Does anyone walk their cat like a dog on a lead?

[LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary]

Hello,

I adopted a healthy 9yr old Kenzo this week (a lady cat). She is very obedient and already very affectionate and bonded to me. She is "not used to other cats" but has been allowed out at times in her old home, according to the rescue centre. She is getting vaccinated.

I'm thinking of taking her out on a lead when she's been in the house the requisite 3-4wks. There are a couple of other cats in the area. Then, depending on how she gets on, think about allowing her free access. (Although I do feel very protective of her!!!)

I have already bought a cat harness from Pets at Home and placed it near her food bowl so she gets used to its sight/smell.

She is going to the vet on Tuesday for an initial check up etc - should I have a go at putting the harness on, just round the house, or should I let the vet have the first go at putting it on her as he will be more confident? She might associate it then thought with being nervous at the vets.

Any thoughts/advice/experience welcome, thanks!

[Fluffycloudland77]

If she's used to going free range I'd leave her to it. She's going to get into scrapes with other cats at some point.

Being a tortie my moneys on her. Most of it is just yowling and posturing.

The first time our cat had a fight I ran out into the street in my pyjamas shouting "don't worry mommy's coming". Dh was laughing so much he couldn't get his shoes on to come out.

[LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary]

Lol! I can see me following her at a distance bearing a towel and pepper spray in case she gets attacked!

Should I take her out on the lead just the first few times?

[marmaladegranny]

We used to have a large garden and used to take the young cats on leads and harnesses to familiarise them with the big outside.
When my current boy was 13 and not very well we moved and stayed with my daughter for a few months. She has an enormous garden with a very busy A road on one side and a golf course that is used a lot for dog walking on the other. DCat became very fed up with being kept indoors (we were worried about him getting lost) and he learnt to walk on a harness.
So, OP, better safe than sorry - give a harness a go but do it yourself!

[Fluffycloudland77]

Depends, torties are feisty and she might not take well to a lead, plus cats dont obligingly walk in straight lines like dogs.

They stick to the periphery and sniff everything, double back on themselves, sit down. Look at expectantly. It's not thrilling.

Our persians had leads and it was boring, in the end we just let them out.

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

We used a harness and lead on our ex-street cat for a while. We were in a high rise apartment and it was the only safe way of him getting outside time. He tolerated it (he is a very biddable cat) but it was, in his opinion, a very poor second to being able to go free range.