Leash Training

[John Campbell]

I don't recall seeing this, but I will put two jackets and two leashes on my big cats, because I don't trust just one jacket to hold them (although I've never actually had a problem)

Patti, Is that one over top of the other, and then connect 2 separate leashes???

 

[Patti]

Sorry if I missed this somewhere, but how old do you start training them to get use to a harness? I don't have my own yet, but I would love to know when people usually do for when I do have my own. ^-^

I think you can start training at any age. I have XXS jackets to start on six week old kittens. I have also trained adult cats as well. The key is to give them time to get used to the jacket. They will moan and groan, and flop around like a fish in protest ... just let them do it for a few minutes, then try to distract them with a wand toy. Eventually they will forget that it is even on them. Some can get used to it in short order, others may take several sessions before they wear it willingly.

Once they have gotten used to the jacket you can hook a leash onto it and just let them drag it around for a bit. Then pick it up and walk with them letting them lead. Finally start trying to guide them with the leash so they get used to you leading them. You can do this several ways - by gently putting pressure on the leash to pull them in the desired direction, by using something like a badminton racket to guide them in the right direction, or by using a wand toy to direct their attention in the direction you want to go. Personally I use a combination of the first and third methods and it usually works quite well. Some cats take to walking on a leash naturally, others never quite get it and would rather play with the leash as a toy then walk in the direction you want to go...

 

[Patti]

Patti, Is that one over top of the other, and then connect 2 separate leashes???

Yes, like a sweater over a jacket, and a leash attached to each one.

 

[Patti]

Sorry, that should be a jacket over a sweater!!

 

[Charley]

Doubling up is a great idea! Biz can bite his harness open. He's too smart for me, what can I say? Luckily he hasn't done it outside he generally to busy running the yard but it was a little annoying that he figured out how to bite the clasp open.

 

[Alex]

I use an adjustable puppy harness from Walmart, with a ribbon tied around part of it to make it fit Cyro better, since his shoulders aren't as wide as a dog's are. It's fast take on and off, with no buckles to break (at about 12 weeks old he broke out of his kitten harness chasing a cricket, plus those buckles were so tiny it was difficult to take off an excited kitten). I can adjust it as he grows, vs having to get a new jacket for him every few months. Also, I like that if he pulls or chases something, it's not right around his neck. Once he stops growing maybe I'll look into something better ... but this does work really well.

Basically, you slide it over the cat's head, put their legs through, tighten the cinch around their middle, tie the ribbon above the plastic shoulder strap adjusters (for lack of a better term), then clip the leash on

 

[Rafiki]

Rafiki is an escape artist so I am on my 3rd walking jacket (she outgrew the first two). She almost got loose twice when her second jacket was getting on the small side. We had to dismantle the lattice on the side of the deck and belly crawl thru the space to go get her the last time.
Warning - if Cyro can get his elbow under that belly strap, he can escape. Of course, odds are that he is better behaved than my little demon.

 

[Alex]

Rafiki is an escape artist so I am on my 3rd walking jacket (she outgrew the first two). She almost got loose twice when her second jacket was getting on the small side. We had to dismantle the lattice on the side of the deck and belly crawl thru the space to go get her the last time.
Warning - if Cyro can get his elbow under that belly strap, he can escape. Of course, odds are that he is better behaved than my little demon.

There's no way he can get his paw through there ... it's tight around his middle (that's the adjustable part), and the ribbon is there so he can't get his legs through the front way either