The Real Hello Kitty

i've had several people ask me how i taught hello to walk on a leash.  just like all training, it is easiest to start your furkids when they are still young.  hello was 3.5 months old when i began leash training and she was comfortable on a leash in public within 2 weeks. 

first of all, you have to consider the cat in question.  i would not take my cat out in public unless she was comfortable being held for considerable lengths of time. if your kitty can't find solace in your arms, then putting her in a new and potentially stressful situation may not be a smart thing to attempt.  your cat's personality is a better determinant of whether he/she will accept being walked on a leash than the actual training itself.  if kitty likes to follow you around the house, kitty might enjoy being with you outside of the house.  if your cat is extremely skittish or is afraid of strangers, then he/she is probably not a good candidate and would prefer the safety of your home.

how to do it.  step 1.  get kitty used to wearing a harness first, even for minutes at a time in the beginnning.  she may act like she just walked into a swarm of bees, she may lay down and refuse to move, she may squirm around on the floor like she's never been in more discomfort in her life.  offer her lots of treats.  try to get her to come to you to get each treat.  or try putting it on right before meal time.  hopefully, she'll realize that eating is more important than throwing a tantrum.  try this only once or twice a day at first.  if she totally freaks out, take it off immediately.  we want her to accept the harness, so don't let her associate too many negative experiences with it.  gradually leave it on for longer periods of time.  when she is comfortable enough in it to wear it for hours, even nap in it, then onto step 2. attach a leash. let her roam around the house during the day with the leash attached dragging on the floor so she gets used to seeing it. let her play with it, chew on it, whatever.  just make sure the leash doesn't catch on anything so she doesn't get hurt.  step 3.  get her used to pressure on the harness.  pick her up, cuddle her, or if she are laying in your lap, lightly pull on the harness a little at a time where the leash attaches. gradually, tug a little harder and for longer periods of time.  that will get her used to feeling pressure on the harness on her back.  pet her and praise her at the same time, so she doesn't get stressed out. once she stops reacting to the harness tug, step 4. (this will feel silly) let her walk you around the house.  follow her where ever she wants to go with you holding the leash.  follow closely behind so she doesn't get any sudden jolts of pressure.  make it fun.  pretend it's a game.  give her treats and lots of praise.  step 5.  once she is comfortable walking on a leash, then start trying to apply a little pressure on the leash to get her to go in the direction of your choice.  lure her with treats.  walk a few steps in one directions, gently tug, and lure her to come to you with a treat.  never use force.  most importantly, be patient and use lots of positive reinforcement.

the key is to understand that cats are not dogs. a leash trained cat is a cat that is more likely walking you than you are walking the cat.  i am able to control where hello goes by tugging on her leash, but i usually give her 75% of the control on where we go and at what pace. if i need to get somewhere, i usually pick her up and walk with her. she will not squirm to be put down until i stop walking. in the beginning - for the public debut, take your cat somewhere like petsmart or petco where it is fun, pet-friendly, and safe from loud, unpredictable street noise. there is a lot of stimulation for them (watching birds, rabbits, playing with kitty toys in the kitty aisle, playing in the cat trees, lots of strangers petting them) and people just love seeing cats there because they usually only get canine visitors. then try taking your cat outside to a quiet park.  take her out as frequently as you can so she gets used to it (i take hello out once a week at least). once you feel you have adequate control of your cat and she is comfortable enough on the leash, then attempt a busier, noisier environment like an outside cafe or coffee house.  you and your cat will have a lot more interaction with people there as people and children will stop to pet her and ask you questions about her and how you leash trained her.  your cat will quickly get used to street noise, screaming kids, etc.  also, it is important that you make your cat feel safe too, so whenever you see anything that can be considered a threat to the her (approaching dog, car, or running toddler, loud noises, etc.), pick your cat up and hold her tight so she feels safe and understands that you are looking after her.  read her body language.  if she is uncomfortable with a stranger or a child playing with her, remove her from the situation. 

as you can see from her photos in her potty training blog, hello wears her harness all the time.