Getting your kitten his own collar is pretty essential, but will any old collar do the trick?

As it turns out, not exactly. Kitten collars should have special features so they can be safe and comfortable for young cats.

We spoke with Dr. Chyrle Bonk, a veterinarian working with Hepper, to find out how to find the best kitten collars, since there are so many out there.

Do kittens need collars?

Kittens need collars so they can be identified in case they ever go missing.

“IDs are a must for all kittens, even strictly indoor ones, since they may be accidentally let outside or escape at any time,” Dr. Bonk told The Dodo.

A collar with an ID tag, or even one with a personalized band, can make it way easier for you to reunite with your BFF if he ever gets lost.

How to choose a kitten collar

According to Dr. Bonk, the best kitten collars have elastic or breakaway bands, are small in size and are adjustable.

Elastic or breakaway band

An elastic or breakaway band is essential for keeping your kitten safe while wearing his collar.

These collars are breakaway or elastic so that they’ll come off if they get hooked on something so that they don’t choke your kitten. Bonk said.

A breakaway clasp releases easily if your kitten’s collar gets snagged, while an elastic band will stretch when it’s stuck on something. Either way, these features will prevent your cat from getting hurt.

“Elastic isn’t very durable, but for kittens it works well since they won’t be wearing a kitten collar for very long,” Dr. Bonk said. Other types of kitten collars are woven nylon with an elastic portion for the same purpose, or they have a breakaway clasp that will come apart if it gets hooked on something.

Small size

Since your kitten’s tiny, it only makes sense that his collar is too.

“They should be small and lightweight, because your kitten is also small and lightweight.” Bonk said.

When you’re first fitting your kitten to a collar, you should make sure you’re getting him the right size. But since he’s going to be growing pretty quickly, you’ll need to check on how his collar’s fitting pretty often.

“It’s important to frequently check the fit of your kitten’s collar since they are growing and a collar can quickly become too small,” Dr. Bonk said. “You should always be able to fit one to two fingers under the collar, so you will need to adjust or resize the collar as needed while your kitten grows.”

adjustable

And rather than buying your kitten a new collar every time he grows a little, it’s best to find an option that’s adjustable. That’ll save you a lot of money until your kitten’s ready for his adult collar.

“When your kitten is ready for an adult collar it will depend on the type of collar you have,” Dr. Bonk said. Some go by weight, and some will work until your kitten stops growing. Read the manufacturer’s label to find out.”

Best kitten collars

We rounded up some of the best kitten collars to make it even easier to narrow down your options.

So now that you know what makes the best kitten collars, picking out the perfect accessory for your tiny BFF — especially one that’s actually going to keep him safe — will be no problem.