bell on cats collar

[shivvy]

I have just put a collar (with a bell) on my cat. She has never worn a collar before and I think the bell is driving her bonkers. She is dememted trying to find it.
How long is it likely to take for her to get used to it?

[LottieAnne]

Some cats never get used to collars. I presume you have used an expanding collar the will come off if the cat gets caught in anything? Why does he have to have a bell? Their ears are much more sensitive than ours. A noise like that would drive a human mad so why torment a cat with it? The only good reason for wearing a collar is for identity purposes. If someone has told you that he will not catch birds don't believe them. A good hunter will catch birds and mice with or without a bell.

[shivvy]

Good grief - I don't mean to torment her.
Yes - I was told (by a number of people and sources) that it would make her less likely to catch birds so I was following their advice. The pet shop didn't have any cat collars without bells on them. I did buy one with some elastic on the collar.

[Cheekystar]

my 2 have collars with bells and don't mind them at all, it doesn't stop them catching things at all, but does help us to hear them when they want to come in

[pingping]

i took the bells off the first collars I gave my kittens, so they could get used to the collars without the noise. when the collars needed replacing (they are flea collars) we then left the bells on. the kittens haven't been bothered by them at all.

[gina32]

i have been told by a vet that you shouldnt put a collar on a cat for the reason that lottie said, if when the cat is climbing say up a tree and then jumps and the collar gets caught they can hang themselves

[goosing]

mine hate the bells so i nip them off with a pliers. just make sure it is elasticated and there's enough slack so it can come off if the cat gets caught on anything