You may have seen it once, people walking with their cats on a leash. Through the woods, on the beach, or just around the neighborhood, it’s all possible!
Walking outside with a cat is a great way to socialize and allows your mustachioed four-legged friend to explore the world on its own.
We have also introduced some of our cats to the world around us.
It varies by character whether a cat enjoys being outside. Some cheerfully walk in front of you and others don’t like it. We have taught several of our cats to walk outside. One example is Polarstar. She couldn’t get enough of it. In the woods she really enjoyed jumping on the logs and when we were at the beach the sand was actually quite fun to play with anyway, although she drew the line at the raging sea….
You can always teach your cat to walk with a harness, though this is a very gradual and lengthy process. Listening to your cat’s preferences is very important here. As with socializing, this all goes step by step.
First, it is very important to introduce the harness. This harness is handy so that once you go outside, the cat doesn’t bolt at the first car. Putting the harness on for a while a day is a good way of introducing the harness. And reward your cat with a treat after they wear it obediently so that the harness is associated with something good.
We always start in the garden first so the cats can get a little used to the new smells and sounds. Once comfortable, we can begin small stretches through the neighborhood. Every time something new passes by, like a truck or a motorcycle, we make sure we stay close to it so we can still reassure the cat if they find it exciting.
This way, we keep introducing new places and we always take a carrier with us as well, just to be sure, in case the cat doesn’t feel like it anymore.
The character of the cat continues to play a major role. Some cats prefer to stay in the garden, or snugly inside. The important thing is that this is respected; forcing it, of course, is pointless.
That’s why we always open the garden door wide in the summer so they can choose what they feel like. It’s nice and easy because they don’t need a harness here either. And fortunately, Polarstar is always open to a nice walk.
