cat harness

[chadkins]

I am going to be moving from my house in the country yo one that will be located in town. My problem is my cat kyle loves to be outdoors. He was a stray that came to my house with some medical issues (had to get his right eye removed) so im not sure if hes been an outdoor cat his whole life. Currently hes under house arrest while he heals from 13 stitches he got while fighting with something outside recently. He is always at the door ready to try and sneak out whenever i come home or let my dog in or out. I would still like for him to be able to go outside so the only idea i could come up with is to try and take him outside on a harness. Does anyone have any information on a harness that would be safe for him to wear? Any ideas on how i can try and transition him into a house cat? Thanks in advance!

 

[nora1]

Training a cat to wear a harness can be easy, especially if they receive a positive reward right after and/or while wearing the harness. I used treats with my cat because she's food driven. Once she realized that the harness equals an outdoor walk, putting the harness on became much easier!

There are articles and other threads on this site which gives instructions and tips for getting a cat started on harness training. 

Best of luck!

 

[silmarien]

I found that Coastal Pet Mesh Cat Harness works best (search it on Amazon - it's like $8).  Come With Me Kitty harness has a great bungee like leash that makes it easier for kitties to explore without them choking, but I found the harness difficult to figure out.  I bought it ($15 harness and leash) just for the leash, though, and found it worthwhile.

 

[Freedom]

I used the basic "Figure 8" harness with my first cat, Amber (aka Mr. Amber Cat, named for his awesome eyes).  He came to live inside my apartment and I was not allowing him out to roam, no matter what.  Live in a city, near a busy road.  Took 2 times for him to get used to the harness.  Took about a week for him to stop demanding to go OUT NOW. 

This was our 'compromise,' which happened every day for the 8 years he lived with me:  Once a day, his harness went on and we went outside.  I used a 10 foot extendable (flexi) leash.  I had to walk at the very end of it, and I was SUPPOSED to keep quiet!  We went around the apartment building where we lived TWICE.  Not once, not three times -- he was VERY specific on this.  Invariably, as moved across the parking lot, my shoes / sneakers would make a crunch.  Now, Amber was doing his 'wild tiger' impersonation the entire time we were outside walking: low to the ground, slinking along, flahmening.  Whenever my shoes made a noise, he would stop, stand tall, and GLARE at me over his shoulder.  I could hear him quite clearly:  Keep QUIET, HuMom!  Keep WA-AY back and TRY to be invisible!

Didn't matter if it was baking hot summer day, bitter cold winter day, rain, we HAD to go out, and we HAD to go around the building twice.  Second time, he'd head to the door, no issues. 

Obviously I was well trained!

 

[sophie1]

That is SUCH a cute story!!  You're such a wonderful cat parent to have walked him every day for 8 years.

I have a cat who likes to go on daily walks, but I'm not quite as good about it as you.  Being in NYC I really can't do much other than take him around the hallways and into the stairwells, but he just loves those little outings nonetheless.  He likes to visit the neighbors, too.

I just bought one of those "H" harnesses and can't wait to try it.  I also have the Come With Me Kitty harness, but it just got way too annoying.  I had to place a clothespin behind the little rubber grommet that tightens the neck loops, or my cats would simply step out of it.  This works, but makes it really fiddly to get on.  Dumb design, but as you pointed out, very nice leash.

 

[snufkin]

Our Bertil wears a harness. But we were lucky and didnt have to train him. it all depends on how your cats personality is. I got one, and put him in it. Now to get him to walk in it took some time. He wasnt sure about that. but it just took time. I read that to get the harness on could take time. Leave it by the food bowl for X amount of days. Let him sniff it, etc. Then put it on for a few minutes at a time for a week then gradually leave it on him longer. Reward him with treats too. but like i said, for us personally, it took us longer to get him to walk in it rather than wear it. I initially got him a soft harness for small dogs, but he got out of it. I eventually got a thinner one that adjusts in a few different places and clips between the shoulder blades. 

berty.jpg

• snufkin
• Nov 17, 2014

Here he is at the vet with the better harness. He wears it really well. It can just be tricky getting the adjustment correct.

berty2.jpg

• snufkin
• Nov 17, 2014

And heres the one i bought that always fell off. I wouldnt go for this guy.

 

[mservant]

I got Mouse a harness a couple of years ago a) to see if I could get him used to going out but he hates the noise so it just gets used in the apartment occasionally at the moment, and b)  for emergency use if I have to rush him out of the apartment and stay out for a while or have work going on which makes the apartment dangerous e.g. windows wide enough for him to jump out (first floor and spiked railings below).   The one I have is also suitable for use in a car with a clip compatible with car seat belt clip.

I've been really happy with it although I can't say Mouse loves wearing it, but recently found an escape issue which could probably be achieved with anything other than a harness fitting round all 4 limbs plus neck.  My little darling discovered that if he created tension on the lead and harness and then pulled backwards with his head down and front limbs extended in front of him he could pull out of his little harness.  

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• mservant
• Apr 7, 2014

 

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• mservant
• Apr 7, 2014

 

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• mservant
• Apr 7, 2014

 

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• mservant
• Apr 7, 2014

 

 

[Margret]

I just ordered a Hyendry walking jacket for Jasmine. It won't arrive for another couple of weeks because they're made to order, but they're supposed to be much harder for the cat to slip out of. The main consideration is measuring properly so you get the right size. If you get it wrong, there's no refund.

http://www.hyendry.com/Hyendry_cat_walking_jackets_and_harness.html

Margret

 

[mservant]

I think Mouse having a small head helps him with the escape.  Probably the larger your cat's head is in relation to the neck and shoulders the less likely it is they will be able to reverse out if there is tension on the harness for them.  The harness having a broader neck section may help too.

 

[Margret]

Cats are incredibly agile. Practically jointless. A determined cat can back out of just about any harness, if there's enough tension on the leash. I've been bitten by this one before -- we were on a long car trip, and met an elderly couple with car trouble at a rest area. My husband took the old gentleman into town to call for help (pre-cell phone) and the wife and I stayed behind with Pretzel. The wife insisted on making "polite" conversation with me, despite Pretzel's obvious fear of strangers, and I was too polite to refuse. (I know better now.) Pretzel slipped her harness and disappeared, at a dessert rest stop in Idaho, where no one would ever find her.

When my husband came back, he said there was nothing to be done, just leave her behind. I said no, she'd found a concealed spot to nap, and would come out as soon as it was dark. I had him leave me a sleeping bag I could lie on for a few hours and sent him back into town to get me a hamburger. While there he took it upon himself to call my mother (where we were headed) and warn her that Pretzel was lost and I was going to be devastated. And as soon as full dark arrived, Pretzel came out, her bell tinkled, and I found her.

Every cat I've owned ever since has had a collar bell, and I've no intention of allowing anything similar happen to Jasmine. One of the advantages of being 61 is that I've learned a few things along the way.

Margret

 

[andieg]

What a sweetheart you both are! I don't know about harnesses but you also asked about training a cat to stay indoors. There's alot of information on the forum. And after many helping me out with advice and reading a book that was helpful, I was ready to proceed.

I've been training our newly adopted stray cat that found us awhile back. Especially since it's getting cold. He journeyed into the house out of curiosity in the beginning and starting coming in for meals so he got used to us pretty quickly. So now when he comes in for dinner, I close the door behind him. It took a few times of not listening to him meowing at the door to let him out but he now hangs out in the house and even got used to sleeping with us when we read in bed and hanging out with us on the couch when watching TV. He and our other cat have been working it out. They have long conversations and that special spray helps calm them. Although most of the time they stay in separate rooms, they will be together in a room, and I caught them once both sleeping on the bed together. He does tip toe about still when my original cat gets vocal, but then she calms down. There was only one major time she really let him know who's boss of the house (and it ain't the humans).

I set up loads of litter pans with that special kitty litter (although now he'll even use the regular kitty litter) and bowls of  water everywhere. I let him back out around 6-7 AM and he hangs out in his cat house we got him and ordered a heated pad for it. Got him a cat tree to place near the window so he can look out for when it gets cold during the daytime, too. Since my husband and I leave for the office, we aren't ready for them to be alone together.

I had used the gate but he jumps it, and didn't like the idea of totally closing off the area.

So, it takes patience, calmness, and trust. But it can be done. I'm amazed at the results.

Just a note - if he has a bed he stays on - our guy had an initial heated bed under the house but after his shots and going to recuperate and after his dental surgery and going there to recuperate, he won't use it any more, since he thinks of it as a place to go when he's not feeling well.  So we had to get another bed which we keep on the patio with the front facing open in the direction so he can see if 'danger' is coming. And I keep water outside for him, too. For now. This will all change when the weather changes.

 

[Margret]

I'm in awe of your patience and perseverence. Talking a feral cat into voluntarily becoming an indoor cat is on the order of herding cats. :lol3: (I once had a friend who claimed she could actually do that. Unfortunately, she suffered from fibromyalgia, and eventually took her own life. I can't honestly say that she made the wrong decision, much as I miss her.)

Margret

 

[slykat12]

Whitney wears a harness to walk in our neighborhood. I started when she was about 12-16 weeks old I guess. I have a video up on this site. She took to it right away.

She did slip out of it the other day though and I was terrified. She has a tiny head which makes it easy. When we walk she runs up to all the animals (usually dogs) to say hi but a humans walking frighten her and I held the leash taunt as she wanted to flee from a family. Scary moment but I used a special code word that stopped her in her tracks "TREAAAT" !!!

She really enjoys our walks. We go out 3-4 times a week. She chooses how far to go. Her fave thing is walking on a wall barrier we have like a gymast. She walks that twice before walking home. Unfortunately she hisses at me when it is time to go in. 

 

[bengal fan]

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• bengal fan
• Nov 20, 2014

 

[bengal fan]

My 18 yr old Bengal learned to walk on a lease just 1 yr ago.

 

[slykat12]

I don't think it is an age thing. I think it is a personality thing too. Treats may help or the walk itself is a reward. Our other family cat "the Savannah" is afraid of the outside and will not consider a harness at all. My previous cat a DLH Tuxedo would pretend the leash was killing her and flop on her side whenever I put it on. Walking was out of the question.  lol

 

[chadkins]

Thanks for all the advice. I went with the h style harness from coastal after reading some troubling reviews regarding the the figure 8 style. Hopefully with some positive reinforcement Kyle will adjust to it with relative ease.

 

[allison319]

I use a mesh cat harness from petsmart's cat section, it fits nice but like most everyone has said if a cat is eager enough to get away they will some how escape like little Houdinis. I started out with an h style and had the same problem but I've thought about going back to one since I used it when she was still growing and her neck was too small for the top portion still. I like using a retractable dog leash for it so she can explore more and it was the only way I could teach her to follow me since I was able to get further away.
I don't remember who mentioned something about teaching cats to stay inside but there's a cat trainer on YouTube, catmantoo, he has a great array of how to videos.

 

[tummy]

Hi.

I'm trying to train my cat to use a harness, but it seems that every time I put the harness on him, he can't walk. He fall from his feet and can't make one step. If I let the harness more light, not so tight, he could walk, but can escape from it, too He draws the body outside from the harness, if he finds that is too light Any thoughts why he fall from standing?

 

[Margret]

It can be very difficult to properly put a harness on a struggling cat. Could it be that his elbows are caught in the harness?

Margret