Is Training Your Cat to Walk On a Leash a Bad Idea?!?

My cats a strictly outdoor cats they love hunting and live outside and stay around this area don’t travel towards busy roads etc. Moving into a apartment that’s right next to a mountain trail we’re there’s more predators and a busy highway probably a 100 yards away so I’ll be keeping them indoor which is a challenge in itself since there so use to outdoors but hopefully I can train them to one day not need a leash and they can jump up on me if any dogs coming

I definitely am going to walk my cat. It'll be beneficial to both of us. Ordering it soon!!

My cat would just lay down the minute you put the harness and leash on him. He would not walk but he would hang out without it while I was on the yard and came in the house when I called. He never left my side or wandered out of our yard so no need for a leash. That said he hated the carrier so I would use the leash and harness for the vet. He would laydown I could just carry him into the vet. It was compromise

I understand the controversy, but I think leash walking is great. I tried a fabric harness and they broke out, we were only in the backyard so I caught them. They are always at the door, they are door dashers and I need to put them in another room just to let my dogs in and out. I've had too many cats in the past that were outside cats and they got hurt and/or killed. I need to get a harness like my Poms have, that goes under the arms, etc. But I will take them out, they need the variety, they are only a year and a half old and get bored easily, and of course they have a ton of toys and the house is catified LOL Right now the weather is nice so I open the windows but I don't leave the house with them open because they might push out the screens when they see a bird or squirrel. Let's say they are highly energetci! My sister calls them gremlins, they are always into something LOL I used to have a cat that would follow me around the block when I walked, it was so cute. But I know these two will take off, they already have!! I really HATE the control so many agencies are imposing on people in so many areas. Where is our freedom going? But I digress, I won't go there 😏😏😏

i respect the argument about the issues with cats being serious predators, because they are, it's a valid complaint about just opening a door and releasing them to the outdoors. thing is unlike dogs, you can keep a cat inside all the time, but it doesn't work with every breed or cat. i ended up with an accidental f1 bobcat hybrid, i leash trained her, but also had to let her out because she needed it(i lived rurally then and still do now). now i have a pair of f5 bengals, yes, i'm going to leash train them, because of the breed that they are. they are a breed that seriously enjoys outdoor activities and while i have no plans to just let them loose, i am not going to confine them against their nature and keep them only indoors. they are a breed you can literally take hiking, walking, biking etc because they are smart and are just as trainable as a dog. i LOVE dogs, getting these girls was a compromise between me and my hubby with my wanting a dog as well, since he didn't want a maine coon(another dog-like cat breed).

We have been Cat Guardians for decades. When we moved to a different state in the mountains, we discovered the need to harness train our cats. Because of predators, our cats only go out supervised. We used harnesses to lead them into safe areas. Now, those cats will stay within their boundaries. When we get a new kitten, we harness train them until they are able to stay close.

Child enrichment doesn’t come without risk. Risk is part of life

My cat loves going on her harness. When I put it on her ill sit on the steps at my front door and let her decide if she wants to come put or just sit at the door with me. There are times she getsnthe harness on and we go out to the back garden. I have ended up sitting next to her as she is enjoying the smells and the sunshine.

My 6 month old cat is harness trained but I always get anxious stepping outside. She can get scared and bolt, so I am always in high alert to scoop her and make sure she doesn't start wiggling out of her harness. The problem is - she is very eager to go outside, even tough she gets easily spooked - but I am not. Something horrible happened to my friend: the worst nightmare of mine: her kitty escaped and despite very hard efforts and help of animal rescue organisation, she was never found. And she is not the type to approach strangers. It is almost 100 % she died when the winter came

I don't know how to get over my fear. I know my kitty is adventurous soul. But unless she is very very calm, I can not relax

My cat goes out daily and nightly to live his life. I keep him in during bad weather. I feed him when I wake up in morning and I feed him when I get home from work. So Im usually greeted by cat when I get home from work because he knows when my vehicle is home and it’s time to eat and pets

My Siamese was delighted to use the harness, and he learned the parameter of my property and learned to stay on the sidewalk. He lives for the outdoors. In the winter, he gets deeply depressed due to cold/snow. In 16 years, he never got loose partly because I don’t try to reel him in with the leash line as he’ll face me and try to back out and get himself in fight or flight.

I've got a backpack for my kitty and wear it on the front so we can see each other and so I can talk to her. She looks around at everything (I'm across from a church building and walk on the parking lot and around the building). She's four-and-a-half months old and I'm planning to get a harness for her when she gets bigger so I can clip it to the clip in the backpack and open the zip so she can stick her head and shoulders out. I'll make sure she can't wriggle out of the harness!

I trained my two Burmese cats to walk my neighbourhood with me without leashes.
They come to call better than many dogs.
One was going insane not going outside and would yowl endlessly by the door sniffing the air that came in around the door knowing there was fun outside.
I tired using leashes but they liked exploring differently and checking out different things in different directions so it was impossible, but walking them alongside me was easy.
Meeting dogs outside was never an issue as they’d be aware of the dog before the dog was aware of them and they’d find a hiding spot until the dog passed.
I never lost them and they loved doing it, until they got to 13 years old and they barely ask to go out.

I did harness train them as the one who sniffed the air leaking in around the front door HATES being in a closed carrier. So much so I worry she’ll harm herself attempting to destroy it. She’s fine it it’s open so I use the harness to secure her but she can still stick her head out if she wants to. I’ve taken her & her sister on a train journey and she loved being able to go and say hello to passengers with an extending leash clipped onto her harness. Her sister prefers to stay in her carry case. Each to their own.

For petes sake life has risks. These people. I mean, what do they want us to do put our cats in cages? I take a risk every time I put my granddaughter in a car. Am I never gonna put her in a car? She means a lot more to me than my cats.. I personally love watching my cats climb trees. I have one on a leash, long leash, and I walk around the yard and I let her climb up the tree some ways not far she loves it. I have another cat who is very Homebody and goes very very little distance from our patio. They’re free we live in the suburbs and I am going to allow my cats to get outside smell the fresh air catch bugs and roll in the grass. I’m tired of these fanatics.

I am sorry I believe in catios and walking the cat. The same premise would be that a dog can also run away if not walking on a leash. I am a pet sitter and my client had me walk her cat. He loved it and he got to "hunt" and chase leaves and smell everything. I do rescue, I have bred animals. I have pure breed and rescue animals. Some of these breeders and rescues have lost their minds! Same as free flying parrots. You train recall with all animals. How to come back etc. If dogs are at large I carry a stun gun (long one like a night stick). The snap of the stun gun part has worked to scare them off. I have never had to stun a dog. I have a Maine Coon kitten we are picking up this weekend and I fully plan on training him on the leash. I have already gotten a cat "cage" basically an area that the cat can go into and play and have his litter box and food so that my huge dogs are not in his business. We did similar with my prior cat. He would climb up and watch the dogs and had his own "safe" space. He was a great rescue and he lived a long happy life in our home.

I tried to take my cat for a walk after seeing someone walking their cat- seemed like a good idea. It was such a failure never tried again- I thought my cat would strangle himself, he was having no part of it

I take my cat out in a harness. He loves it. I always pick him up and carry him out. We stay in my yard front and back.

My dogs take our cats walking with us every morning. My little gold girl loves her harness. She goes outside whenever she wants. My cats come home every night at supper time.

New cat owner here! My new, young cat wanted to go outside, so I'd let her out to run free for a few hours, then she'd come back. She got intestinal worms from eating something that had them, and which was a terrible ordeal to get rid of. She got sick from the medication, so letting her freely go out was not an option! In addition, there are also coyotes, foxes, and birds of prey around. Got a harness/leash so I can give her the stimulation of being outside and keep her from anything that could harm her! She LOVES her walks, a little not used to the harness, but it's new to her now, so I'm sure she'll get used to it in time. Thanks very much for all you do to help us out!!!

I was nervous when I saw this title. I thought you were going to tell us not to. Willem wears a harness and a retractable leash. I frequently use a carabiner to attach it to a high limb in a tree. I am always here when he's out and can always hear him. He's one narrow cat and could get out of any harness. I finally saw something online that guaranteed no escape. It was a harness with 3 straps. I shamelessly copied it and modified a standard RC harness with an extension and a 3rd strap feeding through a loop on the end. Problem solved. He patiently stands still and waits while I put it on and heads out to pretend he's a wild animal. This saves the birds but fortunately not the lizards. We have an invasive lizard species here in the North West and I figure it's okay to pit one invasive species against another. Willem also loves and feels safe in his backpack and my car which makes my life easier,(cat sitters are expensive). You are a gift to the kitty verse,
Thanks Jackson

I care for a stray / feral colony in my yard. I have a little stray that follows me when I go outside. I bring him in when he wants to be inside, usually every night during rainy or cold weather. ( I provide outside shelter) for those needing it. I trap nuter release and rehome when possible. But Marmalade has recurrent eye infection in one eye and I love him back so we're working on making the transition to permanent family member. Our little Thana Banana my indoor cat is coming around.

We go camping with our cats, we have trained them on a harness and leash so they can go for walks and not be cooped up in the motorhome or in their playpen. And they love it. They don't ever try to wriggle out of their harnesses, and they get to explore safely, under our supervision.

I agree with Jackson on this issue. All my life I have allowed my cats to be semi free roaming. Until we moved where we are living now! We live in a bird sanctuary and one day my son let his cat out to play and she was snatched by a bird of prey. My son went to look for her and found her body with her collar still on and she was ripped to shreds. From that day to this our cats walk on a leash.

We leash trained our cat when we had to evacuate for a hurricane and had to spend a week in a hotel in another state. We didn’t do it slowly because we realized he didn’t like being enclosed in a hotel room when he was use to going out on a screened porch. So we got a harness and leash and put it on him. When he realized that he got to go outside when ever the harness was on he would jump on the bed every time we got it out. He took to it so well we started bringing him with us, instead of leaving him at the vets, when we would go visit family.

Awesome video as always! 💗 I was so happy when Jackson came on the scene. I've worked with all kinds of animals - pets, farm, wildlife rehab, rescue and foster - even before Jackson was born. I saw massive ignorance about cats and how to interact/handle them. I built my own catio before it was a word, I'm glad it's "a thing" now! I always thought it was ludicrous that humans were only choosing "free-roaming" or "indoors-only" - our big human brains are better than that. My dogs aren't indoor-only, and they certainly aren't free-roaming. I've had 6 hiking cats, I'm training my 7th and next spring my 8th. I start some on harness and leash, I use bungee leashes for safety and comfort. Plus treats. The honest truth - leashes are safer and better for adventure cats than free-roaming, but a leashed cat IS NOT the same as a leashed dog. The anatomical structure and nervous system of felines is drastically different than canines. Putting a leash on a cat is removing ALL of it's natural defenses - which is why, like Jackson said, you should ALWAYS have a backpack when you leash walk a cat. I do rescue and foster. My fosters belong to the rescue group, and have to be indoors only while I care for them. They have sunny windows and are happy to have been rescued from bad situations, with warmth, soft beds, and yummy free food. My own pet cats let me know what they want - little Kashmir NEVER wants to go outside, she was rescued from there and does NOT want to go back, not once since 2013 lol! She's happy with safe sunny window time. For my adventure kittys that want blue sky time, I train them and they all eventually hike with me off-leash, on the trails around my house. **I'm not recommending this for others***, but with the relationship and experience I have with cats and their behavior, this is the absolute safest way for ME to hike with them. Once the "hike training" is over, they know the trails well, the area, the way home, and know how to find safety if needed (rarely). They are much safer than on-leash. They DO NOT free roam - they follow me out and follow me home, come when I whistle and obey better than the dog, lol! What most people don't realize is since cats are so highly territorial, once we leave my house and yard that has their scent, *the dog and I become their territory. They all follow on my heels very well, out and back. I let them do a little exploring close to our trail. As soon as I want them to come, I start slow walking and whistle for them. They come - Every. Single. Time. They view the dog as safety also. I don't do this lightly - I created many safety plans to do this. If we hike on-leash, I have the backpack. Since leashes remove ALL of my cats safety mechanisms - It's my job to have the safe alternative. Any sign of danger, kitty goes on my back. Its' not just the backpack - I'm always watching ahead and behind. Loose dogs can come up fast, I need to be ahead of the game. I also watch our skies. I live in Northern MN, by all of the predators. I watch for eagles, a real danger, and even hawks, tho they're unlikely to go after my big cats. I watch for coyote and even fox. The wildlife is NOT my enemy - I hiked into THEIR home. But I respect the danger and will exit or protect my pets if needed. After hiking for 5 decades, wildlife isn't the problem. People who don't take care of their dogs are the worst. When I see hikers with dogs, my dog (on leash) goes ahead of us. He distracts the dogs. What's interesting is my hiking cats melt into the brush. They know what they're doing. I meet the hikers, I talk kindly with them, explain the situation , and ask if they would leash their dogs (it's all leash trails). When I first started this decades ago, I thought my cats would meet me back home. I learned instead that they take cover, and when the coast is clear, they meet back up on the trail. So I watch the hikers and dogs exit, head away from them, and start softly whistling for the cats. They join me when they feel safe. My experiences and what I've learned from my hiking cats could fill a book - including a few times where the cats WANTED to meet the dogs, and made fast friends 🥰😻. If I take one of my adventure cats out of our familiar area, I use the leash and backpack. I'm not thrilled that my rescue group demands indoor only or catio, ~BUT~ I also understand. We work so hard, we live-trap and tame ferals along with saving strays, and many people don't have great skills or experience with former ferals. Honestly, most people don't have great cat communication skills in general. They wouldn't know how to do what I do, or communicate with the cats as I do, even on-leash. Seeing what I see, with people who lie and dump animals and treat them like temporary kids christmas toys, I don't blame the rescues for creating narrower boundaries. Seeing people who genuinely love their cats, but don't educate themselves, and do stupid things that harm them out of ignorance. I shudder when I see people leash walking their cat w/o a backpack. They HAVE NOT thought ahead and prepared to keep their kitty safe, since it can't keep itself safe. Rescues like mine are doing the best they can. When I spend 4 days, a week, or a month or more in cold, freezing snow or hot, burning dust trying to live trap an injured or sick cat , get it healthy, tame and trusting - we need our adopters to be super-safe, responsible homes. I spend hours waiting in the rain for a mama cat with tiny kittens to go into a trap. I can't set the trap and leave because she won't go in for food - she will only go in if I use the kittens (safely sheltered) as the lure. And I have to remain on site, carefully watch and wait for their safety. It's EXTREMELY HARD WORK! So is screening for good adopters. So even tho I'm pro-leash walking when done safely, I see all sides, and I support my rescue's policies. My rescue group knows I hike my own cats off-leash. They know I follow all their rules with the fosters in my care. AND - they allow me to foster-fail and adopt. They also know my many years of experience, I've earned their trust. If more adopters had this knowledge and these skills, it would be a different story. It's not a black and white situation. My hope: 💗😻💗 That all of our responsible, careful, smart Adventure Cat Leash Walkers can BLAZE THIS TRAIL! Keep showing your success. Teach others how to do this safely. Make it the norm, done well. Show the naysayers they're being petty and stealing happiness from adventure cats. Show the rescues it can be a safe option to consider. Don't get upset with your rescues, respect their work and try to patiently educate. 💞Kudos💞 to everyone here who cares so much about their kitters, doing vastly different things to give them each great, happy lives! MASSIVE KUDOS and RESPECT to Jackson Galaxy for speaking up about this and all his great work.💗💗💗

What if my cat LOVES outside on her catio but is scared outside on the harness leash. Will she get used to it and begin to like it? Or should I not make her since she's scared 🥺

I totally agree!!! Leash walking with the right cat is amazing!! Ty for this video ❤❤

I tried to adopt from Cats Protection in the UK and not only did they insist the cat be OUTDOOR, they said they don't agree with harness/lead for walking cats. I don't agree with either of those things so they wouldn't let me adopt. I was shocked. Meanwhile, the shelters here are over-flowing. Imagine knocking someone back like me who only puts their cat's safety and well-being first when you have an overflowing shelter. Disgraceful.

Most places we visit…cat and I….require that all animals be on a leash. ALL ANIMALS

We will walk inside our building before ever going outside! My cat doesn't even startle at our vacuum! I'm glad she doesn't easily startle!

I didn't tell my people we live on a 7th floor! Lol! Parttime!

Not only that not all people can afford catio or live in apartments

I was afraid you were going to say no cat walking. So glad you said yes.

I just took in an indoor/outdoor cat whose owner was moving, and I want to try to harness train him when he's more settled in. He loves checking out the outdoors and is incredibly smart and adaptable so I think hes a good candidate for it.

I've had ups and downs with walking my cat, but it's always worth it to see how contented he is when we come home. Our communication is deepened too. I'm able to tell him "I can't follow you there" or "no, that's dangerous." He's stubborn, but he's pretty smart enough to know when I can follow him somewhere but don't want him to go that direction vs. when I physically can't follow his parkour.

I totally agree. I’m thinking the problem is that people are frequently not doing the right things to mitigate those risks. I don’t think an adoption agency should prohibit people from walking their cats. That’s wild. I’m all in favor of not having them outside, but if they are supervised and on a harness it should be fine.

I love that you feel you audience is up to the word "mitigating" thumbs up

I am disabled. Could not build a catio at that time. Had a deaf kitty who was used to being outside before she became deaf. She vanished for seven days and stayed within our cul de sac the whole time. My neighbors knew she was missing and someone called me everyday, Stella is on my porch or walking down my driveway. On the seventh day, I was going to my car and here she comes, strolling up the driveway. Immediately I went to our local Pet supply and selected a harness. Took a couple of months helping her to want to put it on. Once she was fine with it, we went out in the garden, with treats. She got to where she loved her outings. It was during this time we discovered she had lost her hearing. So outside off leash was not an option. I am pro-harness. What is wrong with these rescue organizations? I could say more but I am trying to be a lady...

Cats should never be walked along side a road or crossing a road, even if in you arms to cross a street. Sidewalks are no good unless in remote areas without cars. The only places you should walk your cat on a leash are going to be quiet parks and nature preserves away from roads and away from dogs and away from crowds. You don't want to spook your cat. You don't want to be in a hazardous area in the event that the cat gets out of its harness. Also be aware of the outside weather conditions and developing conditions. If too hot or too cold or too stormy, postpone the walks. I would recommend walking the cat in a cat buggy like a baby so that you have more control if you need to bug out of the area. You can park your cat buggy and walk the cat in a harness on a leash in the vicinity of the buggy, under some shade trees to watch the squirrels or whatever. If you don't want to deal with a pet buggy then perhaps get a cat backpack that you wear to carry your cat in from the car to the place you will be walking your pet cat. Some folks already have these to carry their cat into a pet store to shop for food, litter, or other supplies.

I am rehabbing a 4 yo former pet who was dumped with ferals @2. He tore out a screen and jumped after I had him 2 months. I got him back via microchip! I now feel I owe it to him to let him go out some. I had another cat with the same history that loved it until she got blind and feeble @17+. My other cat has no interest in going out.

Cats are naturally fiercely independent animals. It's unlikely they'd enjoy having their independence taking away.

I think it really depends on the cat. There is no such thing as an fully escape-proof harness for a cat. I would never take a cat out of the house if they wouldn’t let me catch them if they get off the harness. 2 of my cats would just bolt if they got scared and wouldn’t let me catch them again. Only one of my cats is ok with me catching her when she’s upset about something, so she’s the only one I will walk on the harness. The others go in a backpack instead. Know your cat. If your cat freaks out and gets out of the harness, you need them to be ok with you approaching them to catch them. If they’re not ok with that then it’s not a good idea

dont u let out your cats in the usa? where I come from, the streets are full with cats (but non are strays). Its difficult desicion if leaving them out, what makes them happier but having to fight for territory with all the other cats.

i dont really get it. what is supposed to be the risk in leash walking your cat? I just bought one. wanna make my cats get used to it so they accept it. the aim is to make them get used to their neighbourhood untill they can leave the house without supervision.

😮spent 5 hours in a park yesterday looking for a shy cat whose owner made the unfortunate decision put her on a harness in a public park. Cat had NEVER been outside on a harness before. Of course she panicked and now she's lost, right before winter. She's not even in her neighborhood. Cats are safest at home or in a catio.

I trained my cat 'up'
If she gets scared she jumps up on my shoulder. I've had her since she was 5 days old (solo orphan) so I've always been a safe place place for her. The downside being that she doesn't cope going anywhere if I'm not with her

I personally walk my cats without harness and leash, I don't trim their nails so if there are unleashed dogs the cats can easily escape into a tree while I distract the dog. Most owners however quickly leash their dogs when they see me comming. I live in forested sparsely populated area in the Netherlands (no dangerous wildlife) and the cats wear GPS trackers in case they do run off which has never happened.

I got my girl a pet pram and she was definitely a little nervous at first but now shes such a confident little smoocher 😂 She sits with us at the cafe and eats her chicken like a lady and loves all the attention and pats. She's gotten the confidence now to get out of her pram and explore the grass and trees when we go for walks, I always think to myself "shes getting her mojo on" lol

I wouldn’t sign a contract that says anything the shelter is relinquishing the cat to a new home they don’t get a say