Any domestic cat benefits from walks in the fresh air. But not every owner is able to let a cat outside, because it may not return home. The optimal solution to the problem would be to leave the house with your pet on a harness and leash. The cat walks under the control of the owner, in safety, and can move freely, sniff, observe events happening around and chew grass. A harness and leash are useful not only when going for a walk, but also when visiting a veterinary clinic or a cat show, allowing you to let the animal out of the carrier without any risk. All that remains is to choose the right harness, and also to accustom the freedom-loving and proud animal to it.
- 2 We put a harness on the cat
- 3 How to put on a figure-eight harness
3.1 Video: how to properly put on a figure-eight harness
- 4.1 Full back harness
- 5.1 Step-by-step instructions
5.1.1 Video: how to put on an H-harness
What is this?
The whole structure consists of thin straps intertwined with each other. These are two closed rings encircling the animal’s body in the area of the neck, tummy and converging at the shoulder blades. Many designs have dividing tape between the forelimbs. Look also at the examples of cat harnesses in the photo.
The product can be equipped with drawstrings that help regulate the tightness of the fit. There is also a carabiner in the area of the shoulder blades for attaching a leash. This arrangement is important for mustachios - their necks are more fragile than those of dogs.
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AsyaJust Asya
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Lenochek91
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Burbuzyaka
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DarlingS
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Why do you need a harness?
The most important reason to buy a cat harness is to ensure the safety of the animal. By taking or releasing a purr outside, we sometimes expose our pet to mortal dangers - infections, other animals, inappropriate behavior of some people. A simple harness will help protect against this - the cat will not go far away from you, it will always be within your field of vision, and you will be able to protect it if something happens.
In addition, a pet that loves to walk on its own will not run away from its owner while wearing a harness and will not have to search for it in vain. This leash also makes it more convenient to transport the animal to the country house, to exhibitions, to the veterinarian, etc.
Owner reviews
Oh, it's Friday. In general... We looked for a harness for a long time... Then we started putting it on... Something began to happen. This face tore us all apart!! In general, they didn’t dress her... That’s where the party ended... Well, to hell with her. He doesn’t want to go for a walk and there’s no need to!!
gutik
https://forums.zooclub.ru/showthread.php?t=464&page=2
And we put on a leash on the street, when there are already a lot of distractions and the cats don’t notice the leash, it freezes, and here we are, quickly put it on and ran through the bushes.
Mavra
https://forums.zooclub.ru/showthread.php?t=464&page=2
Karlushka
https://forum.mau.ru/viewtopic.php?p=4770204
Calvados
https://forum.mau.ru/viewtopic.php?p=4770204
Katrishka
https://forums.zooclub.ru/showthread.php?t=464&page=2
When should you start training your cat to wear a harness?
The most optimal age is 2-3 months. Kittens quickly get used to everything new, perceiving it as a necessary attribute of their life. I must say that their adaptation process is much faster.
But there is nothing difficult if you want to accustom an adult animal to a harness. It will only take a little more time and patience - yours and the cat's.
How to choose a good harness?
First you need to choose a suitable harness for cats:
- The best material for the product is nylon or cotton. But leather harnesses are too stiff for cats - they are better used for dogs.
- Make sure that the item has a soft felt pad on the side where it will come into contact with the fur and skin of the animal.
- Buy only a product that is adjustable with straps or drawstrings.
- Be sure to try your purchase on the animal (we’ll look at how to put a harness on a cat with step-by-step photos below). There should be a distance of no more than two of your fingers between the straps and the animal’s body.
- The most suitable strap width is 1.5 cm.
- A leash is included with the body mount (the harness itself). It is best to choose options with a length of about 2 m. If possible, purchase a leash tape measure.
- All fastenings should be light, with a comfortable fastener - not too tight, but not loose.
- If you plan to regularly walk your animal, then it is worth purchasing two types of cat harnesses. For the warm season - the usual cotton or nylon straps. For the winter - a harness-overall, which will additionally warm your pet in the cold season.
Dimensional features
Just like with human clothing, you need to choose the appropriate harness size. This ensures that it sits comfortably, evenly, in the places specified for the design.
How to choose the size of a harness for a kitten
The size is usually indicated directly on the packaging. Approximate parameters correspond to the size of a cat at a certain age and body weight.
The following markings exist:
- S (small) – for kittens, small breeds.
- M (medium) – medium size.
- L (large) – for large and very large breeds.
Before purchasing, measure your pet's girth under the front legs and the length of the back from the shoulder blades to the tail. Most harnesses are adjustable with belts, so add 5-7 cm (1-2 fingers to the body) to the result, “for growth.” Check your results with the harness packaging and buy the exact size.
In addition to the length of the straps, it is important to check the width. The larger the pet, the wider the straps it needs. Otherwise, the structure will dig into the body uncomfortably. On average it is 1 – 1.5 centimeters.
Types of harnesses
Today the following samples are presented in pet stores:
- "Eight". These are two rings of straps connected to each other by a jumper on the shoulder blades, to which the leash is attached.
- H-shaped model. The same “figure eight”, only with an additional jumper between the front legs.
- V-shaped model. Forms the outline of a given Latin letter on the animal’s chest with straps.
- Overalls. Similar to a suit, but with an additional leash on a carbine. This model is the easiest to put on, it is impossible to get out of it, and it is perfect for animals with sensitive skin. There is only one minus - in the summer a cat will be very hot in overalls.
How to properly put a harness on a cat?
Don't worry - the procedure will only be confusing for you the first time. Next, you will get used to putting the harness on your pet quickly and almost automatically.
So, how to put an H-shaped harness on a cat:
- First of all, unfasten the leash from her. Otherwise, he will simply disturb you and get confused.
- Find the first closed ring on the device. You need to put it on the cat’s neck so that the carabiners are at the level of the back. If there is a strap that will pass between the front legs, then it should be at chest level.
- Then place a second closed ring around the animal’s neck.
- Stretch the first along the body through the front legs to the cat’s tummy. It is important to make sure that the paws are each on their own side of the strap separating them.
- As a result of these actions, one ring of the harness will be just below the animal’s neck, and the second will be on the tummy. There is a dividing strap on the chest between the legs.
- Did you manage? The hardest part is over. Now, using puffs and carabiners, adjust the tightness of the harness around the cat’s body. Tighten if the straps are loose. Otherwise, if the harness squeezes the body and interferes with movements, move the straps apart a little.
- The last step is to fasten the previously removed leash with a carabiner. That's all!
The “Eight” is much easier to put on - the cat’s front paws are threaded into its rings, like into sleeves. The connection with the carabiner is held above the back.
The video below will also show you how to put on the harness quickly and correctly.
How to accustom a cat to a harness?
For an animal, the device you put on it is a cause for great stress. Naturally, if it spends some time in stupor, shock, it will try to remove the harness from itself. Therefore, before going out into the world, you must wear the harness several times at home so that the animal gets used to it. Never drag your cat by the leash! Let her build her own routes in new “clothes.”
To help your pet get used to the harness faster, we recommend that you adhere to the following recommendations:
- Don't wear your purchase right away. Place it on the floor and let the cat sniff it.
- After a couple of days, you can start training fitting. Do not forget to speak calmly to the animal, caress it, and do not make sudden movements that cause discomfort.
- It is better to try on before eating. You can simply thank your cat for her patience with her favorite treat. This way she will associate the harness with something pleasant.
- Do not leave your pet in a harness at home alone! It should always be under your supervision.
- Try to show the cat that there is nothing wrong with her new “clothes” - play with her, invite her to run and walk around.
- You should begin to control the direction of your cat’s movements only when it begins to feel comfortable in the harness.
- The first places to walk are quiet, deserted, without animals.
- Don't think that you can teach your cat to run after you on a leash like a dog. Unfortunately, this won’t work with a purr. Be prepared that on walks you will follow the cat, and not vice versa.
Now you know which harness is best to choose for your pet and how easy it is to put it on. We advise you to approach the cat with understanding, taking into account its fear and bewilderment in front of a new object.
First experiments
Experienced owners recommend doing the following: take the cat outside in a carrier bag so that there is an opportunity to explore the environment from a “safe distance.” And only then provide the opportunity to walk on a leash. This is how the owner will be able to study the behavior of his cat outside his usual apartment and accurately determine whether the pet needs regular trips outside.
Having chosen the most suitable area, the pet is carefully lowered to the ground. Don’t be distracted by your phone or conversations with friends, control every step and surroundings, because at any moment a stranger or a dog without a leash may appear. Give the cat the opportunity to satisfy its curiosity, do not pull it away from every bush (such actions can cause injury to the animal).
Make sure that your household does not pick up anything from the ground. Do not let him near the carcasses of small rodents or birds. Avoid contact with other cats, which may provoke aggression. Don't let it go too far.
The first walk should not last longer than 10-15 minutes. Only in the future is it possible to increase the time to 30-40 minutes, when the purr adapts to new conditions. Individuals on their own determine the duration of their travel.
And at the dacha you can without a leash
