Breakaway Cat Collars: Everything You Need to Know to Keep Your Cat Safe

July 29, 2024

At Jensons, we are advocates for breakaway cat collars. We wouldn’t recommend anything else for your kitty. These collars are the best way to ensure your fur baby's safety and give you peace of mind while your little adventurer explores the world, hopefully within 400 feet of your home!

Shop the Jensons Breakaway Cork Cat Collar Collection

What Are Breakaway Cat Collars?

Breakaway cat collars, also known as safety release or quick release collars, are the safest type of collar for your cat. These collars are designed to pop open under tension, making them especially important for outdoor cats who spend their days climbing trees, jumping over fences, and prowling through undergrowth. If a kitty gets caught on something, such as a tree branch or fence panel, the breakaway collar will release, allowing the cat to free itself and avoid injury and distress. For this reason, they are the best and only safe collar choice for your cat.

Another reason we love breakaway cat collars is that they offer peace of mind to us cat parents. If you own a cat, you are probably all too familiar with the worry when they wander off for hours, leaving you with no idea where they have gone (probably sitting under a tree, ensuring you are suitably distressed by their disappearance). For additional peace of mind, you might consider attaching an AirTag to your kitty's collar. Check out our blog about AirTags for cats if that interests you: AirTags for Cats: Do They Work on Cat Collars? A Cat Mum's Personal Review.

How to Spot a Breakaway Cat Collar

It's not always possible to tell just by looking at a clipped-together cat collar whether it features a breakaway buckle or a standard side-release buckle. However, it is a bit easier to spot the differences when the buckle is apart. A standard side-release buckle’s prongs are not rounded, whereas the prongs on a breakaway buckle are rounded. This design allows the buckle to pop open once a little force is applied to the collar.

The pictures below show the difference between these two buckles: the standard side-release buckle is on the left, and the breakaway buckle is on the right.

The best way to determine if a cat collar features a breakaway buckle and to assess the quality of the buckle is to test it. Clip the collar together and apply a little force. If it’s a breakaway collar, it will pop open; if not, it will remain secure. Testing this can be a bit tricky when shopping online. However, any reputable cat collar retailer will indicate in the product listing whether the collar is breakaway. At Jensons, all our collars feature a breakaway buckle, and we proudly include this information in all our product descriptions, allowing cat parents to make an informed and safe decision for their kitty.

The image below shows an example of breakaway buckles. You can tell that they are breakaway buckles from their rounded prongs.

Cats Should Weigh 3kg+ to Safely Wear Most Breakaway Cat Collars

At Jensons, we advise that our breakaway cat collars are suitable for cats weighing 3kg and above. On average, this is around the 6-month mark for a young cat. However, each kitty is different, so we recommend weighing your cat to ensure they are 3kg+ before they start wearing a breakaway cat collar. This ensures they weigh enough to apply sufficient tension on the buckle for it to pop open. Some breakaway cat collars have less tension than others, but we suggest using this as a general guide.

Below are the average weights for cats at various ages. This is, of course, just an estimate; some kitties will be much lighter, while others might be a bit more chonky. When you are next at the vet for a routine check-up, you can ask them to weigh your cat for you, they will probably do this anyway as best practice.

At home, you can weigh your cat using your bathroom scales. First, take your weight without holding your cat, then take your weight while holding your cat. Subtract the lower number from the higher number, and you should have your cat’s weight. It’s a bit harder than it seems on paper, though, especially if you have a little wriggler!

🐱 Teeny Babies (0-6 Months)

0-1 month: 0.11 - 0.68 kg
2-3 months: 0.9 - 1.8 kg
4-6 months: 1.8 - 3.2 kg

🐱 Teenagers (6-12 Months)

6-9 months: 2.7 - 4.1 kg
9-12 months: 3.6 - 4.5 kg

🐱 Grown-Ups (1-7 Years)

1-3 years: 4.0 - 5.0 kg
3-7 years: 4.0 - 5.0 kg

🐱 Oldies (7+ Years)

7-10 years: 4.0 - 5.0 kg
10+ years: 4.0 - 5.0 kg

*As with everything, there are of course exceptions. Some companies offer breakaway cat collars specifically for kittens. Always check the guidance given when purchasing the collar.

Breakaway Cat Collars: FAQs

How Often Should I Check My Cat’s Breakaway Cat Collar?

You’ll want to check that your kitty’s breakaway collar is functioning well and is in good condition every week or so. Chances are, you probably regularly see their collar anyway when you’re fussing over them, so you can do a visual check as and when you see it. However, every week or so, we advise removing the collar, clipping it back together, and checking that the breakaway buckle is still popping open to ensure it can protect your cat at all times. You might find that the breakaway buckle feels a little looser right after you’ve taken it off your cat’s neck. This is because it is warmed slightly by your kitty, making the plastic a little more supple.

How Do I Know if My Cat’s Breakaway Collar is Too Loose?

When fitting your cat's collar, aim for the perfect balance by ensuring you can comfortably slide two fingers underneath it. This way, it’s snug enough that it won’t easily snag on things or allow your kitty to slip a leg through, but it’s also loose enough not to restrict their movement. For more tips on getting that ideal fit, check out our blog post: How Tight Should a Cat Collar Be? Tips on Getting the Perfect Fit.

Will My Cat Keep Losing Their Breakaway Cat Collar?

To avoid your kitty losing its collar, make sure the collar fits well and your cat is comfortable wearing it. This will minimise the likelihood of them trying to get it off themselves. Naturally, with a breakaway collar, there will be occasions when the collar comes off. However, this mild inconvenience has potentially saved your fur baby's life, so that’s always worth keeping in mind. If your kitty has lost their collar, it’s always worth checking around for it in places they like to go: their favourite tree, their favourite neighbour's garden, and in and around the house too.

Can You Use AirTags on Breakaway Cat Collars?

Absolutely. We recommend attaching an AirTag only to a breakaway collar (it’s best for your kitty to wear nothing but a breakaway collar). If your cat has an AirTag on its collar, it will be much easier to find the collar if it pops off. Ensure the collar is strong enough to hold the AirTag while also being soft and flexible for your kitty. At Jensons, this is one of the reasons we love using cork for our cat collars, it holds its shape but is also super silky smooth, lightweight, and gentle for your kitty. Win-win! Check out our blog about AirTags for cats if that interests you: AirTags for Cats: Do They Work on Cat Collars? A Cat Mum's Personal Review.

Our Breakaway Cat Collar Testing

At Jensons, we tested multiple breakaway buckles before choosing the one that features on our cork leather cat collars. We believe our square buckles are super safe, secure, and reliable. They pop open well, even when tugged at various angles, which is important because your kitty might not always snag their collar in a way that applies tension evenly to the buckle. We recently upgraded our breakaway buckles and are very happy with the decision. When safety for your fur baby is at stake, you need a buckle that's not going to let you down. You can read our story here if you’d like to learn more about Jensons: https://www.jensons.co/pages/our-story

Do you need some extra help choosing the perfect breakaway cat collar? We’d love to hear from you! You can get in touch by emailing us at hello@jensons.co. In the meantime, stop by and check out our cork leather cat collar range, all breakaway cat collars, of course.