training for harness and leash

Due to the recent gift I received I am now the proud owner of a 16 foot retractable leash and a harness for kitty.

Anyone know any tricks on how to do this? I know it's not going to work right away, so i figured I'd start teaching tinker. I put the harness on, inside of course, and without the leash, figuring it'd be best to just get her familiar with it.

It was rather comical. She stood frozen for a minute, and then started walking backwards.... a lot. lol.

I took it off about 3 minutes later figuring a soft introduction might be best, but I'm excited about the thought of getting to take the cats outside for exercise every day.

Anyone ever trained a cat for a harness/leash?

Jamie is trained to a leash and harness. I started with the harness, putting it on for a few minutes every day, distracting him with toys/food, and gradually lengthening the time he was wearing the harness. Then I added the leash, again only for a few minutes, and extending the time every day. After 2 or 3 weeks, he was ready to be walked (or more correctly, to walk me) outside.

There's a TCS article about it: Harness and Leash Training for Cats

Once they're used to the harness it's a lot easier...

It won't take long for her to adjust to the collar and leash.

I guess I was very fortunate..I had my first 3 cats on leashes and they didn't even notice...they wanted out so eagerly, that I could put the collar and leash on without so much as a second thought from them.

Yes, they liked to take me for a walk....hahaha

i got both wilbur and tinker on leases today just to test. it was kind of funny.

I put the harness on (i have to admit my harness doesn't look like that one in the pic. mine's for a small dog. are they different?) and both of them did the same thing. after trying to walk out of it, they would kind of freeze up not sure what to do. then they'd start walking backwards. lol.

I put the harness on tinker and the leash though just to see what she'd do. she didn't care about the leash. too bugged about the harness. but I picked her up and carried her outside. I would NEVER do this before becuase if she freaked out she'd get away. but with the leash and harness on i took her out. she was incredibly curious but wasn't really sure what to do.

I set her down on the concrete and she still wasn't sure because of the harness. but tonight and tomorrow I'm going to pop the harness on and let them run around with it till they get use to it. I think it'll be ok

omg i had never heard of a cat walking with a leash!!! That's interesting...

Just be prepared for a loud car or something else that may startle them. They can go snakey.....and become very uncontrollable. The best thing to do is to get a good grip on them and pick them up...watch their paws and your face.. or if they are too scared....hold them down on the ground until they can get themselves under control and want to run home.

Good Luck! It's wonderful walking a cat..you get alot of funny stares...

lol yeah I've already thought about that. I think I'll use the smash down method

Luckily there's a big open area and a mountain right behind me. No cars. I can walk them down to the creek. well when it runs which is only in the winter and when it rains. But i'm lucky to have some room behind me. They were very skittish though. no doubt. But I can already forsee me picking up the harness and them bolting over to see who gets to go. ONly bad part is when I take one out the other sits in the window and stares and makes me feel bad

Originally Posted by fastnoc

I put the harness on (i have to admit my harness doesn't look like that one in the pic. mine's for a small dog. are they different?)

Click to expand...

Jamie's is for a small dog, too. It has an extra strap that bisects the chest, so isn't quite the usual "H" harness.

Mine's not really an 'h' either. it has two loops in it. one for each leg, then a tiny piece in the center.

I got the camera back today so I'll see if I can get a picture and show you. it just doens't look 'right'. the one I have.

Also, since it's in their armpits, do you put yours on tight or loose?

Hennessy's harness is a Roman Harness (an H plus the extra chest strap). He used to have a figure 8 (one for the head, one loop behind the legs) but he got out of it too easily while spooked. I have to put it one fairly tight... since he gets very flexible when scared by a truck or something.

Originally Posted by Forensic

Once they're used to the harness it's a lot easier...

Click to expand...

Yep, that is correct - just put it on them for a while a day until they get comfortable with it. Make sure to do fun stuff with them while wearing the harness... once they are comfortable with it, then they will be ready to walk you

I created a harness a couple weeks ago for my cat Dommie.

That was based on the harness that I designed for Tinkerbell, a flighted Congo African Grey parrot. Of course, thats sized up for Dommie. Thats why I called this harness Tinkerbell harness.


The harness was made from a shoelace. Its loose, and escape proof so far.
Needless to say, its extremely lightweight and more likely to be tolerated by kitties, or birdies unlike the commercial harnesses I seen capable to hold a rhinocerous.

Even a lightweight harness must be introduced to kitty slowly. You want a permanent acceptance, not one you can put on a couple of times followed by shredded arms and shredded hands and fingers chewed all the way though for other times.

Dommie joined us very often for walks outside the house to accompany us and the parrot.


Above photo was the first test with Katie following us. The harness/leash will not be used around home as my catties joined us freely when we go for our walks.




my wife with Dommie leashed above on the beach



kitties escorting me and Riamfada on neighbourhood walks


http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlun...7612047219846/

above a short video of kitties escorting us

wow how awesome is that!

I got my camera back (well my mother's camera) so i'll take a pic of the harness. it doens't look like the "H" kind i was thinking was the norm. It's big but not too big, and it's easily adjustable.

But see those pics are exactly what I want with my cats!

Here's a pic of the one i have. isn't this also a figure 8?

I have said that harness was made to my own design, based on a harness I designed for a flying parrot.


My design is superior to the figure of 8 harness and more comfortable for the kitty.

The harness that I made is NOT adjustable. The harness is tailored exactly to the size of my cat and fit him exactly, no clips no buckles to press against the skin and irritate the kitty.

Commercial harnesses will love to make you think 'adjustable' is so good. That their 'one size' fits all and if the harness do not fit, then using buckles , bows, and kitchen sink to 'adjust' the harness to size.

How about getting a pair of jeans 7 size too large that could fit anyone from 70 lbs to 370 lbs.

Yes! they throw in a belt or rope so you can 'adjust' that jeans to 'fit' as long as the jeans do not drop to the floor.

Or do you rather have a pair of jeans thats just right for you with no adjustment to make.

Which one do you think is more comfortable?

It is the same for those 'adjustable' harness be it for cat or for parrot.




Shanlung

 

no, it's nothing like a pair of jeans. The 'buckles' on a harness, adjust the total length of the straps. it would be like having a pair of pants that had one piece that went over the top of the other and you could adjust how much of it went over. then it would fit just fine.

I didn't notice that you had it made to suit, i mistook what you said. but there's nothing wrong with adjustable straps.

The other analogy of huge ranges from 70 to 370 pounds is precisely why they have different sizes of harnesses. lol. They do not make them 'one size fits all' from toy poodles to huge dogs. They are not meant to be one size fits all, they are broken down into sizes, and the width of the straps increases as they go up. The adjustments are small, that coincide with differences INSIDE those sizes. So that covers that part.

Do you think that all helmets don't fit? there isn't a single manufacturer that makes a single specific size. they have straps and adjust. and, just like the harness, have small medium and large to cover large size differences. even the $10,000 racing helmets that pro racers use. if ANYONE could afford a fit to order helmet they could. but they have straps. and adjust them.

Plus, as in my case, I have two cats. i can adjust one harness to fit them both.

P.S. the belt you referred to, all of the ones you have also, have adjustable sizes. the same exact philosophy, just using a different method to reduce or enlarge the length

By the way, I viewed your site. your birds are beautiful.

I have two kitties, I therefore made two harnesses.

Took me about 5 minutes to make a harness, and that included dawdling time.

In formula 1 race cars, even the seat and driver compartment is tailor made to that driver size not to talk about helmets.

Anyway, there is a lot more than just stuffing the beastie or birdie into harness. Understanding and bonding matter even more.

Have fun with your cattie and I wish you lots of happy safe wanderings together.

Thank you and the same to you. Actually I'm envious of you having all those wonderful animals. you can tell just by your posts on your site and the pictures you really love them.

Here's Tinker's first excursion outside today!