Leash Walk - Photos

[motylek]

motylek - You could always ask the boyfriend to build an enclosure for Chloe the way @basscat did for Gibs:

we don't have that much space and we rent, so we can't really build anything.

 

[motylek]

I have three different harnesses. The first one she is in her Halloween costume in a mesh harness. That is the one she currently uses. I also have a jacket-type harness that she sometimes wears, and the last harness she grew out of. Luna loves to go on walks. She tries to run out the door all the time, so I keep a collar on her and she is microchipped. I have to pick her up and carry her back in the house because she would stay outside all day.

omg I love her Halloween hardness, we got my cat one with fishes because we have fishes also and I thought it would be cute can't wait to take her out

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
motylek - As you (and your boyfriend) can see, "leash-walking" is common practise, and cat people will go to nearly any lengths to ensure the safety of the cats they Love so much. I hope that you'll stick around, and let us know how your kitty's safe outdoor experiences turn out - hopefully in pictures!
.

 

[Korinmewmew]

motylek - You could always ask the boyfriend to build an enclosure for Chloe the way @basscat did for Gibs:

Holy moly, I want one of those.

 

[motylek]

.
motylek - As you (and your boyfriend) can see, "leash-walking" is common practise, and cat people will go to nearly any lengths to ensure the safety of the cats they Love so much. I hope that you'll stick around, and let us know how your kitty's safe outdoor experiences turn out - hopefully in pictures!
.

I will, hopefully we can take her out on Saturday.

 

[motylek]

So we took Chloe out on Saturday but it didn't last long because she was scared, so I decided to do it again once it gets more warmer.

 

[Korinmewmew]

So we took Chloe out on Saturday but it didn't last long because she was scared, so I decided to do it again once it gets more warmer.

Where did you take her, if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[Norachan]

I live in the middle of nowhere and have a cat who thinks he's a dog, so I can take Little Boy out for walks without a harness or leash. We just walk around the block but he enjoys it, summer or winter.

 

[betsygee]

Here's my old boy Travis with his leash and harness. He's gone now but he sure loved his walks outside.



Hannah with her stylish pink hoodie harness.



Ozzy when we first brought him home from the SPCA and we wanted to get him to know the area around our house.



Good luck getting your kitty used to leash walking. A couple of mine were good with it, but I had one cat who just hated it, I'd practically be dragging her in the dirt behind me.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

I live in the middle of nowhere and have a cat who thinks he's a dog, so I can take Little Boy out for walks without a harness or leash. We just walk around the block but he enjoys it, summer or winter.

View attachment 215671 View attachment 215672 View attachment 215673

Norachan - Little Boy seems to be the cat that everyone Loves, and it's easy to see why; what a beauty!
.

 

[Shane Kent]

Zaren and Kane rarely went outside so they always went on a leash. I lived in an apartment back then.

Kane.

Kane outside in the park August 2007

• Shane Kent
• Nov 20, 2017
• 1

Kane on a trip outside the apartment building in a park.

Taz and Zoe started on a leash but both can go outside off leash now. They don't leave our property. It took a bit of chasing them onto the neighbors property but they have learned their boundaries. They are only allowed outside when we are with them.

Zoe on the front lawn.

Zoe Front Lawn 1

• Shane Kent
• Jun 1, 2017

Zoe on the front lawn under the oak tree.

 

[raysmyheart]

Speedy on her harness and leash and exploring.
The first summer, it didn't go as smoothly as walking does now. It was because I would tug on the leash and finally learned to let Speedy do it in her own time, all on her own, she makes the first step. I always put the harness on by the door, let her sit, no pulling, then open the door. When she hears the birds and smells the outside air, it is often enough that she then starts stepping on her own. Of course, we stop to smell everything and to listen to every far-off noise.

I do wish you the best, please let us know your progress.

 

[di and bob]

Just remember it takes a lot to get them used to it. when I first put the harness on Chrissy, she just fell over on her side and refused to move! 15 minutes the first day, and longer each day until she got used to it. Once they are running around the house with it on they are ready. Burt was fine with his, no problems, never tried to escape. Chrissy was a Houdini! She would turn around backwards and slip right out. Remember a cat CAN escape, especially when they are scared, like when a dog rushes out, so don't take them far from home. I finally ended up getting a figure 8 harness for her that tightened if she tried to get out of it. It got to when i brought out the harnesses they would both run to the door. People would stop their cars and stare, and take pictures, so make sure your kitty will be good around extra attention!

 

[foxxycat]

I only had luck harnessing one cat. Pumpkin face. We taught her the boundaries and now she sticks close to home. She's much older now-and rarely ventures farther than the strawberry bed or the yard swing. She's a porch kitty and naps on the deck all day from 7am till 6pm in the warmer months.

My other gal well let's say she's more adventurous. She was an outdoor cat before I got her-we tried to harness train her-and she attacked me. I tried for 2 weeks to get it on her..she said heck no and she will go where she wants..luckily we live in a very safe area-she's only allowed out when we go outside.

She sticks close to the house and has other cat friends she hangs out with 2 houses over...occasionally she hangs out with the resident groundhog. The next kitty will be harness trained and maybe buy land to build an enclosure like Norachan , Right now I don't own the land-so can't really build anything at least not as big as I have in mind...trees, tall fence etc.

harness training is best when they are kittens. Pumps didn't like it too much..she too fell over on her side looking at me mad..but once I carried her outside she was very interested in the grass n bushes. She was born/raised in a barn so was already familiar with outdoors in a way...in fact that's her favorite place to be- outside in the warm sun.

 

[raysmyheart]

I know what you mean di and bob , about cats getting scared or startled by something when they are in the harness and try to get out. I strongly advise avoiding places where startling may occur. For Speedy, that is the front lawn because of the fast and sometimes very noisy traffic, especially trucks. Once, she was startled by a loud truck and did a flip in the harness and I don't want that to happen again. She is nice and calm in the backyard, and loves her adventures there. If an animal were to approach, I would definitely pick her up because fear will set in and that causes a struggle with the harness. I feel comfortable with the vest harness, but now the figure 8 harness that tightens if the cat tries to escape like di and bob mentioned is something I will definitely look into!

All this being said, I do wish you much success motylek ! The best times of the year for me are the times I can go walking with Speedy! Keep at it, it does take time and please let us know how you do.

 

[betsygee]

That's good advice, R raysmyheart . We took Hannah in when she was 10 and she had always been an indoor cat but she showed interest in going out so we got her used to a leash/harness inside and then tried outside. She LOVED running around, sniffing everything, and exploring.

One day, though, I was walking her in the front yard instead of the back. A vehicle drove down the street and Hannah freaked. She very nearly got out of the harness and I don't know what would have happened if she had. After that, I only walked her around the back of the house where she wouldn't get startled by traffic.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I know what you mean di and bob , about cats getting scared or startled by something when they are in the harness and try to get out. I strongly advise avoiding places where startling may occur. For Speedy, that is the front lawn because of the fast and sometimes very noisy traffic, especially trucks. Once, she was startled by a loud truck and did a flip in the harness and I don't want that to happen again. She is nice and calm in the backyard, and loves her adventures there. If an animal were to approach, I would definitely pick her up because fear will set in and that causes a struggle with the harness. I feel comfortable with the vest harness, but now the figure 8 harness that tightens if the cat tries to escape like di and bob mentioned is something I will definitely look into!

All this being said, I do wish you much success motylek ! The best times of the year for me are the times I can go walking with Speedy! Keep at it, it does take time and please let us know how you do.

Remember that it's not only the startling things that can cause the sudden movements in cats.

Milly has slipped away from me before when on a leash just as a fly flew by and she tried to chase it!

 

[Norachan]

Zoe on the front lawn.

Zoe Front Lawn 1

• Shane Kent
• Jun 1, 2017

Zoe on the front lawn under the oak tree.

Zoe looks a lot like my girl, Chicken.

 

[kirathecat]

Whiskey makes me take him out almost every day

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Zoe looks a lot like my girl, Chicken.

View attachment 215901

Norachan - No slight intended, but you have so many cats that every cat in the world looks like at least one of yours!


.