I am trying to train my cat to accept daily supervised walks, but no free roaming without me. I adopted this spayed 1.5 yr old female cat earlier this year. It was cold then and we spent most of the time upstairs. When it got warm I then decided I would leash train her. She took to that rapidly. My back yard is lightly wooded with several trails. During our walks I noticed how timid she is. Fearful of humans and dogs walking down the quiet street we live on. So I allowed her to walk with me. It's been a few months now and I must say she's doing very well. I've tried to establish boundaries by shaking a can of coins when she nears one. She seems to get the message and runs back toward the house. Never makes a fuss when I scoop her up to go back inside. She eyes the door when I go in and out, but is too timid to bolt for it. The vet says cats usually get eaten around here. Now the challenge: She's doing her fair share of pleading to go out, particularly in early morning and evening. I've been ignoring her, sending the message that we go out about an hour before dusk for around 1 hour. I will not allow her free run without keeping an eye on her. I tend to think that over time she'll get the idea that we do these walks at a certain time, and crying is pointless. I just hope she does not become miserable often when inside. If so I'll stop right now. Does this sound like a reasonable approach at this time?
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training a young cat to do supervised daily walks
- Thread starter rawlins02
- Start Date
Yes. It will take some time but she will calm down once she figures the schedule out. Cat especially like dawn and dusk and even though I walk my cat around 5 or 6pm, I will take him out at other times as a treat or if the weather is nice. Today we went out twice since we've been in a heat wave the past 2 weeks and it has finally cooled off.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thanks for the comments. I do think she'll get the message that we go out when it's the right time, but not at her demand. It's interesting that after pleading for several minutes, she will seek me out if I'm upstairs, and then sit with me, rather than cry at the door. By her look she seems to be saying "get yourself out of that chair and let's go play."
Last night I did some yardwork while she roamed the yard. She stayed well within the yard bounds, and after an hour when it got near dark she stayed very close to the house. Was happy to go back inside. Of course she wanted to go out this morning, but she seems also to get the idea that I go off to work then on most days.
Not sure how she acts when I'm gone. Hope to set up a web cam and see what she does during the day while alone.
Last night I did some yardwork while she roamed the yard. She stayed well within the yard bounds, and after an hour when it got near dark she stayed very close to the house. Was happy to go back inside. Of course she wanted to go out this morning, but she seems also to get the idea that I go off to work then on most days.
Not sure how she acts when I'm gone. Hope to set up a web cam and see what she does during the day while alone.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
I've wanted to post an update.
Over the past few weeks I've made an effort to let Lexi outside for a (somewhat) supervised walks about an hour before dusk. I've been "enforcing" a restriction to my property by shaking a can of coin if/when she nears the neighbors yard, or the (quiet) street on the north and east side of the yard. Interestingly she seems to understand that the boundaries are not to be crossed. For example, or the rare occasion that she walks to the end of the driveway, I'll approach and call her name. She always reacts by raising her tail (good sign) and walking quickly back toward the house. She still occasionally walks slowly into my neighbors property. There is little risk of harm there, and again, she comes back if I scold her. So at the moment my supervision is from the house, or from somewhere in the yard. She's easy to monitor, and never fusses if I scoop her up and bring her inside. Given that my back yard is lightly wooded, I always stay near her when dusk approaches, in case of predators. Nice to see that she stays close to the house then anyway.
Lexi seems to know that most mornings I go to work, and she never cries to go out on those days. She'll lay instead. Unless, that is, I sit down for more than a few minutes. Then she must figure, "hey, it's the weekend!" On weekends we do a 30-40 minute walk in the morning. It's 30 degrees here, so after the walk today, and breakfast, she seems happy sitting by the wood stove.
I'm optimistic that after a couple years of this, she might get the idea that 1) we stay in the yard and 2) we go out when I say, and crying by the door does no good. I know this is a tall order, but she's a smart kitty, so we'll see.
Over the past few weeks I've made an effort to let Lexi outside for a (somewhat) supervised walks about an hour before dusk. I've been "enforcing" a restriction to my property by shaking a can of coin if/when she nears the neighbors yard, or the (quiet) street on the north and east side of the yard. Interestingly she seems to understand that the boundaries are not to be crossed. For example, or the rare occasion that she walks to the end of the driveway, I'll approach and call her name. She always reacts by raising her tail (good sign) and walking quickly back toward the house. She still occasionally walks slowly into my neighbors property. There is little risk of harm there, and again, she comes back if I scold her. So at the moment my supervision is from the house, or from somewhere in the yard. She's easy to monitor, and never fusses if I scoop her up and bring her inside. Given that my back yard is lightly wooded, I always stay near her when dusk approaches, in case of predators. Nice to see that she stays close to the house then anyway.
Lexi seems to know that most mornings I go to work, and she never cries to go out on those days. She'll lay instead. Unless, that is, I sit down for more than a few minutes. Then she must figure, "hey, it's the weekend!" On weekends we do a 30-40 minute walk in the morning. It's 30 degrees here, so after the walk today, and breakfast, she seems happy sitting by the wood stove.
I'm optimistic that after a couple years of this, she might get the idea that 1) we stay in the yard and 2) we go out when I say, and crying by the door does no good. I know this is a tall order, but she's a smart kitty, so we'll see.
