There are a wide variety of collars with different colors, materials, and even some that include hormones for stress or trackers, which is why they are very useful for your cat because they work to identify and track our pet in case it gets lost and to be able to distinguish that it is a cat with an owner and can be returned.
If you get your cat used to wearing a collar from when they are kittens, you won’t have problems for the rest of their life. The problem comes when it is an adult cat that has never worn one and is not willing to do so.Â
Recommendations for adapting your cat
Let him get familiar with it (let him see it):
it is recommended that you allow him to smell it first and rub it with things he uses so that it acquires his scent and is less invasive when putting it on him.
Place it at a quiet moment
Without pressuring or forcing it, and if you see that it doesn’t adapt, you can try placing it on the first day for a few minutes and gradually increasing the time in the following days.
Always use positive reinforcement
Like speaking to them kindly, petting them, and rewarding them with treats they like. Don’t yell at them when they try to take it away because otherwise they will associate it negatively.
Make sure it is not too tight or too loose
Ideally, you should be able to move your finger between the collar and your cat’s neck. If you have a kitten that is constantly growing, you should adjust it as they grow.
Be patient
Go slowly to achieve that you adapt in a positive way.
If in your case what you need is for it to adapt to an Elizabethan collar for medical reasons, the most advisable thing would be to look for the right size and measurement so that it is not difficult for them to eat and, at the same time, they cannot lick or hurt the wound.
There are other options on the market if you don’t want to use the typical Elizabethan collar, among them is the body suit which is widely used for sterilizations but this should be recommended by your veterinarian in case it is not the ideal one according to the wound we are trying to heal.
Another quite popular option is the inflatable collar, which is more comfortable for your cat in terms of peripheral vision and allows better ergonomics for them.
If you see that your cat is very uncomfortable or simply has difficulty with its daily routine with the Elizabethan collar, you can try other options to make it feel more comfortable so as not to add more stress to an already difficult process such as wound recovery.
