, before they slaughter them?
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  • djmattyoungdjmattyoung
    edited 4:36AM
    @nick_m
    I know many a cat owner who have put collars with bells on their cats yet they still get brought home presents.
    Cats can be very stealthy.
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  • SiolaeSiolae
    edited 4:36AM
    Bells are cruel. Cats conical shaped ears magnify sound so the constantly ringing bell is just noise torture.
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  • nick_mnick_m
    edited 4:36AM
    OK, if bells are cruel, then how else can you stop domestic cats from bringing home, as you call them, 'presents' (a nice euphemism for dead birdlife)?
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  • ArkadyArkady
    edited 4:36AM
    In Jonathan Franzen’s wonderful ‘Freedom’ one of the main protagonists is an enormous bird lover. He claims that bells just teach cats to be more stealthy, and recommends a kind of bib instead. Must raise a smile at those who get upset at the discomfort that a bell causes their domesticated murderer, but show no interest in the slain birds who actually belong to the ecosystem.
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  • SiolaeSiolae
    edited 4:36AM
    Pretty sure that urbanisation and modern farming has done a lot more damage to bird life than the domestic cat population.
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  • nick_mnick_m
    edited 4:36AM
    You don't get much farming in SG, but you do get good, varied birdlife, supported by the green corridor of the Parkland Walk and various parks. It's one of the real attractions of the area. To allow large populations of domestic cats to roam free killing wild birds for pleasure, without any attempt by their owners to prevent it from happening, is just irresponsible.
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  • tableturntableturn
    edited 4:36AM
    We've bought several collars for our cat, but they are the quick-release safety type that open as soon as our moggie gets caught on something.

    Nevertheless, after spending £30+ on collars, including name tags, we just haven't bothered since ours lost his last one. He's chipped, so that should suffice.

    As for bells - they apparently make cats even stealthier hunters.

    In terms of bird life - well, it's unfortunate, but honestly, how many birds are slain by cats over the course of a year? My cat is nearly 2 and has only caught one bird. The rest of the time he's catching flies or licking his bollocks.
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  • londonianlondonian
    edited 4:36AM
    So, collar or no collar, has anyone seen my cat? I haven't since Tuesday AM. I think someone is feeding her as before she went missing she was eating less but going to the toilet far more than she should have. Who has her?
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  • sincerssincers
    edited 4:36AM
    She'll be up the Parkland Walk gorging herself on sparrows and the like. Why go back to Whiskers "Rabbit" variety... 8 out of 10 cats my arse!
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  • Four EyesFour Eyes
    edited June 2011
    Most cats hate being collared and the only safe variety are the quick release ones as @tableturn mentions above. Unfortunately my cat can quick release herself out of it with her paw or turn herself inside out and wriggle out of it.

    @nick_m "large populations of domestic cats roaming free killing wild birds for pleasure" is a bit of an over-exaggeration, surely? My cat is mostly an indoors cat and all she ever catches is the odd fly or moth. Your average moggie might be lucky enough to get a mouse once in a blue moon but the majority of kitties just can't be bothered as their bellies are usually full of Whiskers...

    @Timmymc hope your cat turns up soon.
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  • nick_mnick_m
    edited 4:36AM
    Over-exaggerating? 27 million birds killed by cats in the Britain: <http://www.mammal.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=256&Itemid=289>;
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    edited 4:36AM
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
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  • ArkadyArkady
    edited June 2011
    Cats kill 55 million birds a year: <http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/gardening/unwantedvisitors/cats/birddeclines.aspx>; Though it does say most of them would have died anyway. Arky
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  • MarquisMarquis
    edited 4:36AM
    Not to mention all the animals eaten by humans!
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    edited 4:36AM
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
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  • sincerssincers
    edited 4:36AM
    even: <http://www.nspca.co.za/page.aspx?Id=99&CateId=20&Category=Wildlife&SubCateId=99&SubCategory=Cats & Birds&gt;
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  • Four EyesFour Eyes
    edited 4:36AM
    The same RSPB website also says in the next paragraph:

    "Despite the large numbers of birds killed, there is no scientific evidence that predation by cats in gardens is having any impact on bird populations UK-wide. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally every year, mainly through starvation, disease, or other forms of predation. There is evidence that cats tend to take weak or sickly birds"
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  • EmmaEmma
    edited 4:36AM
    Hold on, is it 27million or 55million? That's a huge discrepancy.
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  • nick_mnick_m
    edited 4:36AM
    As always in matter such as this, the science is never 100% certain either way. But I still believe it's a huge abnegation of responsibility for cat owners not to do anything about their cats killing wild birds. Surely most cat owners also have a soft spot for the wild birds that flit in and out of their gardens and would like to do their best to protect them?
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  • EmmaEmma
    edited 4:36AM
    What should they do?
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  • sincerssincers
    edited 4:36AM
    60% of the time, statistics are accurate every time.
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