Leash train a 5-year old cat?

Question

I have a 5-year old cat. She's an indoor-outdoor cat, and since we've trained her well has the sense to not go anywhere outside our small garden (not even our back porch), but her last house had a far large garden to run in, and I'd like to take her for walks. She's never had anything but her collar around her, how do I get her used to a halter for walking?
I'm wanting to teach her that when we go walking, is when we walk a certain route, and only then, she's good as gold about any training, or is she too old to start it now? We're getting another kitten soon and I' like to train the newbie too.
Any good site, tips, advice?

Answer 1

Before you start make sure you get a good quality harness with clips! Make sure you can put it on and take it off your cat in a couple of seconds.
This is how we trained our cat to use a harness and a lead. We would put the harness on her and feed her treats. First for only 2 minutes twice a day. We did this for 2 weeks going up to about 30 minutes. By the end we were only treating her every few minutes or so. If she became distressed at any point we would take of the harness and give her a break. We would also play with her while she had the harness on. This was to "distract" her from it.
When she was comfortable with the harness (our cat didn't love it, but would put up with it) we put the lead on and let her walk around with it, treating and playing with her again. We did this for another week.
Now we are taking her outside. You can't walk our cat like a dog, it is more like following the cat around. When she is outside she is so happy she doesn't pay any attention to the harness or lead.
Our next step is to try and get her to walk like a dog.
Good luck! Positive reinforcement is the best way.

Answer 2

You can buy cat harnesses from petshops. In fact you can even buy ones for bunnies - my friend used to walk her bunny on one and it went fine!

The advice on here is good I think. You have to keep in mind that not every cat will take to a leash - cats are very independent creatures after all. You can only try tho - see how she takes to the harness inside, and then the leash, before trying her outside. Don't be too disappointed if it doesn't work! Some cats are happy enough just to stay inside, and at least kitty does get some outdoor time.

You might have better luck with new kitty, if you get her used to the harness straight away. Like us, cats are more accepting of new ideas when they're young!

Chalice

Answer 3

usually cats like to go for a walk, but they hate leashes. If she is used to go with you, you can try. Not every cat can be leash trained, even when you start as a kitten. Just put on the halter without the leash and distract her with playing, so she has a positive experience with it. Then you can try to take her outside on a long leash. In an older cat you have to be very patient and make it fun to her. But she has to be a gentle cat if it will work.

Answer 4

My two cat walk on leashes without a problem!!! SURPRISE IT DOES WORK!!!
my two do NOT like collars, I had to go to the store and buy a rabbit harness that Velcro around their neck and belly, at first they were not about it. I stopped letting them outside, unless they were on the leash. They finally learned that if they wanted to go outside then they had to wear the leash. Now all I have to do is hold the leash up and they let me put it on( or they bring it in to me)
at first they didn't want to walk on the leash, just pull a little and show them its OK. then they slowly will learn to walk.


But yes it is possible to walk a cat on a leash!!!

Answer 5

normally you would need to do this from an 8 week kitten to get used to it but she might come along if you have a kitten as well because if you leave her at home and take the other one on a lead she will get jelous, try to train them both together but be prepared for a shredding match with the older cat since she has not had a lead before, if she wont walk after a few attempts you might have to leave her alone, trying to drag her along would be too traumatic.

Answer 6

If the cat already likes to be outside, it might not be a problem. thats what ive found with my cats. But, one of my cats likes the leash inside, but is scared to death outside. put the leash on the cat indoors for short periods, and give encouragement and treats, then try for outdoors.

Answer 7

My cat is leashed trained, but we trained her when she was a kitten. Just when she is in the house, hook up her leash and let her get usued to it. Then like 2 days later try to walk her around the house.

GOODLUCK

Answer 8

If you are to train a cat for a leash you have to start when they start eating and on there own ;like 7 or 8months, cats and dogs are almost impossible to train once there adults,,,.just like me I'm an older woman and i don;t want or need to retrain myself for anything either,.,. your cat is just fine the way it is,,,, and also cats don;t like changes at all,.,with the garden outside is just fine for kitty I'm sure,,,and please don;t even try to halter your cat as it will lonely stress him and make him scared of you.....been with animals and especially cats for 40yrs lol

Answer 9

if she loves you, she will jsut follow you. me and my friend wantedmy very nice cat to take a walk with us so all we did was called her all the time and she followed us and if she got scared all i did was hold her until she wanted to get down then she ran away a little, just curious and then she would see that we were going away and come back towards us. if your cat is trained to come when you call her, you shouldnt have a problem unless your cat is mentally retarded or shes mean, or she has selective hearing or she gets scared very easily

Answer 10

Leash training a cat is impossible !!!!! DO NOT TRY IT YOU WILL GET CLAWED!!!