Walking guide part I – not walking cat, cat walking alone or on a lead?

There is always a time to learn a cat walking on a lead. But why walking the cat on a first place? Isn't better if he walks alone? Or maybe better if he didn't walk at all? These questions are asked by many cat owners. We will try to answer today to those questions.

More and more people does not let cats go out alone this days. It is nothing unusual as cats going out usually live shorter time. There are many threats there for example cars.

Natural, instinct behaviour for cat in a situation when a car approaches to him is to crouch and wait until danger passes. In case of dogs and wild animals it usually works but when the threat is a driving car...

Some drivers drive into cats intentionally. I can not imagine what makes them to do this but it should be considered.

Dogs and wild animals

When facing a dog or a fox cat does not have much chance. When you let a cat out you are exposing it on fighting for territory. Cat has no choice – it has to defend it's territory, not only from other cats.

Mean people

Some people simply do not like cats. They do not like them so much that they try to get rid of them by poisoning, traps or shooting at them. It is not so rare phenomenon.

Diseases and parasites

Outdoor cats are contacting with feral and often ill and infested dogs and cats or wild animals. This makes the owner may unconsciously get infected with parasites from his pupil. Even regular deworming will not help if your cat contacts regularly with infested animals. Additionally, there are many incurable diseases easily transferred from cat to cat.

Considering above reasons many people prefer to have a cat that does not go out but is healthy and alive. However, staying indoors all the time has some disadvantages:

Boredom

Sometimes, despite all the toys and owner's efforts cat has nothing to do. Due to frustration it may even become aggressive. A short time of play with owner won't make up plenty of hours alone.

Lower activity

Large part of indoor cats activity is reduced to walking from bowl to bed. This contributes to obesity and decreased mobility. During walking, even a less active cat has a chance to walk a bit, run or hunt a fly.

Fear from change of an environment

Cat staying the whole life indoors, where everything is stable and regular, will have a great shock when changing the environment. Slightly different looks this issue with a cat that often visits different places and is used to changes and new things. It will not be so much stressed in a new home.

So what to choose? It is a difficult choice but you may combine all above together: a safe cat that at the same time may enjoy an external world. There are several solutions for this: for example a secured window with a net which will allow your cat to observe the world and breathe a fresh air. A balcony is significantly better for this, it's larger, you may mount a scratching post, put some potted flowers or some shelves.

Aviary, covered balcony

Just like a balcony but with more possibilities. For a cat those are similar places.

Secure garden

Meaning one with the fence cat not pass. It is a great solution but requires some money and despite this it may happen that a cat found a way out anyway.

Electric fence

It simply delivers electric shocks if cat approaches it. I would never decide for this solution, I would better let a cat going out alone.

Keeping a cat on a cord or a long lead

You simply attach long cord or a lead to fence a cat walks freely on the garden. You could check it from time to time of cord is not tangled. It is a great solution for the owner, when cat wants to be outside longer than he, however it is slightly inconvenient for cat and not everyone has a garden.

Walking on a leash

That is what a walking guide will be about. Walking on a leash allows a cat doing everything as usual but in a safe way. Everyday walk around the territory, leaving the smell signs and beneficial outside activity. Besides this, cat won't be hit by car, bitten or will not have to fight for territory. And if it meets an aggressive dog or a cat the owner is there for it.