Your cat should always have a collar on if it is an indoor/outdoor cat, and if your strictly indoor cat may be able to escape out of your house you may consider keeping one on him all the time.

Collars are available in an assortment of colors and patterns in pet stores and online.  You should look for a collar with a break-away feature, which allows the cat to escape if it gets caught on something so that they do not choke themselves.  Some also have bells attached to them (or you can attach them yourself easily), which can be handy in a large house, during the dark hours of night, and outside.  Another feature you may look for if you have an indoor/outdoor cat is a reflector that attaches to your cat's collar and works like a reflector on a bike when he is around streets. 

Because collars come in a variety of sizes, you should measure your cat's neck or take him along with you to the pet store when shopping for a collar.  Remember that if you want to buy him a collar as a kitten, you will end up buying another one when he reaches full size.  When the collar is on your cat's neck, you should be able to fit your finger between his neck and the collar comfortably, ensuring that he has enough room and will not choke.

Leashes should never be attached to collars; rather, you should get a harness for your cat.

Personalized Adjustable Cat Collar 8"-12" Price:  $9.99 at Petsmart These collars allow you to have your cat's name and phone number (or any other information you want) embroidered directly onto it so you can eliminate the need for a license.  They have a safely buckle in case your cat gets caught on something, and a bell so that you can hear them all the time.

Whisker City Reflective Adjustable Cat Collars Price:  $6.99 at Petsmart These are an example of basic collars that you can find at any pet store.  They are made of comfortable nylon, feature a safety buckle, sometimes come with a bell, and are available in an assortment of sizes and colors.  These particular collars have little patterns on them - different pet stores and sites online feature full colored and patterned varieties.

Licenses are available at most pet stores and online, are cheap ($5.00-$10.00), and can be customized to say whatever you like.  You should include your cat's name, address, and phone number in case your cat gets outside (if it is an indoor cat) or injured.  The words "I'm lost" can also be added to an indoor cat's tag to ensure that a stranger will know he doesn't belong outside.  I personally prefer the licenses from the machine at Petsmart - I have found these to be the nicest looking and the highest quality.  I've had one for my oldest cat for 2 years and it has very little wear on it. 

	Licenses like these can be obtained at your local pet store. Petsmart, and other pet stores, has a machine that lets you personalize your license up to 3 lines (2 for smaller tags) in minutes for $5.00-$10.00.
	Fancy Cat Bells by Top Paw Price:  $1.19 at Petsmart Bells like these can be obtained from your pet store (or you can make one yourself using bells, paint, and jewlery attachments from a craft store) to give your cat some personality.