Fitting a collar

[Mat Overton]

I have just got a friendly cat, but she just won't have a collar fitted. How
do vets hold the cat down so they can't escape? I was at the vets getting
her spayed the other day and quick as a flash he had held her down and given
an injection.

There's loads of website about cat collars - leaving a finger's space
between the neck and collar etc, but strangley none about how to fit one to
a grumpy cat!

;)
Cheers,
Mat

[Luvskats00]

"Mat Overton" writes

>I have just got a friendly cat, but she just won't have a collar fitted. How
>do vets hold the cat down so they can't escape?

It's called "scruffing"....ask your vet (tech/assistant) to show you. It's
best to show (rather than post directions here)...also, as an alternative to
putting a collar/tag on an indoor cat: have the cat "chipped" (microchipped).
It involves an injection of a tiny microchip right under the skin. The
injection is done by a vet or vet tech - in the office.You send your cats
name/your name & address to the company producing/selling the chip and they
maintain a database. If the cat gets lost and is taken to a vet/shelter they
(are supposed to) scan the cat with a "scanner" and, if there's a chip, a bar
code number is displayed on the scanner. The vet/shelter calls up the company
involved and they call you (the guardian). One of my cats would never tolerate
a collar/harness...so, I didn't force the issue..i had him chipped.

[Luvskats00]

"Mat Overton" writes

>I have just got a friendly cat, but she just won't have a collar fitted. How
>do vets hold the cat down so they can't escape?

It's called "scruffing"....ask your vet (tech/assistant) to show you. It's
best to show (rather than post directions here)...also, as an alternative to
putting a collar/tag on an indoor cat: have the cat "chipped" (microchipped).
It involves an injection of a tiny microchip right under the skin. The
injection is done by a vet or vet tech - in the office.You send your cats
name/your name & address to the company producing/selling the chip and they
maintain a database. If the cat gets lost and is taken to a vet/shelter they
(are supposed to) scan the cat with a "scanner" and, if there's a chip, a bar
code number is displayed on the scanner. The vet/shelter calls up the company
involved and they call you (the guardian). One of my cats would never tolerate
a collar/harness...so, I didn't force the issue..i had him chipped.

[Mat Overton]

> It's called "scruffing"....ask your vet (tech/assistant) to show you.
It's
> best to show (rather than post directions here)...also, as an alternative
to
> putting a collar/tag on an indoor cat: have the cat "chipped"
(microchipped).
> It involves an injection of a tiny microchip right under the skin. The
> injection is done by a vet or vet tech - in the office.You send your cats
> name/your name & address to the company producing/selling the chip and
they
> maintain a database. If the cat gets lost and is taken to a vet/shelter
they
> (are supposed to) scan the cat with a "scanner" and, if there's a chip, a
bar
> code number is displayed on the scanner. The vet/shelter calls up the
company
> involved and they call you (the guardian). One of my cats would never
tolerate
> a collar/harness...so, I didn't force the issue..i had him chipped.

The cat is chipped, I was planning to use a collar for fleas / that would
reflect light as we're on the corner of a road without street lighting and
with a bell to warn the birds at my bird table.

[Mat Overton]

> It's called "scruffing"....ask your vet (tech/assistant) to show you.
It's
> best to show (rather than post directions here)...also, as an alternative
to
> putting a collar/tag on an indoor cat: have the cat "chipped"
(microchipped).
> It involves an injection of a tiny microchip right under the skin. The
> injection is done by a vet or vet tech - in the office.You send your cats
> name/your name & address to the company producing/selling the chip and
they
> maintain a database. If the cat gets lost and is taken to a vet/shelter
they
> (are supposed to) scan the cat with a "scanner" and, if there's a chip, a
bar
> code number is displayed on the scanner. The vet/shelter calls up the
company
> involved and they call you (the guardian). One of my cats would never
tolerate
> a collar/harness...so, I didn't force the issue..i had him chipped.

The cat is chipped, I was planning to use a collar for fleas / that would
reflect light as we're on the corner of a road without street lighting and
with a bell to warn the birds at my bird table.

[Luvskats00]

"Mat Overton"
writes

>The cat is chipped, I was planning to use a collar for fleas / that would
>reflect light as we're on the corner of a road without street lighting and
>with a bell to warn the birds at my bird table.

You said the cat is kept indoors, right? The situation above is playing with
the odds and hoping no cars collide with cat. Please keep cat indoors.

[Luvskats00]

"Mat Overton"
writes

>The cat is chipped, I was planning to use a collar for fleas / that would
>reflect light as we're on the corner of a road without street lighting and
>with a bell to warn the birds at my bird table.

You said the cat is kept indoors, right? The situation above is playing with
the odds and hoping no cars collide with cat. Please keep cat indoors.

[Mat Overton]

> > The cat is chipped, I was planning to use a collar for fleas / that
would
> > reflect light as we're on the corner of a road without street lighting
and
> > with a bell to warn the birds at my bird table.
> >
>
> IME, the UKers let their cats out a lot more than us US folks, so you
> may have more responses in a group with more active UK members, like
> alt.cats.
>
Ahh that's a good point. In the UK, it's rare to find a cat that purely
stays indoors. Yes occasionally cats do get run over, but it is not a major
issue over here. Besides I feel it would be cruel to keep a 3 year old cat
inside that previously had the ability to roam outdoors. And as a nutered
female she is unlikely to wander very far.
Having just got her, we were advised to keep her indoors for the first month
until she settled, and then let her out when she was comfortable with the
house. It was recommended to let her out shortly before food so she would
come back! I'm glad to say she did and now is quite happy to go out. But
having just installed a cat flap, I now need to find a way to get her to use
it!

[Mat Overton]

> > The cat is chipped, I was planning to use a collar for fleas / that
would
> > reflect light as we're on the corner of a road without street lighting
and
> > with a bell to warn the birds at my bird table.
> >
>
> IME, the UKers let their cats out a lot more than us US folks, so you
> may have more responses in a group with more active UK members, like
> alt.cats.
>
Ahh that's a good point. In the UK, it's rare to find a cat that purely
stays indoors. Yes occasionally cats do get run over, but it is not a major
issue over here. Besides I feel it would be cruel to keep a 3 year old cat
inside that previously had the ability to roam outdoors. And as a nutered
female she is unlikely to wander very far.
Having just got her, we were advised to keep her indoors for the first month
until she settled, and then let her out when she was comfortable with the
house. It was recommended to let her out shortly before food so she would
come back! I'm glad to say she did and now is quite happy to go out. But
having just installed a cat flap, I now need to find a way to get her to use
it!

[kaeli]

In article >,
enlightened us with...
> >
> Ahh that's a good point. In the UK, it's rare to find a cat that purely
> stays indoors. Yes occasionally cats do get run over, but it is not a major
> issue over here. Besides I feel it would be cruel to keep a 3 year old cat
> inside that previously had the ability to roam outdoors. And as a nutered
> female she is unlikely to wander very far.

We have a lot of dangers in urban and suburban areas, like cars, dogs,
poisonous chemicals, and nasty people who enjoy hurting kitties. Even in
rural areas, we have plenty of things that like to *eat* kitties.
It isn't safe to let them out of your own yard here no matter where you
live. The barn that I go to recently lost two cats over the last year to
coyotes.
I do think cats are happiest when they have a yard to play in, though,
and my one cat loves to walk on a leash. I'm trying to get the other two
to want to go out in the grassy area of my condo complex with me.
They'll sit on the balcony, but get scared downstairs (cars, dogs,
strange people, etc).

Actually, in most urban and suburban areas in my state (and many others)
it is illegal to allow your pet (cat, dog, ferret, or whatever) off your
property unattended and leash laws apply to cats as well as dogs.

> Having just got her, we were advised to keep her indoors for the first month
> until she settled, and then let her out when she was comfortable with the
> house. It was recommended to let her out shortly before food so she would
> come back! I'm glad to say she did and now is quite happy to go out. But
> having just installed a cat flap, I now need to find a way to get her to use
> it!

Try propping it up a bit, so it's open enough that just a little push
lets her out. She should be able to see that it leads outside to make
her want to go through. If she's not comfortable with it touching her
yet, prop it all the way up and gradually lower it. This is how agility
dogs are taught to do the tunnel.
Be a good neighbor, though - even in the UK, many people don't like
strange cats doing their business in their yards. Try to keep her in
your garden if you have neighbors who dislike cats.

--
--
~kaeli~
Contrary to popular opinion, the plural of 'anecdote' is
not 'fact'.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

[kaeli]

In article >,
enlightened us with...
> >
> Ahh that's a good point. In the UK, it's rare to find a cat that purely
> stays indoors. Yes occasionally cats do get run over, but it is not a major
> issue over here. Besides I feel it would be cruel to keep a 3 year old cat
> inside that previously had the ability to roam outdoors. And as a nutered
> female she is unlikely to wander very far.

We have a lot of dangers in urban and suburban areas, like cars, dogs,
poisonous chemicals, and nasty people who enjoy hurting kitties. Even in
rural areas, we have plenty of things that like to *eat* kitties.
It isn't safe to let them out of your own yard here no matter where you
live. The barn that I go to recently lost two cats over the last year to
coyotes.
I do think cats are happiest when they have a yard to play in, though,
and my one cat loves to walk on a leash. I'm trying to get the other two
to want to go out in the grassy area of my condo complex with me.
They'll sit on the balcony, but get scared downstairs (cars, dogs,
strange people, etc).

Actually, in most urban and suburban areas in my state (and many others)
it is illegal to allow your pet (cat, dog, ferret, or whatever) off your
property unattended and leash laws apply to cats as well as dogs.

> Having just got her, we were advised to keep her indoors for the first month
> until she settled, and then let her out when she was comfortable with the
> house. It was recommended to let her out shortly before food so she would
> come back! I'm glad to say she did and now is quite happy to go out. But
> having just installed a cat flap, I now need to find a way to get her to use
> it!

Try propping it up a bit, so it's open enough that just a little push
lets her out. She should be able to see that it leads outside to make
her want to go through. If she's not comfortable with it touching her
yet, prop it all the way up and gradually lower it. This is how agility
dogs are taught to do the tunnel.
Be a good neighbor, though - even in the UK, many people don't like
strange cats doing their business in their yards. Try to keep her in
your garden if you have neighbors who dislike cats.

--
--
~kaeli~
Contrary to popular opinion, the plural of 'anecdote' is
not 'fact'.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace