Cats can become anxious or hyperactive and wreak havoc on your home by spraying in the house, scratching the furniture, or leaving “presents” in unfortunate places. Even if you shower your cat with love and affection, it may still engage in these behaviors if it doesn’t feel comfortable.
Cat calming collars are an excellent solution. Equipped with pheromones that make your cat feel comfortable and safe, calming collars can take the edge off anxiety and help your cat feel at ease at home. Keep in mind that the effects of a collar depend on the cat’s age, size, usage, and anxiety level, so you may need to shop around to find the best solution.
Here are our picks for the five best calming collars for cats on the market today based on our experience and those of pet owners with anxious cats.
A Quick Glance at Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Sentry Calming Collar for Cats
30-day use
Clinically proven
Patented Good Behavior pheromone technology
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Best Value
Comfort Zone Calming Cat Collar
30-day use
Breakaway design
Calming pheromones 24/7
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Premium Choice
Calm Paws Essentials Cat Collar
30-day use
Fits small cats
Essential oil blend
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Best for Kittens
Healex Cat Calming Collar
One-size-fits-all
Clinically proven pheromones and essential oils
Can be used with other Healex calming products
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Relaxivet Calming Collar for Cats
De-stress formula
Multiple package options
Ideal for multi-cat households
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The 5 Best Calming Collars for Cats
The Sentry Good Behavior Calming Collar for Cats is the best overall calming collar for cats, due to its Good Behavior pheromone technology. This pheromone is designed to mimic the one that mother cats produce to keep kittens calm. With this technology, the collars are clinically proven to reduce anxious behaviors like clawing, scratching, marking, and destructive behavior. These may be triggered by thunderstorms, fireworks, travel, or social situations.
Longevity: 30 days
Lifestage: Adult
Features: Patented Good Behavior pheromones
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The collar is intended to last for 30 days and releases calming pheromones with soothing lavender and chamomile the whole time. Cats of all ages can use the collar without ill effects, though it is best for adult cats. The collar fits cats with necks up to 15 inches. Though many reviewers saw good results, others struggled with the collar staying on and said its strong floral scent was overpowering. A few saw no change in their cats’ problem behaviors.
Pros
Patented Good Behavior pheromone technology
30-day use
Clinically proven
Cons
Strong floral scent
Collar falls off
Didn’t work for all cats
The Comfort Zone On-The-Go Breakaway Calming Collar for Cats is the best calming collar for cats for the money. The collar is designed to help your cat relax and feel safe in its environment to reduce anxious behaviors like scratching, clawing, and marking. The collar is infused with calming pheromones that release continuously throughout the day, so you can use it all day and night.
Patented Good Behavior pheromone technology
30-day use
Clinically proven
- Patented Good Behavior pheromone technology
- 30-day use
- Clinically proven
Strong floral scent
Collar falls off
Didn’t work for all cats
- Strong floral scent
- Collar falls off
- Didn’t work for all cats
Longevity: 30 days
Lifestage: Adult
Features: Breakaway
With its breakaway design, you won’t have to worry about your cat getting caught on furniture, fences, or other obstructions. The collar can be used indoors and outdoors and releases pheromones over a 30-day period. Many reviewers saw improvements in their cats’ negative behaviors, but a few saw no difference. The breakaway design may not be suitable for cats that try to get collars off.
Pros
Calming pheromones 24/7
Breakaway design
30-day use
Cons
Cats can get the collar off
Not effective for all cats
The Calm Paws Calming Cat Collar is the premium choice and uses a blend of essential oils to soothe your cat and relax it. The collar fits around your cat’s neck easily and releases essential oils all day and night, so your cat can manage stressful situations like thunderstorms, fireworks, or new social situations.
Calming pheromones 24/7
Breakaway design
30-day use
- Calming pheromones 24/7
- Breakaway design
- 30-day use
Cats can get the collar off
Not effective for all cats
- Cats can get the collar off
- Not effective for all cats
Longevity: 30 days
Lifestage: Adult
Features: Essential oil blend
The essential oils relax your cat in multiple ways to reduce unpleasant behaviors like excessive meowing, marking, restlessness, clawing, and jumping. The collar also goes wherever your cat goes, unlike diffusers or plug-ins. The collar fits necks up to 11 inches, so it’s not suitable for large breeds. Some essential oils can cause allergic reactions or sensitivities in some cats.
Pros
Essential oil blend
Fits small cats
30-day use
Cons
Not suitable for large breeds
May cause allergic reactions
- Healex Cat Calming Collar for Cats – Best for Kittens
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Longevity: 60 days
Lifestage: All
Features: Essential oil blend
The Healex Cat Calming Collar for Cats is the best choice for kittens and young cats. The collar is intended for young cats that aren’t yet spayed or experiencing significant anxiety. Even small kittens can fit in the adjustable collar, so your cat can grow into it.
Essential oil blend
Fits small cats
30-day use
- Essential oil blend
- Fits small cats
- 30-day use
Not suitable for large breeds
May cause allergic reactions
- Not suitable for large breeds
- May cause allergic reactions
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Longevity: 60 days
Lifestage: All
Features: Essential oil blend
The collar uses clinically proven ingredients to promote calming and relaxation. Safe for use in conjunction with other Healex products, the collar is ideal for cats 10 weeks or older. The collar contains some essential oils, however, which may cause adverse reactions in cats with allergies or sensitivities. Some reviewers noted that the smell is strong.
Pros
One-size-fits-all
Clinically proven pheromones and essential oils
Can be used with other Healex calming products
Cons
May cause adverse reactions in sensitive cats
Strong smell
- Relaxivet Calming Collar for Cats
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Longevity: 60 days
Lifestage: Adult
Features: Proprietary de-stress formula
The Relaxivet Calming Collar for Cats features a proprietary de-stress formula that uses pheromones without any drugs to promote calming in anxious cats. The collar is ideal for cats who are stressed or destructive during inciting events like fireworks, thunderstorms, vet visits, or travel. In multi-cat households, the collar can prevent fighting, dominance, and fearful behaviors between housemates.
One-size-fits-all
Clinically proven pheromones and essential oils
Can be used with other Healex calming products
- One-size-fits-all
- Clinically proven pheromones and essential oils
- Can be used with other Healex calming products
May cause adverse reactions in sensitive cats
Strong smell
- May cause adverse reactions in sensitive cats
- Strong smell
Longevity: 60 days
Lifestage: Adult
Features: Proprietary de-stress formula
The pheromones are released all day and night, so the collar is suitable for around-the-clock wear and indoor and outdoor cats. Collars are available in one-pack or two-pack options, so you can save by buying more for multiple cats or replacement after the 30-day period. Some reviewers noted that the collar is nearly impossible to remove and has sharp edges on the size notches that need to be trimmed to avoid injury to your cat—so keep an eye out for this.
Pros
De-stress formula
Ideal for multi-cat households
Multiple package options
Cons
Difficult to remove
May have sharp edges
De-stress formula
Ideal for multi-cat households
Multiple package options
- De-stress formula
- Ideal for multi-cat households
- Multiple package options
Difficult to remove
May have sharp edges
- Difficult to remove
- May have sharp edges
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting The Best Calming Collar for Cats
Calming collars are excellent tools to calm anxious cats safely and naturally. Not all collars are created equal, however, so here are some things to look out for:
Material
Most calming collars use pheromones, chemicals, or essential oils to release soothing scents that calm your cat. These collars will usually be made of the same materials that hold the scent, but the strap material’s durability and flexibility are important. Collars are intended for 24/7 wear, so if your cat isn’t comfortable, it could have the opposite effect or cause skin irritation.
Cats love to explore, but sometimes their curiosity can get them in trouble. The Hepper Breakaway Collar features a reliable breakaway buckle that will keep your cat safe and comfortable. The 100% natural hemp webbing is mold- and UV-resistant, and there’s even an included jingle bell to keep your local wildlife safe!
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Size
If you’re shopping for a kitten or a large-breed cat, size matters. The collar must be tight enough to stay on, but loose enough for comfort. Most calming collars offer adjustable straps to ensure they’re comfortable on your cat. The common size is 15 inches, which you can adjust and trim the excess. Before you shop, measure your cat’s neck or current collar to make sure you don’t need a smaller or large size.
Active Ingredients
Calming collars may use synthetic chemicals, pheromones, natural herbs, or essential oils to promote relaxation. These can have different effects on your cats. Some cats are hypersensitive or allergic to essential oils or certain natural ingredients, so keep this in mind while you shop. Also, pheromones are odorless to people but work on your cat, so they may be preferred over the strong scents of essential oils.
Features
Some collars come with additional features beyond calming formulas, such as a waterproof material. If you have an outdoor cat, you may want to shop for a waterproof calming collar that’s easy to clean. Non-waterproof calming collars can’t be washed, or else you’d wash the pheromones away, so waterproof is an excellent alternative for cats that like to get dirty.
Another desirable feature is a breakaway collar. Cats can get into small spaces and may become caught on furniture, fences, shrubs, or other obstructions. If your cat gets stuck and you’re not with them, they can injure themselves when they struggle to get free. With a breakaway collar, the clasp will release if your cat puts enough pressure on it.
Conclusion
If your cat exhibits anxious or destructive behavior like clawing, scratching, running around, and spraying, a calming collar can be just the fix. Calming collars for cats use essential oils or pheromones to relax and comfort cats during stressful situations like thunderstorms, fireworks, or vet visits. The Sentry Good Behavior Calming Collar for Cats is the best overall calming collar for cats, due to its Good Behavior pheromone technology and positive results. If you want value, the Comfort Zone On-The-Go Breakaway Calming Collar offers pheromones in a breakaway design for indoor or outdoor cats.
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Featured Image Credit: Tinka Mach, Shutterstock
