Leash Training

moosefooz

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
Messages
6
Purraise
3
Hi,

I'm currently leash training my cat in my apartment and making some progress. She's 7 months old and I adopted her two months ago. At first she was definitely more of a scaredy cat and now she's fairly comfortable in my apartment and is getting more confident every day.

Getting the harness and leash on her is very easy for me. However, holding on to the leash is what I'm having problems with. My cat loves to run to the other side of the room, sometimes to hide and observe, but obviously with a leash she's restrained. When I'm holding the leash and she wants to run away I usually let go because I don't want to scare her, because I once didn't let go and she freaked out and tried to break away.

I don't know what to do because she doesn't mind the harness and leash as long as no one is holding on and when I do try she gets scared of being restrained. I give her lots of treats when she has the leash trailing behind her and when I'm holding on but I don't want her to freak out again when she's trying to run away but can't because of the leash.

Did anyone have similar experiences of their cat being afraid of being restrained on a leash? I'm thinking I should be more patient and give her time to adjust to the feeling.

Thank you for your help!
 

Etarre

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
Messages
759
Purraise
1,865
I'm trying to start leash training my cat as well, but we haven't progressed to the 'comfortable with the harness' stage yet, so I don't have a lot of advice for you! But I'm curious what type of harness you're using. I tried an h-shaped harness (similar to the come with me kitty) first, but it doesn't fit Juniper very well, and she hates it, and acts like she can't move while wearing it. So we're going to try one of the vest-type ones next to see if that'll work better.

Would your cat be less likely to run away from you and pull on the leash if you tried putting on the leash when she was a little sleepy? Trying this during her normal naptime or even giving her some catnip if it makes her sleepy could help keep her from bolting on you, or at least make it less forceful if she does pull on the leash.

I know there are several kitties on this board who walk regularly, so you should get a lot of good advice!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

moosefooz

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
Messages
6
Purraise
3
Thanks for your reply :)

I am using an H-type harness and putting it on her while she's munching on a treat. She's kind of a weird cat in that she doesn't mind collars or harnesses, but doesn't like being picked up. I heard a lot of cats don't like harnesses. The one I use is easily adjustable and fits her snuggly. I would make sure that your cat's harness isn't loose, which might make it a little more enjoyable for her.

Trying to walk my cat while she's sleepy is a good idea! I've tried feeding her some catnip but I don't think it affects her at all..

I'm new to this forum so it's good to hear that there are plenty of cat walkers here who might have some good advice :)
 

Etarre

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
Messages
759
Purraise
1,865
Thanks for sharing about your harness! Juniper is tiny (just under 7 pounds) but has a very, very long torso,
which makes the H-shape a bit challenging.

Here are some fun pics of cats walking. I know that Buddy the Adventure Cat's owner has gone into some detail about training him to like walking, the equipment they use, etc. and I learned a lot from reading those threads, as others have also chimed in.

Walkies Welcome, Photos And More, With Or Without Leashes
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

moosefooz

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
Messages
6
Purraise
3
Cool, I'll definitely check it out!

Tapsi is also tiny (less than 6 pounds) and this is the harness I bought for her:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

moosefooz

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
Messages
6
Purraise
3
Hi rubysmama,

Thanks for the link, it has some great tips! I seem to be stuck on the following your cat around step.

I have way too many pictures of Tapsi, so here are some including one where she's wearing her harness.
 

Attachments

EmmiTemmi

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Sep 16, 2017
Messages
399
Purraise
481
Location
Wisconsin
I am using an H-type harness and putting it on her while she's munching on a treat.
Just a quick word of caution about H-harnesses. Make sure they are PLENTY tight when you go outside. I had practiced harness walking with an H-harness indoors with my 11 month old boys since I got them when they were 4 and 5 months old. But on the first day I decide to go outside with my adventurous boy, when I was back at my family's house on 2 acres of land instead of my urban apartment, he does great at first, then I step on some crunchy snow and he FREAKS out. Jumps off the porch and darts under it (Mind you, it goes 20-30ft back towards my house, totally unreachable by humans unless you belly crawl with the spiders, sharp rocks, and cobwebs) and manages to back out of his harness. I laid in the snow for over half an hour peering under the dimly lit porch, calling to him, tempting him with treats and toys, and then finally he came out. Scariest time of my life. He's got a jacket-style harness now, and he hasn't been able to slip it so far. :crossfingers:

TLDR; Make sure your cat can't back out of their harness.
 

Etarre

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
Messages
759
Purraise
1,865
Very scary, EmmiTemmi EmmiTemmi , and thanks for the warning! I've seen reviews on Amazon claiming that some cats can also get out of the cat holster and other harness-style harnesses, and I live in a big city near lots of busy streets, so we're not planning anything too adventurous. My apartment building has an enclosed courtyard that might be fun for Juniper to explore. But we'll be practicing lots inside and around the halls first to test out the harness (if I can get her to wear it, that is!).
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

moosefooz

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
Messages
6
Purraise
3
Thanks for the warning, EmmiTemmi! That experience must have been scary.. did you get your cat to stop being afraid of snow and other weird noises eventually?
I'll consider getting a jacket type harness for Tapsi. Although I can make her current one pretty snug I wouldn't be surprised if she could get out if she really wanted to.
 

EmmiTemmi

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Sep 16, 2017
Messages
399
Purraise
481
Location
Wisconsin
Thanks for the warning, EmmiTemmi! That experience must have been scary.. did you get your cat to stop being afraid of snow and other weird noises eventually?
I haven't actually taken him back outside yet, since I didn't get the new harness until after I left my family's spacious property, and now I'm back on a busy road. :sniffle: And I don't mean to scare you out of using the H-harness, they work amazingly well for a ton of people. I just had a bad experience that has scared me away from them. I probably had it too loose on Monty anyway.

Tapsi's super cute btw! Enjoy leash training her!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

moosefooz

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
Messages
6
Purraise
3
Thanks, I'm having a great time training her :)
 

ileen

with Luciano since 12/5/16
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 6, 2017
Messages
1,138
Purraise
2,746
Location
nyc
After trying for a few months and trying intensely for a few weeks, I've finally had some success getting the harness/collar/leash contraption on Luciano. We've explored the roof of our apartment building, which he LOVES, but he still wants his own way. We're only allowed on one side of the roof, and of course, he keeps trying to get to the other side.

I had an epiphany when a neighbor from the other side was up there. She loves Luciano, so he was happily on her side of the roof trying to get under the deck portion (which he will never do, way too narrow). She mentioned Luciano might be smelling mice! She and her husband have a lovely garden on their part of the roof & have had some critters nibbling things. They've caught a few mice in traps. Meanwhile, on the other side of the roof, my neighbor has four cats, and even though they don't spend time on the roof, I'm guessing their presence/odor means no mice hang out over there.

So now I try to be understanding when Luciano wants to explore the mouse side of the roof, but there is someone over there who is allergic, and another person who does not like cats, and I don't feel right being on their property.

When I try to hold firm and not let him over there, he pulls against the leash & can slip his head out of the collar. It surprised me the first time he did it, because the collar part does seem fairly tight around his throat, but we all know how cats can be boneless when they want to be, I guess even their heads as well!

He has enjoyed stalking bugs and chasing stray leaves on the roof, and generally being somewhere more vast than the apartment. I can't even imagine all the different smells he is smelling.

Here are a couple of shots of Luciano on the roof. Once he is more comfortable in the harness, I may venture out to Central Park (one block away) for even greater adventures.
IMG_1895[2].JPG
IMG_1900[1].JPG
 

ileen

with Luciano since 12/5/16
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 6, 2017
Messages
1,138
Purraise
2,746
Location
nyc
Set back on Luciano's leash trips to the roof Friday/Saturday. He was doing so well, I was actually thinking of trying to bring him to the street for a short trip up the block. There's actually an avian rescue/hospital just up the block, so he could look at lots of birds in the window, but not after what happened this weekend.

Although we are on the roof, there is a level above, as some of the apartments are duplexes and have bedrooms on the roof level, so there are additional flat surfaces above our regular roof.

Friday night Luciano jumped up onto the external air conditioner of one of the units, and from there jumped up onto the upper roof. I cannot get up there but was holding the leash taut, which unfortunately meant he was able to slip out of the neck part, and then walk out of the harness part, so he was exploring that roof on his own & could have gone anywhere. I was alone so did not want to leave to get a ladder or treats and perhaps lose sight of him. He had a grand time exploring up there, jumping the narrow space between bedroom roofs. It was probably only between 5-10 minutes, but felt like an eternity to me. Eventually he jumped down onto a different air conditioner & I was able to grab him and bring him inside.

The next day I brought him up again, but when he went up on the air conditioner, I got him off there immediately. I thought he was okay, but apparently he had a taste of freedom & wasn't happy to be thwarted. I was watering plants and he seemed fine under a chair with the leash being held by the leg of the chair. He managed to make the leash taut, probably accidentally, and slipped the neck part again. I tried getting it back on him, but he slashed out & bit/scratched both of my arms. I scruffed him & brought him inside, but when I tried removing the harness from around his body, he jumped up and bit my neck vampire style.

He was in time out yesterday, no outside, not even a stroll in the hallway of the building. I suppose when my wounds heal I'll try again.
 
Top