Yesterday we talked about keeping cats safely indoors. I know, I know, sometimes it’s not so easy to do. We once adopted a cat who refused to be a housecat. She loved being inside, but insisted on outdoor time, as well. My mom’s part-ragdoll cat is quite the wanderer and he could not be—would not be—confined. Years ago, I thought it was normal to allow your cat to roam. Well, it kinda-sorta was in those days. Then I bought a Persian cat and decided to groom her to be a totally indoor cat. Crystal probably would have had a long and safe life if she hadn’t been infected with feline leukemia at the facility where I’d purchased her.
Fast-forward, we adopted Winfield and decided to keep him safely indoors. But wouldn’t it be nice to also allow him supervised outdoor time. So I tried a harness and leash with this feisty kitten. He wouldn’t have it! Upon fastening the kitten harness around him, Winfield would flip and flop and like magic, the thing would come off him. I wish I’d had a video of that. I’d run it on slow motion and maybe see how in the heck he did it.
If you’d like to keep your cat safe and still allow her outdoor time, here are a few ideas. Install a kitty window box. It’s like a garden window for the cat to crawl into so he feels he’s close to the out of doors. Or do as many cat-people do and build a whole outdoor, screened in room for your kitty. I love that idea. Build it against the house at a window, then just open and close the window when you want the cat inside or out.
On my walk, I see cats on a rooftop where a second-story window is left open for them to come and go.
Or you can take your cat for walks. Here’s a site designed to help you leash-train your cat.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/25/cat-on-leash-harness-train-cats-walking_n_7656754.html
Here’s another one, complete with how to introduce the idea of a harness and leash to your cat. http://www.adventurecats.org/backcountry-basics/train-your-cat-to-walk-on-a-leash/
Not sure about the type of harness you should use for your cat (there are so many designs now). Here’s a site to help you with that. http://bestreviews.com/best-cat-harnesses