Spain has more pets than children under the age of 15 years old. Amazing, right? If you own a cute latino kitty of your own, you’ve probably thought about whether it is possible to teach them to walk on a leash.
Maybe you live in an apartment or you want to protect your local wildlife. You may also worry about your cat getting injured, run over or poisoned if you let him or her out alone.
Here’s how to teach your cat to walk on a leash, so they can experience all the positives of being outdoors without any of the negatives.
How to Teach Your Cat to Walk on a Leash
Note, just like us all cats are different.While this leash training method works for the majority of cats, there will always be some individuals who adapt with much more difficulty than others.
Remember, to have fun with your cat and if training isn’t going so well, do not get frustrated. Simply stop and try again another day.
#1 Start Young
If possible get your cat to get used to walking on a leash at a very early age. Kittens from two months old onwards can begin to get used to wearing their harness at home.Never leave your kitten unsupervised with their harness on. Start off with short periods, lengthening the amount of time until they are extremely comfortable having their harness put on, taken off and when wearing it.
#2 Use a Correctly Fitting Harness
It is extremely important that your cat cannot take off its harness. Your cat could end up panicking, escaping and going missing.While you may want to start with a looser fit for your very first trials around your home, you’ll need to progressively tighten up your cat harness to make sure that your cat cannot wriggle out of it.
If you are using a leather harness, check out how to use a rotary leather punch to make extra holes for a better fit. MONEDEROsmart features a great list of cat harnesses for Latino cat owners who don’t already have a suitable cat harness.
#3 Practice Indoors
Do not head outdoors with your cat on a leash until you are confident and relaxed walking your cat indoors at home. You could even have a trial run at a friend’s house so your cat gets to take in a new environment on their leash, but still in the protection of an enclosed space.#4 Reward Good Behavior
When you’re practising walking your cat on a leash at home, be sure to reward good behavior. If your cat goes mad for treats, give them one when they respond appropriately to gentle pressure put on their leash. If they like kisses and cuddles, stop for a stroke and reward them with your voice. This can also be used to provide reassurance later on when you’re out and about.#5 Take Your Time
Above all, don’t rush. Some cats will take much longer than others, some may even appear to be untrainable. Don’t give up, just remember to take things slow and to make training enjoyable for your cat.Older cats may take considerably longer to adapt to leash training and if your cat has previously been outdoors without a leash, you may have a lot of extra work to do when you’re both outdoors together.
If training isn’t going well, stop and try again the following day. Don’t train when you’re feeling stressed as you’ll pass these negative feelings on to your cat.
Leash training your cat can be simple, easy and fun. It is also a great way to deepen the special bond that the two of you share, as well as broadening your cat’s horizons in safety.
