Harness training Inky and Aslan

[Terabith]

Inky and Aslan have noticed that Obama goes outside.  And now they both really, really, really want to do the same. Inky has escaped twice but been easy to recapture.  Aslan has escaped once, was not so easy to recapture, and is now devoting a good peeve of his considerable intelligence into figuring out he can reproduce this experience.  
 

Obama’s life philosophy is “everything except my immediate family is trying to kill me; run fast.”   
 

Aslan’s life philosophy is “I am the greatest beast west or east and everything and everyone surely loves and adores me.”

One of these is better suited for life in the outdoors, and it’s not Aslan’s.  So I think I need to find a way to sate his desire to go outside in a safer manner. 
 

And that’s why I’m watching YouTube videos on harness training your cat. 

[itsheresomewhere]

The cat I sit for is harnesses trained.  He goes for walks down the street and everything.  Even has a line hung across the yard they clip him to and he can walk and sun bath while they work outside.  Maybe something like that could work for you?  Or a screened outdoor cat condo.  

[fraidycat]

Catio.

We do have one kitty who goes outside on a harness with DD. The rest stay inside, but one day I'd like to build them a summer catio.

[Terabith]

We don't have a good set up for a catio.  And none of us are handy in that way.  I also don't think it would really meet their desires.  

But a leash might.

[itsheresomewhere]

30 minutes ago, Terabith said:

We don't have a good set up for a catio.  And none of us are handy in that way.  I also don't think it would really meet their desires.  

But a leash might.

Depending on your cat’s level of destruction, they have a very sturdy popped up version you can buy.  It is more tent like construction than pop up.  One of the local cat rescues uses it often for the cats who have been around awhile waiting for adoption or cats who can not be adopted so they can have a good sunning or bird watch.  It has held up very well for at least 5 years I have known they use it. 

[Tanaqui]

Harness training can be done - there used to be some dude who caught the same boat as me in the evenings who wore his cat on his shoulders during his commute, and that cat wore a harness - but I'm given to understand that some cats take to it more easily than others.

[rebcoola]

It can be done my parents had a set of rescue siblings that they harness trained. They brought them to soccer tournaments with us.  The one who loved escaping and being outdoors never really liked the leash.   The other did actually enjoy his walks. 

[Bambam]

We taught our dd's cat to wear a harness. At first he hated it, and it was a two-person battle to put on. But once it was on, we would take him outside. He often wanted outside, but we made him put his harness/leash on first. Slowly, he became okay with it. I say, okay, because he still doesn't like the harness, but since wearing it seems to be the price to pay to get to go outside (a favorite activity), he is now cooperative as we put the harness on him. We pretty much take the harness off as soon as he gets in again.  This is our first cat, so I have no idea how typical this is. If we could just figure out some way to easily get him into his soft carrier for car rides, we would be happy. I don't think he hates the carrier, but he does not like travel if you will be driving over 40-45 mph. He is a very vocal and loud cat. 

[Spy Car]

I take Desmond outside in a harness frequently while I work in the garden. He is one of those cats who longs to go outside (and who tries to escape whenever possible).

At first he would act completely paralyzed--which actually served my purpose. I'd plop his in a flower/herb bed and he would not move. But I could see that he does take delight in being in nature.

Over time he realized he could still walk, lol, so I've found the addition of a long lead tempers his "wandering." He will move around, but not that much. With no lead he is more exploratory than I'm comfortable with. 

We are not exactly doing "adventure cat," but the harness has added to his quality of life. He even assents to having it put on, as he knows that it means he will enjoy some outdoor time.

Bill

[Terabith]

See, this is valuable advice!  I was thinking we'd need to put the harness on and leave it on all the time and just clip the lead on before going outside.  But that is kind of silly.  Putting the harness on just before going outside is a great reward!  

Aslan is working very hard to figure out how to open the screen door by himself.  He's kind of terrifyingly intelligent.  

[Spy Car]

42 minutes ago, Terabith said:

See, this is valuable advice!  I was thinking we'd need to put the harness on and leave it on all the time and just clip the lead on before going outside.  But that is kind of silly.  Putting the harness on just before going outside is a great reward!  

Aslan is working very hard to figure out how to open the screen door by himself.  He's kind of terrifyingly intelligent.  

To make a dog analogy, when I gather up leashes and whatnot, the dog gets excited--knowing he's going out.

Cats are cats, so it isn't precisely the same zeal. But Desmond has come to realize that the harness being pulled out means he is going to go outside, once he's harnessed. So he deigns to allow it. He will even come running. 

Cats. Who knows?

Have I mentioned I'm growing a little bit fond of our little guy?

 😻

Bill

 

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by Spy Car

[Grace Hopper]

3 hours ago, fraidycat said:

Catio.

We do have one kitty who goes outside on a harness with DD. The rest stay inside, but one day I'd like to build them a summer catio.

Yes, I totally envision a deluxe catio for your kitties, Terebith!

[Indigo Blue]

Terabith, I wonder if you put on harnesses only when going out the door, if they would eventually learn that they only go out if the harness gets put on. It might be a good thing for them to know for their own safety? If they would be amenable to this training…..sort of like the YouTube cat “BillieSpeaks”. She knows she’s only allowed outside when she has on her leash/harness. I’ve never harness trained a cat, so don’t listen to my two cents if you don’t feel like it, lol. 🙂
 

I would LOVE a catio for my girl. But she will  probably never have one. She’s very happy with living indoors, though.

[Terabith]

28 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

Terabith, I wonder if you put on harnesses only when going out the door, if they would eventually learn that they only go out if the harness gets put on. It might be a good thing for them to know for their own safety? If they would be amenable to this training…..sort of like the YouTube cat “BillieSpeaks”. She knows she’s only allowed outside when she has on her leash/harness. I’ve never harness trained a cat, so don’t listen to my two cents if you don’t feel like it, lol. 🙂
 

I would LOVE a catio for my girl. But she will  probably never have one. She’s very happy with living indoors, though.

No, that is excellent advice.  Inky was kinda freaked out when she escaped, but Aslan was THRILLED about his escape and immediately ran to the door to try again.  This is why we have a giant pile of trash by the door, because taking anything out is fraught with escape opportunities.

[lmrich]

I  had a cat who was trained to  walk on a leash. It just takes  patience and  persitence. I also built a cheap catio at my previous home using old and thrifted materials. The real trick is to  get it close enough to your house so there is not a gap for the kitty to squeeeze through. 

 

[pinball]

4 hours ago, Tanaqui said:

Harness training can be done - there used to be some dude who caught the same boat as me in the evenings who wore his cat on his shoulders during his commute, and that cat wore a harness - but I'm given to understand that some cats take to it more easily than others.

I think I saw that guy at a music festival this summer.

he wore an orange tabby cat around his neck

[Dmmetler]

You could also get a cat backpack and take them for walks that way. https://www.amazon.com/Henkelion-Cat-Carrier-Backpack-Carrying/dp/B0822CPWCZ/ref=asc_df_B0822CPWCZ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416926742772&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5682711507568456152&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013539&hvtargid=pla-873136058315&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=92827560614&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416926742772&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5682711507568456152&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013539&hvtargid=pla-873136058315

[Terabith]

43 minutes ago, Dmmetler said:

You could also get a cat backpack and take them for walks that way. https://www.amazon.com/Henkelion-Cat-Carrier-Backpack-Carrying/dp/B0822CPWCZ/ref=asc_df_B0822CPWCZ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416926742772&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5682711507568456152&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013539&hvtargid=pla-873136058315&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=92827560614&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416926742772&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5682711507568456152&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013539&hvtargid=pla-873136058315

I am pretty sure that would NOT make Aslan happy.  It's kinda carrier like, and he's not a big fan of the carrier or confinement in general.

I bought a harness.  Need to check and see if it fits them.  I thought we had one from when we tried Obama with one, but he was a pretty little kitten then, and I can't find it anyway, though I found the leash.