my cat hates leashes, but i want her to get use to it. everytime i tug onthe leash she just sleeps ont the grounds or starts running away! how do i train her.
2007-02-07 15:13:12 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Leave her leashed up for 5 mins or so. Distract her with a favorite toy or activity. (Treats help.) Do this several times a day for a couple weeks. Then try to entice her to move, eventually, the funny feeling associated with the leash will go away, much like a pair of new shoes. Another idea is buy a halter and leave it on her all the time til she gets used to it. Unfortunitely she prolly will never "follow" like a dog. Although i did have a cat who used to take walks with me and the dogs, but never leash trained him.
2007-02-07 15:21:31 · answer #1 · answered by ►ŦŕǖŦħŦěĿĿęŔ◄ 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I would definitely recommend getting a harness first. Cats can easily get out of a collar when spooked and the collar can also hurt their neck. Start by putting the harness on her and giving her treats - first for a couple minutes until she tolerates it enough that you can leave it on all the time (you still need to supervise her when she has it on because it could get stuck on something, so take it off when you're not home or sleeping.) Then attach the leash and let her walk around dragging the leash. Give her treats and make a game out of playing with the leash. Next, hold the leash and follow her around so she's not having to pull on the leash. Finally, start taking her outside in areas without lots of noise, cars, dogs, etc. Again, let her go where she wants and follow her without pulling on the leash. It will take awhile for her to get used to it and until then let her "walk you." Eventually, you'll be able to guide which direction you go by pulling gently and offering treats. Cats will never get to the same obedience level as dogs but it is possilbe to leash train them. It is MUCH easier if you start when they're young.
2007-02-08 00:01:46 · answer #2 · answered by talon 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all the cat needs to have a harness on - not a leash attached to a collar. Cats necks are much more delicate and not muscled like a dog's. So the leash could actually do damage to her.
She will hate the harness too. You put it on in the house and let her wear it around inside when you are there until she is moving freely with it on. When she is then you can attach the leash and go out. She will actually take YOU for the walk so be prepared to maneuver around trees and other obstacles to humans. So you sort of go exploring with her. Be sure to wrap the leash around your wrist a few times as a spooked cat can pull it out of your hand easily. It is best to take her out where there are not a lot of traffic noises or the possibility of encountering strange dogs.
2007-02-07 23:53:43 · answer #3 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
If you're seeking to be able to walk your cat like you would a dog, you can pretty much forget about it. When you have a cat on a leash, you essentially need to follow the cat around, using the leash to set boundaries.
My first cat loved going out on a leash. Eventually I was able to redirect her with a slight pull in the direction I wanted her to go in, but only when it was time to go in. When she approached boundaries I had set, such as nearing the edge of the yard, I simply stopped and wouldn't let her go any farther. Eventually she would turn around and go elsewhere.
2007-02-08 01:40:29 · answer #4 · answered by Ryan R 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
cats usually do not tolerate a leash, it is just not part of their nature, they just simply don't like it, if you want to leash train an animal get a dog!
2007-02-07 23:17:35 · answer #5 · answered by Sarah E 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I leash trained both my cats in a couple of days. As I had my (1 year old) Devon Rex first, I trained him on his own. I bought a harness and leash from Petstock for around 12 dollars au (the smallest, thinnest you can get). When i bought it home, he was very interested in it so we played with it on the floor. It was important that he got used to the smell of it and he recognised that it would be associated with fun.
When he was comfortably resting on the floor i placed the harness over him for a few minutes without the clasps done up. After a few more minutes, I slowly did up the clasps, reassuring him and distracting him with the lead (by the way, this should be detatched when doing this part). You have to be quick to tighten the harness to suit the cat's shape. if it is too lose, the cat will obviously escape or it may get caught on something if it desides to go bananas. Make sure you can slide 2 fingers under either side of the harness comfortably.
Morpheus was fine with it done up until he stood up. He tried to go backwards and kept falling on his side. Try not to be worried if your cat does this. It just feels odd to them and it throws them off balance for a while. I found that if i distracted him with the lead or with food (his favorite of the two), he forgot he was wearing a lead and acted normally.
Depending on your cat, you might have to put the harness on and off for 2-3 minute stints over a number of days so they learn to be comfortable in it. Be sure to reward them - this is a BIG trust excercise. When you think they are comfortable enough (i actually did this the same day i got it), put it on the lead. Don't expect your cat to sit and heel like a dog... they will never walk on a lead like a dog. If it freaks out, just take it off, give lots of cuddles and try again later.
Morpheus loves his lead because he relates it to going out side (which he is not allowed to do it alone). He will actually pull out his harness and lead and drag it around the house to get my attention when he wants to go outside. While he did used to wiggle when I tried to put the harness on him he soon learnt that if he wanted to go outside, he had to behave and let me put it on him. If he plays silly-cats, I move away from him for a minute so he is left with his harness undone and the lead going no where. He quickly stops his nonsense and lets me put it on him.
When I got my siamese kitten Neo, he saw me put the harness on Morpheus often but I left him inside while we went outside. He used to cry and scream because he wanted to come outside and play too. When I bought him his harness and lead I simply put on Morpheus's lead and then strapped him in too. I didn't even give him a chance to feel uncomfortable in his harness. I just opened the door and the excitement of going outside with his brother outweighed the strange feeling of the harness.
Good luck with harness training. All cats are different so some will be easier to train than others. Just give them plenty of love and be patient if it doesn't work straight away.
IMPORTANT - Cats will walk you. Not the other way around! Don't drag them around in hopes they will get the picture. it'll just freak them out and will make it difficult next time.
Have fun!!
2007-02-08 02:45:46 · answer #6 · answered by Jennifer B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you want to walk your cat, then walk the direction the cat wants to go.
2007-02-07 23:26:58 · answer #7 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
its hard to train a cat if your cat was a kitty it would be a lot ezthen
2007-02-08 01:21:35 · answer #8 · answered by luckie 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
UM???!!!!!! ur weird. COURSE THEY DON'T LIKE LEASHES. there're only a few RARE types of cats that can tolerate leashes
2007-02-07 23:25:25 · answer #9 · answered by oceana12345 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
this is how i train my dog!.....wen hes hungry i put the plate like on top of his head but far & then i tell him to sit & he listens!
2007-02-07 23:19:17 · answer #10 · answered by angela 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋