When I first got her it was at the start of a cold Spring and she had no interest in going outside. I thought I had an indoors cat.
 
By the time Summer weather rolled round, and with people coming in and out of the house, she was either wailing loudly to go out, trying to escape or actually making it out. That's when I decided to give leash training a try. For her - fresh air, exercise, new sights, interesting smells. For me - not having to listen to her constant whining, and letting her go outside without having to worry that she might get hit by a car.
 
Surprisingly, the process was not as difficult as I had imagined. I read a lot before hand to familiarize myself with the process. She acted just the way I was told she would.
 
The First time I put the harness on her she flopped on the floor and went into "the dieing fish" routine. I was told that on the first day the harness should only be on for 5-10 minutes and during that time to give her a treat. This I did. She stopped flopping just long enough to eat the treat.
 
Day 2: The harness stayed on for 20 minutes. She flopped, she crawled on her belly (couldn't I see she couldn't walk?) and she got many, many treats.
 
Day 3:  The harness stayed on for an hour. She lay on the floor not moving, she couldn't walk, couldn't move. I got a piece of chicken (her favorite) and walked into the living room with it. A miracle, she found she could just make it that far.

Days 4-6: Each day she wore the harness for a longer period of time.

By Day 7 she was wearing the harness for a couple of hours at a time without even being aware of it.

Proceed to Adding the Leash only after your cat becomes comfortable wearing a harness.

Harnesses and Walking Jackets

Proper fit is the most important aspect of whichever type of harness you use. Your cat needs to be comfortable in the harness. The harness should be snug but Not Too Tight. You should be able to easily put 2 fingers between the harness and your cats body.

The Cat Walking Jacket. Probably the most comfortable harness for your cat. Unfortunately, not available everywhere - if you live in a small town you may have to order it over the internet. Also the most expensive.

The H type harness. Uses two separate straps - 2 closures - one around the cats chest and one around its body behind the front legs.

The Figure 8 harness. When I start training my cats (indoors) I use the Figure 8 type simply because it is faster to put on the cat (one closure) and speed was of the essence. None of my cats liked to stand still. It is the least secure harness, and best used only for indoors training.

If you have a large cat, try a small size small dog harness. Measure your cat around its chest and body and compare to the sizing given on the harness packaging in the store.

Next Page - Adding the Leash  

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