Cats climb, squeeze under fences and hook themselves on branches, which is exactly why a cat collar should be built to come off. The breakaway buckle here releases under sustained pressure, so a snagged collar becomes a lost collar rather than an injury. The bell does the other job people buy a collar for, giving garden birds a second or two of warning before your cat gets close enough to matter.

The band is leather with antique-brass fittings, and leather behaves differently from nylon over time: it feels stiff when new, then softens to the shape of your cat's neck over a few weeks of wear. A round tag hangs from the same ring and can be engraved with a name and a number, which matters more than a chip alone. A neighbour who finds your cat can read a tag; they cannot scan a microchip. Wipe it with a dry cloth rather than soaking it.

• Leather band with antique-brass hardware
• Safety breakaway buckle that releases under pressure
• Bell fitted as standard
• Round tag engraved with your cat's name and your number
• Five colours: brown, black, green, pink and red
• 13g in total, so barely noticeable on the neck

On fit: two fingers should slide flat between the collar and your cat's neck, and on a growing kitten that wants checking every couple of weeks. If your cat lives indoors and is never near a bird, the bell can come off the ring without affecting anything else.

Who it's for: Cat owners who want visible identification on a collar that gives way if it catches on something.