FAQ's
Can cats really be walked on a leash?
Yes.
When it comes to being walked on a leash, cats have been living in the large shadows of their canine neighbours. But leash-training cats is a relatively easy thing to do, provided this activity is understood in terms of the many unique aspects of feline behavior. By learning to view leash-training in terms of natural cat behaviors, owners can avoid mishandling their cats, which leads to inevitable failure (and occasionally claw and bite marks).
Walk Your Cat explains how cats learn and how to train them. It also explains the importance of motivation for leash-training cats. With these basic tools, the book demonstrates unequivocally that cats can indeed be leash-trained!
What do I need to walk my cat?
Having a strong bond with your cat is the most important thing you need to successfully walk it. Other than that, all you need a suitable place to walk it and a good harness and leash.
Can cats be accustomed to wearing a harness?
Yes. It is common to find stories of owners who have tried to put a harness on their cat and have it "turn feral in front of their eyes." Walk Your Cat explains that it is never a good idea to force anything on a cat. This includes forcing it to wear a harness. Instead, by using the correct motivator, and being patient, wearing a harness will quickly become second nature for any cat.
Why a book on walking cats?
The fact that so few of the millions of indoor cats in the US, and worldwide, are walked would be surprising--if it were not for the widespread belief that cats can't be walked. The authors of Walk Your Cat hope to change the way the public views walking cats. The benefits to cats, and to their owners, are significant enough to warrant a serious look at the topic of walking cats. For the authors, leash-training indoor cats seems like an obvious development in the feline-human relationship. As humans have moved to urban and suburban settings, the population of indoor cats has grown. The authors hope that with their book a new class of cat, which they like to call the "modern indoor cat", will emerge. These are indoor cats that live a more natural life, with all the benefits of both the indoors and the outdoors.
What are the benefits to leash-training and walking cats?
The most immediate benefit is the abundance of physical and mental stimulation cats get on walks outdoors. But owners, too, will benefit. People who use Walk Your Cat to train their cats will come away with a new understanding of their cats. This new understanding will improve their bond with their cats and their ability to communicate with them. The basic principles used for leash-training that are described in the book can also be used by readers in other ways, including managing behavioral problems.
What's unique about this book?
The authors have sifted through the facts and fiction on walking cats to find out what really is possible and how far this activity can be taken. In this way, they have come up with the most in-depth discussion of walking cats available. It is TRULY a complete guide. Key aspects of their approach are an emphasis on correct motivating factors and on the importance of understanding feline behavior for successful training.
What can I expect when walking my cat?
As previously indicated, walking your cat should be viewed in terms of feline behavior. Leash-training cats is NOT obedience training. To see what it is like, watch the Cat-Cam on the home page.
Can my nervous cat be walked?
Yes. Nervous cats can be walked. Walk Your Cat describes reassurance techniques to help timid cats become accustomed to the outdoors. For instance, your cat can learn to be relaxed around passing cars or people, and not to run whenever a car backfires.
What about dogs?
Walk Your Cat explains that not all places are equally interesting to your cat. You should choose locations that it will find stimulating. You should also choose places that are safe. This might seem obvious, but some people cite the possibility of dog attacks as a reason not to walk cats. To keep your cat safe, do not walk it in places that dogs are allowed to run free.
Can my old cat be walked?
It is a myth that old cats can't be walked. With proper motivation, cats of all ages can be trained to walk on a leash. The same training principles that apply to kittens also apply to older cats. Provided they are physically able, even old cats can be leash-trained.
Can all breeds of cats be walked?
Breed plays a negligible role when it comes to training. A cat's early life experiences and the environment it is walked in play a much greater role in the ease with which it can be leash-trained.
Have any questions you would like answered? Please contact us.
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