Author: Eva Tushenkina
December 24, 2021 11:58
Community: Animals
Tags: The question of whether or not to be an edge walking a cat cats opinion animal behavior leash
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David Grimm, deputy editor of Science magazine, has been walking his cats for 13 years and encourages everyone to do the same. He claims that this way domestic cats learn more about the world and this is entirely beneficial for them. However, not everyone agrees with this statement!
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The British charity RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) believes otherwise. RSPCA felinologists warn those who decide to make their feline pets happy by walking on a leash: a leash can cause extreme stress in the animal.
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However, in large cities, the movement with the hashtag #catwalking is growing and expanding (there are already tens of thousands of posts on Instagram alone!). Apparently, both supporters and opponents of this idea are right in some ways. If your kitten is taught to use a leash from the very beginning, he will feel quite comfortable. And if you suddenly put a leash on an established adult cat, it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious from this battle.
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An ardent supporter of cat walking, David Grimm, says that his two pets have been perfectly happy for 13 years and have not been bothered by their leashes. The main thing is that they don’t have to sit within four walls all day long! “We should take our cats for walks. I'm not advocating putting a leash on your cat right away, but it will generally save him from a lot of problems on the street. For example, he won’t get hit by a car,” Grimm writes in his New York Times article. According to the scientist, cats should walk from 30 to 60 minutes a day, not only walking sedately along the sidewalk, but also climbing into some bushes. They should only be put on a leash on busy streets, for their own safety.
Cats hate any embarrassment!
Of course they hate it!
They hate a lot of what life next to a person forces them to do. But still not so much as not to put up with it for the sake of the benefits that coexistence brings them. For example, delicious food. Did you guess it? Walking on a leash is an element of training, and correct behavior must be rewarded. Praise your cat for her calm and indifferent attitude towards the harness and leash, give her treats, and rejoice in her successes. And when she truly feels the joy of walking, she will love her leash and will express impatience when it is in your hands.
Differences between cats and dogs
If you have a sociable animal that accepts most new things, then you can certainly try walking with your pet. But if you have a cat that hides under the bed even at the slightest change in the home environment, experts don't recommend adding stress to the cat.
Cats readily accept indoor play as their only place to relax, and their social tendencies vary greatly: meeting unfamiliar cats is often stressful for the animal rather than an opportunity to play and socialize with others. Walking means moving in an unknown environment without the usual smells. There is also a risk of the cat being injured or suddenly frightened when encountering unfamiliar dogs.
How to walk with a cat
It’s worth clarifying right away that walking down the street with cats is radically different from walking dogs. It will not be possible to teach a cat to behave the same way dogs behave. So, a cat, especially in the city, should not be let off the leash, since these animals can be unpredictable, and any strong sound will cause the cat to run sharply where its eyes are looking, and the owner will not keep up with it.
Unlike dogs, these pets do not follow their owner, but lead him wherever they please, and generally try to walk as if they were on their own. Therefore, you should not pull the animal along with you; it simply will not go and will rest, or it will fall and drag on its side.
Precautionary measures
When you decide to take your cat outside, be sure to make sure that it has all its vaccinations and that the animal is healthy. In addition to the harness, attach a collar with a tag with your address to her neck and never let your baby go outside without it. Then, putting on a harness and placing the cat in a carrier bag, take the cat outside. It is desirable that it be a quiet place, without transport, many people and animals. After opening the bag, give Murka the opportunity to get comfortable and get out on her own. There is no need to pull it out by force. Even if the first times are limited to just sitting in an open bag and sniffing new smells. After all, this is a walk for pleasure.
When the cat starts to get out of the bag, just follow it wherever it likes, again, don’t try to guide it unnecessarily. The first forays outside can be limited to 10-15 minutes, and then the time on the street can be increased to an hour. After walking your cat outside, you need to wash its paws and regularly carry out preventive measures against parasites: worms, fleas, etc.
Should you walk your cat on a harness?
Volunteers and employees of the Murkosha shelter are often asked the question: “Is it possible to walk a cat or kitten on a harness?” People’s motives are clear: they want their pet to receive maximum positive impressions, and at first glance, a harness provides a guarantee of safety. But everything is not so obvious.
- Does a cat need outside?
- Cats and new territory
- What can happen when walking with a cat on a harness?
- What can replace walks on a harness?
Does a cat need outside?
The most important thing I would like to say about walking as such is that people in this matter often project their needs onto animals. Yes, it’s difficult for us to imagine a full life within the four walls of our apartment. But cats are not people! Cats are solitary predators by nature. First of all, they need their own, albeit small, territory, for which they do not have to fight with their relatives. You also need timely and high-quality nutrition, treatment if necessary, protection from parasites, and finally, a good friend, partner and a little “parent” (this is how the cat perceives the owner), with whom you can play and purr next to. As you can see, all this can be obtained at home, moreover, it is easier to provide it at home.
The confines of an apartment are quite sufficient for a cat, given that he will have everything listed above. Believe me, by providing your mustachioed pet with all this, you will make him truly happy and without any hassle.
There is no need to say once again that walking on the street without the supervision of the owner (so-called self-walking) is deadly. When we say “deadly,” we are not exaggerating. Unfortunately, many cats came to our shelter who were simply let out for a walk and got lost. But those who ended up in “Murkosh” are lucky: they are treated, they are given tasty and healthy food, they are taken care of every day, they are looking for a new home and the best owners. However, there are many more who never managed to get to us.
Having become accustomed to affectionate treatment at home and not expecting a threat from people, a cat can even get caught in the yard of its own home by flayers, who pose a threat not only to the health, but also to the life of the pet. We should not forget about animal control services, for which a cat on a walk is almost the same as a stray cat, and which may not be stopped either by the well-groomed appearance of the animal or by a collar.
However, the danger comes not only from people: a cat or kitten on a self-walk can be injured even by its relatives when they try to get food for themselves on someone else’s territory. And that's not all. The animal is in danger of dying under the wheels of a car and being harmed by stray dogs, having its paws injured or frostbitten, or being poisoned by toxic fumes or chemicals that people throw into the food of stray cats. This is a terrible and painful death. Would a responsible and loving owner expose his pet to such danger?
Read more about self-walking: What is cat self-walking and why is it dangerous?
Cats and new territory
So, self-walking is categorically unacceptable. You may object: what about walking on a harness?! After all, the owner will be nearby all the time, the cat on the harness will not run away anywhere, but he will see so many things on the street! What's bad about it?!
Alas, this does not negate the most important thing. Firstly, the fact that, as we have already said, cats do not want to “see so much.” They do not need to develop a new territory; the main thing for them is the presence and preservation of their own. Secondly, for a domestic cat, being outside is stressful in any case. Seals are generally conservative by nature, they perceive change with difficulty, and they do not strive for novelty simply for the sake of novelty. Needless to say, by pulling a cat out of its familiar environment (home) and sending it to an unfamiliar street, you will literally immerse it in everything new.
The loss of one’s territory, a strange rope wrapped around the neck and chest, hundreds of new smells and sounds, forced acquaintance with people and animals encountered along the way, have a bad effect on one’s mental state and physical health. And stress is very destructive for cats and easily provokes the activation of hidden problems or, by weakening the immune system, makes the body vulnerable to infections.
Read more about stress: Stress in a cat: what to do
Thus, cats have no need to explore something new, but stress (and various diseases against this background) can easily be caused by this. In addition, walking a cat on a harness is not nearly as safe as it might seem.
What can happen when walking with a cat on a harness?
What is a harness? Essentially, it's just a strap that goes around the chest and back that the owner can hold on to. There is no guarantee that even with a harness, your kitten will always be with you and that you will always be able to control the situation. So what can happen:
1) A stray or simply ill-mannered dog , left unattended by its owner, can rush at the cat, and either it will jump onto the nearest tree, or you will have to save it. In the first case, you will have to try to remove the cat from the tree, especially if unexpectedly you let go of the harness. In the second, you can get hurt yourself, and quite badly.
2) Unbeknownst to you, the cat can eat the bait with poison (or it will happen too quickly that you will not be able to stop it). This will most likely lead to the pet's painful death. Some baits just need to be sniffed to cause serious poisoning.
3) Even under your supervision, a frightened cat can unexpectedly run under the wheels of a car. Considering that many people do not try very hard to comply with the speed limit in their yards, you are unlikely to have time to react in time.
4) Speaking of a sudden jerk, the cat can simply run away while walking and get lost. The same can happen due to a poor-quality or poorly secured harness. The result is the loss of your beloved pet and all the risks of self-walking at once.
5) Ticks, fleas and lice will be happy to find a new home in your pet’s thick fur, so it is necessary to regularly treat external parasites (drops, a special collar) and carefully inspect the cat for ticks after each walk. The likelihood of a cat becoming infected with worms also increases, so preventive treatments should be carried out more often.
Read about treatment for external parasites: How to treat a cat for parasites
6. A harness and an owner nearby do not guarantee the cat protection from infections. In addition, some dangerous diseases may be resistant to vaccination, while for others there are no vaccines at all. There are different animals on the street: both healthy and sick. A number of viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa are extremely easily transmitted from cat to cat even in the absence of direct contact. All you have to do is step on something and lick your paw. On the other hand, you may encounter an aggressive or simply sick animal that will infect your cat with something unpleasant through a bite or other kind of contact.
7. By indulging your cat’s desire to escape outside, you are reinforcing the behavior that she once forced you to use: loud screams, scratching doors, attempts to escape, etc. In other words, the cat will quickly understand that you can be manipulated and will take advantage of it.
8. Even a short walk involves contaminating your pet’s fur and paws with street dirt. This means that after each walk the cat needs to wash its paws and wipe its fur with a damp cloth. Since cats are not ardent fans of water treatments, the pet receives additional unnecessary stress. And this, as we have already said, provokes the development of various diseases.
Thus, we can conclude that the benefits of walking a cat on a harness are doubtful, but the harm is obvious.
What can replace walking on a harness?
It is possible that the cat persistently asks to go outside. What to do in this case?! The answer is simple: castrate (in the case of a cat, neuter)! This simple operation will equalize the animal’s hormonal levels, as a result the pet will not only stop asking to go outside, but will also avoid the risk of developing a number of dangerous diseases, including cancer. That is why at the Murkosha shelter, all children over 6 months old are castrated or sterilized. We care about the health of pets and advise everyone else to do the same!
Read more about sterilization: Sterilization is a conscious need
If the cat has already been neutered, but the problem remains, figure out what is pulling your pet outside. Cats are very sensitive to their territory and do not want to leave it without reason. It is possible that the cat feels uncomfortable communicating with one of the family members and prefers to escape instead of active confrontation. If necessary, contact a pet psychologist who will be able to more accurately determine the cause and, if necessary, correct the pet’s behavior.
Read more: Animal psychologist who is it and why is it needed
Perhaps the reason is that an unspayed cat or an unsterilized cat marks the surrounding area (for example, a stairwell). Even sterilized pets get nervous when they sense a stranger at the border. Ask your neighbor not to let a cat into the stairwell that marks your door, or neuter a stray cat who is claiming territory in this way. Having solved the problem, you will relieve your cat of anxiety, and she will stop wanting to go outside.
It also makes sense to consult with a veterinarian about possible diseases that provoke restless behavior in your cat.
If you want your cat to have as much fun as possible, you can do it at home. Set up a play complex with different levels and transitions, toys and surfaces for sharpening claws. Place a bed on the windowsill from which the cat can watch the street, and you can also place pots of grass there. We remind you that there must be anti-cat nets on the windows for the safety of your pet. An aquarium with fish (even artificial ones) perfectly distracts the attention of cats and serves as a TV.
And most importantly, play with your mustachioed pet more often! This will allow him to lead a full, active life and improve your relationship. If the cat is interested in home, he will not need any street.
Read about the benefits of games: Why cats play and how to do it correctly
So, walking outside is very easy to replace with games at home. And you definitely shouldn’t train a kitten to walk on a harness! Remember that your personal desire to walk your cat on a harness (especially against its will) is not a sufficient basis for serious risk.
Worms and poison
Anything that can get into a cat's mouth on the street is potentially dangerous. Worms are found in the soil and grass, but you shouldn’t be particularly afraid of them. We constantly bring worm eggs home on our shoes, so the cat is already familiar with them in any case. If you carry out periodic deworming, then there is no need to worry. But the food scattered on the ground, poisoned by dog hunters, is worth attention. Never allow your cat to take food from the ground! If a dog can be trained not to do this, then with cats the problem is easier to solve with the help of a leash and your attention.
Stress
All cats experience negative experiences on their first walks. This is fine. If you sat inside four walls all your life and didn’t know that there was a world around you, you would be scared too. In addition, cats have a heightened sense of hearing and smell, and therefore new sounds and smells of the street seem stronger to them than to us, which is also frightening and stressful at first. But over time, everything changes - and the cat, who hated the street, suddenly begins to love it, because he understands: it’s interesting, it smells nice, it gives new vivid impressions.
With the right approach, which starts with taking the cat in a carrier or in a special space backpack out into the yard for 5 minutes, almost any animal can be taught to love walks. To do this you will need from 1 to 10 outputs. But there always remains a small percentage of those who are against it, even despite regular appearances. It’s probably better to leave them at home and not force them: if the animal experiences negative stress every time during a walk, this will not bring anything good - then let it breathe the air while sitting on the windowsill.
Which pets are not recommended for walking?
There are animals that are prohibited from being taken outside. For such cats and their owners, walking can become a big problem.
It is not recommended to walk animals in the following cases:
- Kittens up to 5 months. They have a very weak immune system, and on the street you can catch a virus or accidentally get injured.
- Impressionable, aggressive, timid animals. They pose a danger to others. A sudden movement or cry leads to aggressive actions by the animal. The cat may attack the owner or a stranger, get scared or run away.
- During heat, cats gather all the cats near them. If pet owners do not need such problems, it is not advisable to walk their pet at this time.
- Without a flea collar or vaccinations, your cat may become infected with something and pick up insects. Treatment is not cheap, so it is not worth the risk.
- Walking is not recommended for a long-term pregnant cat. If your pet has never walked outside, you should not go there during this period.
- Sick animals who have recently been ill or have undergone surgery need to stay at home.
