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What's up with my leash harness?

post #1 of 11
1/20/10 at 11:44pm
Thread Starter 
I'm training Sophie to use a leash, and she's gotten pretty comfortable wearing both the harness and the leash inside now.

I'm starting to attempt to "suggest" the concept of heeling. Namely, just standing still when she starts pulling on the leash in the wrong direction. I'm just following some leash training tips from various articles. I know cats don't heel like dogs, but I figure its a good idea to demonstrate some sense of leadership when on the leash, so we don't start tromping through the neighbours' backyards, etc...

She has a figure 8 harness and a basic leash that clips on.

So I try standing still, and she starts flopping around, annoyed I'm not going where she wants, and in a matter of about 8 seconds, her harness ends up upside down, so that the strip connecting the two loops is against her sternum!? How on earth is that even possible, unless she somehow managed to slip her front paw through the connecting piece? She wriggles so quickly, its hard to see how it happened. So i fix it, and a few minutes lately, as she's squirming again, the same thing happened just as soon!

As far as I can tell, the harness is not too loose. It attaches pretty snug, although I can fit a finger or two in between so she is not being pinched.

Does anyone know why this is happening??? (It's such a nuisance to fix!)
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post #2 of 11
1/21/10 at 5:11am
Uh...maybe we could explain the difference between cats and dogs? Yes, you can walk a cat on a leash. As long as you go where the cat wants to go, at least in a general way.
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post #3 of 11
1/21/10 at 3:34pm
Sometimes you gotta admire our cats and what they do!
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post #4 of 11
1/21/10 at 4:24pm
I've never used a figure 8 harness, but if it's turning around I would guess it's too loose.

I take mine out with a flexi lead, so they can wander wherever they want to and I can sit in the garden without following them around.
We use Roman Style dog harnesses, I've always found them very secure
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post #5 of 11
1/21/10 at 4:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by missymotus View Post
I take mine out with a flexi lead, so they can wander wherever they want to and I can sit in the garden without following them around.

oooh i like this idea!

And maybe I'll try out the roman harness too. Thanks
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post #6 of 11
1/21/10 at 4:48pm
I've tried figure 8 harnesses & had cats escape them frequently.
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post #7 of 11
1/21/10 at 6:17pm
I have walking jackets for my cats--purported to be nearly escape-proof. No, no, my cats have nearly gotten out of them. I say nearly only because I was able to nab them before they were able to fully escape. The last time the only thing blocking total escape were ears...she couldn't quite get the jacket over her ears...Oh well. I'll still try to use them, but will cinch the jackets up extra, extra tight.
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post #8 of 11
1/21/10 at 6:49pm
The last show we were at one of the Bengal owners was allowing their boy to walk around wearing a leash and jacket. The cat never tried to get out of the jacket. So I guess its a matter of just getting them used to things.

Personally I would not want my cat walking around in a show hall on the floor!
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post #9 of 11
1/28/10 at 11:59am
I agree, walking a kitty actually means following a kitty I also noticed that once Neko was comfortable with the harness and leash, she also would just lay there. But once out doors, she was on the go! More excitement out there on a leash than indoors.
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post #10 of 11
1/28/10 at 1:11pm
My cats seem to think going for a walk means me walking with them riding on my shoulders. I never could keep a figure-8 harness on any of them for more than about 15 seconds.
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post #11 of 11
1/28/10 at 10:12pm
Figure-8 style harnesses IME are not very secure. I prefer the H-style harnesses, or the harness vests.
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