Cat Harnesses And Flea Protection

[Diana Faye]

Now that the weather is getting warmer, I want to get back to introducing the cats to being outside on a harness. They've grown quite a bit, so the original harnesses I had no longer fit, and it's been a few months since they've worn one. I bought one harness to see how it would fit, but I'm not crazy about it. It's too small for one, but the style would probably be ok. The cat that it does fit, seems to sit too low over his shoulders and seems a bit bulky. I'm thinking an H style would probably be the most comfortable for them, and least restrictive, but I'm concerned about safety.

Another thing to consider about the outdoors is that the ticks have been really bad here. I live in a rural and wooded community, so it's very likely that we would pick up some critters. They are indoor cats, and outside time would be limited. When I was a kid, the family cat had a bad reaction to flea meds that almost killed him, so I'm super nervous about putting any kind of chemical on a cat. I have used Frontline and Advantix in the past, but I haven't been super impressed with the results and always have that constant anxiety about what could go wrong. It's been one of the driving forces that had me change to the "indoor only" lifestyle.

I'm curious to know what other harnesses people here use, and what do you guys do for flea and tick prevention. Would a collar be enough for temporary trips outside, or do you use the monthly doses? And what brands do you trust to keep your kitties bug free?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
My boy has an h style harness but it doesn't fit all that well.
Here's a short recent thread about flea protection.
Flea Control For Cat Who Is Being Harness-trained
And an article in case you haven't seen it. Homemade Flea Remedies For Cats

 

[rubysmama]

I'm curious to know what other harnesses people here use, and what do you guys do for flea and tick prevention. Would a collar be enough for temporary trips outside, or do you use the monthly doses? And what brands do you trust to keep your kitties bug free?

I don't take Ruby outside at all, so can't answer that part of your question, but as to the best prevention for fleas and ticks, maybe check with your vet. I know when I go into Ruby's vet to get her food, they always have posters mentioning ticks, fleas, etc. Your vet might even have info on their website.