Cat harnesses making my cat itchy?

[insidior]

Hi guys.
Wondering why my cat, Atlas, get itchy when I put harnesses on him. He’s trained to wear them but both mesh and just regular vinyl collar material makes him itchy.
Long hair cat, thicc fur. I tried washing his vest one to see if that would help the itchiness but it did nothing. He sometimes begs for pets and literally flops over onto the ground to itch himself.
It’s been a relatively new thing, he didn’t used to do this. could it be because his fur might be shedding? he’s 8 months old

here are both harnesses

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Well, I haven't run into this one before, so I'll just try to find some logic here. I know that when I wear very close-fitting clothing, I am sometimes a bit itchy where they were the snuggest once I take them off, so I'd imagine that a cat, who additionally has fur getting bunched up under there, might have the same experience. Women are well familiar with this, as we frequently itch under our straps! I wouldn't be too concerned over it unless the itching continues for some hours after the harness is off. Or unless he starts losing hair where the harness is. He looks quite relaxed and happy being out and about, so I'd continue...unless, as I said, the itching continues for a long time after the harness is off again.

And you may be right that shedding season has something to do with it...loose hairs shifting around under there.

 

[Juniper_Junebug]

Is it possible he's just itching at it to show his displeasure with wearing it? My 10- month old kitty has started rebelling against the harness (tbh, she never liked it, but she used to accept it as the cost of going outside). Now, mostly she just tries to bite me when I put it on (leading to a long slog of ignoring her, then trying again, ignoring her, etc.). She will also itch at it occasionally, but because it's only once in a while, I take it just as a sign she wants it off (vs. the reason she hates it).

 

[danteshuman]

Jackie loves to roll around in sand or dirt in his harness. Can you buy a small bag of sand from a hardware store and lay it on the ground for your boy to roll around in? Since cats out of a harness live go do this I think it just feels good.

I would avoid all mesh or knit fabrics on cats. I think it catches their hairs more and is more uncomfortable.

About your cat not wanting to wear it’s harness. If Jackie doesn’t come when I call him to get on the footstool (to put on his harness) I either walk away and ignore him for 30-60 minutes or shoo him from the door- then go outside without him for a few minutes. He is much more agreeable to putting on his harness after that. He knows he needs his harness to go outside so he puts up with it.

 

[minish]

Minish also rolls on her back on dirt or even cement when the weather is gooooood. It might not be because of the harness, just a spring time thing.
I agree with danteshuman the less material the better. The harness is not for the cat to tug on like dogs so thin straps pose no danger plus much less discomfort. Cats care about every single hair misplaced on their bodies. Minish even straightens them up if I ruffle her instead of pet her in the direction of the fur. Such aristocrats..

 

[insidior]

Thanks for the replies!
Atlas loves to be outside and often begs to go out the doors and would probably prefer to be without harness, but he’s starting to associate harness = outside and will hopefully door dash less.
Buying a bag of sand actually sounds like a decent idea because he’s a white cat who doesn’t need black dirt all over him