Has anyone been successful in training their cat to walk on a leash/harness?

Question

I will be getting a kitten soon. The problem is I live in an apartment and I'd hate for the cat to have to be inside 24/7, what kind of life would that be! So I'd like to train it to walk on a leash so that I can take it to the park with me and let it walk with me. I'd like to know any good websites that explain how to train them or any tips that you have.

Thanks for any help!

Answer 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 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. Its all about TRUST

IMPORTANT - Cats will walk you. Not the other way around! (unfortunately) 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. Be prepared to dive into bushes and get tangled in trees and to chase birds off the property!

Have fun!!

Answer 2

Yes I have been successful in training my cat to walk on a leash. First by a harness and put it on the kitten for a couple of hours to get it use to it. Do this for a week or so. Next put the leash on the harness and just sit back and see how the kitten reacts. Be sure to reassure the kitten that it is ok. Next pick up the leash and just let the kitten walk around in the apartment. If the kitten seems ok with everything then take it outside but hold it in your arms. Make sure it is out of danger and there is nothing around that will frighten the kitten like a car or dog. Put the kitten down and just see how it reacts. If the kitten is scared pick it up and cuddle with it and praise it. Bring it back inside and do this ever couple of days and soon enough your kitten will like being on the leash. Though it may not like it. My cat Smokie is terrified of the leash and harness but on the only hand Blackie loves the leash and when I ask him if he would like to go outside he will jump up on the back of the couch and sit there until I have put his harness and leash on. and the he is ready to go. I hope this will help

Answer 3

How wonderfull and sensible! Yes I had a cat that was leash trained and it was kinda cool to see the looks people gave. He even loved going to the beach and get into the water. Start it young inside and go slow. He will fight the collar at first so work on that inside. when hes use to that the add the leash. Get on the floor with him and always be reassuring. Be able to get him to walk with you inside before taking the next step. It took a couple weeks. Dont work with him more than a few minutes 2 or 3 times a day.
When you first take him out carry him and set him down beside you on the ground. When he walks away call him and give a little tug on the leash maybe offer him treats to come to you. Make sure that he accepts the leash before going for a walk. Get a regular dog collar as the cat ones release easy. and never leave it on unless you are on the other end. Watch out for dogs. I always kept a little blanket to rap him in and pick him up when a dog was around. Its alot of hard work but it does pay off. God bless you for understanding his need to be outside and responsible enough to teach him to leash. I hope you enjoy each other.

Answer 4

YES!!! My two cats (ages 9 and 1) are both leash-trained. The older and more experienced one walks with me on the sidewalks in the quiet of the night. The younger one is still in training so I walk him only around the backyard. To train your kitten, let him wear the special collar or harness or halter first in side the house. His first reaction will be lay donw and refuse to walk. That's OK. Keep the harness on him for 5 to 10 mins everyday until he relizes he can walk fine in them. When he is comfy with the harness, attach the leash and allow him to drag around the house with it. Keep doing that for a few more days. Then hold the end of the leash and follw kitty around. Let him get used to the sensation of "where he goes, you go." Then let him outside with halter and leash. Do it only when you are certain that there wil be no dogs, kids or traffic around. Cats are easily spooked and you can easily lose control of the situation if the cat is spooked and want to bolt. Whenever kitty acts nervuse and you feel that he might run, shorten your hold on the leash - I do it by firmly holding the end of the leash and sliding my other hand down the leash until its very close to the cat's body. The shorter the leash, the better control you have. A secure hold on the leash is important. Usually, I twirl the end a couple of times around one of my fingers. Oh, another warning, if you leave kitty outside leashed to something (like a dog), he will be able to escape (Cats are Houdinis and can wriggle out of almost anything). They are not dogs and cannot be left on their own leashed to something like a door knob or tree - they will escape!

If you have a corridor in your group of apartments, that will be a good training place for walking your kitty on a leash. Just make sure that there will be nothing to spook him.

Good Luck and I hope this helps.

Answer 5

I knew a woman that basically treated her cat like a dog. It walked on a leash (use a harness, not collar), she took it with her everywhere in one of those little dog purses. It was strange but obviously it can be done. Honestly, cats don't mind being inside all the time if they start out being indoor only cats. Just make sure your kitten has a scratching post so it doesn't use your furniture and toys to play with. You can also buy "kitty cots" that you put in your window so your cat can look outside. Have fun with your new kitten!

Answer 6

I live in an apartment house too, so I take out my 6 months old cat sometimes. Since he's still a kitty I bought a stretchable rabbit leash so he won't feel too tied up. But cats are not like dogs. You will probably have to follow him instead of him following you!
It's a good idea anyway! My kitty loves to stay out a while, but he's the scary type. so I have to pick him up every time there's any loud car noise or any dog around!
Look up this web page!

Answer 7

Siamese are about the only cats that I know of that can be trained to walk on a leash. But obviously you haven't had a cat before. They are really very happy being left alone in a house all day, they aren't like dogs. They don't want to go out and play. They sleep 22 hours out of the day and eat the rest of the time, with just enough time left to play with you. I have had cats all my life, and except for my first cat they have all been indoor cats. I find that they are very happy if they have a window to sit by, although I'm not quite sure what they are looking at as they have bad eyesight. But a little air coming into a house/apt is always nice. But you really are better off leaving the cat inside. Cats like to know their surroundings, just like it's not good to take your cat with you when you travel. They are creatures of habits, and they form their habits early and mark their spots at home and that's where they want to be. If you are worried about a lonely cat, you can always get two, but as my vet put it, cats are not pack animals, they do not always do well with another cat around. A lot of cats like being the only cat in a household. Good luck.

Answer 8

I had a very petite extreme wedge Siamese that I harness trained. The walking part was not that easy she kind of would go and I would follow. I was able to get her to walk into the vet office with the harness and a lazer light to lead her. She was addicted to the lazer light toy.
I think starting young and getting her to go everyday in the car with me to work helped her a lot with social skills. But you must start with a pretty laid back cat. If she is easily scared and does not do well with strangers good luck.

Answer 9

I've heard of plenty of people teaching their cat to wear a harness, its a very good idea to do that, it will keep your cat from getting run over or harmed in other ways while outdoors. Here's a site I found right off the bat. http://www.peoriahs.org/catleash.html You might want to try looking at your library for books on cat training also, you'd be surprised at how much info they have on it.

Answer 10

I had one cat that took to the harness well, she liked being outside and knew that was the only way I would let her out. The cat I have now wants nothing to do with any harness and he really doesn't even have a desire to go outside anyways.. that would take him away from his many naps.