In the US over seven million pets go missing every year, and less than 5 per cent of lost cats are reported and returned home. This ratio is likely comparable in Australia. When your indoor kitty gets a little too curious and darts outside, a collar might be the only thing that can help it come home.
Photo by Evan Wood.
Most outdoor cats know their way around the neighbourhood and don’t need collars, so when people see them stalking around they don’t report it because they assume it’s just an outdoor cat. The problem is people assume the same thing for your lost indoor cat if it doesn’t have any sort of identification on it. That’s why the team behind the Exploding Kittens card game has started The Kitty Convict Project. They’re hoping to keep indoor cats safe by getting their owners to put orange ID collars on them. Why orange? Because cats are better at hiding than larger pets like dogs. Bright colours are reflective and can make them easier to spot when they’re hiding in fear. Your kitty probably won’t like their collar at first, but you’ll both be thankful when it saves their life. You can learn more at the link below.
The Kitty Convict Project [Exploding Kittens]
Comments
6 responses to “Put An ID Collar On Your Indoor Cat”
The alternative view is: Cats aren’t like dogs. They know how to get home. If they don’t come home it’s because they’ve gone away to die, or been trapped or killed.
If you’re going to identify your cat, make sure you pay your council registration – otherwise you’ll get a fine when one of your friendly neighbors catch it and hand it in (or if the council finds it).
If you want to save on an unnecessary tax, don’t register your cat, and don’t put anything on it to identify its home. If you put it out at night just give it an orange collar and a tag that says “I have owners and they love me, if I’m lost, please give me water and set me free, I’ll find my own way home”.
1) Pay your pet registration,
2) Don’t let your cat roam around to kill things at will,
3) Put a collar on it with identifying information.
How many cats have you assumed “wandered off to die” when they just got a bit lost and nobody was able to identify an owner? Take some responsibility.
You are part of the problem with Australia’s stray cats.
De-sex, register, and keep indoors (as much as possible and especially over night)
If the cat is not microchipped AND registered the cat will be put down – we have no room with the obscene number of cats we have roaming around.
Our cat went out one day, and didn’t come back for 36 hours. Fearing the worst, we checked the roof, talked to a dozen neighbours, left flyers in mailboxes and walked around the neighbourhood calling her name. Lo and behold, she just walked back inside at 2.30am, meowing away. Where had she been all that time? I wish she could have told us. /end of story.
Collars are pretty much useless on cats. Without an elastic section, they can become a noose. With an elastic section, they’re easily removed. Our cats “lost” at least 3 each before we stopped bothering replacing them.
The best identification method is microchipping. Most councils, vets and other animal control agencies will scan for these. Provides a lot more information than just the name and address of the owner.
I hear you, but disagree. We lose a collar every 6-9 months, but it’s worth it because:
A. Collars can feature bells to alert wildlife (and you)
B. Microchips can’t be read by the public. I’m less likely to help an animal without a collar because it’s too much of a hassle. I’ve called 3 dog owners in my life – because their details were on the collar. If there’s no collar – I keep walking.