Careful monitoring of animals that wear expansion collars is also recommended. Telonics recommends that researchers considering use of this type of collar consult with individuals who have experience with the design and species of interest. Such concerns should be addressed by the study team prior to deciding on use of expandable and/or breakaway collars. Such collars may also allow an animal to slip a leg through the collar and become entangled, or the collar might become snagged on something in the environment more easily than a static collar. In contrast, collars used on males that undergo "rut" should be able to expand then return to their original size, which can be more difficult.Ĭollars designed to stretch or expand may be more likely than static collars to be slipped off an animal’s neck. In the case of juvenile animals the neck circumference increases and then remains constant, so the elastic or other expansion material need only expand once. Collars designed for one species or used successfully in one environment may or may not work well on other species or in different areas. Many designs have been used successfully however, each design also has limitations. Our friends at Martha Stewart Living reviewed breakaway collars for cats, and you can see their top picks here.There are numerous designs for expansion and/or breakaway collars for use on wildlife, some published in biological literature and others not. If your cat is going to wear a flea collar in addition to an ID collar, make sure it is a breakaway collar as well. Purchase a collar where your phone number can be added with either a tag, engraved on a plaque riveted to the collar or stitched into the webbing. After you put the collar on, make sure your cat’s skin is not sensitive to the material in the collar by checking for a skin rash under the collar after they’ve worn it for a few days. Purchase a collar that fits your cat’s neck with room for two fingers to fit between the collar and your cat’s neck. What should people look for when shopping for breakaway collars?.If you walk your cat on a leash, then a breakaway collar might not be the best idea for these same reasons. If your dog tried to run away while a breakaway collar was clipped to the leash, the breakaway collar would not restrain your dog, risking a vehicular accident, a lost dog or a dog fight. Research shows that a collar with ID, in combination with a microchip, offers the best chances of being reunited with your cat in the event they go missing.īreakaway collars would not work on a dog, because we typically use dog collars to control a dog’s movement. A breakaway collar is also better than no collar, because a collar PLUS a nametag with the owner’s phone number helps with ready identification of a lost cat. Are breakaway collars better than regular collars? What about no collar?įor outdoor cats, a breakaway collar is better than a regular collar for the reasons I outlined above.Breakaway collars pop off with only a little bit of pressure on them and release the tethered cat. If this happens without their family around, it can be fatal. Cats may also try to escape their collar and catch their leg or their lower jaw in the collar, making it hard for them to move.
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