Advise on walking cat please

[tammat]

Hello Everybody. Our Boy Ruben wants to go outside badly. We are going to enclose our verandah with cat netting but its going to take a while. In the mean time I thought I would buy a harness and take him for a walk. Do you guys that do this stay inside your yards or go further afield? Also will I need to train him to do this? Oh and one last question. Our verandah has a timber floor. Will he still need to let his paws touch the ground sometimes? I just want to do the best for him always.

 

[missymotus]

I use Kramar dog harnesses, have never trained them just put it on and take them out. Also use a flexi lead so I can sit in the backyard or on the veranda as they wander around. I stay on my property, letting them out both the front and backyards. 

 

[jcat]

Getting him used to a harness indoors is the first step. What seems to work best is putting it on for 5 or 10 minutes a day and distracting the cat with play and/or a meal. It will take several days, possibly a week or so with some cats before they stop playing "boneless kitty". Then you can attach a leash in the house, again for a few minutes over several days with distractions. When he's become comfortable with both the harness and leash, carry him outside and sit down on the ground with him on your lap. It might take a couple of short attempts before he's ready to explore. Then you follow his lead, so reading material or music is helpful.
Jamie generally stays in our backyard, with an occasional outing on our block so he can explore what he sees from our front windows.

 

[aeevr]

I also found getting them used to the harness indoors kinda pointless. I get the harnesses on the and open the door. They know harness = going outside.

 

[missymotus]

I also found getting them used to the harness indoors kinda pointless. I get the harnesses on the and open the door. They know harness = going outside.

Same here, I've got 5 year olds who'll still play legless kitty if wearing it inside 

 Put it on and open the door, they're far too distracted by exploring to notice the harness. I also let mine walk out the door, they don't try to escape at other times they've learnt that harness = outside. 

 

[jcat]

I also found getting them used to the harness indoors kinda pointless. I get the harnesses on the and open the door. They know harness = going outside.

Same here, I've got 5 year olds who'll still play legless kitty if wearing it inside :lol3:  Put it on and open the door, they're far too distracted by exploring to notice the harness. I also let mine walk out the door, they don't try to escape at other times they've learnt that harness = outside. 

It depends on the cat(s). I know a lot of people who gave up too soon because their cat refused to move at all in the harness or spent the entire time outdoors trying to slip out of it. I can't let Jamie walk out the door like that. He knows the harness = outside, but he also knows that an open door = outside and will take advantage of any opportunity. He slipped out on my father-in-law a couple of weeks ago, and my husband came home to find Jamie sunning himself in the backyard. My f-i-l had come over to borrow a tool and didn't even notice that the cat had gotten out - through two doors!

There's a TCS article on the subject: Harness and Leash Training for Cats
Some harnesses are easy to get out of, e.g., the figure 8 ones. Watch out for a cat that starts walking backwards. Depending on his size, you might have to get a dog harness rather than one for cats. The dog harnesses generally have an extra strap that extends down between the front legs and are harder to slip out of, IME. There are also jacket-type harnesses.

As for the wooden floor, grass is appreciated, but not an absolute must. Some people fill flat trays or baby swimming pools with sod so their cats can enjoy the grass while inside an enclosed veranda, balcony, etc..

 

[tammat]

Thanks for all the wonderful advise. I have taken everything on board and Im going shopping for a harness tomorrow.

 

[mrblanche]

I'm probably going to be the odd man out here, but I would discourage you from taking your cat out on a leash.  It doesn't take much to frighten them, and then their mindless panicked rush to escape can turn into disaster in a moment.

The enclosed porch sounds great.  Be sure that there is no possible way for him to escape!