After much discussion and heartache we decided to keep our cat indoors due to the dangers, but today we purchaced a cat harness, because I hate the thought of my poor kitty been stuck indoors all day (even though she doesnt seem bothered herself) so today I tried taking her for a walk, obviously she didnt understand how to walk on the lead but once we were at our destination (the park) she happiliy sat on my knee purring.

But my question is
1) Do you think a cat should be allowed outside or stay in and
2) what do you generally think about cat harnesses

I want people opinions here, because even though I have made the decision to have freckles be an indoor cat I still bellieve cats are still wild at heart and deserve to play outdoors.

[Irene Jims]

Originally Posted by lil_miss_freckles

After much discussion and heartache we decided to keep our cat indoors due to the dangers, but today we purchaced a cat harness, because I hate the thought of my poor kitty been stuck indoors all day (even though she doesnt seem bothered herself) so today I tried taking her for a walk, obviously she didnt understand how to walk on the lead but once we were at our destination (the park) she happiliy sat on my knee purring.

But my question is
1) Do you think a cat should be allowed outside or stay in and
2) what do you generally think about cat harnesses

I want people opinions here, because even though I have made the decision to have freckles be an indoor cat I still bellieve cats are still wild at heart and deserve to play outdoors.

I agree that cats are naturally wild at heart, I'd rather put it this way : they are playful by nature, they deserve to play outdoors. But his/her safety is always the bottom line. After reading your previous post (your cat being poisoned), indicating how harmful this outdoor could be for your cat, and you'll fiigure out what my opinion is. All my cats are STRICTLY INDOOR. But I'll sometimes take them to the park only under my eagle-eye supervision, and they are all harness trained. The importance of using harness is because they are easily frightened and will suddenly run for life to somewhere you can't see them (this is their nature too to hide). If you're lucky, you can find him/her, but what if you are not ? Remember, your experience with Tamba after 3 days of missing her.. I don't want to rely on my luck, I'd rather play safe, for the safety of my indoor cats.
PS : Don;t worry, once your cat is trained to be indoor cats, they will be more happy to be in the house than out.

[krzekmaya]

Of course he can play outside but only if you're sure he will be safe, if not the best will be to keep him inside.

[supersmithy]

I agree with Irenes comments, but it is a a difficult choice to make when they are used to going outside. Personally I allow Pixie and Sasha out during the day because we both have to work (although Ken my husband is always home either morning or afternoon) and I worry that they get bored inside - when they are in they sleep so much. I always keep them in at night though. They really love the outdoors and don't go far, although I do worry since I lost Simba to a car accident.

However I think your situation does warrant keeping Freckles as an indoor cat and I would do the same - she will get used to the harness the more you use it and you will be giving her fresh air and exercise but at the same time knowing she is at no risk of coming to any harm - so persevere, it will be worth it!

well its been a few days now since freckles became an indoor kitty and to be honest she has adjusted really well we can literually keep the door wide open and she doesnt even attempt to go outside (which I find a bit stange) Its sort of like she knows what happened to Tamba and/or she knows Tamba has gone so she has no play buddy so she no longer is interested in the outside.

I have tried for the last three days to have her on the harness but to yet no avail, I end up just carrying her as she tends to just lay down and refuse to move, she would happily walk around with me all day as long as she is carried, but I am hoping slowly she will get used to it as it is for her own benefit. ( I can guarentee I dont get alot of pleasure from doing it, lol only yesterday when I carried her by the park someone said 'awwww is that a little puppy' and I was like 'erm no its a cat' But as everyone knows I have my reasons for doing it and will continue to do so, so she gets the exercise she needs

[Irene Jims]

Obviously she has been now more dependent on you, she feels safe in your arms and enjoys the secure feeling.. and what's wrong with that ? My Lady Fergie enjoys being carried outdoor more than harnessed... , she is my stick-like-a-glue fur-baby.. As you assumed sort of like she knows what happened to Tamba ? Don't be amazed, animal's instincts are always sharper than human's...

[acerlt]

Cats live longer healthier safer lives indoors. With enough attention and places to jump on, they do not need to get bored or overweight.

That being said, my cats are harness trained.. I have a small fenced area that I bring them out into, where I work in my gardens. I never leave them out there alone, and never ever tether them. they wear their harnesses with about 8 feet of lightweight polyrope dragging behind.

Somewhere I have made a long post with details about this I will try to find it later as I am out of time. There is a specific method to harness training a cat.

I can tell you all about it if you are interested. I have been successfully harness training my cats for 13 years. I started it, not because I felt they needed to be outdoors (I do not believe that at all) but because I love to garden and work many hours.

I felt bad, because I have so little home time with them, and if I was working in my gardens, then they were missing out on time with me. So I put up a fence and harness trained them so they could be with me, happiness all around!

details later if you are interested.

[acerlt]

Originally Posted by lil_miss_freckles

well its been a few days now since freckles became an indoor kitty and to be honest she has adjusted really well we can literually keep the door wide open and she doesnt even attempt to go outside (which I find a bit stange) Its sort of like she knows what happened to Tamba and/or she knows Tamba has gone so she has no play buddy so she no longer is interested in the outside.

I have tried for the last three days to have her on the harness but to yet no avail, I end up just carrying her as she tends to just lay down and refuse to move, she would happily walk around with me all day as long as she is carried, but I am hoping slowly she will get used to it as it is for her own benefit. ( I can guarentee I dont get alot of pleasure from doing it, lol only yesterday when I carried her by the park someone said 'awwww is that a little puppy' and I was like 'erm no its a cat' But as everyone knows I have my reasons for doing it and will continue to do so, so she gets the exercise she needs

There is a method to harness training, I can give you step by step instructions later if you want.

however, if she shows no interest in going outside and you are with her often enough to give her all the attention she needs, really there is no reason for her to go out.

but I'll be back in later.

Originally Posted by acerlt

Cats live longer healthier safer lives indoors. With enough attention and places to jump on, they do not need to get bored or overweight.

That being said, my cats are harness trained.. I have a small fenced area that I bring them out into, where I work in my gardens. I never leave them out there alone, and never ever tether them. they wear their harnesses with about 8 feet of lightweight polyrope dragging behind.

Somewhere I have made a long post with details about this I will try to find it later as I am out of time. There is a specific method to harness training a cat.

I can tell you all about it if you are interested. I have been successfully harness training my cats for 13 years. I started it, not because I felt they needed to be outdoors (I do not believe that at all) but because I love to garden and work many hours.

I felt bad, because I have so little home time with them, and if I was working in my gardens, then they were missing out on time with me. So I put up a fence and harness trained them so they could be with me, happiness all around!

details later if you are interested.

I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this, all our family love the ourdoors and going for walks and stuff and I would love it to include freckles into all of this, she and our german shepard get on tremendously so I see no reason why this wouldnt work (I am sure miss freckles has different ideas)

[acerlt]

Originally Posted by lil_miss_freckles

I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this, all our family love the ourdoors and going for walks and stuff and I would love it to include freckles into all of this, she and our german shepard get on tremendously so I see no reason why this wouldnt work (I am sure miss freckles has different ideas)

To train them to the harness, I started by leaving the harnesses lying around the house until they became familiar objects. for a week or two.

Then I began draping the harness over the cat.

After a few more days I put the harness on kitty then took it off again, each time leaving it on a little longer.

Oh, first I practiced putting the harness on and off a stuffed animal cat, until I could do it quickly. My hands don't work too well at the best of times and practice made it a little easier to manage on a live cat.

One caution, never tether a cat on a leash. He could hurt himself very badly if something was to come by and scare him , or worse, if he couldn't get away at all.

by the way, here is another discussion in this forum on the same subject, with a lot more input.:

http://www.i-love-cats.com/forums/ca...h-52804-3.html

Please let us know how it goes!