what are the chances of getting a harness on?

catnapped · 02-28-2011, 08:58 AM

Genie is friendly enough but likes to be petted only on her own terms and never for very long. I don't do anything with her that requires prolonged forced contact, like nail clipping or grooming. Now the weather is getting nice and I'd love to take her down the road to a grassy wasteland area where she could explore and might really enjoy, but I'm not sure how I might get a harness on her without sedation! Any tips? Or is this a lost cause.

tghsmith · 02-28-2011, 10:02 AM

all depends on the cat, we had a cat that was started out on the harness as a kitten, he actually walked well on the leash, to our other cat at the time it was the devise of paralysis(harness on, cat on her side, cat not budging) work at it slow, just the harness on loose in the house at first, take it on and off often, tighter harness and leash in the house, finally start with short outdoor trips at the cats pace.. treats given at all times helps

swimkris · 02-28-2011, 10:56 AM

I agree with tghsmith. Treats were especially helpful in the beginning! Also, the "walking" aspect depends on the cat. Mine are both leash trained, but they don't go for a walk like dogs. Instead, they like to go outside to sniff/explore at their own pace, and of course they never want to go the same way

They also never go more than about 30 yards from home.

catloverami · 03-01-2011, 11:36 AM

In additiion to the above advice, I especially agree that it should not be far from your house. A word of caution tho, you never know when something might happen that will frighten a cat. Most cats have a very quick instinctive startle response. e.g. if you do not have a fenced yard, a stray dog may appear, and it's surprising how quickly a cat can go from being very well behaved and calm, to a fighting fury and wriggle out of a harness. Genie sounds like a cat that get overstimulated easily since she resists too much peting. If you want to go to different areas, such as the grassy wasteland area, it is best to take your cat in a pet stroller (get one with big wheels that will go over rough ground easier). Granted, cat's not getting walking exercise, but it is able to take in new sights and scents, will be kept safe and will still enjoy that experience.

02-28-2011, 08:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
catnapped Cat Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 174	what are the chances of getting a harness on? Genie is friendly enough but likes to be petted only on her own terms and never for very long. I don't do anything with her that requires prolonged forced contact, like nail clipping or grooming. Now the weather is getting nice and I'd love to take her down the road to a grassy wasteland area where she could explore and might really enjoy, but I'm not sure how I might get a harness on her without sedation! Any tips? Or is this a lost cause.

02-28-2011, 10:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
tghsmith Senior Cat Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: north carolina Posts: 642	all depends on the cat, we had a cat that was started out on the harness as a kitten, he actually walked well on the leash, to our other cat at the time it was the devise of paralysis(harness on, cat on her side, cat not budging) work at it slow, just the harness on loose in the house at first, take it on and off often, tighter harness and leash in the house, finally start with short outdoor trips at the cats pace.. treats given at all times helps __________________ yeti cat: two toes short of the record books eons ago there must had been a creature with a roar like a vacuum cleaner,it most likely ate cats. jolene,emma,tammi,smokey and yeti

02-28-2011, 10:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
swimkris Cat Addict Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: SC Posts: 1,616	I agree with tghsmith. Treats were especially helpful in the beginning! Also, the "walking" aspect depends on the cat. Mine are both leash trained, but they don't go for a walk like dogs. Instead, they like to go outside to sniff/explore at their own pace, and of course they never want to go the same way They also never go more than about 30 yards from home. __________________ Kristen,

03-01-2011, 11:36 AM	#4 (permalink)
catloverami Cat Addict Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cobourg, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,603	In additiion to the above advice, I especially agree that it should not be far from your house. A word of caution tho, you never know when something might happen that will frighten a cat. Most cats have a very quick instinctive startle response. e.g. if you do not have a fenced yard, a stray dog may appear, and it's surprising how quickly a cat can go from being very well behaved and calm, to a fighting fury and wriggle out of a harness. Genie sounds like a cat that get overstimulated easily since she resists too much peting. If you want to go to different areas, such as the grassy wasteland area, it is best to take your cat in a pet stroller (get one with big wheels that will go over rough ground easier). Granted, cat's not getting walking exercise, but it is able to take in new sights and scents, will be kept safe and will still enjoy that experience.

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