Is it a good idea to put a bell on my cat's collar?

Is it a good idea to put a bell on my cat's collar?

How can you stop your cat from harming wildlife? Keep the cat indoors or attach a bell to its collar! You make the decision.

Before you affix a bell to your cat's collar, weigh the benefits and drawbacks.

Is it common for your cat to bring you dead animals? While this typical behavior is unpleasant, it is also sweet — your cat is delivering you what she considers to be a good present. Despite their good intentions, domestic cats' hunting is wreaking havoc on ecosystems and driving certain species to extinction. So, how can you prevent your cat from capturing wildlife? Keeping her indoors or attaching a deterrent (such as a bell) to her collar are the two main options.

A deeper look at the alternatives

Of course, the simplest way to discourage your cat from killing birds and rodents is to keep her indoors all the time. Your feline's exposure to prey animals in the safety of your home will be restricted to any mice that chance to come inside your house. If you don't want to put a stop to your cat's wanderlust, a typical solution is to attach a bell to her collar to prevent wildlife from her approach. Is this, however, a safe and effective option?

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Bells

A lot of studies have been conducted to determine whether bells aid in the escape of prey from cats and the general conclusion is that they do! Bells on collars appear to cut the number of prey trapped in half, which may be enough to eliminate the threat to ecosystems.

Aside from effectiveness, many pet parents are concerned that a bell would injure their cat's ears. A collar bell produces sound at roughly 50-60 dB, according to Veterinary Ph.D. student Rachel Malakand, although studies have shown that cats are unfazed by sounds under 80 dB. While some anxious cats may respond negatively to the sound of the bell, the vast majority of cats are unlikely to care.

Some owners are concerned that, in addition to alerting prey, a bell would notify huge predators of a cat's location. While this is feasible, considering most predators' keen hearing, the comparatively low ringing of a bell is unlikely to be the difference between your cat being discovered or not. If you live in an area where your cat is at risk of being attacked by large animals, you should definitely keep your cat indoors or oversee their outside activities nonetheless. You may also get a cat cage, which will allow your kitty to enjoy the fresh air while being secure!

Alternatives to Bell

If you don't want to put a bell on your pet, there is another option: cat bibs. These brightly colored gadgets, sold under brand names such as Birdsbesafe, warn potential victims of the cat's proximity before they attack. While your cat may look ridiculous wearing a rainbow bib, a scientific study suggests that these items cut predation rates by nearly the same amount as bells. However, gadgets that use color to notify potential prey function considerably better on birds (who have excellent color vision) than on tiny animals (who generally have quite poor vision).

If you're afraid about putting collars or collar-mounted gadgets on your cats, you shouldn't be. While there is a prevalent concern that cats would be strangled or imprisoned if their collars become entangled in the trash, real harmful consequences of collars are uncommon. One research examined 107 veterinary clinics and discovered just one collar-related injury per 2.3 years, with collar-related deaths extremely infrequent. You may alleviate your anxieties even more by wearing a breakaway collar.

If your cat goes outside, especially if you live in a region where endangered animals exist, please help conservation efforts by providing your cat with an anti-hunting device.