Attention Cat People..

I have a question for you...

Have you ever "walked" your cat on a leash?

I saw an elderly lady today on my route coming outside to get the mail. First off, she came out only seconds after the mailman left her mailbox....as if she had been waiting all day long for this one event.

But, she came out with her cat on a leash. Now, that's a first for me. I can be rather judgmental when I see strange stuff from people I don't know, so the "crazy" thoughts were a flowin'.

But, she decided to help me out, too. She got about halfway to the mailbox and just let go of the leash? Now, what the heck is that? Why go to the trouble of putting the darned cat on a leash only to let the leash go and continue to walk another 20 feet or more away from the cat?

If I were the cat, I would have run away from my crazy captor. It's now midnight, and if I were to make a run to WallyWorld, I think I would find her in there.

Like gramps used to say, "Son, it don't take all kinds.....we just GOT all kinds."

:scratch:

I have seen people walking their cats on a leash. Some cities now have laws to keep cats on leashes, the same as dogs. Personally, I think that is a great idea. I am so sick and tired of cleaning up cat poop out of my garden I am going to invest in a live trap.

Gwynn

I did have a halter and leash for Furbal, my cat who is now in that big litter box in the sky. We usually only used the halter and leash when we were in unknown territory, like on a trip and I did not want him to get lost. It took quite a while (an understatement) to teach him to accept the restraint.

Why bother with the leash if you are just going to drop it and let them run.

my ex inlaws hada cat they took on camping trips and they hada halter an leash mostly they said to keep it from bolting out of the pickup when they stoped an opened the door. worked great till the time they got home from one trip my m-i-l left the passinger window down an the cat thinkin it was home free about hung itself cause they tied the leash to the headrest. the cat thanked me for savin it by clawin my arm ta sheds. needless ta say it never went on another road trip cause when it seen one of them walkin towards it with the halter it went the other way.



boog

I've heard of it, I could never get my cats to do it. I have one male cat (his name is Stripes BTW) that was a inside cat, but wanted desperately to be out. Since we live on an acreage, it's fairly safe here. So, I bought him a halter and a leash and tried to walk him. He just went banana's, rolled all over the place. I finally gave up and now let him out to take his walks and hunt. I know, it's dangerous. I've had a lot of cats (we now have 6) and some of them disappear. I force him to come in in the evening and usually, he comes in during the day to nap.

Well, I can see the point to it all....safety. But, I just am not used to seeing cats on leashes since they, typically, don't listen to a darned word anyone says anyway. I can imagine lots of chaos in trying to train a cat to a leash. It's the dropping the leash and still walking away that made me think she had lost all her marbles.

As for bolting when the door opens, my father tells a story of that one happening live.

He and the family were driving down a highway going to great-gramma's house for Cmas. Narrow two-lane highway with very little shoulder in rural Oklahoma. Couple in car stops on side of highway to allow small dog to pee. Dog takes off into traffic just as the door opened. (First thing: Why are we opening the door on the side of the highway, idiot?)

Dog runs right in front of my dad's friend driving the van. End of dog before they could even hit the brakes. Just full steam craziness. My dad is shocked at what just happened. He looks over to the other guy driving. No one in the van (about 6 people) knows what to say. They all sit stunned because 1..they hit a dog and killed it instantly 2..the owner helplessly had to watch it all happen about 10 feet in front of her 3.. the driver wasn't stopping to do anything about it. He just kept driving down the highway.

And, you have to hear the story live AND you have to know Bill (driver) and his super dry sense of humor. My dad finally asks, "Well?" And, Bill just casually says, without taking his eyes off the road....."Well, what the heck am I going to say? She knows it was an accident, and she knows I killed her dog. All the explaining was done about 35 seconds ago."

If you can separate yourself from the lady's perspective that lost her dog, it's a darned funny story.

Made me laugh. Bill must be a character.

Yeah, that is weird that the lady would drop the leash. Maybe she is a cat whisperer. Although, some cats are just smarter than others and will take direction (some times anyway).

When I was growing up, my aunt and uncle in Spokane had two very large cats who were leash-trained.

My dearly departed cat, Princess, had to be in a halter and leash while we were incarcerated at a residential hotel during mold remediation and the fire alarm went off! She did a creditable job of dealing with the situation.

When I adopted another cat, Bijou, I put her into that get-up to walk her around the yard, and she seemed familiar with it. Haven't tried since, but I think she knows the routine.

cough cough, I own a leash for my cat, cough cough. blush....


I tried to walk my cat. She's a fancy cat and has to be indoors because any common cat sense has been bread right out of her. She was a hand-me-down from someone who found out after getting her they were allergic to long haired cats so I got her at about a year old. It was too late to get her to allow me to put a halter on her. I tried though. It's great exercise. She's old now, 9 years, and just started trying to escape with the dogs when ever they go outside.... I'm thinking about revisiting the harness idea.

Cat people be crazy, love us anyway ;o)

Two of my Three Loves, Millie (kitties) and Romeo :o) I told him to move, he went in the wrong direction lol.

I may just make an offer for that B-E-A-yootifull dog. So pretty!

I love the look on your dogs face, he does look like a Romeo, what a sweetie!

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:I may just make an offer for that B-E-A-yootifull dog. So pretty!

You can't take my heart from me! I love that dog too much... it's pathetic really.

And thanks stripesmom. He is hilarious.

When I was a kid I tried to leash train our cat. I got it on her and then tried to go for a "walk". She did the best impression of a cat turning to stone that I've ever seen - wouldn't move a muscle! I tried once with my current cat. She just gave me a "cat look" that basically said "Are you kidding?". Haven't tried again.

I wish I would have had a camera handy the day my daughter started walking. My Mollycat literally looked at me with a face that said "Seriously, It walks on TWO legs now???"

Yep, self proclaimed cat person. I like dogs too but cats are more my style.

Oh, we've done it. The cat thinks she is our baby sitter so when we went for walks, she tried to follow us, so we put her on a leash because we were out of her territory and there were dogs around.

I also had a cat that fetched. You threw him the ball, and he would "attack" it, bring it over, and drop it on your lap

My young neighbor not only leash-trained her kitten, but she put an awfully lot of time and effort into teaching it to sit.

It didn't work.

Parents finally got her a dog. Girl's happy. Dog's happy. Cat is RELIEVED!


So, what I want to know, is what did the cat do when its leash was dropped?

We got our second black lab when he was 6 months old. We found out the hard way that he hadn't been leash trained... when we took him bird hunting. We got out of the truck I took our older dog ahead, on his leash. I hear giggling... turn around and there's dh holding onto one end of a leash with what appears to be a VERY large black cat on the other end. I didn't know dogs could jump like that. LOL We both got laughing because he really DID look like a cat on a leash... jumping and twisting and turning with legs splayed out in every direction! Lots of practice and positive reinforcement and he learned leash manners. LOL

My daughter got a cat from her hubby as a kitty. Baby is deaf. She has been harness broke since she was a kitten. I have had her for years. She is 10 years old now. She gets moods where she wants to go outside about twice a year. So we dig out the harness, take her out for about an hour, she is fine for the next few months.

Right now she is on the back of my chair snoring...I think the funniest looks I get when she is on the leash is from my dogs!

Oh and yes our town has a leash/license law for cats as well as dogs.

We've had cats for 25 years now, always two at a time. One of our first cats, Thaddeus, was part Siamese and had only one eye. He was abandoned in our dog house as a kitten and I raised him from the time he was a week old. He walked on a leash (usually wearing a sweater in the winter), turned on water faucets and opened doors if they weren't securely fastened. We had lots of baby latches - but no babies!

The two cats we have now don't walk on leashes, but Maxwell does help me weave on by loom.

Thanks to all who posted above. Now I feel completely justified in not liking cats. I've always thought they were stupid and temperamental and you have supplied all the proof I need. Cats are fine outdoors on a farm where they mite contribute something of value. I'll happily stick with my lovely odor free dogs.

Until you know a cat or two, you never really know cats. My stepmom has always had Siamese cats and yes, she leash trained some of them. She started when they were kittens. Mainly it was to keep them from running off when they were.....ah.....camping. They didn't do that to often because one of them crawled up into the dash of the motorhome and my dad had to completely take it apart to get her out. She also trained some of them to roll over......yes, it worked and they did it.......for a piece of bacon.

Many people don't think cats have personality and that they are selfish aloof creatures........they are so wrong. My cat Abbey follows me around the house. When I came back from vacation she would NOT leave me alone. I constantly have a cat curled up next to me on the couch and when I sleep I have two cats plastered to my side. Cat's love their humans, just like dogs.......they just make you work for it a little more.

GreenBlueberry wrote:I also had a cat that fetched. You threw him the ball, and he would "attack" it, bring it over, and drop it on your lap

I had one of these...he was totally confused. Dog trapped in a cat's body if I ever saw one. He chewed on stuff, fetched, came to the door when I came home. Totally confused.

The difference between a cat and a dog...

The dog says, "She feeds me, she must be God."

The cat says, "She feeds me, I must be God."


pattipan

Got this in my email and I thought it was funny so I'm sharing it with you guys!



Excerpts from a Dog's Diary
8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk Bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing

Excerpts from Cat's Diary..
Day 983 of my captivity...
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.
Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.
In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.
Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a good little hunter I am. Bastards.
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.
The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now...

I have that, too, Duhh! Love it. Along with that "my favorite" have you seen the one with "I haven't ______ in a year!"? Dogs act like they haven't seen you in a year (even if you just went out to the mailbox without them), they haven't eaten in a year, they haven't chases a frisbee in a year, etc. We use that line here all the time, "Well, I haven't had a glass of wine IN A YEAR..."

We've had a lot of cats (grew up with them, never had dogs as a kid). But when my boys were 13 and 15 we got our first dog and never looked back. Cats were never "replaced". DH hated the litter boxes.