![\"cat](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pawversity.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/cat-on-leash.jpg?resize=650%2C434\")
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Many of our blogs encourage people to keep their cat indoors at all times. \u00a0This is largely for the simple reason that it is just safer and healthier for them to do so. Being allowed to wander outside exposes cats to all sorts of bacteria, diseases, and traumatic situations that they would be better off avoiding. \u00a0However, do the same principles apply if you were to walk with your cat outside on a leash? \u00a0Here are some of the things to consider before you prance out in the great outdoors with your pretty kitty.<\/p>\n
What is your cat\u2019s temperament? \u00a0<\/strong>Is your cat pretty predictable and steady when it comes to stimulations like noises, new toys or items around the house? How does she react when a stranger comes over? \u00a0Is she defensive, meowing loudly, even scratching or hissing at anything unfamiliar? \u00a0Is she skittish and inclined to race away to the nearest corner,\u00a0or does the cat slowly approach new people or new things and check them out? \u00a0How your cat reacts to unfamiliar things will be very telling when it comes to how they might behave outside.<\/p>\n How does the cat interact with potential prey<\/strong>? Is the kitty parked forever at your front window, chattering away at the birds before pouncing in frustration on the nearby pillows? When she baits and tackles the toy mouse, does she rip it to shreds, or chew on it until the toy is unrecognizable? \u00a0Or is the cat playful and giddy as a hunter, \u00a0but seems to lose interest after a while a move on? \u00a0 Some cats that lash out in aggression in their homes might just not be getting the exercise they need, and would function much better as a pet if they were to have regular walks. \u00a0If you are in doubt about your cat\u2019s behavior, start by going on small strolls before ending up at a busy park.<\/p>\n Do you have the right tools for the outing?<\/strong> \u00a0Using your Yorkie\u2019s retractable leash just won\u2019t cut it if you are hoping to walk your cat. \u00a0Felines are clever, stealthy and have incredibly flexible spines, making them surprisingly adept at slipping out of nooses. \u00a0A walking jacket or harness made for cats is not only much more secure and comfortable, but it is less of a choking hazard, should your cat jump suddenly up on a tree or bench and lose her footing.<\/p>\n What is your expectation and agenda?<\/strong> \u00a0Are you looking for a short little jaunt and creative way to explore a new space, such as a park or large lawn somewhere? \u00a0If you are planning to go a far distance, moving quickly, and without distraction, then maybe cat-walking isn\u2019t for you. \u00a0Once outside in a new place, a kitty will be bombarded with new scents, sounds, and sights all of which may take some getting used to. Something could startle them, or cause them to panic. \u00a0\u00a0Be willing to move gradually allowing your cat to acquaint himself with the space, and be prepared with a towel-in-hand to pick him up and carry him home or to the car should his stress level become overwhelming. \u00a0The point is to have fun with your cat and expand his horizons in a safe manner, without causing him any undue anxiety.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many of our blogs encourage people to keep their cat indoors at all times. \u00a0This is largely for the simple reason that it is just safer and healthier for them to do so. Being allowed to wander outside exposes cats to all sorts of bacteria, diseases, and traumatic situations that they would be better off […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[15],"tags":[19],"class_list":["post-2909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-training-and-behavior","tag-cats"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/cat-on-leash.jpg?fit=650%2C434&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5xKys-KV","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2909\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}