Tips On Training Cats For Harness
Just as with children, persistence and care needs to be exercised when harness training a cat. Inducing stress in your cat will only cause them to be fearful and aggressive.
At about six months of age, a cat is ready to begin being harnessed trained. You should begin by confining the cat to get it used to staying in place. You should make sure to obtain a very sturdy harness, since a flimsy harness can easily be escaped by a cat. This harness needs to be not only sturdy, but also comfortable and of course, made with cats specifically in mind.
One of the best models is the nylon H shaped harness which is light and features buckles which fasten along the neck and the stomach. There should also be a ring to hold your cat’s ID tag, located on the cat’s back. You can size your cat for the harness by using a tape measure around the neck and stomach.
After giving your cat about five days to get used to the harness, you can tighten the harness a little; to about a two-inch width. You can leave this on for up to ten minutes per day for a few weeks. Cats are more skittish than dogs, especially when it comes to wearing a harness – so give them time to adjust.
A collar for walking your cat should also be used – this should feature an L-shaped piece of fabric which hugs their body. A jacket which allows some air permeability for the cat’s comfort is also a must. You can also use a nylon three buckle harness which can be adjusted for your cat’s comfort.
Let the cat wander around the house by itself while wearing the leash for 20-30 minutes per day for a week; keep an eye on your cat, since the leash could get snarled on chair and table legs, etc. Once you cat is used to this, then you can hold on to their leash and try taking your cat for a walk. Your cat will eventually get used to this – try putting the ID tag where you cat can play with it; this will help them adjust to being in the harness since it will distract them to a degree.
Like any other kind of cat training, a lot of patience is necessary to succeed. Cats are fond of routines, so you can teach them new routines if you are consistent and patient in your harness training. Once you cat is used to the harness, they will barely notice it.