Has anybody here tried to train a cat to walk on a leash with a harness? Do you think it's possible? Would you try it?
I could never get mine to do that! She'd wrestle with the leash and wiggle her way out. I have seen people with cats on leashes though so I know it can be done. I've also heard that you can teach cats to use the toilet. Not sure about that one...
I know for a fact that my cat couldn't do it. Well, at least, I don't have the knowledge or skills to make that happen. He will let my pick him up for about 10 seconds before he starts to wriggle, and the more he wriggles the more stressed out he gets, and the harder he struggles. Ever heard the expression "letting the cat out of the bag?" I think that same idea applies to trying to, basically, tie cats to a rope. Although, hey. I've already said I don't have the knowledge or skills. People like Steve Irwin and Kevin Richardson have already proven that you can do amazing things with animals if you know what you're doing.
I tried. I tried really hard for that matter. I bought different kinds of leashes for my three cats, hoping that they will like them after a while. Unfortunately, they just ignored the leashes. When we are "walking", they would just crouch. When I remove the leashes, they would run away.
I've never done so but I've seen it done by others. From what I understand, if you want to accomplish this, you'd have to start it when they are still kittens so it won't be as foreign to them once you start wanting to do it when they are grown up. This is just advice I read online though, and I never saw proof of it nor have I seen confirmation, but it does at least sound sensible enough.
I've also seen this attempted many times by friends and can't just help but laugh. There are very few cats out there who would want to be subjected to a leash and all most people get are clawed up hands from trying to put the thing on. My question is why people even want to put "walk there cat" anyway? Just not something they're meant to be doing.
I've personally never done it but I know it's possible. I think you would have to start doing it when they were a kitten to get them used to it, because training any animal to walk on a leash once they're grown is nearly impossible. There was a guy in my neighborhood that had the most beautiful cat that he used to walk on a leash outside his apartment, and she was really comfortable with it.
For clarification. I have 5 cats, 2 are too old to be trained but the others are young. I don't want to do this just because, I'm going to be taking a couple with me when I go out truck driving with my partner and I think training them would help to control them a little better. They would not be tied most of the time and I would have a kennel to transport them. Anyways thanks for the advice, I'm going to try it and see what happens. PS. Don't worry about my other cats I already know who I'm going to be leaving them with while I'm gone.
I have only seen 1 cat on a leash, that cat was lying comfortably on the cement under the wooden bench while tied, and it was the cat of the owner of the corner store that I used to go to. As for my cat, I tried once and he did not budge when I placed it on his neck, I tied him to the window, but when I left he started to struggle free from it, but when I'm around he was behaved. So after that I did not attempt to train him to use a leash.
Many years ago I tried it in vain. I'm sure that it can be done, but cats just aren't well suited for it. I think that Cheetahs can be trained for leashes, but I really don't have any experience along that line. Cats can be trained to respond to the sound of a can opener, though.
I tried that once with my cats. Took forever to get the harness on him. Once I go it on him, all he did was flop over on his side and wouldn't stand. I thought it was the funniest thing ever. I could have drug him along with me and he still wouldn't stand up and walk. So after all the trouble of putting the harness on him, I just gave up and got rid of the harness and leash. It would have been nice if it would have worked for me so I could have taken them for walks.
Like human beings, I am sure that you can train animals to do more or less anything. The mind is a powerful thing, and animals are probably most definitely able to be trained. I have read a few stories about one type of animal being raised with another type of animal, and taking on that other species of animal's way of walking or other traits. But why would you want to leash a cat?
I've always wanted to be able to walk my cat on a leash. I know it's possible because I've seen other people on TV do it. My cat's reaction is similar so some of your cats' reactions. Her leash is very easy to put on. She's pretty calm about it. When it comes down to the walking part, she will either crouch on the ground or flop on her side. Plop! Once that happens, she is immovable LOL!
