Thursday, December 28, 2006

On the Subject of Collars

MISTY

My friend Maggie Fu has asked me to talk about a very important subject.

COLLARS: Should You Wear One (and if you do 'specially on tips about how to get them off and the best places to hide them.)

Since I'm 8 1/2 months old now, I think the time is right for me to give my first lesson and let other kittens have the benefit of my experience with collars. OK, so I've only worn one for 6 1/2 months, but still that's long enough for me to give some advice, 'specially to younger kittens.

So all kittens under one year old, pay close attention, OK! These are the reasons why Mom's want us to wear collars, but really it's your decision if you wear one or not!

1. They think we'll look cuter than we already are. Is that possible? I don't think so!
2. Some collars have jingly bells on them. That way your Mom can always know where you are. I don't think it's always a good idea for Mom to know what I'm doing!
3. They want us to wear an ID tag on the collar. Speaking from personal experience, I know my Mom is paranoid about us getting outside and maybe being hurt or lost. So I think an ID tag is a good idea, 'specially if you're an escape artist!
4. Collars come in fancy designs and colors. Be sure your Mom picks a color that goes well with your fur. My color is PINK but talk it over with your Mom and tell her what you want to wear! If you want to look really fancy, you girls might want to get a collar with jewels...I think I'd like diamonds the best, but you can get other jewels too. You boys might want a nice bow tie, or you could get diamonds too.
5. Some kitties that live in warm climates like to go for walks outside. Your leash can clip onto your collar and you'll be able to walk near your Mom. But if you like walking, it's really better to wear a harness instead of a collar. It's safer and your neck won't get pulled on.

Now I want to talk about getting out of your collar. It's important to have what's called a safety or "break away" collar, not the kind with a regular buckle. With a safety collar, if you get caught on something, your collar comes apart easily and your neck doesn't get hurt.

1. The easiest way to get out of your collar is when it pops open all by itself. This can happen while you're playing and you get caught on something,.
2. Other times, if you live with other cats (like I do) and you like to wrestle (what kitten doesn't?) collars can come off during a wrestling match.
3. If your collar is too big, you can slip your head right out of it!
4. If your collar isn't adjusted to your neck size and you really work at it, sometimes you can grab it with your teeth and bite or chew it until it comes off. This really isn't a good idea though, 'cause you can get trapped in this position until someone rescues you!

Now, I've saved the most important information for the last. This is really secret stuff I'm going to tell you, so you have to promise not to tell any humans. It's OK to talk to an older brother or sister about it, though. These are my best hiding places.

1. The easiest place would be under the kitchen table or chairs, right in plain sight.
2. In the bed, under the sheets or blankets. Your Mom will find it when she changes the sheets.
3. Under the bed. Not by the edge though...go way underneath to the middle where she can't reach.
4. Under a couch or chair. These are too heavy to move, and they won't want to do that!
5. Up high on furniture like bookcases, cabinets or even the 'frigerator where Mom's never dust.
6. In a closet. This is my favorite, but it only works if your Mom has a messy closet (like mine does) with lots of shoes on the floor and piles of clothes and boxes to look in. Believe me, she won't find your collar for years!
7. In the basement. Of course, this only works if you have a basement, which some of us don't. But if you have one, there're lots of dark places to hide a collar. And...if you're really lucky, you might find a spidey to have as a snack while you're down there!
8. For kitties that are allowed outside, there's plenty of places to hide a collar and your Mom will never find it. I've never done that, 'cause I don't go out, but near the bushes, flower beds or by the deck seem like good possibilities to me.

I hope this lesson will help all you kittens (and older cats, too) learn what you need to know about collars.

29 Comments:

At December 28, 2006 11:44 AM, Blogger Christine and FAZ said...

Wow this is excellent advice - my collar is a bore plus I've also got one of those microchip thingies under my fur so if I get really lost they know where I live. Thanks for such a well thought through blog. Faz

 
At December 28, 2006 11:48 AM, Blogger Edsel/The Pooch said...

i have a new diamond collar that i got as a present that i haven't worn yet and i have to remind my Mom that it's time. i have hidden lots of collars - they're all outside, where no one will ever find them hahahahaha

 
At December 28, 2006 1:55 PM, Blogger Victor Tabbycat said...

I wear my purple collar an it has a bell to warn Bonnie I'm comin, but I learned to move real quiet. Bonnie losted her collar by scratchin at it lots, an worried Mom by loosin fur unner it. The firstest cat to own Mom couldn't wear a collar cuz of skin allergies, even tho he went outside whenefur he wanted. Oh, an Bonnie got rid of anofur one by gettin it caught in her mouf a few times, so Mom thot it wasn't safe. How bout the baf tub? That's where I like to hide fings.

 
At December 28, 2006 2:25 PM, Blogger Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

Good tips! Mom duzent make me ware a collar anymore cuz I'z losted 4 of dem already. So, yoor 8 1/2 mumfs now? I turned 15 mumfs on the 17th. Um, so, um, duz yoor mom let yoo date yet? Do yoo fink I'm to old fur yoo? I don't fink so, and, I'z ware a gray tux so I'm redy to go on a fancy date anytime and I know how to treet a ladee cuz my sisfurs tauted me and I think yoor reely pritty. *blushes* Oh, I'm so embarassed now but der it iz. So, um, wut do yoo fink? Am I being to forward? Omigosh, I'z being to forward! I'z gonna go hide under da sofa now...~Speedy

 
At December 28, 2006 3:14 PM, Blogger Daisy said...

Ohh, I love your beautiful collar. It is my favorite color, PINK!

 
At December 28, 2006 5:54 PM, Blogger Just Ducky said...

Good tips Misty. I prefer red myself.

Note to George: Yes the striking similarity between me and a certain Iowa kittie, Connor Cloud, has been mentioned to be before. But I have a strip of white on my head and he is more tiger stipey.

 
At December 29, 2006 8:01 AM, Blogger Big Piney Woods Cats said...

Momma is par-annoyed about collars. She says they look so lovely, but always worries when we have one on that we will get caught and the break-away fingy won't work. I look particularly lovely in mine, which is blue. Please advise Momma it is OK and safe to wear them. OUr Momma had chips put in our necks, even though we are inside, cuz she worries, worries, worries, we will get out. Why would we want to get out (except to say hi to Mistrie) when it is a State of Winter here.

Patches

 
At December 29, 2006 10:24 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

OOOOOOOH! Speedy likes you! That's so cool! Are ya gonna say yes? Are ya?

(we totally enjoyed your furry informative info on all aspects of collars, but we do tend to get totally distracted by a bit of good gossip - sorry, we're just nosy like that)

 
At December 29, 2006 11:39 AM, Blogger Angel Junior, Orion and Sammy said...

I used to wear a collar...but once my Meowm adopted me she took it off. Sometimes I feel nekkid!

 
At December 29, 2006 2:53 PM, Blogger Mommunist said...

Holy Cow - Misty's been asked out on a date?! I hope Tipper won't be jealous. I think the big brothers George and Max should appropriately interview any male suitors. :)

WB

 
At December 29, 2006 3:54 PM, Blogger Shaggy and Scout said...

Misty you are growing up so fast. That was totally informative about the collars. You covered all the important stuff. Especially about hiding them!

 
At December 29, 2006 4:49 PM, Blogger Gemini said...

Oh I am furry glad that I don't have to wear a collar! I would takes it right off.

 
At December 29, 2006 5:42 PM, Blogger Memories of Eric and Flynn said...

Dat wuz furry informatiff. We don't weer collers though in case we get cawt in the trees an bushes. We haf got a fingy unner owr skin though in case we get lost.

 
At December 29, 2006 10:57 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks! I took notes. I have a royal blue, and a red, bow tie collar.

 
At December 29, 2006 11:01 PM, Blogger KC and the Giggleman Kitties said...

o, Misty, what grrreat advice. wif all tha new brofurs 'n sisfurs coming, this is much needed.

 
At December 30, 2006 9:05 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fanks For the report,

I Iris have a baried blue pink and purrple collor but but Lilly Lu has a pink vevlet collor wiff her name in dimonds on it It said LILLY on it. Mama calls it Lilly Kitty Bling. Mu shue is the experet collor taker offer. He been doing it for 11 years!!! I took lesson from him. Lilly Lu is the squeeler cat As soon as Mu shue or I get it off she start mewoing to mama and Leads us over She luff her Mu shue and I like to be free Mamma Laura is teaching me to wear a harness so i can go out side in nice weather Mu shue get carryed out to eat grass. And in My new Iris / Mu shue storler

 
At December 30, 2006 12:10 PM, Blogger Susie said...

This was some furry good information! Sabi likes to chew on the plastic clips once his collar is off - that way it can never be used again!

 
At December 30, 2006 2:52 PM, Blogger Rosie & Cheeto said...

Wow, these are vary helpful hints! Owr lady sumtimes makes us ware the collur when we go to the vets and now we know what to do when we need to hide it! Thanks!!!

 
At December 30, 2006 6:03 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We do NOT wear collars!

That's it, nothing more to be said.

LC has a computery chip in her because she wanders sometimes. I never leave the yard though.

Skeeter

 
At December 31, 2006 2:05 AM, Blogger Pumpkin said...

Bebe, Tiger and me haf neffer worn collars. Blackie tho is so old that she amembers a time when she DID wear a collar. Her fur is still thin on the nek wher the fur got rubbbed off. A kitty a long time ago DIED when his jaw got stuk on hiz flee collar and he choked to deth.

 
At December 31, 2006 12:10 PM, Blogger Shilgiah the Cat said...

I wore a collar for a long long time until Tommy came to live with us and he showed me how to get out of it in under 20 seconds...30 tops. Mom has kind of given up trying putting ours back on over and over and over and over again. She just said after reading your blog she thinks she'll try again.

Quick Tommy run and hide!!

 
At December 31, 2006 12:56 PM, Blogger Tommy and Teaghan said...

That is da best repurt about collars. Now we don't have to go goggling it. Mom wants us to wear a collar in case we get out but she's scared we might get caught on something and it won't snap open. Now we see that it's going to be more fun just finding plenty of places to HIDE the collars! Fanks so much for yur eggcellent story.
Moooommmmmmm! Yoo can get us dat collar now. Hey Angie what color do you like? Misty looks pretty good in her pink one.

 
At December 31, 2006 1:13 PM, Blogger ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

Momma tried to put a collar on me bout too human years ago. But I said I wasn't gonna wears it. NOPE no way no how. So efven do she put it on wif the rite amount of slack I wuz able to get my back left leg up into it and I looked like a free legged cat. So after dat she took it off me and nefur tried to put it back on again.

Boo

 
At December 31, 2006 2:38 PM, Blogger Mr. Hendrix said...

My mommy has me in a collar with ID tag and has me microchipped. She is so scared I'll get lost. This is a great report. I have gotten my breakaway collar caught twice when home alone. Mommy thinks I catch on my foot when I'm scratching. She is so glad it is a breakaway collar so if I get caught when they aren't home, I can get unstuck and not get hurt.
I love my collar. I thinks blue brings out my eyes.

 
At January 01, 2007 12:01 AM, Blogger Lux said...

I've never worn a collar, but if I ever do I'll know all the ins and outs thanks to your research on the matter. Thank you!

And Happy New Year!

 
At January 01, 2007 2:14 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy New Year.

 
At January 01, 2007 11:09 AM, Blogger KC and the Giggleman Kitties said...

Happy New Year all,
... Missy Blue Eyes, KC and lil Bear

 
At January 01, 2007 7:50 PM, Blogger Jake and Bathsheba said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

That's great info on collars, but we HATE to wear them. Mom has given up on them because we got so good at losing them outside. It kinda defeated the purpose of wearing them.

We do think that they look lovely on many cats, just not us.

~J&B

 
At January 01, 2007 8:39 PM, Blogger Just Ducky said...

Happy New Year to The Crew.

 

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