Teaching your cat to walk on a leash? Isn’t that crazy? Is it even possible?
For starters, it’s not crazy at all. Many pet parents have adopted the practice of taking their cats for a walk out with the help of a leash – just like a dog owner would do. In fact, it’s a great idea.
Cats, especially indoor cats, feel the need to explore, play, and sniff around in the wilderness.
Unfortunately, your kitty won’t get the chance to use its instincts and face adventurous challenges when its main source of adventure is climbing the cupboards or balancing its body on the backs of some chairs.
Of course, the outdoors pose a large variety of dangers to kitties. Fleas, diseases, poisonous plants and weeds, traffic, and even bigger predators always present a risk factor. But should you deprive your kitty of the joy of exploring the outside world when you can safely take it on a walk? Of course, you shouldn’t!
How To Prepare For Walking Your Cat
Patience
Cat training is not an easy task, whether it comes to the litter box, scratching posts, or anything else.
Felines are quite capricious by nature, and they will do as they please. They won’t reward you with comprehension and obedience if you decide to punish them, and they won’t understand your methods the way a dog would.
Positive Reinforcement
Nothing says “way to go” to a kitty like a treat. Make sure you have plenty around. Use them to reward your kitty when she does as you wish.
Equipment
The next crucial step is to equip yourself and your kitty for upcoming outdoor adventures. This means purchasing proper cat equipment, including leashes, harnesses, and ID tags.
Unlike dogs, cats are flexible, and they can easily wriggle out of their collars or break away from their leashes. Thus, it’s important to get products specially designed for cats.
A feline’s neck is so gentle that it can easily get injured if you pull it on a leash if you have just a collar on your kitty. Therefore, you’ll want to invest in a harness or jacket. We reviewed the best harnesses and leashes here.
Steps To Start Training Your Cat To Walk On A Leash
Introduce The Harness/Leash
First, you’ll need to introduce the harness and the leash to your cat. Allow the cat to sniff and reward it with food or a kitty treat. This way, your cat will grasp the idea that being around the harness and the leash is a good thing (i.e., positive reinforcement).
Leave the harness around the kitty’s food bowls or its bed for the upcoming several days.
Put The Leash On Your Cat
Now that your cat is accustomed to the sight and the presence of the harness, it’s time to try it on.
Slowly put the harness on your cat and give it treats. If your kitty doesn’t seem to like this, take the harness off and repeat the previous step, then try to put it on again and keep giving treats.
This may take days or even weeks. The key is not to force the issue.
Walk Around The House
Once the harness is fastened, make a path out of tiny bits of food or treats to see if your cat wants to walk around in its harness.
Don’t worry if things don’t go the right way from the beginning. Cat training can be tricky, but if you’re patient and reward your feline furball for its efforts, it will get used to the harness.
Take A Short Walk Out Of The Home
If your furry pal is feeling comfortable enough to walk on a leash inside the safety of your home, it’s time to take your cat outside.
If you’re living in a noisy area with lots of busy traffic and other types of loud noises, find a different location to begin walking your cat. A quieter place will make for a much better introduction. Equip yourself with more treats and remember that patience is the key.
Make sure your cat doesn’t lick or eat anything on the ground and stay away from trees. If your kitty doesn’t want to walk and is trying to stay still or wriggle itself out of the harness, go to a different spot and try once again.
Go For A Real Walk
At long last, you’re ready! Go out for a normal walk after building up smaller, shorter walks. Enjoy! Your kitty will have so much fun!
Verbal praises, gentle strokes, treats, and other types of positive reinforcement are crucial if you want to teach your feline pal to walk on a leash. Make sure to keep it safe and always choose a different setting in order to provide a truly adventurous outdoor experience for your pet.
Hi Emily, I did try this leash thing with my cat when I first adopted him at about 1 yr old. Not for walking outside, but to be able to allow him on the balcony with my other older cat age 7. My biggest fear was he’d jump over the railing from the 2nd floor of my condo. I used a flexi leash and made sure I held onto it when he was out. If he made any attempts at jumping up to the railing, I took him back in. The next year, I let him wear the collar and left the leash trailing. (He walked around like he was pulling a ball and chain!). A few months later, after no escape attempts he only wore the harness. Mind you I was always there. Fast forward to 5 years later, both my cats go on the balcony and I leave the door open for about an hour depending on weather. They love the catnip plant and catgrass there. Mind you, I live in Canada. When there’s snow on the balcony they leave a few footprints and dash inside in less than 10 minutes.