How to leash-train your cat
Forget everything you’re imagining right now about walking a cat on a leash. Just forget it.
You’ve probably walked a dog on a leash at some point in your life, or, you’ve at least seen a dog walking on a leash. Walking a cat is nothing like walking a dog.
In fact, the first misconception is that you are ever going to be walking the cat. The cat – and you should fully understand this before you read further – is going to be walking you.
That doesn’t mean that this activity isn’t going to be loads of fun. If your cat is a good candidate for leash-walking (more on this in a minute), and you’re committed to the process of showing her how it’s done, being walked by a cat is going to be some of the best fun the two of you are going to ever have together.
Cats are not dogs when it comes to leash-walking
My first responsibility in writing this post is to help you manage your expectations about leash-walking cats.
I’ve got well-trained dogs, and I walk them twice a day. The dogs understand the assignment: they walk right at my hip, at a brisk pace set by me. We all come home tired but refreshed.
This is because walking, as a group activity, is ingrained in dog DNA. Wolves are nomads, and they wander as a pack, covering up to 100 miles a day in search of food. Walking is essential to a dog’s lifestyle, and it’s a communal activity that everyone in the pack does together.[1]
Cats don't do dog things
Cats, as you may have noticed, are not dogs.
Group hunting is not their lifestyle; cats hunt independently. Long hours of tracking prey is also not their lifestyle. Cats sleep all day to conserve energy, and then expend it in short bursts to pounce on prey.
Read all about why cats sleep so much in this post.
What happens when you are walked by a cat
When you are leash-walking your cat, you are not the boss, even though you are holding the business end of the leash. The cat is the boss.
The cat is going to decide where you go. He might want to investigate a shrub, or follow a bug for a while. He might want to plop down and soak in the sunshine.
Don’t plan on getting any kind of exercise, going in a particular direction, or accomplishing anything while you are walking your cat.
You are simply there to help your cat make good decisions and stay safe.
What do I get out of walking my cat?
OK, so if the cat gets to make all of the big decisions when you’re out walking, what do you get out of walking a cat?
Walking a cat is kind of a Zen activity. It’s a chance to live in the moment, be mindful, and let life unfold, without having to control everything. At least that’s how I look at it.
I love this quote from a Redditor about taking a cat for a walk:
“That’s one of my favourite things too, I love just chilling and spending time with [my cat] on walks. It’s also pretty good for my mental health it seems, just to have a routine that involves a time where I just walk and look at my cat. It’s very relaxing.”[2]
Leash-walking is a chance to just spend time with your cat and deepen your mutual bond. And, it’s an opportunity for you to help him live his full cat life. You will feel good about that, I promise.
Why you should consider training your cat to walk on a leash
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you already know that I think you should keep your cats indoors. If you need a refresher, you can read this post on keeping cats indoors versus outdoors.
The short version is that outdoor cats have a very short life expectancy compared to indoor cats: two to five years, versus 15-17 years for indoor kitties. Outdoor cats get hit by cars, contract deadly diseases, are killed by other animals, become victims of animal cruelty, consume poison, and get stuck in trees, to name a few of the horrors that can befall them.
But indoor life can, unfortunately, be very boring to cats. Feral cats have been known to explore territories of up to 150 acres,[3] while indoor cats are stuck walking the same path between the kitchen and bedroom every day.
Boredom is serious. It’s a quality-of-life issue for cats. It’s a mental-health issue. And it’s a physical-health issue, too, as boredom and lack of exercise can lead to obesity in cats.
Leash-walking is a kind of compromise between the indoor/outdoor lifestyle choices: it gives cats an opportunity to explore the world, engage their minds, and move their bodies, all while staying relatively safe.
Should all cats be taken outside for a walk?
Not all cats are candidates for leash-walking.
Cats are individuals. They have different personalities, different needs, and varying levels of bravery.
Some cats have been waiting all their lives for you to suggest a walk outside. Other cats are hiding under the bed because you just thought about taking them outdoors.
You probably already know what kind of cat you have. Is your cat active and curious, welcoming to new people and new things? Yours is the kind of cat who is probably going to take to leash-walking immediately.
Does your cat tend to be shy and fearful? Your cat may or may not be a good candidate for leash-walking.
Should you try leash-walking with a shy or fearful cat?
Going outdoors can be sensory overload for some cats: there are new smells, new sounds, new objects, and new people out there. It’s not for every cat.
But just because you have a more reserved cat in your life, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy or benefit from a leash walk. There’s only one way to find out.
With some cats, you might have to s-l-o-w the whole process down. You might have to take more time acclimating a more tentative cat to the harness and leash, for example.
If you have a more cautious cat, you might want to start with a catio. A catio is a safe outdoor enclosure that can give a cat some of the benefits of leash-walking, with less of the stress. It can help build a fearful cat’s confidence in being outside.
But in the end, the idea is for the cat to have an enjoyable adventure outdoors. If the cat is feeling fearful and stressed, no matter how patient you’ve been, leash-walking might just not be for her. Ultimately, you should let your cat make the decision.
What equipment do you need to leash-walk a cat?
*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
You don’t need to buy a lot of stuff to take a cat outdoors. Here’s what you should have on hand before you begin:
A leash
Choose a leash designed for a cat. Leashes designed for dogs tend to be too heavy.
Choose a fixed-length leash, preferably one that is only four- to six-feet long. Stay away from retractable leashes, also known as flexi-leads, which involve a plastic handle with a spool of string inside. These are dangerous because:
- They can allow a cat to get too far away. A cat on a retractable leash might run into a busy street, climb over a fence, or become entangled with a dangerous dog.
- Retractable leashes have been known to cause injuries to both pet and guardian, including eye injuries when they break, amputations when they get wrapped around a finger or pet limb, and serious lacerations.
- They’re surprisingly easy to drop, especially when a cat sprints off suddenly and jerks the end of the leash. The result is a runaway cat. A dropped flexi-lead will clatter loudly when dropped, and then “chase” your terrified cat further away, as it automatically retracts.
A simple, light leash is best. 3/8ths of an inch of nylon webbing should be strong and light enough for a cat, such as these:
A harness
You must use a harness when walking a cat. Cats should never be walked with the leash attached to their neck collars alone. This is because:
- Most cat collars are breakaway, meaning that they will release with pressure.
- The feline neck is surprisingly fragile.[4] A cat could easily choke (or worse) if the leash is attached to a collar.
- A cat’s head and neck have nearly the same circumference, meaning that a collar could easily slip over his head.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an escape-proof harness, no matter how much a manufacturer wants to brag that their product can outsmart your cat.
Some cats are masters at backing out of harnesses. There’s the lore that cats are liquid: slipping out of whatever is trying to contain them. This Houdini quality is, in part, thanks to their free-floating shoulder blades that are connected by muscle alone, and itty-bitty collarbones that don’t connect to anything at all.
Some harnesses work better with certain cat physiques, and certain escape styles. In other words, you may have to purchase more than one harness to compare how each works with your individual cat.
Here are three to try. The first two come with their own leashes, but I think the Kitty Holster is worth a closer look for the real kitty escape artists in your life:
PetSafe Come with Me Kitty Nylon Cat Harness and Bungee Leash
Rabbitgoo Cat Harness and Leash
Extra things
None of the things I’m about to mention here are essential, but could be helpful when walking a cat.
A cat backpack or stroller
At some point, you find yourself a mile away from home when your cat decides that she won’t take ONE MORE STEP. Or, you’ll find yourself in a situation you don’t want face with cat on a leash, such as a tight sidewalk with boisterous dogs out for their walks.
It would be nice, in one of those situations, to be able to scoop up your precious kitty and zip him safely away.
A cat carrier would work, too, but it will be harder to walk for any distance lugging a clunky carrier in one hand and a cat leash in the other.
Backpacks:
Texsens Traveler Bubble Backpack
Halovie Expandable Pet Carrier
Strollers:
Treats and toys
You can use small treats and toys, tossed ahead of your leashed cat, to help “guide” her in the direction you wish to head.
A towel
You might want to bring a big towel with you the first time you take your cat outside. If she totally freaks out, you can use the towel to wrap her up safely, so you don’t get bitten or scratched.
Things you should do before you leash-train your cat
First, get into a time machine and start the training process when your cat is still a kitten. If you’re reading this post and your cat is still young, there is no time like the present to try leash-training.
But, if your cat is already an adult, or even a senior, know that any cat can learn to walk on a leash at any point in his life. Training is just easier and quicker when a cat is younger and more open-minded about new experiences.
Second, visit your veterinarian to find out if he or she thinks that your cat is ready for an outdoor adventure. Because your cat will be exposed to new things (both good and bad), be sure to discuss:
- Flea and tick prevention
- Vaccinations
- Deworming
Make sure your cat is spayed or neutered as well as microchipped in the event that your cat manages to escape.
How to train your cat to walk on a leash
STEP 1: introduce the harness
You’ve purchased a harness, but don’t put it on yet. Leave it around the house in places your cat likes to go.
Don’t make too much of a fuss about the harness, or call too much attention to it. Just leave it on the couch, or near the food bowl. Don’t sneak up on the cat and drop the harness, but allow the cat to “find” the harness herself and sniff it and explore it at her own pace.
If your cat is completely ignoring the harness, you can try rubbing it with catnip or Feliway Calming Spray.
Once your cat has become bored with the harness – which can take days; don’t rush things – practice snapping and unsnapping it, or opening and closing the Velcro within earshot of your cat so that the noise that the harness makes will eventually become boring, too.
STEP 2: Touch the cat with the harness
Step 2 will not happen on the same day as Step 1. In fact, it might not happen in the same week as Step 1. The timing of these steps are up to your cat. Do not move to the next step until your cat is completely bored by the previous step.
First, pick up the harness, show it to your cat, and then gently touch your cat’s body with it. Reward, reward, reward your cat for tolerating the harness against his fur.
If, instead of tolerating the harness, he runs away, try to entice your cat back to you with some yummy treats. Keep the harness within clear view, so you aren’t surprising the cat with it. Be patient. It has to be the cat’s choice to allow the harness to touch him.
If your cat has allowed the harness to touch her body, you can do it a couple of times in a row, but not so many times that your cat finds the whole harness concept irritating. The idea is to make the association with the harness just a happy bonanza of treats.
Try touching your cat with the harness later in the day, and maybe the next day again, until the harness is NO BIG THANG.
Then, and only then, can you try slipping the harness on.
STEP 3: Put the harness on
Once your cat has zero issues with the harness touching his body, you can slip the harness on.
Don’t Velcro or snap any of the clips or buckles. Put it on, take it off. Reward, reward, reward (while the harness is momentarily on).
Later in the day: put it on, take it off. And so on, and so on, and so on.
Only when your cat has decided it’s not a big deal to have the harness put on and taken off, can you snap up the buckles or Velcro.
What might happen next: your cat might flop over on her side. She might try to back out of the harness. She might freeze. She might walk, but in a funny way.
Give your cat as many treats as she will eat with the harness on. But don’t keep the harness on for more than a minute. Once is enough for today.
Over the next few weeks, continue putting the harness on and taking it off inside the house, leaving it on longer and longer. Don’t be a cheapskate with treats. Treats should be ABUNDANT when you are harness-training, because right now your cat has no idea that Kitty Disneyland awaits if she gets the whole harness thing right.
Use this time to adjust the fit of the harness, too. Read the instructions that came with your chosen harness, but in general, you should be able to squeeze no more than two fingers in under the harness in any spot.
STEP 4: Add the leash
Don’t move on to this step until your cat is very comfortable wearing the harness.
The first time you attach the leash to the harness you should be indoors. Some cats freak out about the leash and, if it does happen, you want your cat to be safely contained.
Some people recommend that you attach the leash and let your cat drag it around for a while. I don’t recommend this.
First, learning to drag a leash is not relevant to the experience your cat is going to have with you holding the leash outdoors. Second, it can be very alarming to some cats to be “chased” by a leash.
Quietly snap the leash to the harness, and hold on to the other end. Do not hold it tight. Do not pull it. Follow your cat around, letting her lead the way.
Try to avoid having tension on the leash. Let him take you where he wants to go.
Keep practicing indoors over time until your cat appears relaxed and is moving comfortably while you are holding the leash.
STEP 5: Go outside
The first place you take your cat outdoors in a harness and on a leash should be somewhere quiet and relatively safe.
Put the harness and leash on inside the house. If you’re going somewhere other than your own yard, place him inside the carrier, backpack, or stroller while he is still indoors. Transport him to the designated area in the carrier.
If you’re just heading right outside into your own yard, carry the cat through the front door. You do not want to introduce the idea that an open door means “run outside.” That kind of “training” will come back to bite you the next time you open the door for some other reason.
Every cat will respond differently to their first foray into the wild world. Some will leap out enthusiastically. Others will be more cautious.
Let your cat decide when to move and what to explore. Just follow quietly behind.
What if my cat hates being outside?
If your cat is frozen in place, with ears back and tail fluffed, he is probably not comfortable being outside. Give it a couple of minutes to see if he relaxes, but if he doesn’t, no harm, no foul. Pack him back up and bring him home. You can try again another day.
But understand that some cats are just not going to be happy being outside. Leash-walking might not be the activity for your individual cat.
And that’s OK! Leash-walking is supposed to be enjoyable. If no one is having fun, just pat yourself on the back for trying and move on to something else.
8 things you should never do when leash-walking a cat
1. Don’t take a cat outside who is begging to go outside.
If your cat is standing at the door, crying to go outside, don’t do it. Don’t train your cat to whine at you to go for a walk. You will rue the day that you did.
2. If your cat is walking backwards, don’t pull on the leash.
The minute the leash goes taut, your cat can back out of her harness. If your cat is backing up, walk towards her to keep a little slack in the leash.
3. Don’t force your cat to do anything he isn’t ready for.
Leash-walking is supposed to enrich your cat’s life. A cat under stress will not be able to appreciate nor benefit from the joys of being outdoors.
Take your time moving from step-to-step in the leash-training process. But if, at the end, your cat still isn’t comfortable being outdoors, leash-walking just might not be his thing.
4. Never yell at or punish your cat for anything.
Trying to get another living thing to do anything you would like that living thing to do, human or animal, can be frustrating. Training a cat can be triply frustrating. The dangers inherent in some outdoor situations can amp up the stress.
But keep your cool. Behavior science tells us that cats don’t learn anything from punishment, except that you are unpredictable and not to be trusted.
5. Don’t drag a cat or jerk on the leash.
I just watched a whole montage of supposedly “funny” videos of people dragging their cats by their leashes. This is mistreatment, plain and simple.
Understand from the beginning that a cat may or may not walk if she doesn’t want to, and may or may not go where you would like her to go. Do not drag the cat because she is behaving like a cat.
Similarly, keep a loose leash at ALL times. Your cat deserves a gentle, enjoyable walking experience. Jerking the leash is unpleasant and could hurt your cat.
6. Don’t tie the cat up by the leash.
It can be tempting to tether your leashed cat up outdoors. You might, for example, want to allow your cat to bask in the sun in your own backyard, but you don’t want her running loose.
But tied cats can entangle themselves in the leash and choke. They can get into all kinds of trouble you haven’t yet anticipated, such a jumping off the deck railing or a tree branch, hanging themselves. They can slip out of the harness and get away. They can become a sitting duck for a predator, unable to escape to safety.
A cat on a leash must be supervised at all times, meaning that a human hand should be on the other end of the leash.
7. Don’t bring a cat to the vet on a leash.
Use a carrier to transport your cat to the vet’s office.
There will be leashed dogs at your vet’s office, who may not be cat-friendly. Your leashed cat could end up on the losing end of a battle with a much larger dog in an enclosed space like a veterinary office waiting room.
Also, the leash is supposed to represent fun for your cat. A cat who has a terrible time on the leash once, may be wary of putting the harness on the next time.
8. Don’t leave the house without checking the fit of the harness.
There might be harness-loosening fairies that come into your house at night when you’re sleeping. What else can explain how a harness that fit yesterday is suddenly too loose today?
But seriously, buckles can slide and cats can gain and lose weight. Just slide a couple of fingers around the harness to check before taking your precious, precious cat outdoors.
Love Pinterest? Here's a Pinterest-friendly pin for your boards!
Dawn LaFontaine is a lifelong animal lover who always seems to have a little pet hair in her keyboard. Her blog, Kitty Contemplations, helps cat guardians better understand and care for the special beings they share their lives and homes with. Her cat-products business, Cat in the Box, sells beautiful, well-made, and award-winning products that she designed to meet the biological needs of cats.
_______________
FOOTNOTES
[1] “10 Truths about Dog Walking.” Michelson Found Animals, 21 June 2023, www.foundanimals.org/10-truths-dog-walking/.
[2] R/Cattraining on Reddit: Advice on Training Cat to Walk on a Leash, www.reddit.com/r/CatTraining/comments/l4oqyg/advice_on_training_cat_to_walk_on_a_leash/. Accessed 31 July 2024.
[3] “How to Leash Train a Cat.” PetMD, www.petmd.com/cat/behavior/how-to-leash-train-cat. Accessed 29 July 2024.
[4] Gould, Wendy Rose. “Leash Training a CAT 101: A Complete Guide to Getting Outside.” BeChewy, 24 July 2024, be.chewy.com/cat-walking-101-train-cat-walk-leash/.