To leash-walk or not to leash-walk your cat? It’s a question that many cat guardians ponder. If you’re one of them, you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s explore this topic together! First, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of walking your cat. Then, I will share some first-hand insights I gained from leash-walking my two cats. Keep reading to see whether it worked for us.
Get ready to uncover whether strolling with your fur babies is just a far-fetched fantasy or it could become your cat’s (and your) new favourite activity. Let’s embark on this paw-some adventure together! 🐾
Taking a Cat for a Walk: Pros and Cons
Can cats walk on a leash? Well, let’s look at the pros and cons. Knowing the benefits and the risks will help you to decide whether leash-walking might be an option for your kitty.
Positives
Physical Exercise and Preventive Care
In the wild, our feline friends’ ancestors were adept hunters. Their days were filled with preying while avoiding becoming prey themselves, which required a lot of running, jumping, and climbing. But domestication has shifted cats’ lifestyles. While physical activity is no longer necessary for our cats’ survival, it’s still extremely important for their well-being.
Of course, you might have an unusually energetic cat who dutifully does ten reps of zoomies every day. But in most cases, providing our fur babies with physical exercises and keeping them in shape is up to us. While walking does not recreate the “hunting cycle” and thus can’t replace daily interactive play sessions, it’s undoubtedly a great addition!
Mental Stimulation and Enrichment
Cats are curious creatures, and they need environmental enrichment. Boredom is a serious topic as it leads to stress and frustration. Consequently, it can have a serious impact on cats’ overall well-being and health. It’s true, there are great toys we can use indoors. But, it’s extremely hard to recreate the level of stimulation the great outdoors offer. All the exciting smells, fresh grass, chirping birds, bugs-hunting — the outside world is truly fascinating and enriching. And with leash-walking, we can provide our cats access to all those wonders.
Supervision and Safety
People don’t usually let their dogs walk out on their own for a reason, right? The dog could run away and get lost. Or perhaps he could be stolen. And how about all the toxic things he could find and eat? And all the potential fights with other dogs. And the traffic. And what if they encounter someone really bad and cruel?
So, why do we still apply different standards to our cats’ safety? The hazards do not discriminate between species. Cats are smart and intelligent, but it’s unlikely they could learn how to use traffic lights… Thanks to leash-walking, we can take our felines outdoors while protecting them from things they can’t protect themselves from.
If you’d like to learn more about finding the right type of place for your outdoor adventures, check out our detailed guide on taking your cat to the park.
Bonding
Walking your cats outside provides a unique opportunity for nurturing your mutual bond. It’s quality time you spend together. But there’s more to the story. Recent studies looked at how cats bond with their humans. It was discovered that most domestic cats form so-called “secure attachment”. For those cats, their guardians’ presence alleviates stress and promotes exploration. Dr Kristin Vitale who conducted the study says:
The majority of cats are securely attached to their owner and use them as a source of security in a novel environment.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190923111229.htm
In the context of leash walking, it means that when your cats venture into unfamiliar territory, you provide them with an added sense of security. You literally become a “safe camp” your fur babies can retreat to when they feel threatened. Is that not precious?
Training Opportunity
Walking your cats outside provides a unique opportunity for nurturing your mutual bond. It’s quality time you spend together. But there’s more to the story. Recent studies looked at how cats bond with their humans. It was discovered that most domestic cats form so-called “secure attachment”. For those cats, their guardians’ presence alleviates stress and promotes exploration. Dr Kristin Vitale, who conducted the study, says:
Socialisation / Desensitization
Not all cats like being outside. For some of them, it might be stressful and scary. But hang out, aren’t we now discussing the positives of leash-walking a cat? Hear me out: working with your cats’ fears is a great way of building their confidence and turning them into happier creatures. Well-designed (!) leash-walking sessions can be a great therapeutic tool. Gradual and controlled exposition to stressors, ideally paired with positive reinforcement, can make scary things much less scary and boost your cat’s self-confidence.
Negatives
Stress
However exciting, the outside world can be pretty scary and intimidating. Remember, your cats’ ancestors were mezopredators. They weren’t just victorious hunters, they were also preyed upon. For that reason, cats are still wired to stay vigilant and ready to run for their life. At the same time, cats are territorial and their sense of confidence is rooted in owning a familiar space. Some cats might love their outdoor adventures, but not all cats. For some, it will be just scary, intimidating, and stressful.
Health and Safety Issues
Leash-walking is a safer alternative to letting your cats outdoors unsupervised. But that doesn’t mean it is 100% safe. Even with the most secure vest, there’s always a small risk that your cat wiggles out and runs away. However, there are also other factors to consider. The presence of dogs running off-leash is one of the most serious ones. While it might depend on location, my cats and I had particularly bad luck with free-running dogs. Sometimes, the fun is just not worth it.
Territorial Issues
When going outside, your cats leave their familiar territory and enter someone else’s ground. Some cats might not cope with this very well. The risk is particularly high if your cat is skittish or if there are a lot of strays and free-roaming cats in your area. Having returned from a walk, your cats might decide they have to re-establish ownership over your home. After all, the barbarians are clearly at the doors… Unfortunately, the need to “over-own” the territory might manifest in unwanted behaviour, such as marking with urine and poo. And that neither sounds nor smells good.
Excessive Meowing
Walks can be fun. Sometimes even too much fun. Unfortunately, after two or three successful walks your cat might assume that the walks should now happen daily. No matter the season, the weather and whether your day at work was particularly long and tiresome. And as every cat guardian knows, felines can be extremely persistent and vocal about things they believe we own them. You can obviously try to ignore your cat meowing at the doors for hours. But, your cats might as well ignore you ignoring them….
Parasites
Going outside means your furry friend is at risk of catching parasites. Outdoor cats tend to be better protected against those issues because, well, they go out… But, if your felines are technically speaking “indoor cats” it is easy to forget about regular flea treatment and deworming. Unfortunately, creepy crawlies will not know that your indoor cat is out there just for a short while. And I bet you’d rather not invite home any guests.
Door-Dashing
Leash-walking your cats means they are going to discover that your front door is not the edge of the universe. And your kitties might have a hard time understanding why they could go out one day, but mustn’t do it the day after. For that reason, going out should always be part of a clearly defined ritual. And taking cats through the front doors only in a carrier is the most important part of this rite of passage. It’s about giving your cats a clear signal that they are not supposed to ever walk through that door on their own. But even if you take all these precautions, the great outdoors might still be too tempting for your cat to resist door dashing.
Should You Walk with Your Cat? Ask Your Cat!
Now, let me share with you the stories of my two cats and our experiences with leash-walking. In both cases, the motivation for leash-walking was different as we were working on some very specific goals. While for both cats leash-walking served its purpose, I continue the endeavour only with one of them. Keep reading to check out why!
From Skittish Cat to Adventurer
I stumbled upon Kala during one of my extended stays in India. She was still a small kitten. In spite of reason, I decided to bring her with me back to the UK. But Kala’s extreme shyness made the prospect of travelling with her daunting, to say the least. She was really scared of people and loud noise. The mere thought of taking her all the way to Delhi was terrifying.
Additionally, I soon realized that in order to pass airport security, I would need to take Kala out of her carrier bag. In my mind, I could already envision my skittish cat panicking and bolting away. And honestly, searching for a needle in a haystack seemed like a nice alternative compared to a vision of finding a frightened cat hiding somewhere amidst the chaos of Indira Gandhi’s International Airport…
So, I bought a terrible and oversized harness (which happened to be the best option available) and put it on my frightened cat. She wasn’t impressed, but I was determined to make this trip work. I quickly introduced Kala to our quiet enclosed backyard. To my surprise, she started exploring almost immediately. Clearly, her curiosity was stronger than her initial aversion.
With each outing, her confidence grew. So we started going to slightly noisier places. She didn’t love all the unfamiliar sounds and people, but she didn’t freak out either. She started becoming more and more confident.
And then came the big day. We passed through the security gate, and to my surprise, Kala didn’t bolt. While we waited at the gate, I even took her for a leisurely stroll around the terminal. She sniffed around, completely ignoring the hustle and bustle of the people nearby. It was a success!
Thanks to leash-walking Kala made it safely to her forever home. But along the way, she also became more comfortable with all the things that used to freak her out. Leash-walking paired with careful desensitization efforts boosted Kala’s confidence. And she still loves going out!
Going Outdoors? Thanks, I’ve had Enough!
Now, meet Oscar, the peculiar cat who used to reside right next to my workplace. He was always on the streets, aggressive towards other cats and fearful of people. While he had a home, he didn’t want to spend any time there. It was only much later that I realised he had tons of behavioural issues stemming from territorial insecurity. Despite his tough exterior, we gradually formed a bond and became pals.
Fast forward two years, Oscar’s owner decided she was ready to rehome him with us. I couldn’t be happier. But hold on, there was already Kala in the mix…
To say the process of introduction between these two was not easy is to say nothing. It was a wild, noisy and sleepless ride. Oscar was already known for his temperamental ways, but it turned out that Kala could be equally fierce. After a fair share of major mishaps, we finally sought advice from a behaviourist. He immediately dropped a bomb: six weeks of isolation with carefully controlled cat encounters. No big deal, right? Wrong. Not if you’re living in a tiny London flat of 16 square meters, where the only room with doors happens to be your toilet.
In the weeks to come, Oscar happened to be very (VERY!) vocal about the housing crisis in the capital… And presumably about a couple of other issues that he didn’t exactly appreciate in his new home. At this point, we had a serious chat with our behaviourist. We then decided that leash-walking Oscar might ease his transition into indoor living and provide him with some solo time away from Kala. Surprisingly, he took to it and we enjoyed perfect daily strolls for two glorious months.
But then, one day Oscar decided he’d had enough. He simply plopped down on the pavement forcing us to carry him back to the flat. Once inside, he jumped on his fluffy bed and fell asleep. After that, we tried taking him out a couple of times. He wasn’t content. Instead of exploring, he seemed stressed. At the same time, he stopped protesting about his confinement. On the contrary, he looked happier and more relaxed than ever before.
In Oscar’s case, leash-walking surely saved us all from going nuts. This isolation setup was really unfortunate, and I was happy we could give him a bit of a break every day. At the same time, it is clear to me that once Oscar’s behavioural anxiety was addressed, he lost all his interest in outdoor exploration. He eventually had a space he “owned”, a proper home where he could relax. And I accept his choice. After all, I think he had more than enough adventures in his previous life. We stopped leash-walking completely, and the only time I have him in his harness now is during our car training session.
Final Thoughts on Leash-Walking a Cat
I believe that there are no one-fit-all solutions in the feline world. And today’s question is certainly not an exception. Instead of asking whether cats can walk on a leash, the better question is: “Can I walk my cat?”. I hope that learning more about the pros and cons of leash-walking will help decide whether leash-walking might be a good option for your furry friends. After all, you know your cats best!
If you decide to go against it, it is fine. While leash-walking is becoming more popular, certainly not all cats need to become outside explorers. Instead, focus on making your housecat friendly and providing your kitty with plenty of indoor stimulation. For inspiration, you might want to check our posts on entertaining your cat when you do not have any toys or satisfying their hunting instincts in a bloodless and ethical way.
And if you feel that leash-walking might be a good option for your cat, it’s time to get ready for the real deal. Here you can check our detailed guide on taking your cats for their first-ever walk. Keep reading to learn how to avoid the most common mistakes and discover top-notch tips for making all your walks safe and enjoyable!