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My mom used to take one of her cats out on a leash, and he loved it. He wouldn't even attempt to go outside without it, he'd literally go to the spot where his leash hung in the hallway and meow when he felt like going out and mom would put it on him and they'd walk for awhile. Her present cat likes to go out occasionally, but she now has an enclosed yard with very high stone walls so he gets to lounge leashless...it has calmed him down a lot! He doesn't always want to go out, though, especially in too-hot or too-cold weather. He always sticks his little nose out first and then decides whether the conditions are to his specifications or not, LOL!
I just put a harness on Guinness tonight. He let us put it on and wore it for awhile, then decided he wanted it off. Maddie is more hesitant, so we let her sniff and play with it, then put her harness on her back without fastening it. I suspect it'll take awhile, but I don't have a problem with letting kitties go outside on a leash.
Well with bindi first he started going outside on the leash- then he started darting outside whenever the door was opened. Now if he sees a door open he'll make a break for it. Last time he got out he caught a robin ( a native speices) which was still alive. I wont go into the details of how it died.
true- however I think its cruel to let a cat outdoors only to taunt/limit it whenever it tries to hunt, better they stay inside and catch/chase da bird toys.
I had a cat many years ago that not only walked on a leash but she "heeled" by keeping in step with my stride. She seemed to get a kick out of doing that. I can't take credit for training her though, I got her from a shelter and they told me she could do this so I had to give it a try. We both had a great time and people in our neighborhood got a big kick out of seeing her.
I've had 2 cats that I put on harnesses. My one boy (he's since died) used to meow & meow to go out. I would put him on the leash and he would walk no further than about 10 feet from my back door. All he would do would rub all over my legs, wasn't interested in the grass or anything else. He just liked going right outside the door.
Then I have a girl who goes out. My husband brought her home from a mechanics shop who did not want her, she was an outside cat there. When she came to live with us, she was indoor only. She is the one always sitting at the door ready to dart, and she's been doing that for 15 years. Fortunately for me she just darts right to the driveway and yard when she does get past me and rolls around in the dirt. Guess she still misses being grimy from the mechanic shop (haha). I used to put her out on the harness, but now I bring her out there without one as all she does is eat grass and roll around. She never went very far from my door either. Neither of them had ever attempted to run either, only if something scared them and they run for the door to come back in.
All my other cats did not want anything to do with going out in that big bad world. They also make cat enclosures for outside, which I think is cool. It's definitely better than letting than run around the neighbor.
I have found that letting my cat outside safe with me on the leash in my front yard for 30 minutes each day has calmed his desire to go outside considerablely.
I've found the same thing of my own cat. He gets bored in the house and even if I tie him to the front porch for a half and hour, it satisfies his desire for fresh air and bird watching enough for him to meow to come back inside.
Better off with a harness than just a plain leash. That and remember-- you're the one with the leash on. The cat is merely going for sniff rounds burdened with chaperoning a human.
I previous places where I lived there was not a really good demarcation between where the cats should go and where they shouldn't, so I would take them out in a harness and leash. They were fine with it, and enjoyed the opportunity to be outdoors. They are total scaredy-cats and never try to run outside. We now live in a house and have a decent sized lot and I take them outside under supervision. They are extremely good. They have simply watched the ducklings come up....they are interested but actually prefer just watching them. They are happier without the leashes but did fine with them, and I have to wonder if the leashes helped them understand the limits I was setting for them.
Again, they are outside only under supervision, and all it takes is a sharp word and they mind their manners about where they are going.
All an all this is a very bad idea. Cats that walk on leashes become outdoor cats that get hit by cars or get FIV or feline luek. They also kill birds and other animals. Outdoor cats rarely reach double digits whereas cats that are indoors live into their 20's or 30's commonly.
Keep your cat inside please.
Straw man much?
On a second note... you are gravely misinformed. The typical upper-limit for an indoor cat's lifespan is between 15-18 years old. Rarely... and it's extremely rare at that, some can make it into their 30s.
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He let us put it on and wore it for awhile, then decided he wanted it off. Maddie is more hesitant, so we let her sniff and play with it, then put her harness on her back without fastening it. I suspect it'll take awhile, but I don't have a problem with letting kitties go outside on a leash.
I wont go into the details of how it died.
