2009.03.30
Out for a stroll with kitty?
Click here for today's Happy Wag newspaper column, which is all about walking a cat on a leash.
Steve Jacobson and Jean Miller, the authors of the book "Walk Your Cat: The Complete Guide," sent me the picture of Monster, their black cat, that appears in the newspaper and they sent this photo of Monster with Minnie, the gray cat featured on the book cover.
Both are beautiful kitties and were "sidewalk specials," as Miller called them, meaning they were once homeless. I have no doubt these felines lead a charmed life with caring pet parents. These folks are clearly dedicated to their cats and feel passionate about this topic.
My reluctance to take Thai out on a leash is that I knowI would never feel at ease letting him explore. I am very fortunate to have a home that has plenty of windows and a comfortable "outdoor living" space that lets our kitty get a lot of sunshine and fresh air but saves me from worrying about his safety.
What do you think? Would you consider putting in the time it takes to train your cat to a lead and harness? What do you think of leash walking your cat?
To purchase a copy of the book, click here.
We had a cat that used to love leash walks. We had a harness for him and he would walk just like a dog with us. My wife trained him at an early age for this, but it worked really well. Now that we live in a place without sidewalks, we haven't tried training any of our current brood, but they will walk with us when we go around the yard or up to the in-laws up the hill from us. A while back when we were trying to find a missing cat (the one who used to leash walk), several of our cats walked the neighborhood with us, and would inspect every yard we came to, then return to the sidewalk with us. It was quite a sight. Unfortunately, it turned out that the missing cat had been severely injured (we suspect by a cat-hating neighbor who threatened another cat of ours with a firearm), and when we found him he was unable to use his back legs or tail. We're quite thankful that our current community is full of cat lovers and owners though, I don't think any adjacent property owner doesn't have at least 2 or 3 cats they care for.
Comment by Other John — March 30, 2009 @ 1:02 pm
I walk one of my cats on a leash but we don't leave the yard or go near the street. She is strictly an indoor cat but she loves it outside so I decided one day to try and put a leash on her. I bought a harness and leash and the first time I put it on her she flopped around on the floor like I was torturing her or something - drama queen! It didn't take long for her to equate the leash with going outside so now when I pull it out she runs straight to the door and waits for me. I feel better having her on the leash because I can scoop her up right away if I need to and I don't worry about her getting spooked and running towards the street. Besides, with the harness on I can guide her away from dirt patches so I don't end up with messy kitty!
Comment by Kim — March 30, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
My cat Lucky will not go out without his leash on. He like to lay on the sidewalk and play in the grass nearby. He has a retractable leash and I leave him out by himslef, if he needs something he will meow and I can hear him. Lucky loves his leash and even shows up some of the doggies at the vets office by being a good kitty on his leash.
Comment by Erin — March 30, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
We leash-walk our fiesty-young cat but it is not really a walk. He just lays in the grass in the backyard, tied to my chair. I would never let him out without a leash, though, there are too many cars in my townhouse complex and I have seen many loose cats that have been hit.
Our old-lady cat would never consider going outside. She used to be a barn cat and even after years indoors she is still terrified when we open the back door that we are going to toss her out. She will run and hide every time the door opens.
Comment by Michelle — March 31, 2009 @ 8:54 am
There is a fellow in North Lakes who walks his cat in a big pink stroller that zips all around with mesh sides. It is a fun sight!
Comment by Michelle — March 31, 2009 @ 2:29 pm
I got this e-mail yesterday from Roanoke Times reader Jayne:
I enjoyed your column today. My Dad has had two cats, Shadow and Patch, that he not only walked but kept outside on ropes. He ties a rope on the cat's collar and then ties the other end to something heavy, like a lead pipe. He takes the cat outside and parks it somewhere where it's not too hot, not too cold, has some brush or grass cover, and the cat won't get tangled up in anything. He moves the cat around several times a day. Both cats had done this since kittenhood and going out without being tied never occured to them. They even caught small rodents from their ropes. About 2 years ago, Shadow passed away peacefully in my Dad's lap after a long and happy life. Patch is still guarding the yard at the end of her rope, although she is getting on in years also.
Comment by Nona Nelson — March 31, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
I made a big boneheaded mistake on this entry originally folks. The author of the book is Jean MILLER, not Jean Martin as I wrote originally. I apologize to her and to you all for any confusion.
Comment by Nona Nelson — April 1, 2009 @ 4:36 pm