That’s Why You Shouldn’t Put a Collar With a Bell on Your Cat

Again and again, cat owners put collars with bells on their cats because they want to protect birds from cats. But this is not only pointless but also life-threatening for the cats. Read here why you should never put a bell on your cat.

Loud ringing with every movement and a constant feeling of constriction: That means a collar with a bell for cats. Cat owners should urgently refrain from asking their cats to do this – for good reasons:

Bells Mean Constant Sound for Sensitive Cat Ears

Cats have very sensitive ears and perceive sounds in the frequency range of 50 to 60,000 Hz. Humans, on the other hand, only up to 20,000 Hz. The ringing of bells is therefore much louder for cats than for humans. A bell around the neck means loud continuous noise for the cat and disturbs the animals enormously. This is comparable to tinnitus in humans.

Collars Can Be Fatal to Cats

Not only are collars extremely annoying to cats, but they can also injure or even kill them. It happens time and again that cats strangle themselves with their collars in the bushes, get their leg tangled in it when trying to get rid of the collar, or get caught in it when cleaning. In such situations, they are usually no longer able to free themselves without help and severe injuries, necessary amputations or death occur. Collars that are too tight can also lead to inflammation.

Bells Do Not Protect Birds From Cats

Bells on cat collars are often used in the belief that they can protect birds that the cat is hunting. But that’s not true at all!

The bells are even counterproductive: Birds have their own sounds that they use to alert each other to danger. Young birds that are not yet able to fly (so well), for example, crouch as a result of these warning signals and remain motionless on the ground. However, they do not perceive the bell as a warning signal, it only causes the birds to be startled. So they are more likely to be prey for the cat than without a bell.

Collars for cats are simply not necessary, not even for address tags or the like. Because that’s what tattoos and microchips are for. We advise you not to wear a collar as a matter of principle because it bothers cats (even without a bell) and is life-threatening! Even collars with safety locks are not safe enough.

Colorful Ruffs As An Alternative to Collars With Bells?

Colorful fabric ruffs have been on the market for some time and are said to be a better alternative to the bell collar. The bright colors are intended to give the birds a visual warning of the cats.

According to one study, cats with this ruff actually bring homeless prey. However, this does not mean that fewer birds are actually being caught, because the prey that the cats do not bring home is not captured.

But are these neck braces really cat-friendly? With the ruff without a bell, the aspect of the disturbing continuous sound is eliminated in any case. However, that does not automatically mean that it is cat-friendly. Because the ruff also constricts the cat and can be extremely annoying. In addition, it cannot be ruled out that the cat can also injure, strangle, or get tangled up with the neck brace.

Protect Birds Without a Cat Collar and Ruff

We would like to briefly point out that cats are not the reason why many native bird species are endangered. The cat is definitely one of the most common predators of birds in settlements, especially since the number of domestic cats is constantly increasing. However, the decisive points for the endangerment of many bird species are others, e.g. the loss of habitat. This is also what the Nabu, who is significantly committed to bird protection, says:

• “Nevertheless, for the affected prey animals, the habitat quality factor is decisively more important than the cat as a predator. Small animals need natural habitats with sufficient food supply and good hiding places and nesting opportunities. Where sufficient food, nesting, and hiding places are available, the birds can breed successfully and usually cope well with losses from predators, including cats.”
• But of course, as a cat owner (and non-cat owner), you can and should still make sure that the birds in your own garden are as safe as possible – even without a ruff and collar with a little bell. Protect the bird nests and nesting boxes from predators. You can read how this works here.

Other ways to protect birds from cats without putting ruffs or collars on cats include:

• Play with your cat sufficiently and extensively every day. Then she can live out her hunting and play instincts with you and maybe hunt birds less. A game session is usually followed by a nap.
• Provide your cat with a portion of food outside if it is outside all day, e.g. while you are at work.
• If you are away, find a reliable cat sitter who will also play with the cat and take good care of it.
• Design your garden close to nature with many hiding places and nesting places for birds.
• Don’t abandon a cat!
• Especially in April, May, and June, when young birds start their first flight attempts, you can make sure that you let the cat outside less often or (if that is possible) only under supervision.
• Feed your cat high-quality food that has a high meat content. A study from England showed that this reduced the catch rate of cats.
• You can also inform your neighbors about these options, after all, most cats are not only in their own garden when they are outdoors.