Firstly, I’d like to explain that not all cats are able to adapt to walking on a leash, and the older they are the less likely it is they will take kindly to the idea. Please consider this before investing in an expensive leather harness…
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I own two cats, a male Ragdoll and a female British Shorthair. I didn’t own either as kittens: Merlin, the Ragdoll, joined us aged one; and Tiger Lily, the BSH, joined us aged two. But this hasn’t prevented me from leash-training both and being able to walk them in local forests and fields – which they greatly enjoy. For my female cat, who’s fairly small, I bought a specially made cat harness and lead. For Merlin, who weighs over 5kg, I picked a fairly sturdy, medium-size dog harness and lead.
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It’s essential you buy a full harness, not just a collar and lead, as the cat could be more easily choked and could possibly escape if you only use only a collar. The harness, on the other hand, will fit around the chest as well as the neck – giving you better control and decreasing the pressure on the throat. This is especially true if they happen run ahead, or if you find you have to stop them taking a certain direction, for safety reasons (i.e. roads, or big scary dogs!). You should be careful not to tighten the collar too much or to pull sharply on the lead. This will damage the cat’s throat and cause them to cough persistently. Walking a cat is not the same as walking a dog so you must be far more gentle, or you will injure your pet.
Cats who haven’t been outdoors before – as was the case with mine – will probably be very nervous, particularly of open spaces or busy roads and traffic. You should take them somewhere quiet – preferably a wooded area – as this makes them feel safe and secure. Cats are very curious and like to smell everything, especially if they haven’t experienced the beauties of the natural world before (imagine the first time you saw a flower or a butterfly!) so be sure you give them time to explore their surroundings, without attempting to make them take a certain path.
- Buy a suitable harness.
- Leave harness near toys so the cat can smell it. Use it as a toy by dangling the lead for them to catch, to make them feel comfortable around it.
- Put the harness on the cat while he/she is indoors, without the lead attached, for five minutes or so. Increase this daily over the period of a week, or until they are comfortable wearing it (this may be as little a a day or two).
- Walk your cat in the garden, initially, and then take them to a natural and peaceful area to explore. Place them in their carrier with the harness and lead attached, and leave the lead hanging outside the carrier (poke it through a gap in or around the door) so you can ensure you have hold of it securely before you release your cat.
- Be patient and allow your cat to explore the area, walking with them wherever they choose to go. Be very careful of trees! My female loves to climb and there have been occasions when she’s suddenly sprinted up a large tree and I’ve had to climb up after her in order to retrieve her. We now head for areas we know have fallen trees, so she can climb and we can relax in the knowledge she can’t go to high. Watch out for bees and wasps, too – they love to chase them.
- Over a period of weeks you will be able to gradually train them to walk the way you wish them to (pretty much, anyway – we all know cats are independent creatures so you may have to compromise your route, some of the time). Praise your cat when they walk the correct way or take some treats to offer them when they’ve walked well.
- Don’t expect your cat to walk along main roads, or to walk quickly, in the way a dog would. Your cat will always prefer natural areas and want to take their time… get used to it!
If you liked this article you may be interested in the following:
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User Comments
Hello Siti
On September 18, 2009 at 10:13 am
British Shorthair- That’s including Gjbaan’s cat.
sandie
On September 18, 2009 at 2:22 pm
i usually walk my dog late when everyone is in and the cat follows me and the dog for a walk without the harness, thanks for sharing.
WriteEditSeek
On September 18, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Cool tips! When I got my oldest cat, I tried to teach him to walk on a leash and use the toilet. LOL He’s very smart and just about had the toilet thing down. The leash, though, was a no go. I want to get a cat stroller, but my husband refuses to go on any more walks with me if I do. For rude!
Nikita K
On September 20, 2009 at 6:00 am
I don’t have a cat or anything but I am not so sure about leash training a cat. It probably will kick in after a while but cats do like their space from what I know and will probably reject a leash. But then I think leashes are for dogs because dogs can be jumpy which can terrify people but cats are really soft and slinky when it comes to movement and they just hiss, meow and bite. Interesting article though.
CaSundara
On September 22, 2009 at 6:04 am
@WriteEditSeek – I was looking at the toilet-training devices online, recently. That’s a VERY strange idea! But I’ve seen them using the loo on youtube, so i know it can be done.
@Aitkin – I imagine it would be far harder to train a non-pedigree cat, but pedigrees are usually kept indoors, so this is the only way they can experience the wild in safety. Some of the pedigree cats have dog-like temperaments (Burmese, Maine Coon, and Ragdoll, for example) so they will walk really well. My boy absolutely loves going out on his lead. I actually think i could let him off and he’d stay with me, but it’s a bit of a risk when he’s so precious to me.
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