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Cat Collars: Your FAQ Answered

November 15, 2017

When we designed the Birdsbesafe® collar cover, we wanted you to be able to use any cat collar that you liked. We still think this is a good idea: your cat may do well with a style of collar that wouldn't work as well for a different cat. Some cats are smaller, larger, stronger, more active, or (sigh) Houdini like in their ability to lose cat collars.

Here are some pointers to help you pick a collar that will bring you success!

Always choose a breakaway buckle on your cat's collar. The collar needs to release under pressure automatically so if your cat encounters an obstacle or gets it hooked on something, then both cover and collar will come off.
Breakaway buckles are well researched and well designed by the best pet product companies so that they release with the right amount of pressure for most cats. Conversely, there are some poor quality buckles out there. To find a good one, ask around about brands; ask your local independent pet store staff; read reviews; and keep reading here.
Alas, your cat may be stronger or more able to get the collar to pop off even in non-emergency scenarios. We find that the "Houdini" cat that almost always manages to lose his/her collar is often able to keep on a breakaway-buckled STRETCH collar. These are hard to find in stores, but we sell some! Many of our customers swear by them, after struggling with other styles.
Some cat owners give credence to getting their cats to associate their Birdsbesafe cover with treats, outdoor time, or praise. A little positive feedback and conditioning can go a long way. Take a positive approach. (If you have ever had small children, you may know how well this works!)
We know one cat owner who used a hair band to loosely join the two buckle halves so that if a collar released in the wilds, then it would fall loose around the cat's neck but not come all the way off. This is up to you to determine the safety of the technique!
We have had good luck with the following brands: Goli (such as we sell) repurposed fabric collars; stretch and cotton fabric breakaway collars with the Kitty Clip buckle (we sell these too). Also: RC Pets, Lupine Pets (particularly for larger cats or those that don't mind wearing collars), Coastal Pet Products newer black buckle design that says Coastal on the buckle, and PetSafe cat collars.
Whatever you do, don't overtighten the collar around kitty's neck. They hate that!
What do you know that we would like to know? If you have a brand, strategy or design that works for you, let us know!

Also in News

Australia and New Zealand: We're Shipping to You Again!

September 01, 2020

We have missed you, and you have missed us. Hello to our friends and customers in Australia and New Zealand!

The Covid-19 pandemic conditions caused a pause in our ability to ship globally. We are sorry for the problems, but we are now resuming shipping to you, in time for springtime Down Under.

Welcome back!

Birdsbesafe News and Shipping Updates: August 5

August 05, 2020

As we continue to journey through this pandemic year, we send well wishes to all our cat-owning and bird-protecting friends, here and abroad. Here's the latest information from Birdsbesafe headquarters in Vermont.

Earlier in the pandemic, our US First Class Packages were slowed by traveling by ship rather than airplane, but this situation seems to have been resolved. (Thank you to our patient customers who waited on deliveries!) See country details in full blog post, please.

July 12 Update: More Colors In Stock Soon

July 12, 2020

More inventory will arrive for our website listings on July 21. We apologize for the occasionally low inventory levels this season, but the pandemic has slowed the supply chain.

The good news is that we always have Birdsbesafe collar covers available for you! Thank you for your patience if you are waiting on a specific color or pattern.