Walking a cat is not like walking a dog...it goes more along the lines of them taking you for a walk. And stopping to go through gardens, jump on fences, climb trees, catch flies and moths, and try to sneak up on birds. What did surprise me about taking Kato for walks was his fascination with scent - I'd have to say far more so than a dog. But then Korats have super senses, and a cat's nose in general is not much thought about in terms of its amazing capabilities...here's the real story though:
'while a dog’s keen nose is legendary, cats are no mean sniffers either. In fact, because there is so much variability among breeds of dog, the average cat, with its 200 million smell receptors, actually has a more acute nose than the average dog.'_
But back to walking. This is an activity that takes some training and the right equipment, and great attention on the part of the human. We have to be aware of potential things that will spook our cat, and keep the cat safe; for us, diesel engines and dogs are things that will make Kato RUN, so we shorten the leash and crouch down with him under our bodies to keep him safe...ahead of him becoming aware of the threat. You can see how well he understands us in this video - after 2 years, we started training small SAFE sections of the walk leash free. And started to play with Kato outside: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmnSdasKFVQ
The jacket you see in this picture is not one we use anymore. This was a trial phase of a product we thought might be nice. The Kitty Holster is available from America. In Kato's case, he didn't like it that much, and when a sound scared him outside, he was able to get his legs tucked up through the body of the jacket so he would flop around on the ground legless (and distressed). I think in part it is because this jacket is not cut long, leggy, and slender enough for a Korat. There have been great reviews of the product from other users. Mynwood Cat Jackets from the UK (with postage included in the price!) look like they may be cut better for a Korat body type. What we do use is a simple Avenue harness available in many pet stores. He CAN get out of it if there is great desire - but this doesn't happen on his walks, and if it did, we are close enough to get him before he succeeds. The one time he demonstrated his powers of escape from the harness was when I used it as a tethering device to keep him on our balcony...sneeky boy desperately wanted to get across to the next balcony, so he got where I couldn't see him...and then there was an empty harness!
We also use the Flexi Mini retractable lead. It is designed for small dogs (and cats) so it is very light. I prefer it to tapes and cords as these would be heavier. Also watch out for HUGE clips on the end of the lead - way too heavy for a cat. The retractable lead allows a cat to wander as they please, without loops that will tangle, trail, and trip them up. There is also a 'stop' button on the hand held bit that is useful in guiding the cat - away from intriguing dog poo for instance. And you can lock the lead at any desired length. Please learn from my idiocy - I tried to stop the lead with my fingers once. Cats can be very strong and fast when scared, and I got bad 'rope' burns. Needless to say, I have re-trained myself to use the 'stop' button!
And that's the equipment! I will be writing more in the 'Behaviour' thread about harness training, as I have a new baby to train...one who also wants OUT!
Here's a sample of Kato on his walks:
'while a dog’s keen nose is legendary, cats are no mean sniffers either. In fact, because there is so much variability among breeds of dog, the average cat, with its 200 million smell receptors, actually has a more acute nose than the average dog.'_
But back to walking. This is an activity that takes some training and the right equipment, and great attention on the part of the human. We have to be aware of potential things that will spook our cat, and keep the cat safe; for us, diesel engines and dogs are things that will make Kato RUN, so we shorten the leash and crouch down with him under our bodies to keep him safe...ahead of him becoming aware of the threat. You can see how well he understands us in this video - after 2 years, we started training small SAFE sections of the walk leash free. And started to play with Kato outside: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmnSdasKFVQ
The jacket you see in this picture is not one we use anymore. This was a trial phase of a product we thought might be nice. The Kitty Holster is available from America. In Kato's case, he didn't like it that much, and when a sound scared him outside, he was able to get his legs tucked up through the body of the jacket so he would flop around on the ground legless (and distressed). I think in part it is because this jacket is not cut long, leggy, and slender enough for a Korat. There have been great reviews of the product from other users. Mynwood Cat Jackets from the UK (with postage included in the price!) look like they may be cut better for a Korat body type. What we do use is a simple Avenue harness available in many pet stores. He CAN get out of it if there is great desire - but this doesn't happen on his walks, and if it did, we are close enough to get him before he succeeds. The one time he demonstrated his powers of escape from the harness was when I used it as a tethering device to keep him on our balcony...sneeky boy desperately wanted to get across to the next balcony, so he got where I couldn't see him...and then there was an empty harness!
We also use the Flexi Mini retractable lead. It is designed for small dogs (and cats) so it is very light. I prefer it to tapes and cords as these would be heavier. Also watch out for HUGE clips on the end of the lead - way too heavy for a cat. The retractable lead allows a cat to wander as they please, without loops that will tangle, trail, and trip them up. There is also a 'stop' button on the hand held bit that is useful in guiding the cat - away from intriguing dog poo for instance. And you can lock the lead at any desired length. Please learn from my idiocy - I tried to stop the lead with my fingers once. Cats can be very strong and fast when scared, and I got bad 'rope' burns. Needless to say, I have re-trained myself to use the 'stop' button!
And that's the equipment! I will be writing more in the 'Behaviour' thread about harness training, as I have a new baby to train...one who also wants OUT!
Here's a sample of Kato on his walks: