I have seen cats on leads, but I have no idea how hard it was to train them.

I think if you start them as kitties, it will be a good start. And it probably also depends a lot upon the personality of the cat... just like dogs. The walk is the reward, and once they figure that out, they should enjoy their leash.

We started putting a harness on our kitten when she was about 7 months old. It was winter in MN, so no going outside at the time. We started slowly; first with a collar, then gradually added the harness for short periods of time. Our kitten is very playful, so we started associating the harness with playtime. The harness would go on, then the really fun chase toys would come out. It didn't take long for her to associate the harness with pleasure.

In the spring, we put her on a 20 foot tie-out lead, attached to a post on our patio. She had access to sunlight, grass, shrubs and a little bit of dirt - basically everything. We never had her outside without us -- rule number 1 with putting out a cat on a lead. One bug chase, and she's hopeless tangled around a shrub! She learned how to untangle herself - most of the time - and absolutely loved her time outside! She would drag her harness around asking anyone, including the dog, to take her out. It's too cold to go out now, but we keep the harness out and still use it to introduce something fun.

We never have tried taking her for walks, the lead was plenty fun for her, but I could see her enjoying that (maybe this year's adventure).

Have fun! Our kitten loves being outside; I love that she is safe and the neighborhood birds are safe! It's a win/win situation.

Our neighbor had trained a cat to sit on a leash on the porch and watch the world go by. It seemed content. When a duck nested under my bedroom window, I just went down the street to their house and asked that they keep it leashed, and the owner agreed. I told him once the ducklings hatched and waddled away, and they let the cat loose again. I would have liked if they just kept him on the leash all the time, but at least they had the option!

Shimla???? Is this the 'Shimla' I knew in Albany, from the Upstate NY Forum??? .. the generous lady with car loads of plants to bring to our Spring exchange--I have quite a few of your plants thriving here in Maine?.... I have the feeling I'm right, and I am all excited! I can't believe we are meeting on this forum! You'll have mail a little later tonight. If not, my apologies- just ignore.

Anyway, if you still live in the same place with your gorgeous garden, just realize you'll have to keep an eye on these 2 kittens all the time, as they will try to climb up to anything they can (it happened to one of our cats), or get all tangled up. They may also learn how to get out of their collar/harness. Also, they will soon want more freedom... We tried that with our Timide, but after 3 months, we just had to forget about the harness. Are they Bengals (I saw a picture on your page.. quite a handsome fellow)? I'm afraid I don't know anything about this breed.
Well, I hope we can re-connect
Anne-Marie (who moved to Maine in 2006)

I know people who have cats trained with Invisible Fence systems. They have freedom to do whatever in the yard, but are confined to the yard. Of course, it doesn't stop other creatures from coming into the yard, but like you, the owners I know only have the cats out while they are home.

In gen a bad idea, I did the same with Bindi and it got to the point he would wait silently by the door and rush outside whenever it was opened . Sense Bindi is black he was difficult to find and control at night. both of mine are indoor

DO NOT DECLAW if you let your cats out/ it takes away 75% of their defenses / de clawing is a bad idea in gen though, unless you want a biting cat and/or one that isn't "normal" in movement- jumping/ect

I would get a $$ cat fence if you want to do this.

Come on, now. There's no more real risk to taking a healthy, full-sized cat outside than there is in taking a small dog out, as long as you take reasonable precautions.

I wouldn't leave the cat out unattended without some sort of enclosure/perimeter designed to keep other animals out. Taking the cat outside on a long line while you garden or do other outside activities is a perfectly reasonable way to let your cat get some sunshine and exercise. Use common sense (fleas, ticks, predators, dangers of getting tangled, etc.), but it's not rocket science.

When I rented a place with a yard, I'd go sit in a lawn chair with a book and let my two cats hang out on long lines. I've even taken my current cat to the park down the street (she likes riding in the car and going places - my other cat would *not* enjoy it, so she stays home).

Meghane, did your friends find the invisible fence systems very effective for their cats? They freak me out a bit. They're no worse than a tie-out/long line/whatever for keeping predators away, but I just envision my cat bolting across the line in fear or prey drive and then bolting even more from the repeated zaps. I know there's training involved with using them, but I get a bit more sense of security knowing the cat is physically restrained by something (although, my cats would have you believe that simply wearing a collar induces paralysis, so that might work well enough to keep them in the yard, lol).

I used to put my cats Bobcat and Taz out on a leash hooked to a harness. I'd hook the other end of the leash to the clothes line so they could run back and forth in the backyard. Eventually I let them both off, and they both stayed pretty much in the yard - Bobcat more than Taz. They got used to staying in the back yard so weren't too comfortable going any further.

I used a cat harness, not a collar. Sure they would wind around the clothesline pole, but never tight. Once they wound around, they would just lay down in the sun and wait for me to check on them and untangle them.

Cats are very smart. I don't think many people give them credit for how smart they are - unlikely to choke themselves on a leash.

My neighbor walks her cat like a dog, on a leash - and the cat cooperates! She walks the cat around the neighborhood every evening. I've never had a cat that would cooperate with the indignity of being walked!

THANK YOU shimla! It's good to see that you haven't adopted the whole "cats belong outside and should be able to come and go as they please" attitude.

I think starting them on a lead at a young cage is an excellent idea. If they don't take to it, they make mesh cat tunnels that they can't escape out of. Or, you can fence in an area outside for them. When I say fence in, I mean mesh type fence on the sides and top so they can't escape.

Letting a cat in your backyard without any kind of lead or enclosing does not keep it from getting out and roaming. All it takes is one time and it can get hit by a car or all the other possible dangers awaiting it.

I'm going to start my harness training and see how that goes. I am thinking that I will stake their leads into the ground so they don't have anything to get tangled up on. I can put it in the middle of the yard, away from the trees. The Bengals love to climb! I'll take your advice and keep a watchful eye on the all of them time. I would love to be able to let them free but I don't think they would stay put in the yard. Maybe over time, if I don't walk them through the neighborhood, they will get used to their own space here.

My one kitten is pretty well behaved and a good listener. However, Tiki is a living terror! She loves to do back flips and ends up getting herself tied up in string toys. Somehow she even managed to get herself all wrapped up in the mouse that is attached to their cat tree (it was only an 8 inch string)! Thank goodness I was home. I shorted the strings to prevent that from happening again. We'll see if she outgrows that or can just learn to be on a lead.

Anne-Marie, OMG! Yes, it's me!!! How funny to find you here. I've checked a few times for you on our old forum. I gave up, I sent you emails that I don't think were ever getting through to you. The last ones I tried to send, ironically, were about your cat. I don't have an email from you now either (just this post). Did you send me one? I can't reply to your post via email. I'm still at the same phone number if you have it.

Keep in mind they will both be difficult to control, and will want out ALL the time.

I recomand if you still want to do this you build a large fenced enclosure, should cost you about a couple grand!, if you do not wish to do this, then keep them in.

As long as you play with them regularly, and get more then 1 cat, your fine.

Outside is very dangerous,

dogs, cars, mean people, cat to cat diseases, lock in's, predators like fox and coyote.

One vet even said in cat fancy that wishing to let cats outdoors is like saying we should all go back to living in caves because its more natural! I've personally seen a dead cat by the side of a highway while walking to a work site, and I remember we had a cat loose his tail to a car when I was young.

My friends like the invisible fence for their cats- says it works well. Like me, they don't let the animals outside when they are not at least home, if not outside with them. We live in the city so don't have to worry too much about other animals except outside (unfettered) cats, squirrels, and birds. We don't even have stray dogs in this neighborhood. I wouldn't let a cat outside without supervision, any more than I would let my dogs outside when I'm not home. And these are Rotties, Huskies, and a Lab!

good, thats how it should be, glad invisable fence works well.

Most people though cannot afford something like that, though.

We have a cat run about 10 feet long, 7 foot high and 3 feet deep that runs along the side of our house on the patio. There's a small kitty door in the kitchen where they can access the run. There are 4 "ledges" set up that they can jump onto or they can lay on the cement. The end of the run has a doorway so we can access the run. It was made with redwood which we painted the color of the house and a square wiring that we got at Home Depot. The total cost was about $125.00. The cats love it and use it on an off all day and night. We tried leashing them when they were young but they would just roll over and play dead.

I'd love to see a pic. That sounds like something I'd like to build if I'm ever allowed to get a cat.

I just envision my cat bolting across the line in fear or prey drive and then bolting even more from the repeated zaps.

A common misconception about the invisible fences. The collars have a lock out feature, such that it will only shock for certain amount of time (10-15 seconds), then it shuts off and has to be manually be reset. So the animal doesn't get re-shocked when it returns or repeated shocks if stays outside the boundary.

I adopted a cat in June. She was declawed so I suspect she was an indoor cat. She wanted to go outside very much (and loudly - she is a Burmese). I tried a harness and leash and she loves it. Sometimes she just pokes around the bushes and grass, but other times she takes off and we walk for blocks. I am careful to keep her close by in case a dog comes along, and I watch to be sure she doesn't eat the plants. Great exercise for you and the cat. The neighbors go nuts, too. The cat owners will be jealous that you can get your cat to walk on a leash and the non-cat owners have never seen a cat on a leash.

De clawed cats should NEVER be outdoors, they are 75% defenseless to dogs,wildlife,other cats ect.. Its good you are keeping an eye on her, otherwise she'd be tost.

If you let any cat out they will try to get out every time the door is opened. Sooner or later you will loose her if your not careful-Most de clawed cats cannot even catch prey normally,or climb/jump properly to escape from danger/engage in normal feline behavior, some become biters or urine/potty messers/ and have to be PTS in shelters- De clawing is actually illegal in most of the cilivilized world

UK/europe,france,new zealand,germany,switerland,ECT.

I would because of her handicap (loss of claws) IMHO make her an indoor cat.

My brother takes his 3 cats outdoors to his yard sometimes and it is so entertaining to watch them. They are very cautious and slow while they walk around his very suburban backyard. He keeps an eye on them constantly and one of the cats will go back inside to the sliding glass door (which is kept open) and sit there and look out.
The cats do enjoy going out for awhile but they never act like it's an escape from prison. Inside = home,security and comfort.
But all cats are different!

Yep with mine, it was escape from prison every time I open the door- bam! Bindi would shoot out, because he's a black cat it was difficult to find him.

We made him an indoor cat.

I am amazed at seeing cats put outside but I don't like them being outside all alone, that is a danger especially attached and they can't run for it if a dog or something comes to it.

Should never be left alone for any time at all. That isn't the point of those things, if so, then keep them both inside where its safe.

I have seen what I think is great but probably expensive to do. Is like a huge cage, they completely put wire all around and so they can go out in the yard on the grass, climb tree if that is included and have a great time and be completely safe because they are completely fenced in top, and sides. Its kinda like the dog runs but its a huge area in the yard, you attach it to a room of your house so they can run in and out of it.

We take our cat out on a leash with a harness. She doesn't take walks per say, like a dog, but she will stalk bugs and the geese at the lake behind our apartment. We even took her on our honeymoon and have pictures of my husband "hiking" with her. I do know people who have cats who will actually take walks, but our cat doesn't seem to have much interest in being "trained" to do much of anything.

With our kitten we have only put a harness on her but not taken her out with a leash yet. We would never let our cats outside alone though, only if we are with them and in a safe environment.

Thats not what I/we worry of,its what happens that one day your tired from work, open door and cat darts outside into darkness.

My cat has done This before even we as cat owners worry about them they will come home and when they come home give them a tasty treat to encourage them on their Journey and always return home I know that you don't feel ready to be proper to give him a treat after they ran out like that but like I said cats need to feel like you're in control they are very independent and we have cat owners need to be more aware that and help them live a stress free life