Wessie takes a walk in the park!

[catbehaviors]

I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures from Wessie's walk in the park. We took him out to a local park, and he did surprisingly well. A dog even passed without a problem! I took him to the park a second time later that week, and I hope to go again soon.

Looking around when we first got there.

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Walking past the community garden.

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Cool drain pipe...

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Relaxing in the tall grasses.

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Walking on the path.

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[natalie_ca]

He looks surprised and thrilled to be out there. So many new smells and things to see and play with.  Glad you have him on a harness so that he doesn't run off, especially into that drain pipe!

In the past I've tried taking Abby out, but she's too scared.  My RB kitty Chynna used to go outside once in awhile when she was younger, but as she got older, she didn't like it so much.

My 3 year old twins are in door only kitties.  And so is Abby. The last time I tried taking her out was about 3 years ago.  She sat in the carrier for about 2 hours with the door open, refusing to come out.

 

[mservant]

Aw, that looks brave for a first look around!  He's having a good nose around and not cowering in a corner playing dead. 

   And getting past a do without issue is amazing, mind you he does look like a mini lion out there. 

 

[catbehaviors]

natalie_ca Oh yes, he did want to go in that drainpipe! It would be a nightmare if he escaped down in there.
I wasn't sure if he want would come out of the carrier, but to my surprise he walked out as soon as I opened the door. I think he preferred being able to walk around on his own to being cornered in his carrier

mservant I was amazed that he wasn't cowering in a corner! :lol3: He did want to run off into some bushes, but got braver as he got used to the new experience.

 

[my4llma]

Looks  like he had a good time

 

[fhicat]

What is the harness you're using? That looks really comfy. Jed has started showing interest in the window sill, so I'm thinking to try to get him to wear a harness over the next couple of months, just in time for winter.

 

[betsygee]

Great pics!

 

[catbehaviors]

Looks  like he had a good time

I think he actually did, especially once he started exploring!

What is the harness you're using? That looks really comfy. Jed has started showing interest in the window sill, so I'm thinking to try to get him to wear a harness over the next couple of months, just in time for winter.

@Fhi09 I wish you the best of luck with your harness training! I'm sure Jed will enjoy taking walks with you.
I made the harness Wessie is wearing. You can find out more about them on my website: http://petoodles.net/

Great pics!

Thank you!

 

[fhicat]

Oh that is awesome. I'll get a measuring tape and place an order with you soon!

 

[catbehaviors]

Oh that is awesome. I'll get a measuring tape and place an order with you soon!

Sounds good! Let me know if we don't have Jed's size in stock.

 

[mrsh]

This is wonderful! My cat is around 4 years old now and starting to get less active and a little tubby in the read end. He's super nosy and enjoys lounging on the screened in lanai, but I think he might enjoy walks. How did you get your cat accustomed to the harness and leash?

 

[nbrazil]

Love this and love orange kitties! Even though my little girl rescued herself (by coming up to a person in a parking lot when very young - was fostered/socialized - and came to me from a Rescue organization) from that big bad world outside, she has increasingly shown interest in at least exploring my balcony. So I think I will be interested in the harness in the future.

She is still a kitten (7 months) and I don't know how much more she will grow... so certainly by Spring (if I can wait that long).

My Ragdoll also shows great interest in the balcony, and is not so easily spooked as the ginger girl - but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable taking him out, they really ought to remain indoors.

Eh... I suppose if I do this I will have to wind up doing prophylactic treatment for fleas and heart worms... sigh - nice to not worry about that with indoor only cats. Means more vet bills.

Love the video.

 

[luciafernanda]

That's so sweet...do you often take him? How old is he?

Any tips on taking your cat to the park? Did you just put him on the harness and take him down? Any treats or did he shout?

I want to start taking Lucia out to the park. I used to let her run around on the rooftop where my apartment is, which I thought was pretty self-contained, but I was wrong and she got into trouble a couple of times. So now I don't let her out but she misses the outside and as my apartment is so small - almost a studio - I'd like to take her out. I tried training her to walk on a leash downstairs in my building but she just wanted to hide under cars and shouted so loud I was worried the neighbours would think I was torturing her But she's still really young so I think with practice she'd enjoy regular trips to the park.

 

[catbehaviors]

This is wonderful! My cat is around 4 years old now and starting to get less active and a little tubby in the read end. He's super nosy and enjoys lounging on the screened in lanai, but I think he might enjoy walks. How did you get your cat accustomed to the harness and leash?

mrsh You should really try walking him! I think he'll love it.

I never really walked Wessie until recently (I did put some "contraptions" on him when he was a kitten, but I haven't done anything consistently). Honestly, I just put the harness on him and attached the leash. He doesn't seem to mind this style, and seems unable to escape as well!

Love this and love orange kitties! Even though my little girl rescued herself (by coming up to a person in a parking lot when very young - was fostered/socialized - and came to me from a Rescue organization) from that big bad world outside, she has increasingly shown interest in at least exploring my balcony. So I think I will be interested in the harness in the future.

She is still a kitten (7 months) and I don't know how much more she will grow... so certainly by Spring (if I can wait that long).

My Ragdoll also shows great interest in the balcony, and is not so easily spooked as the ginger girl - but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable taking him out, they really ought to remain indoors.

Eh... I suppose if I do this I will have to wind up doing prophylactic treatment for fleas and heart worms... sigh - nice to not worry about that with indoor only cats. Means more vet bills.

Love the video.

nbrazil Glad you enjoyed the video!
My cat has been outside on and off for most of his life and hasn't had any fleas/worms yet... maybe he's just lucky. I'd advise that you start training her now - it's much easier when they are young. Once I had a kitten who I trained to walk on a leash when he was 6 weeks old, and he absolutely loved it! We walked all around the neighborhood together (though most of the time he preferred being carried to actual walking. :lol3: )

That's so sweet...do you often take him? How old is he?

Any tips on taking your cat to the park? Did you just put him on the harness and take him down? Any treats or did he shout?

I want to start taking Lucia out to the park. I used to let her run around on the rooftop where my apartment is, which I thought was pretty self-contained, but I was wrong and she got into trouble a couple of times. So now I don't let her out but she misses the outside and as my apartment is so small - almost a studio - I'd like to take her out. I tried training her to walk on a leash downstairs in my building but she just wanted to hide under cars and shouted so loud I was worried the neighbours would think I was torturing her But she's still really young so I think with practice she'd enjoy regular trips to the park.

luciafernanda Yep. I stuck him in his carrier, drove to the park, and took him out. I think treats would definitely be a help, but I didn't have any on hand. He cried a bit, but settled down after a few minutes, and started exploring. This was the first time I've ever taken him away from home (besides one time that he got a rabies shot). I've taken him to the park once since these photos were taken, but have yet to go again. He's five years old.

Honestly, the best thing you can do is stick with it. As I mentioned to NBrazil above, I had a kitten that loved walking on a leash. He started out crying, climbing up my leg- pretty much acting like he was being tortured every time I took him out. After a week or so of taking him out daily he started to really enjoy our walks. He became a really well rounded and friendly cat.

If you take her out be sure that you have a carrier on hand in case you come across any unleashed dogs or other dangers. I would also make sure that she has a secure harness before taking her any distance away from home.

 

[luciafernanda]

Hmmm how do you tell if your harness is secure? I think mine is...but I haven't tested it much. She had an 8-shaped harness when she was little, one specially designed for small kittens, and she managed to half wriggle out of it once. But I think the h-shaped harness is more secure if adjusted properly.

Her harness looks like this: http://img2.wfrcdn.com/lf/49/hash/2...-Color-1/2-Adjustable-H-Style-Cat-Harness.jpg

and on (not my cat) looks like this: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/411eq7h1SKL.jpg

That cat is waaaay tubbier than Lucia. I'm thinking of buying her a harness for chihuahuas though. They look tougher and some have a part on the chest, more like a mini-sweater, like your cat's harness.

Did you leash train Wessie? Is it *really* necessary? It's not like walking a dog around the neighbourhood with a destination you want to get to...

 

[fhicat]

Did you leash train Wessie? Is it *really* necessary? It's not like walking a dog around the neighbourhood with a destination you want to get to...

I think leash training just means getting them used to walking around with a leash. When walking, they're the ones leading, you merely follow them around and pull them back if they're heading towards danger.

 

[catbehaviors]

Hmmm how do you tell if your harness is secure? I think mine is...but I haven't tested it much. She had an 8-shaped harness when she was little, one specially designed for small kittens, and she managed to half wriggle out of it once. But I think the h-shaped harness is more secure if adjusted properly.

Her harness looks like this: http://img2.wfrcdn.com/lf/49/hash/2...-Color-1/2-Adjustable-H-Style-Cat-Harness.jpg
and on (not my cat) looks like this: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/411eq7h1SKL.jpg
That cat is waaaay tubbier than Lucia. I'm thinking of buying her a harness for chihuahuas though. They look tougher and some have a part on the chest, more like a mini-sweater, like your cat's harness.

Did you leash train Wessie? Is it *really* necessary? It's not like walking a dog around the neighbourhood with a destination you want to get to...

luciafernanda Sorry for taking so long to respond!

I would do a few more security tests before taking her out. Put the harness on her with the leash attached (you should be holding the leash), and make a loud noise, or something that might make her try to wiggle out of the harness. Even if the harness passes the test, never let the leash become taut while walking with her outside. Cats can sometimes escape even the most secure harness if there is enough tension on the leash (or so I've heard ). I think H style harnesses are supposedly the most secure of the "strap" harnesses that you can buy at most stores.

Are you talking about this kind of harness? http://www.petco.com/product/118863/Petco-Adjustable-Mesh-Harness-for-Dogs-in-Red-And-Black.aspx

I don't have any experience with that style, but it lacks adjustment in the neck area, therefore I think a cat could easily escape it.

As Jhi09 said, leash training is mostly helping your cat adjust to the harness and leash. Whether you care to take the training a step farther is you and your cat's decision.

 

[luciafernanda]

@luciafernanda Sorry for taking so long to respond!

I would do a few more security tests before taking her out. Put the harness on her with the leash attached (you should be holding the leash), and make a loud noise, or something that might make her try to wiggle out of the harness. Even if the harness passes the test, never let the leash become taut while walking with her outside. Cats can sometimes escape even the most secure harness if there is enough tension on the leash (or so I've heard

). I think H style harnesses are supposedly the most secure of the "strap" harnesses that you can buy at most stores.

Are you talking about this kind of harness? http://www.petco.com/product/118863/Petco-Adjustable-Mesh-Harness-for-Dogs-in-Red-And-Black.aspx

I don't have any experience with that style, but it lacks adjustment in the neck area, therefore I think a cat could easily escape it.

As Jhi09 said, leash training is mostly helping your cat adjust to the harness and leash. Whether you care to take the training a step farther is you and your cat's decision.

Thanks! That's a good idea. I'll try that in the parking garage of my building, somewhere she doesn't know but is still closed in.

Similar to that except it's made of leather. I think it had a wider chest piece like that but I'm not sure how secure it would be for a cat based on your comment. Maybe I could try her in two harness? Hehe maybe I'm too paranoid If one passes the test, it'll be fine. She's still growing and still skinny so I know I'll have to make sure it's very secure on her chest and middle. Thanks for the tip about making sure the leash never goes tight.

Do you think there's an age limit for training cats to walk on the leash? Online everywhere says it's best to do it when they're young, but if your cat is 5 and enjoyed his trip to the park, maybe I can wait for Lucia to fill out a bit so the harness will be more secure haha.

Today she was crying to go out for the first time in ages and I felt so bad not letting her go...but my landlady told me about my insane cat-hating neighbours next door (they threw one of my landlady's cats of the roof...) and some other neighbours who kidnapped their cat. Then the other houses all have doors on the roof and she got locked in once, then there's construction two houses down...too many risks!! When she was little and couldn't jump so high it was okay. Now she's getting far too adventurous and I'm way too paranoid!

 

[fhicat]

 
Oh that is awesome. I'll get a measuring tape and place an order with you soon!

@catbehaviors  Jed's neck is 10 inches. I haven't measured his girth because he acts like I'm about to choke him to death. Your size chart says either an M or an L. Is it better to be slightly tight or slightly loose?

 

[catbehaviors]

@Fhi09 I think a Medium should fit him well. It's better to get the smaller size, as it is much easier to adjust the harness to accommodate a larger cat than it is a smaller one.

luciafernanda It's fine if you get a few different harness styles- see what works for you! I don't think you're being paranoid at all. Getting a secure harness in the first place is a lot easier than trying to chase a loose cat all over the neighborhood, right?

Though it is a bit easier if you start walking them when they are very young, training an older cat is quite possible with a little bit of patience. As long as Lucia is accustomed to the feeling of a harness from an early age, I don't think you'll have much of a problem.

When we lived in the city, Wessie was an indoor/outdoor cat for about a year until a neighbor shot him, so I completely understand about the crazed neighbors. :nod: Fortunately he wasn't mortally wounded, but he lived indoors full-time after that. Now we live on 10 acres in the forest, so he can go outside again. We still have to be careful about the coyotes/ mountain lions/ bears, though!