Three reasons why you shouldn't put a collar on your pet, according to cat expert
Many pet owners put collars on their four-legged friends to help with identifying them if they get lost - and lots of cat owners follow this same rule, even if you are less likely to see a cat with a collar on than a pup.
Some cat owners also choose to put a collar on their pet so prey species can be warned of their presence if outside. But is the popular practice still necessary? One feline behavioural expert thinks not.
Amanda Campion, who has 30 years of experience working with felines, has shared on TikTok her reasons why she avoids putting a collar on a cat.
READ MORE: Storm Herminia 'danger to life' warning issued just days after Éowyn wreaks havoc in Scotland
READ MORE: Pensioners with these 10 health conditions could get up to £434 each month
She starts the video by saying: "I've got three reasons why collaring your cat may not be a good idea. It may be controversial and you may collar your cat already, but have you thought about why?"
The Express reports that Amanda's first reason for avoiding putting a collar on her cat is that she believes it is "outdated" and no longer required. She explained: "There's no need to collar your cat - you should be microchipping them instead because that is the law."
Microchipping your cat is not currently a law in Scotland, but the Scottish Government has advised it as the best practice. It is a legal requirement in England to microchip your cat if they are over 20 weeks old. However, free cats do not need to be microchipped.
Amanda added that generally if cats are lost, someone will take them to the nearest vet or rescue centre, who will then identify its owner by scanning the chip. She added: "Let's face it, cats can lose collars anyway and then there would be no way of identifying who they belong to [without a chip]."
Another reason to avoid collaring cats is that they can pose health risks to your feline friend. She explained: "I know of cats that have been strangled and been caught on branches and trees by a collar that has been poorly-fitted or hasn't had a safety release."
The final reason is that the bells on cat collars can actually cause them further harm. Amanda said: "It's aversive to a cat's sensitive hearing. You might say, 'But what about the wildlife?' and I understand the cause of predation and the reason you may be concerned about prey species."
She goes on to suggest that if your cat likes to venture off outdoors, then a "Elizabethan ruffle collar" is a suitable alternative as they are "really high coloured", so will help alert the prey to the cat's presence.
Some cat owners in the comments of the post agreed with the warnings. One said: "My cat's an indoor but would never collar, he’s microchipped, I dread to imagine what could happen if he got caught on something."
Another person warned: "I put a collar on my four month old, he got it trapped in his mouth despite it being tight enough. I found him lying still, eyes wide open and he'd soiled himself. Thankfully he came round, never again."
However, another said that they used to use collars until a terrifying accident. They said: "I put a collar on my four month old, he got it trapped in his mouth despite it being tight enough. I found him lying still, eyes wide open and he'd soiled himself. Thankfully he came round, never again."
A fourth person shared a negative experience with a belled collar, replying: "One of mine came limping down the garden path, he'd got his claw stuck in the bell. I don't collar anymore, I've now got a real snugglepuss and she's far more nice to snuggle up to collar-free."
Putting a collar on your pet might not be the best way to protect them, according to vet charity PDSA. Collars are not a legal requirement and the wrong kind of collar can cause more harm than good, as they can rub against the skin and lead to them getting stuck.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter.