Cat harness and leash?

[Liberty Belle]

Do any of you walk your cats on a harness with leash? We have two cats (got one this summer and another a couple of months ago). Our male, Leo, especially really wants to go outside. I've carried him out, just so he could look around and get some fresh air, but I'd love for him to be able to walk around.

We had cats where I grew up, but we lived more in the country and just let them roam.

If you use a harness, could you recommend what brand and/or what to look for? Thanks!

 

[Jaya]

I've seen several cats walked on leashes, but apparently it takes a while for some of them to get accustomed to it. My only experience in putting a harness on a cat resulted in said cat just collapsing immediately and refusing to even sit up. He just laid there like he was paralyzed and refused to have any part of walking. It was a pitiful sight and when we stopped laughing, we took him out of the harness and didn't try again.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I've seen several cats walked on leashes, but apparently it takes a while for some of them to get accustomed to it. My only experience in putting a harness on a cat resulted in said cat just collapsing immediately and refusing to even sit up. He just laid there like he was paralyzed and refused to have any part of walking. It was a pitiful sight and when we stopped laughing, we took him out of the harness and didn't try again.

lol Great.

If my cat understood it was the ticket to outside, I'm sure he'd do it, but getting him to understand that, I think, will be the hard part.

 

[phorsenuf]

Before we moved to a house with a lanai I lived in an apartment on the ground floor. I had collars on the kitties and would attach them to a leash so they could hang out on the patio. They adjusted very quickly to it. They loved to lay out in the sunshine.

 

[momto2inKC]

My daughter trained her cat to walk on a leash. The cat loves going for walks! She also got a pet stroller and walks her in that sometimes.

 

[indygirl99]

lol Great.

If my cat understood it was the ticket to outside, I'm sure he'd do it, but getting him to understand that, I think, will be the hard part.

Put it on him and carry him outside. Only carry him outside with the harness on. After some time he will associate the harness with going outside.

After you come inside each time try to walk him inside on the harness for a few minutes. As he get used to the harness and walking him inside you will get him outside walking on the harness.

My geriatric cat is scared of the outside. She will sit at the patio door and watch the birds and squirels but the second the door opens she runs into the other room.

 

[Callie]

My sisters cat loves to go outside! My sister got her a harness from Petsmart. A lot of the time, Fiona just plops down and goes dead, or likes to walk in random directions. Quite a bit she has to be carried. But she loves to go outside, so this is a safe way to do it!

My cat? She has a harness, but HATES to go outside.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Put it on him and carry him outside. Only carry him outside with the harness on. After some time he will associate the harness with going outside.

After you come inside each time try to walk him inside on the harness for a few minutes. As he get used to the harness and walking him inside you will get him outside walking on the harness.

My geriatric cat is scared of the outside. She will sit at the patio door and watch the birds and squirels but the second the door opens she runs into the other room.

That's a great idea, thanks!

 

[avgeek81]

my cat goes out on a leash and harness. We have one that you just put her front legs thru and then pull tight aroung the neck and the leash is already connected to the harness. Its a lot easier than the reg harnesses we had where you tighted them around the waist like belts.

This cat is good about going out. We used to take her camping and took her out on the leash. My old cat didnt like to leave the house.
I just went to check how the leash worked and she thought she was going out.

She mostly just goes a few feet from the door and lays in the grass. My mom said last time she took her out 2 cats were fighting down the street and she jumped up like she was going to join.

 

[denisem]

We adopted a retired breeder bengal who was harness trained and LOVED to go for walks. Our other bengal, Rocko, acted like a bucking bronco when we tried to harness him. AND he'd pee in fright if you carried him outside. He did enjoy our screened lanai, though.

Some people have found success with cats using a "walking jacket" (Google it)...it's less restrictive. Millie was fine with an appropriately sized dog harness:

 

[FlyingDumbo]

I've seen several cats walked on leashes, but apparently it takes a while for some of them to get accustomed to it. My only experience in putting a harness on a cat resulted in said cat just collapsing immediately and refusing to even sit up. He just laid there like he was paralyzed and refused to have any part of walking. It was a pitiful sight and when we stopped laughing, we took him out of the harness and didn't try again.

My cat d the same thing when I put a sweater on him. He just laid on the floor like he couldn't move. So no sweaters.

 

[tigercat]

Our cat has a harness and leash to go outside. We got him when he was 4 months old and shortly after that got the harness because he really wanted to go outside. Now if you shake the lease (it has a bell on it) he runs to the sliding doors. The only thing is he can get out of it if he gets stuck. He just seems to walk around where he would if he was on the leash and then comes to the back door. I have thought of taking him for a walk on it and I may do that when I take my granddaughter for a walk. I am sure he would love it but he is strong when he wants to be. He knows that he has to have it on to go outside so we don't have any problems.
tigercat

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

I don't know if they still make them, but if they do, do NOT get one that is one piece. Used one on my cat once and when he pulled it tightened up a little bit each time until he could barely breathe. Once I figured out what was going on, I ripped that thing off and threw it away.

Best of luck with your kitty and their harness btw.

 

[torinsmom]

My bengal walked on a leash when for a few years. Now we let him out in the fenced in backyard when we are out there. I just gave the harness and leash to my mom for her new cat. He has learned quickly that if he wants to go outside, he has to suffer through the harness and leash, LOL.

I just went to PetSmart and got a harness from the dog section for a small dog. For a kitten, you may have to special order.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

small dog harnesss user here! My male LOVES to be outside on his leash unless the neighbors dog is out (hes small and likes to play). Shad freaks out when shes on the leash and in the grass. She perfers the deck (which is second story). My boo, she will chew through the leash each time without fail. she perfers laying in the door. I just bought the cheapest small dog harness at walmart and it works great.

 

[Callie]

My cat d the same thing when I put a sweater on him. He just laid on the floor like he couldn't move. So no sweaters.

Ours do this with clothes, then they finally get up and move.

Petsmart has harnesses in the cat section!

 

[AllisonK]

My cat is harness trained. She LOVES going outside and has since she was a kitten (she's 17). Now she only will go out in the spring/summer/fall (she hates the cold ), but we have a puppy tie-out for her and she has a 30-foot radius in the yard. The few times we've tried to take her for walks she just sits down and refuses to do anything - but if you try to move her along she growls at you - so no walks!

She has escaped a few times, mostly when she was younger. And she escaped the house last week - it was nice and warm out one day and we had the screen door in our kitchen open and we could hear it banging shut (since it doesn't close right) and so my mother says, "Oh, I hope the cat didn't get out..." and so we get up, look for the cat in all her usual hiding spots - no cat. The second we get to the door to go outside she just comes running back up the porch and into the house with a look of shame on her face!

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I wish my cat would cooperate with stuff like that.

 

[zoemurr]

uses a harness and a leash and loves it. She begs all day to go outside and when you grab the leash she runs over and then stands still and lets us hook her up. (She's 3 and we got her from a shelter.. they told us she had been used to it.) You can't get her to go where you want, but she walks all over the place checking things out and we follow her.

She jumps in snow piles, digs holes, and lays in the sun. Getting her back in is an ordeal 'cause when we pick her up she's clearly not happy.

I feel bad but she's declawed and I wouldn't trust her to stay close to home. But it seems all she thinks about is getting out.

I got the cat harness at Target. It is a bit challenging to hook it together though, and it sounds like there might be some better options available.

 

[torinsmom]

uses a harness and a leash and loves it. She begs all day to go outside and when you grab the leash she runs over and then stands still and lets us hook her up. (She's 3 and we got her from a shelter.. they told us she had been used to it.) You can't get her to go where you want, but she walks all over the place checking things out and we follow her.

She jumps in snow piles, digs holes, and lays in the sun. Getting her back in is an ordeal 'cause when we pick her up she's clearly not happy.

I feel bad but she's declawed and I wouldn't trust her to stay close to home. But it seems all she thinks about is getting out.

I got the cat harness at Target. It is a bit challenging to hook it together though, and it sounds like there might be some better options available.

Yeah, you don't walk a cat, the cat walks you, LOL.