Instructions
Start with a properly-sized collar. Measure your cat's neck so you know what size collar to purchase. Buy one with a bit of extra room in case your cat grows or gains weight.
Choose an expandable or breakaway collar. When they are outside, cats often like to sneak into small and cluttered spaces. This will allow your cat to escape if the collar should happen to get caught on something in its travels.
Choose a calm time for your cat's first introduction to the collar. If you try to put the collar on your cat when it's already stressed, you're setting yourself up for failure. Pick a time when the cat is relaxed and content.
Put the collar on and leave it on, even if your cat resists. Remember, the collar is a foreign object so it's natural for the cat to try to remove it at first. Most cats will struggle for a while, then give up when they realize that resistance is futile. However, if your cat really panics as opposed to normal resistance, you may need to remove the collar and introduce it in short sessions.
Be prepared for a power struggle. In the first few weeks, you may discover that your cat has become a Houdini and is managing to slip the collar. Whenever this happens, simply find the collar and put it on again. Once your cat realizes that getting it off is not effective in the long run, it will give up.
How to Teach a Cat to Wear a Collar
Although you might associate wearing a collar with a dog more than a cat, training your cat to wear a collar can be its ticket home if it gets lost. If someone finds it, they can check its I.D. tag and return it safely to you. Your cat might not appreciate a foreign object on its neck, but with patience and consistency you can teach it to accept wearing a collar.