Anyone ever done leash training?

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K. Sya and Sophie (GA)

K. Sya and Sophie (GA)

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So I bought Sya a walking jacket. It actually fits her quite nicely...had to order one online as most of the cat harnesses don't fit the more...full figured kitties. Anyway, she doesn't fight putting it on, but does this boneless kitty routine once its on. They actually said on the website that it was one of things they might do, but its so sad..She just looks at me like "really mom?" She doesn't seem massively distressed, but sort of patiently waiting me out. Anyway right now I have her wearing it for about 5 minutes at a time and I give her little LC treats if she is willing to sit up and at least attempt standing. Anyway, I don't want to torture the poor dear, and I know new things like this take time. I think she might like going outside once we can get comfortable with this. Anway...any thoughts?
 
I got a dog harness and leash for Oliver as he really needs to get active. He's very large, and there is nothing at all for cats that would fit him.

I put the harness and leash on him, wanting to walk around indoors first, and he plopped flat on the floor, refusing to budge.... you know how hard it is to move a 30lb cat? if he don't want to move, he's not moving.

I'll be watching for your updates; I wish you luck.
 
ah they are so funny and silly in the initial training, totally handicapped and acts like it weighs tons on them :-D

I've leash trained all my cats and this is just what they go through in the initial stage. I put it on and let them lay on the floor if that is what they like, eventually they grow out of that and starts to walk with it, also displaying all sorts of funny and silly things like falling over because it is so HEAVY :-D Then they get to the stage where they start to learn the leash has an end, if they try to run ...

but in the end they all have learnt that life is actually normal with it on and are happy to be outside where there is a lot more kitty action going on

It will work out
 
Kiki started this weekend, she didn't love it, but she liked the fresh air and will put up with anything to be outside.

Sam, Tucker(GA), Mr. Darcy(GA), Henry(GA) and Gett all started with leash training and loved it. The queen Lilly Grace gets to go outside without one :lol:

We use a harness, no jacket because the summers get really hot and humid in Connecticut.
 
I tried to do this with Dopey in the past, he also despised the harness, but let me put it on him, and was fine outside.

The problem was that once he saw he got to go outside, he wanted to be outside whenever he thought he should be able to go. Dopey is a talker and would meow by the door for hours on end.

So I put a stop to the going outside with the harness....

I would like to be able to do this, with kitty recognizing only when the harness is on is it outside time.

Has anyone had any trouble like this, and how did you overcome it???
 
My Max is leash trained. I often put it on him and let him wear the harness (a dog harness as he's too big for a cat harness) around the house. Once he was comfortable with it, we just went out on the porch and sat with it on. Eventually he would get curious and we'd go for little walks. Really, he was great with it at the beach, or when we moved, in our yard, but he is very skittish and cars freak him out (like he'd be willing to strangle himself to get out of it if a car makes too much noise and he can't reach a safe hiding place). I always got really funny looks from people when I'd take him to the beach, but he loved it. At this point, he could be let outside on the deck or in the yard and wouldn't run, even w/o the leash on. Mostly he just wants to lay in the grass. Our neighborhood now doesn't have sidewalks, and the asphalt is too hot for his paws, so we don't take him for walks. Max goes to the vet on a leash because he's claustrophobic and beats himself up inside a carrier. The vet and techs are always amazed when they see him in the harness--apparently not many people do this where I currently live.

Truman never got fully leash trained as a kitten, and at this point, he freaks out pretty hard if the harness gets put on. I got pregnant shortly after we brought Truman home, so I never trained him as well as I should have. He's a natural predator, tho, and doesn't do well outside--he wants to bolt for the empty fields and will strangle himself with the harness so that he can run.

My Potter (GA) was also leash trained, again with a dog harness. He LOVED it. Actually, I think he thought he was a dog because he'd go anywhere we did and not freak out as long as he was with us. He was lazy tho, and didn't like to go for walks. At our old house we'd let him and Max out in the fenced in back yard and let them run free--the fences were high enough neither could jump them.

All of my cats have always tried to run outside whether they have a harness on or not. I've had to retreive Max and Truman from my front porch more often than I'd like to admit. They just want to go out and play, but they don't have front claws, so I can't just leave them out there...
 
i had a next door neighbor back in the mid 1990's who trained his siamease on a leash. It always cracked me up to see this big guy (Bill, my next door neighbor) walk a siamease on a leash. He trained her as a kitten before i knew them.

I just bought a townhouse here in fl last month and do have a back porch that I plan to have enclosed with screens later in the year. That will be Cedric's only "outdoor oppertunity" but I know he'd love it. He really prefers the windows open, which doesn't happen too much at this time in FL!
 
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