Buying a Cat Harness

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Buying a harness for your cat means you do not have to run after your kitty every time. You can always control your cat as it is attached to your hand by a cord. Before you order a cat harness, you must get a tape measure. Take all measurements around the girth of the cat. The measuring area should be just after the front legs. Duly note the measurement in inches. Yes, you can measure its neck too, but the girth measurement is more important. This will wriggle backward if the cat squirms. The harness must be adjustable so that you can make it a snug fit. You must be able to put your two fingers under the harness when the cat has it on.

Harness styles

Harnesses for cats come in many styles. The style of figure 8 fits over the head and also behind the shoulders. The H style slips over the neck and a strap buckles around the circumference with a short strap over the shoulders connecting them. The vest style is a harness that covers the whole body, especially the torso. The walk-in style of harness involves the cat stepping into the harness and then it buckles behind the animal's shoulders. Good security is provided by the H style, the best in this context being the vest style. The latter has a downside to it. Cats may feel confined in the vest harness, and it could take some time to get used to such confinement. It is to be noted that if you own a big cat, you can put on a dog's harness over it too.

Fastening and putting it on a cat

Harnesses can be snapped into place with Velcro and buckles. Although some cat owners prefer Velcro, there are doubts about whether it will stay locked when the cat jumps or runs without any prior warning. A hard plastic buckle is a much better bet in this regard. Do keep in mind that you may find it hard to tie the buckle if your cat is too hairy or has excess amounts of fur on its body. Any variety of car harness, independent of its style, must have the D-ring-a ring where you snap the leash. It is located right after the shoulder blades of the cat.

Cats do not like to wear harnesses, and the animal must be eased into wearing one. The process must begin from the kitten stage itself. Show it to the kitten and allow it to play with the product. Make it think of the harness as a toy. Do give treats after it wears the harness. You can rub catnip into it. The idea is to make the cat used to wearing a harness.

Will You Harness Your Cat?

Attaching a harness to your cat will make it secure outdoors. You can supervise it without fear of a bigger predator or the cat getting lost. The problem is the cat may not like wearing a harness. It is up to you to condition it to wear one. Do remember that you should select the most suitable harness for your kitty. To choose one, you have to select between a walking jacket or the H-type harness. Do note that harnesses of figure-eight design are not secure.

Once your car wears a harness, you must adjust it. The fit must be so that you could insert your two fingers between the harness and your kitty. If your cat is of a larger size, opt out of the cat harness and buy one more suitable for a smaller dog.

The cat must be used to its harness

You can expect some out-of-the-way behavior from your cat when you first attach the harness to its body. A majority of cats dislike the harness at first contact. To overcome this, you must distract the kitty when the harness is on. Put it on during free time and it must wear the same for a few minutes while eating. Alternatively, play its favorite game when it is wearing the harness or simply give it its favorite food. Do not extend the sessions by more than a few minutes. Increase the harness-wearing time as time goes by. When you find your cat having no problems with wearing the harness, add a leash.

Please note that you must not allow the harness-wearing cat to be left unsupervised. The cat must link the harness with nice memories like treats, play, or food. Begin with a short session, amounting to two minutes or a maximum of 10 treats every day. If your cat does not progress as quickly as you like, be patient. The cat will be adapted to the harness after some time.

Using a leash

It is vital your cat must get familiar with the leash. The feline must be comfortable when it wears the restraining grips. The harness must be worn by the cat about 15 minutes earlier before it wears the leash. The thing must be strapped onto your cat in a quiet and safe place. Attach the leash to the harness and not to the collar. The leash must not be more than eight feet long. You may have to wait for a little until the tension on the leash becomes zero. It is perfectly safe to allow your kitty to move around as long as it does not pull. Do follow it to prevent tension. If you walk with your kitty, it must not be longer than 15 minutes.