Okay, so I figured it was time to get a collar for my Russian Blue, Leo. He’s mostly an indoor cat, but you know, accidents happen, and I wanted some ID on him just in case he ever darted out the door. Plus, they look kinda neat, don’t they?
First thing, I went down to the local pet shop. Man, the collar aisle is crazy. So many colors, materials, bells, no bells, reflective strips… it’s a lot. I spent maybe twenty minutes just standing there, picking things up, putting them back down.
Finding the Right Fit
The main thing I worried about was Leo’s fur. Russian Blues have that thick, plush coat, right? I didn’t want anything that would rub him raw or get all tangled up in there. Some collars felt really stiff or had sharp edges. No way I was putting that on my boy.
I looked for something soft. Found a few made of this kind of soft nylon, almost like fabric. That seemed better. Then there was the whole breakaway clasp thing. Definitely wanted one of those. Leo gets into weird places sometimes, climbing shelves and stuff. Didn’t want him getting snagged on anything.
- Needed to be soft material.
- Absolutely needed a breakaway clasp for safety.
- Considered color – wanted something visible but not garish against his grey fur.
Ended up picking a simple, dark blue nylon one. Felt soft enough, had the safety clasp, and the color looked pretty good against his coat, not too loud. It had a tiny little bell, which I wasn’t sure about, but figured I could take it off if it drove us crazy.
The Big Moment: Putting it On
Getting it on him was… well, it was an experience. Leo’s usually pretty chill, but he wasn’t thrilled about this new neck thing. He did that classic cat move – froze completely, then tried to back away from it. Lots of wriggling.
Persistence paid off. Got it adjusted, not too tight, not too loose. You’re supposed to be able to fit two fingers underneath, right? Checked that. Then I let him go.
For the first hour, he was acting all weird. Kept scratching at it, shaking his head. Tried to use his back paw to hook it off. The little bell jingled constantly, which was kinda funny but also a bit annoying. I felt a bit bad, watching him struggle.
Getting Used To It
But you know what? Cats adapt. By the next day, he was mostly ignoring it. Still scratched at it occasionally, especially after waking up, but it wasn’t constant. The bell… yeah, we got used to the bell too. It’s actually handy knowing where he is when he’s sneaking around.
Now, it’s just part of him. Doesn’t bother him at all. I check it regularly to make sure it’s not rubbing or too tight, especially with that dense fur. So far, so good. Glad I went through the hassle. Gives me a bit more peace of mind, you know?
