This article in Woman's World magazine asks, "Is it okay to take your cat out for a walk?"
Well, if you have been following this blog or any of my social media, you know that I have one leash-trained kitty. His name is Santino and he loves his walkies. Below is a TikTok video of a typical excursion we take around the corner. He is pictured above lounging on a neighbor's retaining wall -- enjoying the warmth of the sun on a brisk autumn afternoon.
I am often stopped by others to take his photo or to talk about how I trained him. I cannot claim the credit. He basically trained himself. Your cat is either okay with a halter and leash or he is not. You can try to start them young and get them used to it, but even then, a cat's temperament will determine how successful you are. Santino's brother, Versace, will not even tolerate the halter being placed near him -- much less over his head and he is content to stay inside and watch the garden from inside.
Walking a cat is not like doing so with a dog. I am not waiting for Santino to "use the bathroom." Instead, we are taking a leisurely stroll to explore a bit of his surroundings. It is a much slower pace and there are frequent stops to look under shrubs and tease squirrels. I also have to keep an eagle eye out for dogs that may be coming our way. While some dogs are cool about it, many are not -- so I usually end the walk as soon as I spot a canine and carry Santino quickly back home. Santino also dislikes big trucks and buses barreling by, so I try to pick times of day when construction and rush-hour traffic is at a minimum.
@wdcgardener Santino is leash trained. ##minivlog ##littlethings ##cat ##catleash
♬ original sound - Kathy Jentz
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