I would be interested in the experiences of others who go for long walks (more than a few blocks) with their cats. I live in Mendocino on the border of a state park. Every morning I walk in the redwoods with my two cats.
I have to say it was their idea and seemed like a good one. It was good exercise for me because, even though cats walk slowly and are easily distracted, walking up and down the steep hillsides stimulates the cardiovascular system. I no longer suffer from high blood pressure.
Patience is the watchword. Never walk cats, if you have an appointment to keep later. I believe that mother cats "park" their kittens for five to ten minutes at a time during hunting training. Although my cats disappear into the brush at certain points on the trail, they generally reappear after that interval. I spend the time fiddling with my camera and exercising my humility.
I started walking my cats on leashes in the backyard when they were kittens, until they were old enough to get through the cat flap by themselves. I called this milestone their "cat mitvah", for that day they become a cat. Since one cat was six months older than the other, the youngster was quite frustrated watching his partner graduate to tree climbing and worked hard to achieve his own independence.
Although the extreme height of redwoods discourages most cat-stuck-in-a-tree scenarios, the older guy did get up fifteen feet before realizing there was no safe place to jump down. I found a cut sapling, braced it against the tree and was able to coax him down that path.
It all depends on the cat's temperment. Some days one of them won't show up, maybe to catch up with us later or not. Other days, they spend most of the time pouncing on each other.
The younger cat has learned, when he is ready to go home, he can speed up the other cat by provoking him into a chase and always heading toward home.
On the occasions when we have been caught in sudden rainstorms, I have been surprised at just how fast and single-mindedly the cats will return the quarter-mile to home.
I have to say it was their idea and seemed like a good one. It was good exercise for me because, even though cats walk slowly and are easily distracted, walking up and down the steep hillsides stimulates the cardiovascular system. I no longer suffer from high blood pressure.
Patience is the watchword. Never walk cats, if you have an appointment to keep later. I believe that mother cats "park" their kittens for five to ten minutes at a time during hunting training. Although my cats disappear into the brush at certain points on the trail, they generally reappear after that interval. I spend the time fiddling with my camera and exercising my humility.
I started walking my cats on leashes in the backyard when they were kittens, until they were old enough to get through the cat flap by themselves. I called this milestone their "cat mitvah", for that day they become a cat. Since one cat was six months older than the other, the youngster was quite frustrated watching his partner graduate to tree climbing and worked hard to achieve his own independence.
Although the extreme height of redwoods discourages most cat-stuck-in-a-tree scenarios, the older guy did get up fifteen feet before realizing there was no safe place to jump down. I found a cut sapling, braced it against the tree and was able to coax him down that path.
It all depends on the cat's temperment. Some days one of them won't show up, maybe to catch up with us later or not. Other days, they spend most of the time pouncing on each other.
The younger cat has learned, when he is ready to go home, he can speed up the other cat by provoking him into a chase and always heading toward home.
On the occasions when we have been caught in sudden rainstorms, I have been surprised at just how fast and single-mindedly the cats will return the quarter-mile to home.
