Does anyone use a Liberator collar?

[Sassybot]

They are such trouble aren't they :p

Frankenstein didn't start hunting until we moved to the countryside (Manchester rats being bigger than he). At one point he was loosing a collar a week although the addition of bells (like 10p from the market) stopped him bringing the birds home.

This might be my backward thinking but I think if I saw a cat without a collar I would be more likely to take to the vets to find it's owner so I'm hoping others would too. Especially since I've just given up on collars now as even the 90p breakaways from pets at home became too expensive at one every few days

My other cat loves her collar though and gets quite upset when it has to come off for flea treatments :/

[Mark]

It wasn't the Librator Lyn. It was a standard Ancol kitten collar - but yes,I would rather lose a collar than a cat, but not on a weekly basis. Someone (Ria) said that if I can find a collar that fits her properly, there is less chance of her l catching on something. I will have to go to a bigger pet shop out of town to find one.

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Mark, I guess the good thing is that you know the collar will come off!

I'm afraid Ingrid sounds rather like Alfie, he loses collars after a few days at most. I'm afraid I have given up with them. Which is a shame as he is rather predatory! 

[Mark]

This morning I was in the kitchen and heard Ingrid yowling in the loer ground floor. I panicked, thinking she had hurt herself. I called out and she ran upstairs looking excited or scared - her collar was missing. I went downstairs with her following, to find a young bird - very dead - no sign of the collar. My guess is she has been up the ivy again, or up the big tree at the back, or even the 30+ft bay tree in the garden I had a good look, but can't see it anywhere. I assume she snagged it on a branch. Anyway, the ivy goes up 3 floors at the back - about 40ft. Not sure what the next step is. I might try another collar. I would rather lose a collar than the alternative - however, I'm not replacing it every week. I think it lasted 5 days.

[Rosella moggy]

Mmmm.

Elastic in any so called safety collar is a potential death trap.  My beautiful Baron got her front leg trapped in one up to her armpit.

I have also had a bad experience with collars where the band is made of nylon material.  Basically the collar tightened around Boris' neck as he kicked it.  Scared the hell out of me.

I think the lesson is that with ANY type of collar we would all be advised to keep a good eye on how it's behaving for a day or so before letting your cat wander outside with one on.

[Mark]

Lyn - I just noticed that the Liberator collars on your link have a plastic clasp - although not sure if they are breakaway. The one I got has a regular silver buckle - like a regular belt buckle. Also, the fabric on the ones on your link look like nylon, rather than elasticated. Very odd. I wonder if they do different models or if the one I was sent is old stock

[Mark]

I haven't worked out what to do with the bleeper bit yet, but the Ancol cat collars were far too big for her. I went out and bought an Ancol kitten collar. Even at its smallest, it is still slightly loose on her. She is the tiniest adult cat - 2.5kg. I can't fit the bleeper tag on, so sewing it on is the only option really. I hate collars on cats as a rule, but she isn't fazed at all. She had a collar on when she was found as a 6 month old stray (over 2 years ago) which I binned on day one. Anyway, for now, a bell is better than nothing.

[Judecat (Paula)]

Trouble and Emo wouldn't keep them on either so I haven't even bothered trying with Merlin and the kittens, especially as they were feral/strays. I just had them all chipped ASAP.

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Alf will not keep a collar on at all, so it is not something with which I have direct experience.

[Mark]

No it is quite strong elastic with a metal buckle. I know there are some others with a small bit of elastic that is designed to snap,, but I don't think even those are great. One of the reviewers of the Liberator said their cat got its back leg caught up it and she said it was lucky she was there to help it.

I have already bought it, so want to give it a try. I am using bells as well.

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

It is just an elasticated collar, so a potential death trap. I paid About £9 on Amazon with Prime.

Really? The picture certainly looks like a proper safety collar!

[pandorawarlord]

Mark don't bother with the so called latest gimmick, from my experience just get a bag of ordinary bells and add them to your cat collar, when I had outside cats I only ever had to put 3 bells onto a collar. charity shops/haberdashery's/ pet@home all do small bags of bells for a couple off pounds and the bells certainly worked

[Mark]

It is just an elasticated collar, so a potential death trap. I paid About £9 on Amazon with Prime.

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Hi Mark,

I had not heard of these. Alf is very predatory but will not keep any sort of collar on! 

I see that Ebay are selling this kind of thing as a safety collar, but they are £10!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/292095586605?chn=ps&dispItem=1&adgroupid=39910041817&rlsatarget=pla-329122145884&abcId=1088896&adtype=pla&merchantid=101766219&poi=&googleloc=9045714&device=c&campaignid=805055692&crdt=0

[Mark]

After several recent bird casualties, I decided to try a Liberator collar. It only comes with an elasticated collar with a metal buckle. Other people say they transfer the bleeper to a regular safety collar. I ordered a 3 pack of Ancol ones, but the fittings are stitched to the ends, so no way of looping the bleeper on  - I guess there are other collars that would work, any ideas?