Questions about collars, harnesses and fitting both

I want to get my cat going on a leash, and I've heard it's best to get a harness for that. Now, I've seen two types of harness--one looks like a figure 8 and the other looks like two loops connected by two straps.

In your experiences,

1. Which do your cats seem more comfortable with?

2. How do you fit them to your cat?

3. My cat will be mainly an indoor cat, but I want to take him out to walk and
maybe eventually to the nursing home. Is it really necessary to get a plain
ol' ordinary neck collar for him to wear around the house?

Hi,

I have small dog harnesses for Cheeto and Bailey (the ones with two loops, a chest strap, and a back strap). My guys can get out of the Figure 8 ones somehow, but that extra chest strap on the others seems to stop that.

I use both ... collars for daily life harnesses when I need control

I also use both. He has a regular collar for every day with his microchip number tag, and a tag with his name and my phone number. And I use a harness (two loops and a back strap connecting) for with his leash when we go exploring outside. Harnesses are supposed to be better I believe when attaching a leash.

Remember to go slow when introducing your cat to the collar/harness. Clinton flipped out at first, and now he doesn't even notice it!

Good Luck!

I use the two loops one and also a walking jacket. I do not care for the figure 8's - they come apart too easily and seem less secure. I like this brand:

We walk our cats nearly every day. The harness that works best for us is the two conected straps rather than the figure 8. However, Pushy has managed to break 2 harnesses this year by getting caught on something then freaking out. The top clip just seems to break easily.
The harness above looks serious! It looks really sturdy, I'd like to give it a go. Cyberkitten, could you tell me the brand name and where you got it?
As for fit, you want to be able to get a finger between the harness and the cat so it's not too tight.
I find the cat leashes available at most stores too weeny to be much use. The first one we got, the clip kept coming undone! What we've done is take a 3 metre tie-out leash and permanently attached it to the harness with a keyring ring. The longer leash gives the boys more time to escape up the neighbour's tree before we can catch up! They have a lot of fun up there with the squirrels and birds!

PL, I found and ordered it online here:

http://www.metpet.com/

We got several of the blue ones - and some red ones too. I really like it - I had a scare one day when my height loving Siamese managed to get atop my carport and then promptly fall off ,screeching and yowling as only a Siamese can. Fortunately, I had put off clipping her nails that week and she was able to hang on to the carport post which is wood. Her harness - the 2 loop one - did not cause her any probs tho but I worried about her hanging herself with the collar part of it. I managed to free her - and she had scampered away from me so quickly, scary how these things can happen so fast!! She was just a baby too when it happened - maybe 5 months.

This walking jacket is so much more secure and muchsafer I think. (Tho the scientist in me notes I know of no studies which prove this). the and I managed to free her. It was prob a minute but seemed several hours!!

Here is another model.

I have a harness simliar to a walking jacket though it is really for a rabbit ... Zoey needs a big jacket so I am lookingA

How do you get your cats to walk on a leash. My kitties never do that lol

We don't use the figure 8 either. Mika and Bijou both have harnesses and we have a small dog leash (the kind that you can reel in) for Mika and a light rope type string for Bijou. John takes Bijou for a walk around the block every night and I take Mika. You have to be patient because they like to stop and explore a bit, but overall they are pretty good. I found that Mika was better if I stayed behind her. When I go in front of her she doesn't like the pull of the leash. If I stay behind her she leads the way and is very good about staying on the sidewalk.

It may also take a bit of time to get them used to a harness. We put the harness on them and just let them wear it around the house for a little while each day. Now they both know that when we get the harness out they are going outside and will sit quietly while we put them on.

Thanks CyberKitten! I'll look that up. I know about how quickly they can get into trouble. Wiggies has a talent for getting stuck in trees. Fortunately, I spent a good part of my childhood climbing trees, so I can go up and rescue him! I DO object to him using my head as a place to jump down on! Just what everyone needs - cat stratch scars on their face!

As for getting them used to being walked, it takes time and patience. We started when ours were kittens, and they came to accept it really quickly as they realise that when the harness goes on, they get to go out!

I teach the cats to walk the same way I do my dogs

wow how do u guys get those harnesses on the cats. or u should introduce it to them??? cos im afraid that when i get one i wont b able to take her for walks cos she might not let me put a harness on