Cascadian Nomads
  • Pet Adventure Blog
  • Cascadia- About Our Area
  • Nomads- About Us
    • Cascadian Nomads Advertising Opportunities
  • Humans
  • Canines
  • Psittacines
  • Felines
  • Contact

Walk Your Pet Month: How To Teach A Cat To Walk On A Leash

1/31/2016

11 Comments

 
Walk Your Pet Month: How To Teach A Cat To Walk On A Leash using only force free, positive reinforcement cat training methods.
Before teaching a cat to walk on a leash, make sure the cat is comfortable, safe, and confident in a harness; read "Walk Your Pet Month: How to Train A Cat To Wear A Harness."
 Typist: Bethany
The first time I put a leash on adventure cat Amelia, I did it on a whim. It was a lovely summer evening and the whole family, dogs, humans and cockatoo, were all enjoying time on the deck together while Amelia peered longingly through the glass on the deck door. I grabbed one of the dogs bungee leashes, attached it to her collar, and carried her outside. Well, Amelia did what she always used to do when outside, she froze. I stroked her and spoke to her softly and when she finally moved, it was back towards the door. Once the door was cracked, she bolted inside, surprising both of us with a suddenly tight leash. And cats don't like to feel a tight leash. Especially cats who have never been on a leash before. Amelia's reaction to that tight leash was a speed blur but in her upwards and sideways motion she ricocheted of a mirror on the wall and broke it. I am not sure if the superstitious seven years of bad luck is hers or mine. Fortunately, that moment that horrified both of us also taught us both about how to teach a cat to walk on a leash.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi Brychwyn wonders if Adventure Cat Amelia will put on her leash and harness for a walk.
Let's go for a walk!
Shopping for a Cat Leash
Stretchy and Cat Proof
Despite the whirling dervish at the end of a rubber band experience Amelia and I had when I foolishly threw her into leash-dom. a bungee leash is the best kind of cat leash. Like a lot of cats, Amelia enjoys chewing on anything elastic so it is important that her leashes be elastic covered in fabric or durable plastic covered rope. And since Amelia will still chew on them, I check her cat leashes frequently to make sure they are not in danger of breaking. I am not picky about what kind of clip her cat leash has as long as it is light (Amelia only weighs nine pounds) and secure. I made the mistake of using a cheap carabiner to attach a leash to Amelia's harness and it broke. Thankfully I was right next to her and it was not when she was trying to chase a squirrel up a hundred foot tall tree. I have seen cats walk on flexi leashes which, because of the way cats walk, is safer than when walking a dog, but I am still not a flexi fan. Bungee leashes offer the same distance and flexibility without the flexi leash risks.
Cat Leash Training
1) Know Thy Leash
Just like with training a cat to wear a harness, leash training begins with getting the cat used to just having the leash around. One of the reasons Amelia freaked out the first time I put a leash on her was that it smelled like dog. Sure, it is a dog she lives with and tolerates but still, dog. Placing the cats leash in harms way of playtime (pictured) is also a good way to make sure it is truly a cat proof leash. Having the leash and harness around at meal time helps the cat learn to associate those items with good things (like food and fun!)
Walk Your Pet Month: How to Teach a Cat to Walk on a Leash using only force free training methods like getting the cat used to the leash by placing in her play area.
Amelia's harness and leash on her cat tree.
2) Keep It Loose
Cats don't like tight leashes. This is important, so I'll repeat it; cats don't like tight leashes. But tight leashes are an inevitability. All it takes it get a cat to accept a tight leash is to work up to it gradually. Amelia is an absolute pro at knowing when she is reaching the end of her leash (literally and figuratively, but lets stick with the literal.) But it wasn't always that way, as the lack of an antique mirror in the back room of our house proves. To get Amelia trained to know what it meant when she felt the leash begin to tighten, we worked very slowly, in very controlled environments. Basically, I did not allow the leash to get tight while Amelia practiced wearing her harness and leash in a small room of the house. We moved up to larger rooms and finally the hallway but I followed closely and carefully, keeping the leash consistently loose. Once Amelia was comfortable and confident on her loose leash, it was time for her to gradually feel it tighten. The goal was for her to freeze or even turn around when feeling the leash tighten as opposed to going into frightened fleeing mode. There was a little trial and error here because I had to get used to what she could feel. So there were a few times she freaked out, which is why we were in a safe room, with all hazards out of bungee leash length. I immediately soothed her and treated her after a panic, and stopped the leash training once she was calm. Finally, both she and I got a rhythm on me allowing the leash to tighten slightly, and her slowing down or pausing when it did. Once we were good at this routine, I finally attempted a complete stop and did not loosen the leash immediately after it tightened. And the was no panic! So with patience and consistency. Amelia learned about a tight leash even though cats don't like tight leashes.
Walk Your Pet Month: How to Teach a Cat to Walk on a Leash. Adventure cat Amelia out and about on her leash.Amelia on a walk.
3) Slow and Steady Wins the Leashed Cat Walk
Do not attempt to go for a leashed cat walk outside until both walker and cat are confident with a tight leash. I am physically capable of running if needed to help Amelia enjoy her outdoor time on a loose leash but she is fast! And every time that leash gets close to being tight, I flash back to broken mirror day. But after broken mirror day, I took my time to properly teach Amelia to love her harness and accept her leash. The slow and steady pace I used to teach Amelia how to safely walk on her leash has meant that she has even tightened her own leash, by wrapping it around a tree or pole, and sat patiently waiting for me to fix the tension. This is the trust consistent, gradual leash training has instilled. I am very proud of Amelia's trust in me and her leash as well as the patience I gained in training her. After all, cat walks are awfully sluggish at times as well!

IMPORTANT TRAINING TIP: Never let a leashed cat walk out the door; always carry a cat outside. This will prevent any bad running out the door habits from forming. I always let Amelia walk inside on her own, though, as that is exactly what I want her to know how to do, leashed or not.

Lucky Amelia has gone from having a crazy human wrap her in a dog leash, to one who she trusts enough to untangle her tight leash from a tree. Lucky me has gone from a frightened whirlwind smashing mirrors at the end of a bungee, to an adventure cat who loves to go wherever the rest of the Cascadian Nomads go. If there really is seven years bad luck from a broken mirror, it certainly has not been bad luck in my relationship with my precious kitty. The bond of training and spending time together indoors and out has made us both as lucky as can be.
Do you have any cat leash training tips to share?
January is Walk Your Pet Month and while the Cascadian Nomads love events like this to raise awareness of pet health and safety, we think pets should get a walk every day!
Share this post:

Tweet

11 Comments
Kari link
2/1/2016 11:21:16 am

What great pictures. You really picked a leash/harness color that suits her!

Reply
Bethany
2/1/2016 02:43:00 pm

Thanks, Kari. Amelia can be quite the model when she wants to be. I wish I could take credit for picking the colors but when it comes to the limited supply of cat harnesses and leashed, that was all they had!

Reply
Dachshund Nola link
2/1/2016 01:04:41 pm

She looks great in that color!

Reply
Bethany
2/1/2016 02:45:23 pm

Since she is my only girl, I am always trying to dress her in pink. But purple is better since she tends to be a rather grungy adventure cat. These photos (fortunately) don't show how drug through the mud that leash is!

Reply
Ellen Pilch link
2/1/2016 05:07:00 pm

Excellent post with great tips. Our cat Spooky was outdoors for years before we adopted him. We have thought of letting him enjoy some fresh air on a harness.

Reply
Chuck Huss link
2/4/2016 03:11:22 am

I have three cats, two like to go outside, one runs away, so I have to leash him if he goes out. I would not say that I walk him but rather, her walks me.

Reply
Teri and her blogging cats, Coco, Disco, Brighton and Kely link
3/4/2016 06:01:23 pm

Love this post! My favorite leashes are the ones you use, the Come With Me Kitty brand. I find the harness part a bit fiddly, but once it's fitted to the cat, it's not much hassle. Still, like you, I use a harness similar to one you have pictured as it just feels safer. I also heartily approve of your advice to carry your cat outside to deter them from becoming door dashers. Pretty much, when my cats are outside they are in their stroller and that is how they exit the house, so they don't dash doors either.

Reply
Bethany
3/19/2016 06:09:47 pm

Thanks, Teri. The Come With Me Kitty harness was a great harness to train and learn with but when it came to hiking and camping, I needed something more secure! Amelia did try some door dashing when she first discovered how cool being outside could be, but she is so smart and learned quickly that outdoors is not cool when you are not safe with your human(s)!

Reply
Kristen
3/18/2017 09:43:44 pm

Thank you for sharing this post. I had a bad experience with training my skittish cat on a leash, and your article helped me understand what went wrong.

I was using a tight leash rather than a bungee, and the harness was the kind made out of leash/collar material rather than a body vest that encloses the cat. I followed the steps of training him over a month in a safe environment, but the first time I used the leash with my cat in the "real world" was at a rest stop. At the rest stop, my cat was terrified of all the people, other pets, and highway traffic, and went into a panic. He managed to escape out of his harness (probably because it was not a vest) and ran away, but thankfully came back before anything terrible happened. It scared us both! Do you have any recommendations for safe "real world" places to practice leash training your cat?

I haven't put him on a leash since, but your article gives me some encouragement. My other fear is, what happens if you encounter another animal like a dog when your cat is on a leash? Does your cat get scared or aggressive, or try to escape? Thanks so much for your helpful article!

Reply
Bethany
3/26/2017 06:39:25 pm

I am so glad that you cat is okay, Kristen, and that you want to keep trying to get him leash trained. I recommend practicing the leash and getting used to feeling it tighten in the safety of the house before venturing outside. Once your cat is comfortable feeling the leash tighten and loosen inside, he is ready to try controlled environments outside like your garden or yard. Amelia got used to the sound of traffic, people and other pets going by, and the general buzz of the world by wearing her leash and harness while with me in her front carry pack or stroller. it is important for cats to know they have a safe heaven to go to whenever they need it. this can also be accomplished by having your cats carrier open and available where you are practicing on the leash. I hope this helps!

Reply
Jon Scales link
5/26/2017 07:41:40 pm

Great vibrant colour the collar has!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Cascadian Nomads
    Pet Adventurers

    Cascadian Nomads adventurous dogs and parrot with pet and travel blogger, Bethany Clochard.
    Cascadian Nomads canines and psittacine on a road trip with blogger Bethany Clochard.
    Pet travel blogger Bethany Clochard shares a lifetime of budget travel experience, camping, and enjoying outdoors & Pacific NW adventures with pets. She currently hits the road with three dogs, a cockatoo & a cat.
    Related
    Instagram Follow on Instagram
    Picture


    Follow on Bloglovin
    follow us in feedly
    Picture

    Never miss a post! Have Cascadian Nomads Pet Adventure Blog delivered to your inbox:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


      Get our e-mail newsletter:

    Sign-Up

    Find anything on our site by searching here:
    Click any sidebar image to learn more!

    Cascadian Nomads only places ads for products we use, made by businesses we like. We highly recommend a click to
    visit our sponsors:
    (not affiliate links)
    WrapSit Quad Folding Chair Slipcover
    WrapSit is the ONLY slipcover crate for your folding quad chair. It makes taking pets and personal items outside or on a trip exponentially easier!


    Join us on the First Monday of Every Month!
    Positive Pet Training Week

    Positive Reinforcement Pet Training Week
    Hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier,
    Travels with Barley, and
    Wag n' Woof Pets.

    Picture
    Celebrate #MultiPetDay June 30th

    Categories

    All
    Adventures
    Amelia
    A To Z Challenge
    Awards
    Birds
    Black & White Photography
    Blog The Change For Animals
    Brychwyn
    Budget Travel
    Camping
    Cascadia
    Cats
    Celebrations
    Cockatoo
    Collie
    Corgi
    Cross Country Drive 2013
    Dachshund
    Dogs
    England & Wales 2014
    Fit Dog Friday
    Giveaway
    Holidays
    Humans Who Love Pets
    Huxley
    Leash-law
    Leo
    Multi Pet Life
    Peeks At The Past
    Pet Fitness
    Pet Health
    Pet Training
    Pet Travel
    Photography
    Planning Pet Adventures
    Positive Pet Training Week
    Product Review
    Road Trip
    Scoop That Poop
    Seattle
    Silliness
    Southwest-drive-2014
    Sponsored Post
    Urban Hikes
    Walk Your Dog Week
    What To Pack
    Wilhelm
    Woof-support
    Wordless Wednesday


    The Cascadian Nomads are:
    Cascadian Nomads Bethany with the dogs and Leo at Wilson's Arch, Moab, Utah
    Cascadian Nomads triton cockatoo Leo enjoys the sunshine in West Seattle, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads adventurous cat Amelia enjoying the view in West Seattle, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads black and tan dapple miniature dachshund
    Cascadian Nomads cardigan welsh corgi Brychwyn, Alpental, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads rough collie Huxley enjoying the green at Lopez Hill Park, Lopes Island, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads Jason with miniature dachshund Wilhelm snowshoeing Silver Fir Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads founding pets:
    Cascadian Nomads Founding Pets: Cockatiel Bobbie Birdie, cats Emily and Gryphon and dog Tynan.

    Features & Awards

    See products on this blog you like? Find all of our favorites on our Amazon Influencer page!
    Picture

    Bethany Clochard (@cascadiannomads) - influencer profile on Dealspotr
    dealspotr.com

    © Copyrighted Content
    Posts, words, photos or images from or featured on this blog may not be copied, reused or reproduced in any form without the prior express permission from the blog owner.

    The Doug

    The Fine Print
    For more on Cascadian Nomads privacy policy, advertising disclosure and responsibilities to our readers and visitors, click here.

Disclaimer
Cascadian Nomads are not veterinarians, behaviorists or animal trainers. Always consult with a veterinarian before starting or changing your pets exercise routine, before traveling with your pet, before changing your pets diet or before using any new pet products. Since all pets are unique individuals, consulting with a veterinarian, behaviorist or animal trainer about your pets specific needs is always recommended.
Disclosure
Every post  Cascadian Nomads publishes that is sponsored by a company or brand or obtained through an affiliation with a media network will contain a disclosure paragraph.  We do not use any affiliate links,  just regular links to a product or company website.  Cascadian Nomads only shares honest information that we feel is relevant to our readers whether a post is sponsored or not.
Privacy Policy
Cascadian Nomads does not share personal information with third-parties nor do we store information we collect about your visit to this blog for use other than to analyze content performance for marketing purposes. We do use cookies and add-ons, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser's settings or opt out of  add-ons. We are not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without our permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice.
Copyrighted Content
Posts, words, photos or images from or featured on this blog may not be copied, reused or reproduced in any form without the prior express permission from the blog owner.

©2013-18
BethanyGO Designs


Cascadian Nomads Pet Adventure Blog: Budget pet adventure inspiration through stunning photography and amusing dog, cat, cockatoo and human stories.