BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???

Subject: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Bobert
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 07:17 PM

Anyone had experience with using harnesses an d leashes on their cats???

We've been thinking that we'd like to take our cat with us when we go away for two-three days and really don't know much about these things???

Any info appreciated...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 07:55 PM

Yes. I did it with seven of them, at once. You want the kind that goes under their belly and across their chest. all seven of mine went from free range on the prairie to a motel room for two months with "walkies" in the parks everyday. Adapted well. use a FIGURE 8.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Bobert
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 07:58 PM

Thanks, Kat...

Once moved into the motel, how'd they do... Were they wacked out???

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: ranger1
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 07:59 PM

I don't have any direct experience, but J-boy and I have fun watching Santa walk his cat at the senior housing unit at the end of the block.

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 09:04 PM

First, get a pair of these. They'll help minimize blood loss while you try to put the harness on the cat.

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 09:39 PM

LOL, Bdl!

After flying in the belly of an airplay from WY to MA, riding in a car in their carriers for a couple of hours, after sitting locked in the agent's room at the airport in their carriers for several hours, the motel room, with three kids, a dog, two birds and two adults, seemed relatively nice to them. Actually they adapted quite well. They got used to being loaded up each morning as I drove Rog to work and the kids to school, then to the soon-to-be-landlady's house for the dog and them to stretch a bit. I also took them to the park on leashes. Eventually, I felt safe leaving them at the motel until I got done dropping everyone off and would walk them there. They were a great group of cats.

I'd like it known that I did regain my sanity!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 09:41 PM

Sasheen, Beau Geste, Kaysha, Shadowfax and her baby, Miss Pitty-Pat, and I am going to have to call my kids for the last one's name! Can't believe it's slipped my mind!

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 10:56 PM

"They" say that some breeds of cat do better at it than others (for instance, Siamese are supposed to do especially well on leash) but I have seen a couple of Persians do fine with it. I say 'fime' but in actuaality they never seemed all that happy with the harnesses- it was just that they wanted to go outdoors.

I put my old archy in one a couple of times and he never fought it- (he was a mellow cat), however, when he got tired of it, he would simply double himself into a knot and voila! he was out. On the other hand he never ran away either... so, no worries.

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 11:05 PM

Mine were all mixed but for two Siamese. The only one who really freaked was a long haired, dark calico, Miss Pitty-Pat, but she was kind of freaked out a lot anyway and it was just that she didn't like it when I tied their leashes to a line between two trees, so they could all walk at the same time. At the time it was not funny, but looking back we had a laugh. She got loose with her leash on which caught on one of the carriers, so it was bumping behind her, as she ran through a forest of closely spaced trees, which scared her even more. Fortunately, the carrier got caught between two trees and I was able to catch her. All the while the others calmly watched from their tethered lines, with the dog!:-)I never tried that, again!

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 31 Mar 12 - 05:09 AM

We've recently been using harness that's made out of a woven cloth, that goes around the belly behind the front legs and around the neck in front of the legs. Most places here stock them for small dogs, and you have to work to find one small enough for some cats, but the cat/dog kinds are pretty much interchangeable. The cats seem to be fairly comfortable with them; but there's no kind of restraint that a cat can't get out of if the cat gets scared or is determined.

The place where you take the cat, and avoiding anything that might scare them, has more to do with it than what kind of collar/harness you use. Getting them familiar with the leash, in familiar surroundings, is a good idea before venturing into strange circumstances; but with most "domesticated" cats it shouldn't take much training.

I had to "walk the cats" on leashes on the army post (lots of coyotes in the Arizona Desert so housing rules prohibited "outdoor pets" unless on a leash.) The two we had then were reasonably acclimated to a leash, so a simple neck collar was sufficient. We later lost one who pulled out of a "full body straight jacket with chains and padlocks" when HE decided he didn't want to walk with me, and ran off and hid. He's only been gone about three years, and he's "chipped," but we assume he's killed all the local livestock and moved on to greener pastures (he was at 27 pounds when he got loose).

We recently lived in a camper (total living space 8 ft x 11 ft) with three cats, for three months, and walked those a few times with no difficulties; but we were careful to do it only when the crowds were minimal and the campground was quiet.

A rule to know with cats - just in case one gets rambunctious - is that regardless of how they're hooked up, if they get their ass away from you they can back out of any way you've got them tied on, so run around to the other end if you want to keep them tied on.

It varies with the cat; but few of them have any real difficulty accepting a leash if you work with them a little.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Hollowfox
Date: 31 Mar 12 - 10:43 AM

I had good success with one cat. the second one I tried it with promptly climbed a tree.

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Megan L
Date: 31 Mar 12 - 11:13 AM

Weel lad Iv'e never tried it wie a cat but there were twa auld lads near us one took three ewes for a walk at five each evening vomplete with collars and leeds and the other hid a jersey coo with wis a flee bit thing mind you its na wunner he took it fur a walk every day the poor thing wis fair puggled by the time he got it hame.

Mind you it wis considered NFO

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 09:44 AM

We used a similar harness for our two cats while they were getting used to our new neighborhood. They initially found the harnesses frustrating but became reconciled in a day or so. They did want to explore. However, once we released one up an apple tree with the harness on and she got hung up near the top of the tree. I had a fine time climbing up and retrieving her.

Now they roam about the yard on their own but if we were traveling we would certainly take the harnesses along.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Greg B
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 01:43 PM

One of Karen's daughters' cats gets quite testy if he doesn't get his daily "walkies" in his harness on his leash. He's graduated from the old-fashioned ones with straps to one of the new ones made of cloth as mentioned above. Replete with zebra stripes, this 20+ pound (and not fat) beast of a cat is quite the sight.

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 04:52 PM

Maybe if you started doing it when they were kittens they might accept it more easily. But I doubt it. I think it's more a question of dignity than discomfort.

But there are times when a cat harness is the only way to cope with a situation.   Just don't expect to be loved for it by the cat, and mind those teeth and claws.

And there are of course some cats who don't seem to mind. Maybe they heard some wiseacre saying what I said just there, and decided to show them up.

Perhaps putting on the harness without the lead to start up with might be a good way to do it.

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 05:01 PM

I forgot to say that's what my friends do with their cats. On the days they know they are going to be walking them, they put on their "bras" for a bit in the house, then go out. Those mesh ones do look useful!

If you want the exercise, but your cat doesn't, you could always try THIS or, THIS! Tres chic!

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Gurney
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 05:53 PM

We had two cats that were 'people' cats, not 'house' cats, and went about with us, recognising the car or where we were as 'home.' They had their own seat in the car at window level, and they would sit unfettered, interestedly surveying the traffic and scenery for about three hours at a stretch until they wanted a nosy and a pee break.
They would wear harnesses when we were travelling in other vehicles and ferries, seeming to understand that a harness meant an adventure, but as soon as we arrived and settled, they would lie down and work the harnesses off with their back feet.
We started taking them about when they were big kittens. One cat was a Siamese, and that helped, because dogs like to chase, and Siamese back up their mates.

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 09:40 PM

I met a man at a laundromat in Mystic, CT, dressed in full black leathers with a mean Harley parked out front and a very dainty, beautiful Siamese in its own black leather vest perched on his shoulder. They toured the US that way, with the cat riding on a special pillion in front of the guy. They were both pretty kewl *cats.*

Wehn drove from CT to WY, whilst moving, we had seven cats, one dog, six birds and a turtle with us. Most of the cats rode in their carriers, but one of them loved sitting in my lap watching the world go by, even when we were boxed in by huge semis going around Chicago. She was a neat cat.

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Jack Campin
Date: 02 Apr 12 - 06:05 AM

A biker cat:

Max and Rastus

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Becca72
Date: 02 Apr 12 - 09:47 AM

The only experience I've had in this area was many years ago - I had an orange tiger cat and one day I decided I wanted to walk him...as soon as the harness went on, he fell over and refused to stand up again.

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 03 Apr 12 - 09:39 AM

I'm sure Bruce and Gill Hogg (and Fleetwood the Cat) won't mind me posting this:-

Fleetwood, the pub-visiting cat

A frequent visitor here in Fleetwood the Town and to music sessions around the country, Fleetwood is a generally very well-behaved cat who seldom needs to be on the leash. Sometimes has to be restrained for the protection of over-inquisitive dogs!

Ross

Subject: RE: BS: Cat Harness/Leash Questions???
From: Mr Happy
Date: 03 Apr 12 - 11:33 AM

We've took cats/ kittens to the pub, also camping.

The current one was ok camping as a kitten but doesn't like being restrained as an adult, 'tho she's fine in the harness going to the vets.

One adult cat we tried with a harness was so funny, he crawled along the floor like a snake!