# cat leads/harnesses



## serenitylove (Nov 23, 2008)

do any of you use a lead to take your cat out if so how did it take to it? i have a 3 year old lotty she epileptic and her meds knock her out and she putting weight on thru lack of exersice i have tried balls toys etc to get her active but she not having any of it so as she an indoor cat i though i might give walking her a go


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## Sasha75 (Dec 20, 2008)

They do get used to being on a harness and lead. Initially you may find when you first put a harness on they may roll over a bit!

Try 
eBay.co.uk Shop - PINKY PAWZ: CAT HARNESS LEAD: BLACK CAT KITTEN LEAD HARNESS VALUE COMBO. SAVE


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

I put the harness on Alfie & Lola first a few times and let them get used to wearing it.. and having it put on. Then after they were pretty happy with it, I attached the lead..

Then the fun starts! Alfie walks on the lead really well but Lola just doesnt like it..! 

I will only ever take them out in the garden or another area where I know there will be no loose dogs


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## Breeze (Dec 10, 2008)

Me & OH have taken Yap out a couple of times just outside the front door to see if he liked it, he was OK until he saw a car and then tried to scratch his way through the front door!!!


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

I'm thinking about this for Minnii. It's worth a try!


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## WhiteNile (Aug 24, 2008)

I use a *Flexi Mini Lead* and a *Lupine H-style Harness* to take my kitty out for walks, and she's always enjoyed it, right from the first time I put them on her. :thumbup: Some advice here: *Catnips*


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Just had Minnii's new harness deivered and I tried it on her immediately - she was brilliant no fuss just pure laid back acceptance. After 5 mins I carried her outside and she was a bit nervous but did a little bit of exploring. Then she came back inside. A good start I feel.


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## ChinaBlue (Feb 3, 2008)

That's great - where did you order it from in the end?


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## serenitylove (Nov 23, 2008)

thanks guys gona buy aer xmas and give it a whirl


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

i got it from ebay - i ended up buying two different sizes as minnii is quite slight but the adult one fitted better - cost about £4.50 plus postage for the adult size and £3+ for the kitten size.


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## Bert Gaton (Dec 30, 2008)

Let us know how you fair serenitylove...

My cat(or is it me ) lacks the necessary patience to walk with a harness...


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## Jessamine (Jan 10, 2010)

Sorry to reopen an old thread but I have a related query

My 9 month old cat is starting his harness training with a H shaped harness and it is not going as planned. Although the harness is loose he acts as though he cannot walk properly with it on and crawls around, he will play and be patted however and doesn't seem to be uncomfortable, more as if he believes he cannot walk properly then as if something is structurally going wrong. He has had the harness on about 4 times now which I'm doing around his dinner time and each time I'm leaving it on a little longer. He does occassionally move from this crawling motion but not much, although this seems to be happening more with each time. Anyone ever had this problem? Any hints or tips anyone might have?


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## em1986 (Oct 9, 2009)

I have started mine with harness and leads, I put their harness on in the house once a week for a few hours just so they keep being used to it as they dont go out often and sometimes we walk them on their leads in the house so they are used to that.

They have only been outside a few times as we dont have a garden and so they go out mostly when we go to the Isle if wight to my partners dads garden.

Tansy loves it and struts around, Mitzi is more nervous but has a little look.

By The way Jessamine.... Mine at first, walked very flat to the ground when they had their harness on... jus the way it makes them feel.... stick with it and keep putting it on him each night for an hour or so. Try and play with him whilst he has it on to distract him, I think aslong as its not too tight it will just be a matter of him getting used to it.


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## lauz_1982 (Dec 14, 2009)

Sasha75 said:


> They do get used to being on a harness and lead. Initially you may find when you first put a harness on they may roll over a bit!
> 
> Try
> eBay.co.uk Shop - PINKY PAWZ: CAT HARNESS LEAD: BLACK CAT KITTEN LEAD HARNESS VALUE COMBO. SAVE


This was what mine did! She was a true house cat though and hated outside - I did try to let her out but when I put her on the grass one summer my neighbour put his head over the fence as he thought she was being hurt with all the noise she was making! She just wouldn't move and cried and cried for ages until I picked her up then instant silence and dirty looks!

I tried the harness but she lay down/rolled over/put front half down and rear end up in the air swishing madly - she was not impressed!

I should have tried harder but she just didn't like going out so didn't feel there was much point in it.

Laura


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

My cats are all harness trained, I take them out in a fenced in yard, supervised only. They wear their harnesses with a length of lightweight polyrope dragging behind.

The change of scenery is good fro them, but frankly they get more exercise inside.

don't give up on Games inside. It can take a cat that is used to being sedentary a long time to pick up the habit of play again.

It may be you just haven't found the right Game. If you want more suggestions on Interactive Games for you cat I will be happy to give you many 

The harness training takes time. I start by leaving the harness around the house until it becomes a familiar object. Then draping the harness on kitty so it becomes hers (or his)

When I first started, I practiced putting the harness on and off a stuffed cat so I was sure I knew what I was doing.

Put it on, leave it for a while, then take it off, leaving it on a little longer each time.

Don't take the cat outside in harness and string until you are positive he has adjusted to it.

*never ever tether the cat* outside in harness and leash, and never leave cat outside unsupervised in harness and leash.


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## Jessamine (Jan 10, 2010)

Aha! success! I took him out two days ago once I was sure he could not get out of the harness. I just put the lead on whilst he was lying near the door and opened the door and let him decide to crawl out. The first time he was a bit crawly, he then asked to go out again later that night and was a little better. Yesterday I took him out again and he was perfect, walking properly and fast and even taking directions to some degree. He had a really great time! Here's a pic of Wes in his harness relaxing on the front deck


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Such a handsome boy, and quite proud of himself!


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## 1971 (Aug 16, 2008)

We got one from [email protected], its ok, have to make sure its on tight enough that he doesnt wiggle out of it though.
At first he wouldnt let OH put it on but he lets me put it on him no problem!!!!!

My mums cat they use to not take it for a walk in the harness but take it for a drag! - sounds alot crule but it wasnt that bad!

This is him with the first batch of snow:


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## Em&Ollie (Jan 24, 2010)

I'm just after abit of advice, we are thinking of keeping our little Ollie indoors as we live near a busy road
but I would like to be able to take him out in the garden supervised on a hareness but I don't
know if say 1 walk around the garden a day would be enough outdoors excercsie for 
him. Do you think that taking him out each day would be sufficient?


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Sure. I don't take my cats out in their yard at all in the winter. They don't even want to.

I don't walk them, when I take them out. They wear their harnesses and I let them drag their ropes behind them and they do their own thing in the fenced in yard while I garden, or read my book. Not in winter, as I said. 

They don't get all that much exercise in their yard though. They get much more inside, during Game Time at night.

.


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## daniellecool2003 (Jan 2, 2010)

Me and my husband have had our two cats leash trained from nearly the day we got them. I saw a message about not tethering them. However we do, but obviously we dont leave them outside on their own, we watch them very closely. It gives them the feeling they have there own freedom. Our big black and white male sits munching the grass and our little girl sophie also black and white but more the white side, races around chasing flys and chirping at the birds flying nearby or very close. Our next venture is we are going to try teach them that while outside they go to the toilet. Anybody got any ideas?


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