I am a bad kitty mommy!

[angelzoo]

I don't have the time to read all the replies on here, so incase this has already been said excuse me.

Did you pick your cat up and bring him outside?

I've found a better way, so that the cat adjust on his own time, and there's is less chance if him freaking out. Is to just open the door... and stand there with him (not in your arms) while he's wearing a harness. Be it a couple seconds or a half an hour, your cat will probably move on his own time and creep outdoors.

It's a very slow process, it's not like walking a dog.
What did you do when he tried to escape? Did you walk with him, so that he couldn't slip the harness, did you stand still, or did you pull on the leash to try and get him to come to you?

 

[jugen]

When Twig freaked, he was outside, a place he has snuck to many a time but since it was night time, something spooked him and he scratched the harness right off of himself and ran inside bleeding all the way. He is fine now but I haven't ever taken him outside since except to the vets to get his paws looked at after it happened.
I'm not a fan of the harnesses anymore just because of what happened that night. it spooked me almost as much as it spooked Twig.
SO Twig is a forever indoor only baby now just like the rest of the kitties. No more tempting fate thank you anyway. I like things JUST the way they are.

 

[angelzoo]

LOL. I fully understand after what happened with your poor babe. I guess I was just trying to figure out how you introduced him to the outdoors, as it might have been a big clue as to why he did what he did.

When you saw him outside before, with your or alone, did he always seem overly cautious, or was he freaked out when you found him (after escaping?)
My cats used to be calm on the harness 2 summers ago when I last took them out and we would hang out in our yard. But last summer when (thanks to my room mates) Isha and Asim got out a few times, they were scared out of their wits!! They didn't get too far, but they were scared enough to not really recognize me. Poor babes. Once I pick them up they are always much better, and then I bring them inside and they settle down nicely.

 

[ghostuser]

Now I know better than to try one of those on my cats.

 

[jugen]

Twig usually sneaks outside and runs straight for the tree thinking that he's going to climb it but he never gets very far up before mom or dad catches him and brings him back inside. He loves the outdoors, it was just something that night. I haven't ever figured it out. but like i said, I've never taken him out since.