Cats love fresh air. At least most of them do. However, not all of them have the opportunity to enjoy freedom in nature. Especially cats living in cities spend a lot of time indoors without the opportunity to run freely. That is why cat owners may appreciate the opportunity to take their cat out on a leash and be sure that their feline companions will enjoy it! However, a leash can be a challenge for many of them. How to overcome this challenge to make outdoor walks enjoyable for both the owner and the cat?
A tool for the city and nature
Cats face the greatest danger especially in cities or agricultural areas with animals that can present a potential threat to cats. That is why walks with a leash may seem like a great choice. However, you should keep in mind that walking on a leash is much harder for a cat than for a dog. One of the reasons is their nature that makes them more stubborn than dogs, which may complicate a nice walk a bit. For that reason, be patient.
Proper equipment
At the beginning of training, selecting the right equipment is key. Aside from the leash itself, a harness will also come in handy, which will make the cat more comfortable. Here you need to test what size is right for your feline friend. The harness should not be too loose to avoid providing the cat with enough room for unwanted movement, nor should it be too tight. In that case, the cat would feel uncomfortable and walking would not be enjoyable for her.
Thorough measurement
It is ideal to measure the cat before buying a harness to avoid possible complications. Some cats are big enough to fit a harness for a smaller dog. In this area, it is good to be open to all possibilities that could best suit your pet. When measuring, measure the cat’s circumference around the chest and neck, as these will be the most important dimensions for the harness.
Good material
Equally important is the material. Today, the market offers a large number of harnesses made of different materials. However, not all of those are good for cats. You can choose between leather, imitation leather or artificial materials such as nylon. The latter gets the best feedback from cat owners. Nylon harnesses are comfortable and leave enough room for movement, while being easy to maintain and clean.
Comfortable leash
When choosing a leash, make sure that it is long and strong enough. It is also important for the leash to be comfortable for your hands. Leashes that are too thin may get especially uncomfortable, so it is better to focus on thicker variants that are comfortable enough.
Getting used to it all
Once you have everything you need, now comes the process of introducing the new accessories to the cat. It is quite possible that this stage will require more time and patience. Try to leave the harness together with the leash close to the cat’s food bowl. The cat will get used to the new objects, and more importantly, she will have them connected to something that brings her joy – feeding.
We will discuss the next stages of getting the cat used to walking outdoors on a leash in the next article.
Although it might appear that the cat doesn’t give a tail about you and it is indifferent towards you, maybe you will still find some displays of affection in its behaviour. Do you know how cats show such affection towards a person?
Cats love grass. They nibble at it if it's to clean their belly from hairs or just for fun. In addition, if you get a cat its own flowerpot, you can hope that it will leave your other plants alone :).
Whether you remove a tick from a dog’s or cat’s fur the right way might affect whether the animal will become infected with Lyme disease or another malign disease transmitted by ticks. Have you got the right technique and tools?
Just like with people, also in dogs, Lyme disease is a very grave illness. There are an estimated 20% of ticks infected in the Czech Republic. And because despite the use of antiparasitic agents, your dog might get a tick from time to time, it’s good...
I’ve already written about cat mint, today, we’ll take a look at another, lesser known drugs. Since not all the cats respond to all of them and they don’t respond to everything the same way. Therefore, if you didn’t succeed with cat mint, maybe you’ll...
When your family grows by a new (human) member, it isn’t necessarily a happy event for everyone. For many dogs, it’s very difficult to come to terms with such situation, therefore, it’s better to start preparing them already before the baby is born....
I’ve already written about the fact that you’re not supposed to leave your dog closed in a car on summer days or on how to prevent hyperthermia in cats and dogs. So you have mastered the prevention already. But it is also necessary to know how to...
Without a question, chinchillas are beautiful and cute furry animals with large ears, a long tail and distinctive eyes. Do you know where they actually come from, what their name means and that we almost succeeded in nearly exterminating them before...
You have probably noticed that cat tongues are quite unique. They are rough and somehow scratchy. It seemed weird to American biologists and therefore they decided to look deeper into it.
What should I say, the cats are simply different. Since the time immemorial, they have been surrounded by mysteries and secrets. Most of them behave as if they were the master of the world and as if they don’t need the human at all. A couple of...
It can be quite a task to choose the right pet food precisely for your cat. To even understand the contents... That’s why we’re going to take a look today what to focus on, what to look for in the contents and what you should rather avoid.