# Do any of you walk your cats?



## Auroraei (Jun 18, 2013)

I have thought about it, but I really don't want to be that weird lady in the neighborhood who walks her cat :lol:


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## sweetcuddles (Jun 30, 2013)

I have seen one cat on a leash and harness. I know that it can be done with a lot of patience. I have tried it before but it didn't work with the cat I tried it with.

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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

You do run the risk - if your cat likes it - of your cat *always* wanting out.


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## Auroraei (Jun 18, 2013)

marie73 said:


> You do run the risk - if your cat likes it - of your cat *always* wanting out.


This is true, never thought of that.

These days, if I open the door my cat has no interest in going out there. Before he was fixed he'd try to run out when he could. So I guess I'm lucky now.

My SO likes to carry him outside and walk with him in his arms around the front yard. This makes me so nervous. It takes 1 thing to get a cats attention and make them run away. I've forbidden him to do this anymore. That's why I thought of the leash idea. I also thought of maybe one of those outdoor cat tent things.


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## krazykiwi (Oct 21, 2012)

I have my cats outside, one on a leash and one without - the second won't go more than a few feet from her brother, and hates the leash with a passion, so we let her out without it. 

Both cats have learnt after a while, just like dogs do, that me taking down the leash and harness means outside time, and my boy cat will sit pretty at the door waiting for his harness (well, he tries, by the time I have it half on he's so excited he starts wiggling and wrestling, lol). 

On the bright side, while they do both haunt the back door into the yard from the kitchen, particularly if anyone looks like they might be going out it, they've both stopped bothering with the front door, since they are never allowed out through that one. 

This actually solved my problem with the boy door rushing rather than making it worse - I rarely go out the back without taking them out, and we can now go in and out the front door a lot easier (I still door block just in case, but it's 6 months since he actually door rushed on that side.)

In my case though, I have them on long lines (always supervised), in my own yard. I've tried actually walking them, and it's not at all like walking a dog. I've long owned Pyrs, which are in the 100 pound range, and I can easily walk 3 of those at once on a leash, but I couldn't manage two cats at once! They don't fathom "walk in a straight(ish) line, down the sidewalk", don't listen at all, and are prone to just lie down and writhe about when you are going a direction they don't want to go! 

But since he's already going out in arms, a leash and harness ought to work great for him I would think!


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I have a lovely pet stroller for MowMow, but he can't go out in it anymore. He drives me BONKERS crying to go out..all. day. long.


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## RozM (Jul 13, 2013)

My cat goes outside and stays in the yard here and at the neighbors.. She has never strayed further in the 3 years I have lived here. I keep the front door open enough so she can come in if she wants.. She usually stays out about several hours and then comes in. I don't think she would take to a harness though or walking.. She doesn't move around that much unless she sees a grasshopper.


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## Justteri1000 (May 27, 2013)

*Uh huh*


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## Manue (Jan 3, 2013)

I take my cat out in the back yard with a harness, though I'd say that she walks me more than I walk her, I have no control over the destination if you see what I mean! 
I would like to take her to the park with the harness but I worry about dogs; there are often dogs running around and playing without a leash. I feel like she would be very vulnerable.


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## RozM (Jul 13, 2013)

Justteri1000 said:


> View attachment 20442


Awww, they are sure cute!


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## Jakiepoo (Jan 5, 2013)

Yeah, it's nothing like walking a dog. You just sort of stroll behind as the wander around and explore. The longer the rope you can get the better, I tend to take him out and sit outside and read or something while he wanders, that way I can keep an eye on him without ruining his chances at catching bugs. He always seemed frustrated that I had to follow closely behind while he was hunting insects


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## 3gatos (Nov 28, 2012)

I walk my kitten. But he's started to get really scared and jumpy. There are a ton of semi trucks that go by my house. I'm going to keep at.it tho so he's more well rounded and less scared . The more exposure to new things the better. 
And that picture is adorable!


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## tezster (Jun 4, 2013)

As far as walking my cats go, doing so during the evening hours is better for them - less traffic, strange 'noises', and the cats seem to be more relaxed and in their element. Having said that, the walks tend to go on for much longer, and they aren't as inclined to willingly walk back home under their own power.

So, this is what I do: on days when I don't have as much time to spare, or simply don't feel like an extended walk, I'll do so while there's still light out. This way, I can get away with a 15-20 minute walk. If I'm up for an extended walk, I wait until the evening.


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## fanwoodguy (Oct 14, 2011)

When we adopted Buddy aka frisky from the rescue group the intent was to keep him indoors at all times. Given is frisky nature I thought it best to micro chip him and teach him to walk on a leash so the sights and sounds of the outside were familiar should he bolt. He walks quite nicely on the harness as long as there is no traffic around. Also, the half dozen times he has bolted out the door have not resulted in a lost cat. He checks out the area he knows and can be picked up without any fuss. He still will not be an outside cat but the leash gives him an opportunity to check things out under some degree of control.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

If you do decide to try it, please make sure that your cat has an ID tag on it's collar. If it gets loose you want to make sure it can find its way home.

Also, you want to invest in a good quality CAT harness (not one intended for dogs). They have some that are supposed to be wiggle proof (Mine did not prove to be wiggle proof when Book freaked out and escaped from it). Don't walk your cats off their collar like a dog. They need a harness.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Ditto what Krissy said about harnesses. A properly fitted harness is extremely important!

I CAN walk both my boys, although Muffin is much more comfortable and walks a bit more like a dog. He wants to stay with me, so and long as we're in a place he's been to a few times he'll stroll along with me politely. Mostly he just wants to go to the park and play in the sand and go down the slide...lol.

Since we built a catio in our backyard the boys get to be outside a lot more. I was always nervous having them just loose in our backyard because the fence isn't very tall, so I was worried (rightly so, as it turned out) that they would learn to jump over it. Now I can put them in their kitty-cage and they can run and climb and dig in the dirt all they want...and I feel much safer about it.

Jitzu has no interest in leaving the yard, even if I do leave the gate open, and Torri will barely leave the house - although she is, slowly, becoming more confident. So when I'm gardening I put the boys in their pen, and let the girls have the run of the yard. It works great, and they all much prefer that to being on a leash/harness.

TBH though, I likely will take Muffin to the park a few times this summer, he just loves it so darn much! It's hilarious!

Here's a video I took of him at the park last year...please ignore me talking to him like a weirdo...lol
http://youtu.be/VKvRlkMi9AQ


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Well you don't really walk a cat, the cat walk you. When I was breeding, I used to walk my stud cat so that she could spray to his content around the perimeter of our half acre property. It also helped to discourage stray toms from coming around when my girls came into heat. 

What I do now with my two Devons is walk them in a pet stroller. It gives them the satisfaction of being outside smelling all the different scents and seeing the sights. They particularly like going in a park area. Most people don't even realize I have cats in the stroller as it looks very much like a baby stroller. I find they enjoy their "walkies" this way, and they never show any interest in wanting to go outside through the door. It also keeps them save from dogs or anything that might spook them, such as a motorbike roaring by. It's amazing how quickly a cat can wriggle out of a harness even when you think it's snug and take off. Now that is heart-jumping-in-your-throat scary!

There are pet strollers with smaller wheels, but I find the larger ones much easier to go over rougher ground.
Amazon.com: New BestPet Beige Sporty Pet Jogger Jogging Dog Cat Stroller Carrier: Pet Supplies


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## LilyC (Aug 23, 2011)

We take our two Mainers out in a pet jogger. It's large enough to fit them two. 
Both are on leash and harness and will get out and walk if they desire. 

Here's a video of Tequila walking around checking stuff out.
Stormytown Maine **** Tequila Out For A Walk - YouTube


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## Justteri1000 (May 27, 2013)

Gosh, those are some GORGEOUS cats.


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## DeafDogs&Cat (Mar 27, 2013)

I've been teaching Munch to walk with my dogs... lots of treats (to keep him moving forward) and patience on my part. He sure does like it!


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## Auroraei (Jun 18, 2013)

You guys have convinced me to get a harness and leash for my cat  Maybe I won't walk him around the block, but I can walk him in the front of the house. I think he'd like that.

Anyone have any harness recommendations? I'm looking online and they look so thin and skinny! Like a cat can just wiggle out of it.


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## Arkona (May 7, 2012)

I harness trained my cat for a few months, last year when I first adopted her. Here's a video we made back then: Catwalking - YouTube

Sadly we had to stop. She was having a bad reaction to the flea medication so we decided it was not worth it.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I've been eybeballing one of these. I don't have one so I don't know how well they work, but they seem a BIT less slipproof than the average harness.


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## tezster (Jun 4, 2013)

MowMow - I used one of those very briefly (as in once) and my cat absolutely hated it! Of course, all cats are different, and this particular harness has gotten very good reviews, so it might work for you.

Having said that, I will point out its advantages over a standard double-collar harness:

-Velcro straps make it easier to put on (and remove). Depending on the cat, this can be a BIG plus - especially during the training stages.
-Definitely more secure than a standard harness.
-Reduces the amount of force you need to apply to a leash to control a cat's movement, and distributes the force applied to a leash more evenly through the cat's body.

Some disadvantages:
-Restricts a cat's movement (body flexibility, not mobility) more than a standard harness.
-Covers up a much larger portion of a cat's body so they can't lick/scratch or otherwise groom the areas covered by the harness.
-cost (minor issue, just stating it to be thorough)

For my cat Newt, the 2nd item I listed under disadvantages turned out to be a huge inconvenience. I should point out, however, when I tried the kitty holster, I had already taken her out twice on a standard harness, so maybe she was already used to it to some degree, and the change simply meant yet another new thing she had to get used to.

My cat did squirm out of a standard harness once, but this was during the early days of her getting used to the harness. It was a learning experience for both Newt and myself. I'm now quite confident, even with the harness attached somewhat loosely, that the chances of it happening again are very slim. Newt has a general understanding of where she's allowed to go, and what she is and isn't allowed to do. And with proper leash control and positioning, the walks are fairly uneventful.

The kitten Newton, however, is another story - leash training with him is still a work in progress. Just getting the harness on can be an adventure!

FYI if you want my kitty holster, I'm more than happy to send it to you. I have one that's sized small.


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## Justteri1000 (May 27, 2013)

I'd be interested in trying one of thse harnesses on Max and if successful, one for Pooter. I use the double collar type now and what a struggle to get those things on.


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## LilyC (Aug 23, 2011)

Justteri1000 said:


> Gosh, those are some GORGEOUS cats.



Thank you!


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## LilyC (Aug 23, 2011)

MowMow said:


> I've been eybeballing one of these. I don't have one so I don't know how well they work, but they seem a BIT less slipproof than the average harness.


I bought two of them. They are slip proof but a b***h to get off. The velcro is VERY strong, although not ideal if you have long haired cats. The fur gets caught in between the velcro and when you peel the velcro to take it off, it takes some fur along with it. 

Here is a few pictures I took if you wanted to see what it looked it close up. It might work better with short haired cats. I have a M/L one if anyone wants it.


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## Auroraei (Jun 18, 2013)

LilyC said:


> I bought two of them. They are slip proof but a b***h to get off. The velcro is VERY strong, although not ideal if you have long haired cats. The fur gets caught in between the velcro and when you peel the velcro to take it off, it takes some fur along with it.
> 
> Here is a few pictures I took if you wanted to see what it looked it close up. It might work better with short haired cats. I have a M/L one if anyone wants it.


Those are nice! I wonder what size my cat would fit into. I don't own a scale so I'm not sure of his weight :\


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## LilyC (Aug 23, 2011)

It doesn't go by weight. If you click on MowMow's link, it will show you to measure the neck and girth (chest)of your cat to see what size is best.


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## Cat Lover Lennie (Jan 7, 2013)

It was easy for me to leash train Rambo because he wanted to go out the front door. I simply told him that if he wanted to go out he had to have the collar and leash.....it took about 1 minute! HOWEVER...ditto regarding "walking" a cat. Rambo goes to the driveway and rolls back and forth screeching in pure ecstasy! When he is done we go back inside! I take my kindle out and read. I don't actually hold the leash anymore...he just drags it and I step on it if he starts to wander too far! Before I had the backyard fenced, he had to check out his territory everyday by circling the house. Now that I can let all 4 of them out in the fenced in yard (with supervision) Rambo doesn't even care about going out front anymore...though he'll be happy to go if I offer!


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## ellavader (May 31, 2013)

My roommate walks one of my cats, it's pretty cute. Even if it is raining (drizzling) Sheik will go for a walk. She cries a lot at the balcony door to get out. Her other cat isn't big on walks but likes to be let out to the back yard of our building to play in the grass. 

I haven't tried this with Barnabus. He lost his outside privileges last time he was in the back yard. Maybe next time he goes out he will be on a leash.


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## Hinterlander (Jul 19, 2013)

I try to get them used to it, but most of the time my cats are on leash only when I need to be somewhere with them :3

For exemple when I go to the vet, the moment I am inside they are on leash to roam around. Or when they need to go on a car ride I'll have them walk to/from the car. 
One day I might get them used to it enoudh for a "walk" but I try to do it far enough from home so they do not make the connection that this door equals this place.

Wilson likes it a lot more then Lychee though...


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