Do Calming Collars for Cats Really Work?

Like humans, cats can also deal with anxiety due to many reasons. They can get anxious when exposed to a new and unfamiliar environment and routines or due to situations that can cause them to develop a lot of stress. As a responsible cat owner, it is your duty to ensure that you help your cat deal with these problems. You should make sure that your cat is living a better lifestyle by ensuring their mental and physical health is in great condition, maintaining a healthy human and cat relationship, and allocating enough attention, time, and care to them. Fortunately, there are several products and means that can help solve your cat’s anxiety issues, such as using calming collars. Cat calming collars not only ease your cat’s anxiety but also extends your cat’s lifespan by keeping them mentally healthy. Read on to learn more about cats calming collars and how they work.

How Does a Cat Calming Collar Work?

Cat calming collars are among the most popular products that can help solve your cat’s fears, anxiety, and stress. These collars also help stop excessive spraying, meowing, and scratching. Cat calming collars come infused with synthetic pheromones that closely resemble the ones released naturally by a mother cat. Other types of calming collars are infused with a mixture of dried herbs, essential oils, and spices. Since cat calming collars vary in the active calming ingredients they contain, not all of them work effectively with some cats. Therefore, it is often advisable to do thorough research on the calming product before deciding on which calming collar to buy.

Factors to look for in a quality calming collar for cats

Choosing the right quality cat calming collar can significantly lower any unwanted cat behaviors such as marking, scratching, and yowling. It also ensures your cat remains calm even when exposed to stressful situations or loud noises from thunderstorms. Below are some of the main factors to consider when deciding on which cat calming collar to get:

Sizing

The size of the calming should not be too tight or too loose but fit comfortably around the neck of your cat. You should be able to easily place one or two fingers between your cat’s neck and collar when it is worn. Additionally, you should be able to easily turn the collar when it is on the neck of your cat. You can opt to use a soft tape measure to make sure a collar with a suitable circumference to that of your cat’s neck. There are also some adjustable or one-size-fits-all calming collars for cats.

Type of calming agent

Most cat calming collars use synthetic pheromones that work effectively on both kittens and adult cats to ease high anxiety levels. There are other cat calming collars that are infused with essential oils, but most of these essential oils are unsafe for cats. That said, it is often advisable to consult with your local veterinarian before planning to use essential oils to control your cat’s anxiety.

Effect duration

Most cat calming products, including plug-in diffusers and calming collars, usually last around for 30 days before wearing out. Thus, if your cat is frequently anxious, you should get additional backup calming products to always be prepared to deal with anxiety triggers.

Delivery Method

Another factor that you should consider when picking the ideal calming product for your cat is the delivery method. There are usually four common types of delivery methods such as sprays, collars, plug-ins, and treats. Most veterinarians often recommend calming aids in the form of sprays and plug-ins though you should get the one that works best for your cat.

Breakaway mechanism

Cat calming collars usually have different opening and closing techniques. Before buying any cat calming collar, check on the collar’s breakaway mechanisms such that it can be easily opened and closed. Cat calming collars with simple breakaway mechanisms are much safer and help lower the risk of cat strangulation.

What Are the Downsides to using Calming Collars?

Unlike anti-anxiety drugs, most cat-owners prefer using calming collars as they are much safer, and the synthetic pheromones infused in them pose zero harm to cats and any other pets in your home. Comparatively, there are some side effects with the use of aromatherapy-based cat calming collars that are infused with essential oils. This usually depends on the type of ingredients used in the collar, such as Lavender which is highly toxic when ingested by cats. The following are some of the common side-effects of using cat calming collars:

• Skin irritation. This is very common in calming collars that are worn too tightly around the neck of your cat, causing skin irritation and minor pains. Therefore, you are recommended to buy an adjustable cat calming collar and leave at least space for 1-2 fingers between the collar and your cat’s neck.
• Getting stuck on objects: Collars can get stuck on objects while your cat is roaming around, causing them to get stuck. To deal with this problem, you should buy a quick-release cat calming collar.
• Choking on bells: There are some cat calming collars that are designed with small parts such as sharp edges, bells, and buckles. These often pose a risk of your cat accidentally choking on them or scratching themselves. Thus, you should avoid buying calming collars for cats with these small parts.
• Catching on your cat’s leg or jaw: Loose cat calming collars are generally considered unsafe. This is because loose pheromone collars tend to get caught on your cat’s leg or jaw, resulting in quite severe injuries. This can be solved by buying an adjustable, quick-release collar.

Bottom Line

Is your cat suffering from frequent or increased anxiety levels? Then it is best if you got yourself a calming collar for cats. These collars are infused with synthetic pheromones that help produce a calming effect on your cat. You can also try other effective calming mechanisms such as using behavior modification techniques or making environmental changes.