Cat Harnesses And Leads

Cat leads are only necessary if you intend to tale your cat for walks or if you are taking it to a strange house and need to keep it under control. Some cats actively enjoy this, particularly Siamese.

It is not unusual to see this breed traveling on public transport on a lead. However, most cats are naturally resistant to wearing any such controlling apparatus and will fight against it, especially if they become frightened.

To take them on a bus or train on lead leather rather than in a carrier is foolhardy under any circumstances. If they cat panics, it could either become tangled and hurt itself, or escape.

If a lead is worn on a more suitable outing, it should be no more than 1 meter or 3 feet long, and have a fitted harness rather than a collar for attachment. This not only allows more control and comfort, but is more secure.

Cats are great escapologists, however, and even the most carefully fitted harness may prove insecure. Introduce your cat to a harness and lead as early as possible.

Put the harness on first by itself and just for a short time each day. After you have done this for a few days, attach the lead for a short time, several days running, but just leave it railing.

When the cat seems relaxed about the lead, try walking it, first indoors for brief spells, then in the garden, and then in a street where the cat can get used to traffic and people, but do not overdo it.

Magnetic tags double as a means of identify and a key to enable the wearer to go through its cat flap. Some oriental cats appear to enjoy going for walks, but they need to be familiarized with a collar or harness and lead from an early age.

Identity tags can be simple metal discs engraved with the owner’s name and telephone number, or an information packed barrel containing the owner’s address and the vet’s address and emergency telephone number.