Leash-walking lets kitty expand her horizons and get in touch with some of her wildness
in a way that's safe for both her and the local fauna—if you take proper precautions.
On a leash, kitty can leave her scent on branches, scratch her claws on tree trunks,
and pick a random spot in the grass on which to repose. A leash walk can give your cat new
opportunities for discovery, and also relieve stress and boredom. Leash walking can be great fun,
but it is not suitable for all cats.
Otherwise, read on. The rest of this article is directed toward cats who show an affinity for the great but formidable outdoors.
...Please consider leash-walking as an alternative. A cat wandering on his own is exposed to
a multitude of risks, including ingesting weedkiller or infected prey, getting into brawls with
unneutered tom cats, being attacked by coyotes or unleashed dogs, and, worst of all, getting
hit by a car.
If you let your cat out unsupervised, you have no control over where he will go or what he will
encounter. By contrast, if you walk your cat on a leash, and if you do it right and follow
the advice in this article, you can give your cat a great outdoor experience while minimizing
the aforementioned risks—in some cases to almost zero.
In addition, by leash-walking your cat instead
of letting him free-roam, he will do far less damage to the birds in the neighborhood. All
your neighbors who have bird feeders or who like to watch the birds in their back yard will
thank you.
Make the house someplace she wants to return to — a comfy, cozy, accommodating, secure place she really likes. If kitty was loose, you would want her to run in one direction only: toward the house.
If you can't say for sure that she would do this, you may not be ready for leash-walking.
A happy home environment is the first prerequisite for leash walks.
How can you be reasonably sure kitty would head for home if she were loose outside and sought safety?
If you have some fear that if kitty was spooked and somehow pulled the leash out of your hands,
she would run off rather than toward her home, you are not ready to leash-walk your cat.
A loose cat with a leash attached is in a precarious position and at considerable risk.
This article shows you how to develop a unique call to which kitty will respond by coming to
you: Train Your Cat to Come to You.
The article explains how, and how often to practice this "one trick that every cat can and
should learn."
This can be a lifesaver whether or not you take her out for a leash-walk.
The microchipping procedure is painless and inexpensive, has no side effects, and takes two seconds.
A microchip provides permanent identification for your cat. Most shelters and an increasing
number of animal control officers and veterinarians are equipped with wands that detect the chip.
The chip has a unique ID that identifies your cat in a central database. Many lost cats have been
reunited with their families thanks to this technology.
For leash-walks, you will always carry kitty out the door, with her harness on and with the leash
handle firmly around your hand. This is also usually how you re-enter the house after the leash-walks.
So it is essential that she be amenable to you picking her up and holding her in your arms.
If she hates being picked up, that will be an impediment to getting her interested in leash-walking
and implementing a safe leash-walking routine. Note that being able to carry your cat may be of
great benefit in emergencies also. (We'll have a separate article in the not-too-distant future
on training your cat to let you pick her up.)
Note that apartment-walking may have its own dangers: insecticides and rodent poison, fresh paint,
maintenance workers with dangerous substances lying about, and so forth. Narrow hallways also
present problems. If you encounter a group of people walking toward you, how will kitty react?
Will he be frightened or aggressive or will he take it in stride? On an indoor walk and close quarters,
people will likely bend down to pet him. Will he comply, or might he get bitey? You don't even want
to think about the possible consequences of your cat biting a neighbor. When in doubt, enforce a
polite but firm no-petting rule. Keep the leash short—four feet at most—so that you can
pick up kitty if he's scared or in attack mode, or if he's comfortable and calm being petted only
when in your arms.
Also remember that apartment buildings ultimately have doors that lead to the outside world,
and that during busy periods the doors may be swinging open every few minutes—if not more
frequently.
Most of the rules you're about to read—keeping to a schedule, teaching your cat to come when called,
wrapping the leash handle in a failsafe manner around your hand, rewarding kitty after the walk,
etc.—apply equally to walks through the interior public areas of an apartment or condominium complex.
The only exceptions are rules that clearly only make sense in an outdoor environment.
Do not take kitty out on the balcony—as tempting as it may be—unless the balcony is on
the ground floor or it is impossible for kitty to jump off or fall from the balcony, or
slip through or jump on top of the balcony railings. Making a balcony escape-proof usually
entails putting up extra-tough, claw-proof screens or solid enclosures around the entire balcony
and ensuring that there is no ledge onto which kitty can jump—and this sort of fortification
is rarely done.
Don't think you can beat the system because kitty's smart or "never" goes after birds
or is too arthritic to jump. You'd be amazed at what kitty can do in a split-second.
Cats fall off balconies so often that veterinarians have termed the condition
"high-rise syndrome." It occurs most often in the spring, and the heartbreak never
leaves. If you're still not convinced that it's a bad idea to take kitty for a walk on the
balcony, call up an emergency vet clinic and if they're not busy ask them about cats falling off
balconies, and that will probably change your mind.
We will discuss ways to keep kitty off the balcony in a future article.
If your balcony is on the first floor or is truly escape-proof, it is recommended that if you
take kitty out there, you use a leash and follow the same precautions, as much as possible,
as you would on any other outdoor walk.
...including on his belly, because you're going to have to brush him—probably with a
comb and/or slicker brush—top and bottom, north to south, every time he comes in from his
walk. Because he's going to have stuff on him. And if he's rolled around at all, he might be filthy.
There's no telling what might hitch a ride on kitty's back. Or underside.
It is important that you get your cat used to brushing before embarking on leash-walks. Not only
because you need to get dirt, bird poop, ticks, and who knows what out of his fur when he returns
from his nature exploration, but also because coming back to home base should be welcoming and
enjoyable. Once kitty's had a taste of the great outdoors, it is essential that he looks forward
to every homecoming, and that the end of the walk is just as nice as its start.
Some cats love to have their belly rubbed, but most don't. If your cat is in the second group,
here's one technique for brushing your cat's under-regions that works for many people:
- First brush kitty's back, shoulders, forehead, and other places where he likes it the best.
- If you're not in this position already, kneel down behind kitty, so his rear end is tucked between your knees.
- Bend down so your head is near his head.
-
Say "Give me your belly," then slip your hand that's not carrying the brush
underneath him, just behind his front paws, and gently lift the front part of him up; his hind
legs should be firmly and comfortably planted on the floor.
-
Brush him, going with the grain. At first, you'll probably want to be quite timid and only do a
few strokes — unless he's really liking it. Over time, you can increase the length of the
belly brushing sessions. Eventually, even if kitty started out with serious doubts about this, you
may find him kneading and purring as you brush and clean his furry underside.
Before you buy a harness...Will kitty let you put it on him? Get him used to your hands touching
his belly for at least 10 seconds. Some cats are fine with this. If you don't regularly pet or
brush your cat's underside, you may have to work your way up to this, a second at a time. Use
treats and a calming voice. Many folks like the "kneel down behind kitty" method
described in the previous section, while talking softly the whole time. But use whichever
position is most comfortable for your cat. This will be part of your leash-walking routine.
An "H" harness has two loops; one goes around the neck, one goes around the chest. The
double loops on the H-harness make it almost escape-proof. Ideally, get a harness that requires no
pre-adjustments and that has buckles that fasten on kitty's backside. Some advantages
of H-harnesses that go on this way are:
- You never have to slip anything over kitty's head.
- You fasten the loops on top, out of the way of kitty's belly, in an easy-to-see, convenient
spot.
- Often, one size fits all. However, manufacturers may offer models in different sizes,
to minimize excess strappage.
Buy a leash that is 4 feet or less in length to attach to the harness. Here are the
reasons you want a short leash:
The leash should have a loop-type handle, because one of the safety measures you'll be taking (and which is described in more detail further down) is wrapping the leash handle around your hand in such a way that it's almost impossible for the leash to fall off if kitty yanks on it. For this reason, and because of their long length, retractable leashes, which are handy for dog-walking, are not a good fit for walking your cat.
You can buy simple, short leashes at most pet supply stores. They may be in the dog section,
but increasingly you find them in the cat section.
Make sure that you attach the leash to the harness securely — no gaps or other ways in
which the leash could become detached.
Try to go out around the same time every day. If this is nearly impossible, try to always have
your leash walks follow the same activity, such as your morning workout, or you and kitty
watching old Colombo reruns. (Peter Falk is a big animal lover in real life.) This helps
establish in kitty's mind the implicit rule that leash walks occur at specific times or in
specific, once-a day circumstances.
If you do go out every day at 8:15am, right after your wakeup coffee, chances are pretty good
that at 8:14 kitty will be lined up at the door, or doing figure eights through your legs,
meowing to get your attention. Or, since he's a cat, when the appointed hour arrives, he may
play hard to get for a minute, then saunter over.
If you know you'll be having lots of guests coming over, walk kitty before all the
commotion. There are at least two advantages to doing this:
- Kitty's walk won't be ruined by cars pulling up and strange people (to her) coming out of
them. She will likely perceive this influx of activity as a threat and won't be able to enjoy
herself.
- After an invigorating walk and post-walk snack, kitty may be tired and find a private
spot to take a nap. With lots of people coming in and out and making noise, often the best
place for kitty is away from the crowd, in a comfy perch or cat bed.
If it's impossible to shift the leash-walk schedule when company's coming over, try to walk in
areas that will remain relatively undisturbed, such as the back yard.
If it's just Uncle Bill and Aunt Lucy coming over, and kitty's used to them, you probably don't
need to change a thing. Besides, who wouldn't like being greeted by a friendly kitty on a leash?
Never coerce kitty to go out.
She has her reasons for wanting to stay in — she may be tired, she may sense
a predator, there may be something else outside that makes her feel uncomfortable. If
your schedule permits, you can always try again after a little while. It's also okay
to skip a day if kitty's not interested.
Stay in the yard, or in the courtyard or close-by vicinity if you're in an apartment. You
want to enjoy the great outdoors, but reinforce the idea that kitty's territory is close to home.
Many cats never want to venture far, anyway.
Prefer the quieter parts of the yard, usually the back yard, where kitty is less likely to be
spooked by dogs, cars, and other real or perceived threats.
And how do you control a curious, capricious, lightening quick, clever, independently-minded
cat on a leash? With a firm grip, a subtle touch, and your voice.
As long as the leash is secured to hand as explained above, you can be confident that kitty
won't escape if she suddenly bolts. To prevent kitty from heading somewhere he's not supposed to
be, all you need to do is stand firm and, at your discretion, give a very light tug on the leash
— all it takes is a barely noticeable pull, nothing more. As you're doing that, tell kitty
— using a unique command, like "out of bounds" — that he can't go where he
wants to go. The slight tug — or simply standing your ground, combined with your
informing kitty that he can't enter the unauthorized area — will give kitty the message.
Kitty, at least at first, may challenge you: He may repeatedly try to get you to give in — cats
are masters at that — or he may hiss, whine, or meow. Hold firm and eventually kitty will
pick out an alternate destination that you both will like.
It may be kind of fun to walk in the snow with kitty on her leash. Some cats are put off by
snow; for others it's a source of fascination. You may find that kitty takes one step, shakes off
her paw, takes another step, shakes off her paw, and so on. And yet plods on despite the
annoyance. If it's cold out, between the temperature and the snow accumulating on her fur, kitty
may want to come back in on her own after ten minutes or less.
Many cats will go no further than the front porch in inclement weather, as though it was the
principle of the walk they wanted, not the actual walk itself. But some cats don't mind a light
rain shower. Wear a raincoat or other protective clothing (or let yourself get wet; on a hot July
day it's really not that bad). Trying to handle an umbrella, a leash, and a cat at the same time is
asking for trouble. Note that kitty may find a dry nook under the
rhododendron, leaving you out in the rain. This is kitty's excursion, to which she looks forward,
so bear with it. So what if some of your neighbors wonder why you are standing alone outside in
the rain?
What about icy conditions? Some cats seem to be fascinated, at least for a short time, with
ice and sleet on the ground. Maybe it's the challenge, or the novelty. Others say "No,
thanks!"" If you're unsure of your own footing, use caution in deciding whether to head out;
you don't want to be a hazard to yourself and the cat to whom you're tethered. In some cases,
you may shovel a small area, such as the walkway in front of your house, and limit your mini-walk
to the cleared patch of ground.
Do you have shade in the yard or walking area? A tree is the ideal shade-maker, but a large
patio umbrella may be more practical. Both of you are going to want this. On hot days, try to go
out early in the morning, before the sun is high in the air, and when the dew is still on the
ground. Kitty may find a shady spot that's perfect for her, but if that leaves you unprotected in
the blazing sun, you may need to redirect her to an area where both of you can cool off.
Alternatively, when you go out, you can carry her to an area with enough shade for both of you.
Don't stay out for too long on the hottest days, and make sure kitty has lots of fresh water in
her bowl when you get back in.
Don't go out in a storm or poor visibility — at least not with kitty. The possibilities
for undesirable outcomes in these conditions is far too high.
...attach the leash and ID tag to the harness and let the combination lie around the house for a few days in a convenient spot—convenient for kitty, that is. Let her thoroughly sniff both pieces and put her scent all over them. Let the novelty wear off. One less thing to worry about when it's time for kitty to suit up.
Most books recommend a rather drawn-out process in which you put the harness without the leash
on kitty, have her get used to it around the house, then attach the leash and have her get used
to the combination for a while inside. Who wants to walk around inside with a harness around you
and a leash dragging behind you? Show kitty the prize—the reason for the leash. As soon as
you have her harness on and she isn't visibly annoyed or uncomfortable, pick her up and go outside.
Then she'll associate the leash as her gateway to fun, not a bother with no apparent upside.
For best results, choose a nice sunny day and relatively quiet time for your and kitty's
maiden voyage. Just before putting the harness on kitty, cheerily announce that you're going
for a leash walk (as described later in the article).
Try not to dawdle the first time you put the harness on kitty. If you're confused and making
false starts, and getting the leash all tangled up, kitty will be thoroughly fed up with the
whole idea of the leash, and good luck trying to get her to stand still next time you try to put
it on her. Make sure you know how it goes on and how you're going to put it on her before putting
it on her.
Many people follow the steps below. But work out any sequence with which you and kitty are
both comfortable.
These instructions are for an H-harness that fastens on top. (They also assume you are
right-handed; use the opposite hands if left-handed.)
- Wait until a time when kitty seems in a pleasant mood.
- Have the harness nearby, within easy reach.
- The leash and ID tag should already be attached to the harness.
- You will do this near the door—more details on that in next section.
- Kneel down behind your cat.
- Give her a couple of calming pets and start a soothing dialog.
- Try to have one hand touching kitty at all times.
- If kitty wears a collar, remove the collar. (Make sure you have an ID tag attached to the
harness.)
- Grab the leash with your left hand.
- Put your left hand, holding the harness, approximately on top of kitty's left shoulder
blade, so that the larger loop of the harness hangs down on her left.
- With your right hand, go under kitty, grab the end of the larger loop, and then pull the
loop around counterclockwise (from your perspective behind kitty) so that the loop is completely
around kitty's chest. It's best if you can do this in one smooth, quick motion.
- Fasten the upper loop; both hands should be on kitty's upper back, although a finger or
two may be on his neck. Remember to keep up your dialog. The harness loop should be snug but not
too snug; you should be able to fit one finger between kitty and the harness without too
much trouble.
- Do the same thing with the smaller loop, which goes around kitty's neck.
- Once you have the harness fastened on kitty — and before picking her up — you need
to secure the "human end" of the leash to your hand as described two sections down.
Some cats seem to hate having a harness around them, and will struggle to avoid having one put
on them or to get out of it once it is on them. If your cat falls into this category, the
prognosis, in terms of leash-walking, is poor. But don't lose all hope right away. Here's what
you can do:
- You can't force kitty to accept the harness—nor should you try to. If she's really
fighting you, let her have her way. Don't make the experience of having a harness put on her a
miserable one. Quit before she gets really angry or attacks you. Talk nicely—she did
nothing wrong.
- Try again after a couple hours or so. Mentally go through how you will put the harness on
kitty. Be sure you don't fasten anything too tightly. You may want to try making harness-fitting
a two-person operation. One person can scratch kitty's head (or favorite place to be scratched)
and perhaps feed her treats, while the other person puts on the harness.
- As you're putting on the harness, and once she's wearing it, offer kitty her favorite
treats and praise her mightily.
- If none of this works, you can try putting the harness on her maybe one or two more times
over the next couple of days. If kitty still rejects the harness, forget it. It wasn't meant to
be. At least not this year.
You need to have the leash securely around your hand before you scoop up kitty to take him on
his walk, and at all times during the walk.
Important: Do not let the leash slip off your hand.
Here's the situation: You're outside with kitty on a sunny spring day. After sniffing around a
little, kitty finds a warm spot in the grass and gets comfy. You sit down next to her. She gets
relaxed, you get relaxed. Without even realizing it, you loosen your grip. All of a sudden kitty
bolts — she spotted a squirrel. The leash flies off your hand and kitty's on her own. In one
second, kitty can be in the street.
To prevent this, wrap the leash around your fingers so if won't come loose if your hand is
totally limp. To test, attach the leash to your hand. Completely relax that hand. With your other
hand, yank the leash and see if comes off. It shouldn't. This is one of your failsafe measures — it's important.
Note: A loose cat with a leash dragging behind her is at considerably more risk
than a free-roaming cat without one. Her leash can get caught on a branch or fencepost; she can
become tangled in it, she might panic, and she could be left vulnerable, unable to defend herself
or return home, or escape to a safe location.
Here's a good method for securing the leash on to your hand:
- Put your hand through the loop at the end of the leash, so the loop is around your wrist.
- With the loop hanging from your wrist, make a figure-eight out of it. One loop of the
figure-eight will be already be around your wrist.
- Stick any finger other than your thumb or pinky through the second figure-eight loop,
as shown in the following two photos:
Put your finger through the smaller loop of the figure-8...
...so the leash will stay on your hand even if kitty yanks on it.
If you're wearing gloves or mittens:
- Wrap the leash handle around your wrist.
- Put on your glove.
- Scrunch as much of the leash handle as you can inside your glove, as far down as possible.
It bears repeating that the outdoors is full of dangers, and that as pleasant as
leash-walking will probably be for you and your cat, it is a serious undertaking. Urban,
suburban, and rural areas have cars (even parked cars can be deadly once started), dogs who get
loose from their leashes, coyotes and other predators, poisons and pesticides, traps,
mean people — including cat-haters — and cat thieves. The leash must not leave your hand.
Now you have kitty in your arms, safely in his harness, and the leash securely around your hands.
You've read the entire article and have taken all the proper precautions. Open the door and out
you go!
Usually kitty will want to stay out longer than you do, so you'll have to be the bad guy and
end the fun. About a minute before you're ready to come in, if kitty hasn't positioned herself in
front of the door on her own, give the "one more minute" warning: some unique phrase
(like "one more minute") of which kitty will learn the meaning soon enough. That gives
her time to rub her face against one more branch, and check out one more random thing on the
ground, or spend one more minute luxuriously doing nothing.
Then pick her up. Be confident and no-nonsense yet gentle and soothing. In most cases, after a
short while, she'll grow accustomed to the pace, although — being a cat — she'll
probably try to push the envelope.
Reward kitty when she comes back in after the walk, to reaffirm the joy of being home. After
taking off her harness, give her a good combing. Check her fur for ticks. Give her some nice
petting and praise, and a tasty treat. Coming home should be welcome and satisfying for kitty.
She may let you know with a steady purr.
Caution: birds often like to hang out in thick bushes and trees, because it affords them
protection. If kitty is near the bushes at the same time, it only takes him an instant to leap,
grab, and kill an unsuspecting bird. If kitty's sitting by or under the hedges, be right there
with him, maybe even with a hand on him. Your presence alone may cause the birds to fly off.
If you know the birds in your yard like to congregate in the forsythia bushes each spring and
you're walking kitty in the spring, stay away from the forsythias.
Around sensitive wildlife habitat, keep a tight hold on the leash to prevent kitty's reign of
terror.
Some cats won't care if they spot another cat on the premises, others will merely be curious,
but most will want to run the interloper off the property. Use the leash, your gentle but firm
voice, and your established rapport to let kitty know that he has to stay on leash.
What if kitty wants to run after another cat, or a squirrel? It's a balance. You don't want to
scare off the wildlife, but you don't want to stifle kitty's natural instincts and desires. If he
runs, you can try running as fast as you can behind him, holding the leash, but you'll slow him
down and frustrate him; he'll be pulling on the leash and he may look back at you wondering why
you aren't keeping up, why you're holding him back. Oh, well... It's a compromise. Whatever he
was chasing will almost certainly run off, since you're essentially roped into being part of the
chase. So there's little chance of kitty catching anything.
On the other paw, you may feel bad about scaring off the little cat in the corner of the yard
whose family doesn't pay much attention to him. It's a judgment call. In those cases, you may
have to reassure kitty that the demure tabby poses no threat, that the yard's big enough for both
cats, and that after other cat leaves, kitty can rub his face all over anything the uninvited
guest touched, thus securing his territory.
If you're a multi-cat household, you basically have two choices:
- If you have more than one qualified walker, make it a family affair — one cat per human.
This is the best option.
- Walk each cat in sequence. You should come up with totally different leash-walk
announcements for each cat and always walk them in the same order. Each cat should have his or
her own harness and leash. Still, expect some confusion. When you announce that it's time for
Tiger's walk, Fluffy may appear, also. After all, there you are with the leash, by the door,
close to the appointed hour. You'll have to make sure that Fluffy doesn't try to exit with you
and Tiger, and that Tiger doesn't attempt to go out for Round Two when you take Fluffy out. Use
props to block the cats' access if need be.
Don't try to walk two cats at once. It requires considerable attention and dexterity to
monitor, guide, and pick up one cat, especially when out-of-the-ordinary circumstances arise.
The chances for calamity — or worse — when trying to do this with two cats
simultaneously are too high.
Kitty may eat grass and throw up. Why do cats eat grass? We don't know exactly, and there may
be more than one reason, but one possible reason is that they like it, and coming across a whole
sea of it, as they might on a leash walk, is a novel and irresistible situation. However, grass
often makes them throw up.
Different cats have different thresholds. Wide-bladed grass seems to be more of an irritant
than thin grass; short pieces of grass may be easier for their systems to handle and digest than
long strands. If you don't want kitty throwing up on the carpet, discourage her from eating
grass. If "No" and a gentle tug on the leash doesn't work, you may have to put your
foot down — literally — to block her access to grass. You may want to carry her to
another section of the yard.
If your cat enjoys eating grass, and you don't want to infringe upon her pleasure more than
necessary, you may want to let her eat a couple of strands and see how she handles that. Prefer
to have her eat the grass near the beginning of the walk, not just before you come back into the
house; that way there's more chance that if she does throw up, it will be outside. (But have some
paper towels and an enzyme-based cleaner at the ready just in case.) Even if you tolerate kitty
eating some grass, you may still want to keep long wide strands out of her mouth — cats
often have trouble with those. So trim the grass by the side of the house, watch and regulate
kitty's grass intake, and if she does ingest some grass — or go over her limit — be
prepared for accidents when you get back in. (If inclined, you can also replace grass in all or
part of your yard with lower-maintenance plants and ground covers in which kitty would be less
interested. Here are two articles about how to do that: Top
10 Tips for Low-Maintenance Landscaping and How to reduce the size of
your lawn.)
No! Not allowed! You don't know what's been put on the grass.
Kitty may, on occasion, spray pungent urine along perimeters of the yard, as a way of affirming
the borders of his annexed territory, especially if he detects other cats' scents. Don't worry,
it's highly unlikely that kitty will expand this behavior to the indoors.
Does the spraying kill the plants? If done on an occasional basis, it may have no effect.
Remember, every day, wildlife eliminates all around the yard. But if you see kitty getting ready
to spray (back end slightly raised, near a vertical structure such as a plant, shrubbery, a wall,
or a fence; tail straight up, often quivering; looking forward) on your ripe tomatoes, you may
want to redirect him to another section of the yard.
Note: Female cats spray, too, although not as much as male cats. Spayed and neutered cats
spray far less frequently than intact cats. But again, if kitty sprays outside, where there is a
myriad of scents of unknown animals, you shouldn't worry that he'll duplicate the behavior
inside, where his scent and the scents of other household members (including those of the humans)
are recognizable to him and—practically speaking—cover every square inch of the house.
Kitty may occasionally want to urinate (not spray) when outdoors. For the most part, this is
harmless, and she'll cover up with leaves and debris. As long as she's using her liter box
regularly and you have a setup that's working, and the litter box is clean, well-located, and so
forth, it's unlikely that she'll decide that where she really wants to go is outside. If you
don't want her peeing in the just-prepared flower bed, you can gently coax her to another section
of the grounds or bring her inside to her litter box. You'll have ample warning, as she'll
scratch at the ground.
Some dominant cats do not want you walking in front of them. They'll hiss, growl, and/or nip at
your heels if you pass them, even on the left. Let them lead, so that it's more like kitty
walking you rather than the other way around.
After your first venture, kitty may want to go back out 20 minutes later. He may claw at the
door, wail, and aggressively rub up against you. The answer is "no." No ifs, ands or
buts. Cats like to test the boundaries. Which is admirable in a way. But be firm. Ignore his
pleas. Go about your day. Soon enough, kitty will understand and accept the routine.
Be vigilant during this adjustment period when you leave or enter the house. Even more
importantly, warn and/or keep a watch on visitors, to make sure they don't leave the door wide
open. You may need to block the door, hold kitty, or put him in another room if you have guests
or any situation in which a door to the outside will be open a lot. Let visitors know that kitty
is not allowed outside. A sign on the door saying "Please close the door so the cat doesn't get
out" wouldn't hurt, either.
There are two times when you can break the "one outing per day" rule. One is kitty's
birthday; the other is the longest day of the year (this exemption is not applicable to cats
living above the Arctic Circle). But that's it.
If done properly, a daily leash-walk can be a satisfying way to spend some quality time with
your cat. Watching kitty take in the sights and smells of nature, pounce on a falling leaf, roll
in the gravel driveway for a back scratch, and investigate the immediate outdoor environment — in
a safe way — can be a fun bonding experience for both of you.
Remember what the beginning of the article said, though: If your cat is perfectly content
indoors, you need not feel compelled to take her out; leave well-enough alone. Even if you do go
out, leash-walking should not be a substitute for an accommodating home in which kitty has
abundant opportunities to play, relax, socialize, satisfy her curiosity, scratch, climb, and
engage in a full range of activities that are important to cats. So if you just came in from an
outdoor excursion, after you brush kitty off and give her a treat, do a once-over of kitty's
indoor environment and make sure you've got sufficient scratching posts, cardboard boxes,
perches, and other accoutrements for your feline buddy, so that the best part of your leash
walks will be returning to "home, sweet home."
"Schnurri" is alert to all the sights, sounds, and—especially—smells on his outdoor walk.
Notes:
- You may want to keep a hard-copy of this article next to the harness and leash, so you (and all leash-walkers) can review it from time to time.
- We will update this article periodically, so check back every so often and perhaps print the most recent copy.
