Whether you believe it or not, cats can be trained to go on walks too. Taking your cat out for a walk wouldn’t just look awesome but it’s actually great for your pet too.
Cats love to be outdoors.
According to Sherry Woodard, an animal behavior consultant at Best Friends Animal Society, there is many benefits to walking your kitty outdoors. The activity will help to think more. It would know how to use its body and discover how things smell like. This would help to make your cat to be brighter and more engage.
Scaredy cat no more.
Cats are known to be skittish creatures. Bringing them outside would help them acclimate to new surroundings. They will gain more confidence once they’re harnessed trained according to Woodard.
Let your kitty get used to the harness.
Woodard specifically stated not to force the harness on your pet. Let your cat sniff the harness and get used to it. Prepare handy treats to feed your cat when you try to put on the harness. Let your cat play around with the harness until it get used to it. Then, put on the leash so that your pet can adjust to its weight.
Indoor walks first.
To let your pet get used to being guided, you shouldn’t take them outdoors right away, suggests Woodard. Walk them inside your house first. Then you can transition to an enclosed outdoor area where stimuli, noise and busy activities, are kept to minimum.
Ready for an adventure.
When your cat get used to being guided on a leash, you can take them outdoors. You can walk them to parks or take them with you for hiking and other outdoor activities.
Not for all cats.
There are some cats which wouldn’t get used to harness or hate being outdoors, according to Woodard. But, there are still some ways to give your kitty the benefits of outdoor stimuli. You can try building a screened in outdoor “catio” or getting a carrying case or cat stroller.