Long story…but we have a 11 month old neutered male cat and his sister who I recovered as two week old orphans in one of our run-in sheds last year. Bottle fed and raised them totally indoors. Female is fine inside, but the male is OBSESSED with getting outdoors…at all costs!! I wouldn’t have a problem with indoor/outdoor, but he bolts through the smallest cracked door…even though we are very careful to stop/catch him.
The problem is that he chases birds or waving grass and leaves the area of the house (our farm is 80 acres). He doesn’t bolt from me, but has traveled as much as a 1/4 mile with me following and trying to snag him…too many times while I was still in my PJ’s!! He isn’t frightened/feral…just obsessed with being outdoors!! Since we are surrounded by hundreds of acres of ranch land and resident coyotes and I’m very fond of the little guy I don’t want him to get eaten!! I bought a nylon cat harness for him. He tolerated it well and the first warm sunny day I took him outside and he was perfect on a long leash. Played, ate grass, watched birds. No problem. So yesterday I tied him to a post and watched him for 10 minutes. Fine. I went into the house for maybe 5 minutes…went back out…no more than 10 feet away from the door and found an EMPTY harness and no cat!!
Thankfully…and the first time EVER…he came when I called him and we went back in the house!!! Last thing before I left him alone I checked the harness and tightened it as much as I could without strangling him!! What else can I try!! Putting him outdoors in a big cage won’t make him very happy, but would be safer!! Thanks.
I’m sorry but you tied him to a post? If you want him to get eaten, tie him to a post. Or he could also easily hang himself. The only time he should be in a harness is if you are walking him. I assume he is neutered?
Build him an outdoor enclosure that is attached to your house. Make sure it’s near a window that you can put a cat flap into and he can come and go as he pleases.
What CanadianTrotter said.
I cannot believe you tied him to a post! That is just … I don’t have a word for it. Cruel. To say the least.
Since he is obsessed with being outdoors, let him be an indoor-outdoor kitty. He may not live for decades, but he may be happier while he is alive. Maybe you won’t have to let him be outdoors all day every day, but just occasionally. I don’t know. True, he could die a horrible death, but then again he might live a long happy life.
He’s a cat. Let him be one.
And BTW, there is no such thing as an escape-proof cat harness.
Eh…I don’t think tying him to a post is horrible, just not effective. I don’t imagine cats would adapt to a tie-out stake as easily as a dog would.
Personally, I’d let him go outside. I have two cats that are indoor/outdoor and coyotes in the area, but have had no reasons to be concerned. One of my cats used to go for a walk with me and the dogs into the back 40, but never by herself. I think she knows she’s too exposed out there as well.
So long as they have a place to come into at night (house, barn, porch) I wouldn’t really worry about coyotes. Traffic is a bigger concern.
Other than that - I agree that the answer is a cat-proof enclosure, not a harness. Cats are really flexible. I’m not sure how easily you can contain one in a harness.
Tied to a post is cruel but a horrible death isn’t?
Yes there is such a thing as an escape proof cat harness, cats with broken backs can attest to this. A harnessed cat that is tied to an unmovable object is very dangerous if the cat is frightened and bolts. I’ve heard of several cats breaking their spines this way.
Many people in my area are building outside enclosures for their cats, even people in the country that don’t want their cats to become coyote/hawk/fisher bait. Wildlife is coming closer and closer to people’s living areas, they’ve lost their fear from having their land/territories taken away from them over the years. Cats are no longer as safe being outdoor cats as they once were.
In the past 12 years we have lost DOZENS of barn cats to coyotes!! People in the CITY of Tulsa are losing cats and small dogs to coyotes every day!! We are in rural Ok. 1/2 mile to closest neighbor…so very country!! The cat was not offended by the harness…and was tied to the porch, railing post with 20 feet of cord…NOT cruel confinement!! But thanks for the general info that you can not get an escape-proof harness. We are relocating to another state, so no major pens/cages built here. Next location seems to be safer. I guess he’ll just stay a frustrated explorer for now. Thanks all.
Maybe buy a large dog crate and put it outside where he can enjoy the sun and fresh air. You could also build a small cage that can fit in your window like an air conditioner would.
A harness and leash are not cruel confinement in my opinion, but I do not think they are safe because cats do not react to physical resistance like dogs do. I’m sure many have done fine with a harness, but they could get accidentally hurt quite easily.
Good on you for wanting to keep your cat safe!
My mom has had good luck using harnesses designed for pet rabbits that look more like a vest than a strap harness.
The one she currently uses is solid fabric with velcro and break away buckle fasteners at both the neck and the chest/around the middle.
Her one cat escaped from many harnesses before this type but hasn’t been able to get out of this one. She doesn’t tie out but holds the end of the leash while kitty wanders around.
I agree. I think they also make portable cat houses as well just for this purpose.
Thanks for that, I didn’t know there were portable cat houses available on the market, I’ll take a look.
In my last house I built a large cat enclosure out of used lumber and chicken wire. The cats were extremely happy with having the freedom of running indoor/outdoor from morning to bedtime. Obviously it was a permanent fixture on the house and the new owners were thrilled with it for their cats. Where I am now is only for two more years but I still intended on building another one but changed my mind. The squirrel and stray cat population is much higher here than in our last location and I am afraid of my cats picking something up from them, many of the squirrels have really bad mange. I have a medium sized dog crate that I will put out on my deck in the shade so that they can at least enjoy being outside while I’m gardening. I think I’ll put a small cage in an upstairs window as well.
Indoor cats are so much happier and well behaved when they have these opportunities to be outside in an enclosed and safe environment.
The harnesses that are called “walking jackets” are much more secure. Start indoors and when he’s comfy start to tug on the harness. He isn’t ever going to come when called but you want him to not freak out when he hits the end. Then take him out for supervised walks.
My calico goes to the vet on a leash.
Kitty holster
I used to walk one of my siamese cats on a collar and lease all over the USA with ease. Of course she thought she was a dog as she’d been raised with my dog. What about a harness for a small dog?
Remember that scene in Jurassic Park, where they tie the goat out for the T Rex? That’s pretty much what you’re doing when you tie out a cat, especially when you leave him out there on his own. But even supervising, it’s just not that hard or unusual for a large bird of prey to think your kitty is a tasty snack.
There are mucho safer ways to give him a taste of outside.
Thanks for the tip. I saw those on line, but thought the cat might be more offended by the coat-like rig. I did “test” him on a hand held leash…he was bottle raised orphan and has NO problem with human containment. The coyotes are my main fear…not him getting strangled. If he would stay out on a tether…he’d get more “out” time while I’m working around the farm. I guess harnessing a slick cat is like harnessing a snake though!! Guess we’ll wait until we move to a safer location…for now he’ll have to be happy looking out the window!! Thanks for the tip.
Actually…he comes very well when called!! I never had an “indoor” cat that wanted to be outside this badly!! I have three others…a sister, also bottle raised, and another orphan years older and a stray…they all LOVE to be inside and think “Trouble” is crazy for going out!!!
