Thread: Training Maine coons on a leash?

Originally Posted by Marty.Mellow

I personally don't like very much this type of harness because I think it doesn't wrap the cat weel.

I have not had much luck using harnesses with a strap between the leg, but if your cat tolerates them then great. Just be aware that the way they get out of a harness is to *back* out of it, so having a chest strap will do nothing at all to prevent this. Our MC mix spent like 4yrs outside on a rope all day wearing one of the H-style harnesses plus going for walks every night. In all those many *thousands* of hours of wearing an H harness, he managed to get out of it only twice (and trees were involved both times).

Hi Riaboo.
I posted the question 'can we embed a web links into a post' on Daves' profile last night. Browsing the forum this morning, I notice your wikihow link above so may I ask how this is done. best regards*Roy

PS. I;ve got it now, IrishKitty showed me the way

Originally Posted by Roy Snell

Hi Riaboo.
I posted the question 'can we embed a web links into a post' on Daves' profile last night. Browsing the forum this morning, I notice your wikihow link above so may I ask how this is done. best regards*Roy

Roy in case Ria hasn't spotted this yet, you can embed link by copying the address of the page you wish to link to by using your mouse.
Left click to highlight and rightclick to "copy".

Then go back onto your maine coon reply, and left click on the first "world symbol" above.
A small box will appear.
Then paste the address of the page you wish to link to, into the box that has appeared by right clicking on your mouse.
This will then insert the link onto your post.
Hope this helps

I followed a Wikihow link 'How to Leash Train a Cat' posted by Riaboo. The page (link below) carries a list of nine 'Cat Harness' warnings. I post this one because I feel it to be worthy of consideration*Roy

Walking an indoor cat on a leash outdoors may make the cat less afraid of the outdoors and more likely to escape through an open door, then get lost, hit by a car, or attacked by a feral cat or other animals.

http://www.wikihow.com/Leash-Train-a-Cat

Originally Posted by IrishKitty

Roy in case Ria hasn't spotted this yet, you can embed link by copying the address of the page you wish to link to by using your mouse.
Left click to highlight and rightclick to "copy".

Then go back onto your maine coon reply, and left click on the first "world symbol" above.
A small box will appear.
Then paste the address of the page you wish to link to, into the box that has appeared by right clicking on your mouse.
This will then insert the link onto your post.
Hope this helps

Hey Dee, your so cool!
Where ever I browse, I run into your Avatar.
I read your words and they all make 'super sense' and I can now post a link
So thank you*Roy

Choosing to Be by Kat Tansey CHOOSING TO BE

“A heartwarming story, beautifully written and filled with exceptional wisdom, makes for a great book. Kat Tansey has crafted a book sure to be adored by all cat lovers. But even more importantly, this book is a must read for all caught up in a world spinning way too fast”.
Dave Carpenter. Peak Performance Show.

Originally Posted by Roy Snell

Walking an indoor cat on a leash outdoors may make the cat less afraid of the outdoors and more likely to escape through an open door, then get lost, hit by a car, or attacked by a feral cat or other animals.

From my experience, I believe this warning overlooks the positives of the cat being more familiar with your house and yard in case they do get out--and it is pretty likely that at some point they might make it out. It does seem true that taking your cats outside on a leash will probably get them into the habit of wanting go out with you, but many cats want to outside anyway. Once a cat has been outside under your control several times, they will be better able to cope if they do get out. Two of our male MC kittens have desperately wanted to get outside, and both have succeeded despite our efforts to prevent this (one for example, jumped onto my back and them launched himself out the cracked open door while I was bent over bringing in a dog, thinking I had the doorway blocked). The only one of our current four that goes outside normally is a female, and I feel that she is much better prepared should she get outside. She knows the yard and house well, and she isn't so desperate to get out because she does go out some. I often have her out in the yard with me, unleashed (though wearing harness w/tag). I am now quite confident in how she will behave. One of the male's that got out repeatedly was a nightmare the first few times (the entire family chasing him all over the yard). We eventually allowed him out on a leash and I believe it helped reduce his obsession with trying to get out (and he was much calmer when he was out).

"Walking an indoor cat on a leash outdoors may make the cat less afraid of the outdoors and more likely to escape through an open door, then get lost, hit by a car, or attacked by a feral cat or other animals"

The above warning was listed at the bottom of the WikiHow page (see link below) and I posted it for no reason other than I thought it to be of interest. Whilst it suggests that Fear is a coons best defense and leashing may, on an unescorted adventure into the unknown, give the cat a false sense of security, I do in essence agree with you NCarver in your suggestion that it "overlooks the positives" after all, we leash our children and our dogs so why not a Maine Coon. In an ideal world, we do not own our cats and dogs any more than we can own our children. At best we are custodians and share something of our lives together. In his youth, my Bearded Collie Hope and I, needed to learn how best to walk and cross roads. To this end we used a leash and eventually, we learned the way. Mostly from there on, we could enjoy a walk together without the leash. Be it true or otherwise, I read that Maine Coons are similar to dogs, in that they are intelligent and like to be with their carers most of the time. In our togetherness, I like to think of a leash not as a shackle, but as a learning aid, and when the lesson is learned our Coons stay with us in the house or garden, because they want to*Roy


WikiHowlinkedHow to Leash Train a Cat - wikiHow

Originally Posted by Roy Snell

"Walking an indoor cat on a leash outdoors may make the cat less afraid of the outdoors and more likely to escape through an open door, then get lost, hit by a car, or attacked by a feral cat or other animals"

The above warning was listed at the bottom of the WikiHow page (see link below) and I posted it for no reason other than I thought it to be of interest. Whilst it suggests that Fear is a coons best defense and leashing may, on an unescorted adventure into the unknown, give the cat a false sense of security, I do in essence agree with you NCarver in your suggestion that it "overlooks the positives" after all, we leash our children and our dogs so why not a Maine Coon. In an ideal world, we do not own our cats and dogs any more than we can own our children. At best we are custodians and share something of our lives together. In his youth, my Bearded Collie Hope and I, needed to learn how best to walk and cross roads. To this end we used a leash and eventually, we learned the way. Mostly from there on, we could enjoy a walk together without the leash. Be it true or otherwise, I read that Maine Coons are similar to dogs, in that they are intelligent and like to be with their carers most of the time. In our togetherness, I like to think of a leash not as a shackle, but as a learning aid, and when the lesson is learned our Coons stay with us in the house or garden, because they want to*Roy

WikiHowlinkedHow to Leash Train a Cat - wikiHow

My own feeling in regard to Ownership verses Custodianship are here challenged by the CFA http://www.cfa.org/ezine/legislation.html#article

Originally Posted by IrishKitty

Has anybody experience of training their Maine Coons or other cats on a leash?
Would be interesting to hear some stories and tips if you have some

"Of all God's creatures,
there is only one
that cannot be made
the slave of the lash.
That one is the cat.
If man could be
crossed with a cat
it would improve man,
but it would
deteriorate the cat."

-Mark Twain