How To Put On A Harness On A Cat Or Cat: Step-by-step Instructions With Photos And Videos, Features And Design Of Various Types Of Devices

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

What are the harnesses and how to put them on cats

A few years ago, a cat on a leash was perceived as something exotic, but today this phenomenon is becoming common. Unlike dogs, for which both a collar and a harness can be used, only the latter is suitable for cats.

Content

• 1 Why does a cat need a harness

• 2 Types of harnesses for cats and the choice of a suitable model

  • 2.1 Harnesses-eight
  • 2.2 Y-shaped harnesses
  • 2.3 V-shaped harnesses
  • 2.4 H-shaped harnesses
  • 2.5 Vests and overalls

• 3 How to put a harness on a cat

  • 3.1 Harness-eight
  • 3.2 H-shaped harness

  • 3.3 Y-harness

    3.3.1 Video: how to assemble and put on a Y-harness

  • 3.4 V-harness

    3.4.1 Video: how to put a V-shaped harness on a cat

  • 3.5 Harness vest
• 4 How to train your cat to harness and leash
• 5 Owner reviews

Why does a cat need a harness

Of course, free walks are preferable for the cat, but, unfortunately, this does not apply everywhere. If you live in a rural area, you are unlikely to walk your felines on a leash. And in the private sector, cats and cats have slightly different functions, besides being just pets. These are working animals, the direct responsibility of which is to catch mice, and doing this on a leash is rather difficult. If you live in a quiet urban area in a small house with a cozy courtyard where everyone knows each other, there are few cars, there are no inadequate sadistic neighbors who consider cats to be their personal enemies, it is quite acceptable to let the cat live a full feline life (but, of course, you decide).

Walking on a leash is justified if you live in a large multi-storey building where it is difficult for a cat to get out into the street, and it is not safe to stay there. There is no doubt that megalopolises with a large number of cars and an asphalted local area are not the best place for cat walks. Therefore, if you want your pet to walk, you cannot do without a leash, and therefore without a harness, since a collar for attaching a leash to a cat is categorically not suitable, because in this case, when pulling, the main load falls on the animal's neck, which may damage it. For cats, an attachment option is required on the back - on the shoulder blades or even lower.

In metropolitan areas, cats are better off walking under control

With controlled walks, you can be sure that your animal:

• will not be lost;
• will not eat any filth;
• will not be attacked by cruel people, aggressive relatives and dogs, annoying children;
• will not be hit by a car.

Not all cats will benefit from walking (and therefore using a harness). You should not insist on walking if:

• your animal is less than five months old: in this case, there is a high risk of catching some dangerous infection (this is also true for unvaccinated adults);
• you have a shy and nervous animal for which a walk will be too much stress;
• your pet has reached a venerable age, but has never gone outside: you should not even start - for him it will also be too much of a shock, let him live out his days calmly;
• your cat has had an illness or surgery;
• your cat is on the hunt or late in pregnancy.

In addition to walking, leash harnesses can be used when visiting a veterinarian, traveling by transport or at exhibitions.

Types of harnesses for cats and the choice of a suitable model

There are not so many options for harnesses:

• an eight (or two rings connected at the top, or a ribbon with a loop and a clasp that you can fold into a figure eight yourself);

  

  It is better if the harness-eight has both rings with clasps.

• H-shaped model (two rings with a bridge on the back);

  

  H-shaped harness consists of two rings and a strap on the back

• Y-shaped model (the same two rings with a bridge on the chest);

  

  Y-shaped harness is like a figure eight, only with a jumper on the chest

• V-shaped model (when unfolded it looks like a rhombus with a bridge in the middle, fastens on the back);

  

  V-harness is the easiest model to use

• model with two jumpers - on the back and chest;

  

  There are models with two jumpers - both on the back and on the chest

• harness vests and harness overalls.

  

  Harness vests are usually decorated with different details.

The price of harnesses ranges from 150 (simple eights) to 1,500 rubles (vests and overalls). There are also sophisticated models with various decorations, but this is not for everybody. Each design has its pros and cons, so it is important to choose the right harness for each specific animal.

Harnesses made of nylon or natural fibers are suitable for cats, sometimes there are models with a felt backing, they are also suitable. The preferred width of the straps is one and a half centimeters, more is possible.

Harnesses-eight

Simple eights are versatile and easy to use. True, this applies to models with rings fastened on the back. If you have a model that needs to be turned into an eight on your own, you have to practice, but this is also not difficult. It is better to choose harnesses that have fasteners on both loops, so they are easier to put on and there is an opportunity to adjust the size.

The leash of the eights harnesses is attached in the area of the shoulder blades

The leash in this model will be attached in the area of the shoulder blades. Eight harnesses are more suitable for kittens, slender animals or pets with a short torso. Measure your neck and chest circumference before purchasing.

Y-shaped harnesses

For cats with strong breasts and short backs, it is better to choose Y-shaped models, since the pressure on the chest when pulling on the leash will be more evenly distributed, which eliminates the possibility of injury. Before purchasing such a harness, it is necessary, in addition to the girths of the neck and chest, to measure the height of the chest.

Before buying a harness-eight or H-shaped model, you need to measure the circumference of the neck and chest, and the Y-shaped - also the height of the chest

There are models in which the length of the chest strap can be adjusted.

Y-shaped model with three adjustments can be purchased for growth

V-shaped harnesses

V-shaped models are only suitable for cats who are accustomed and like to walk on a leash. Otherwise, the animal will easily be released from such a harness.

H-shaped harnesses

For long and large animals, H-shaped models are suitable. In them, the leash is attached below the level of the shoulder blades, so the pressure is on the chest, and not on the neck.

H-shaped harnesses are suitable for long cats

You should not purchase models in which you cannot unfasten or adjust the size of the neck ring when putting on. Firstly, the cat will definitely not like it when they forcefully try to push its head into some hole, and secondly, it will be able to get rid of such a harness quite freely, and most often this happens at the most inopportune moment.

Vests and overalls

Many people like harness vests or harness jumpsuits, as they are often beautifully designed.

Many people like harness vests because of the beautiful design

It is believed that they must be chosen according to the season: warmed for winter and mesh for summer. But this is a very controversial statement. Since, for example, in a mesh nylon bag (even with holes) it is rather hot in summer and not comfortable. Warm vests for winter are not needed at all, for example, Siberian cats or Maine Coons - they already perfectly tolerate frosts, and with a Sphynx in winter you will not go for a walk anyway. So the purchase of vest harnesses is more a tribute to your taste, not a necessity.

In any case, the harness must:

• be comfortable;
• do not hinder the movements of the animal;
• do not rub the skin;
• easy to put on;
• have reliable fasteners.

It is advisable to try on several types of harnesses before buying, especially if you are purchasing a vest or jumpsuit. But this advice is difficult to follow in most cases. You must have a completely indifferent animal so that you can bring it to an unfamiliar place (store), where there may also be other people, and then undergo a fitting procedure. An ordinary cat will be against it, showing its displeasure to varying degrees. Therefore, it is better to arm yourself with a centimeter, take all possible measurements at home, and then re-measure the products offered in the store.

How to put a harness on a cat

Practice on a stationary object, such as a toy, before putting the harness on your cat. It is very important that you act confidently, clearly and quickly, because the cat is very sensitive to your mood, and insecurity is transmitted to the animal: it starts to get nervous, tries to escape, scratches and bites, and if you still manage to put on the harness, it tries to free itself and throw off an incomprehensible object.

Practice on a stationary object before putting the harness on your cat.

The general rule when putting on a harness: it should sit tightly, but not restrict movement. Ideally, a finger should be squeezed between the harness straps and the body of the animal (the rule about two fingers - for dogs, if put on a cat like this - will twist out without much effort). It is better to fasten the leash when the harness is already on.

Harness-eight

Version for figure eight with fixed straps:

1. We unfasten both straps.
2. We take the cat.
3. Fasten the neck strap.
4. The place for attaching the leash is clearly placed between the shoulder blades.
5. We fasten the strap on the torso.
6. We attach the leash.

Option for the team of eight:

1. We pass the end of the strap into the bridle, make a free loop.
2. Take the cat and put a noose around its neck.
3. We adjust the girth and make sure that the leash mount is located between the shoulder blades.
4. We wrap the strap around the body of the animal and fasten it. The main thing is to make sure that the strap is not twisted anywhere.
5. We attach the leash.

H-shaped harness

We put H-shaped harnesses on the pet like this:

1. We unfasten both rings.
2. We take the cat.
3. We fasten the neck ring.
4. Place the jumper between the blades.
5. We fasten the chest ring.
6. We fasten the leash.

Y-shaped harness

This model can have two options. In the first, the neck strap is unfastened, in the second it is not.

In the first case:

1. We unfasten both straps.
2. Place the jumper at the bottom and push the animal's paw into the triangle formed by the jumper and the neck and chest straps.
3. We fasten the strap around the neck.
4. Fasten the strap on the chest.
5. We fasten the leash.

Second option:

1. We put the neck ring on the cat.
2. We push the cat's paw into the formed triangle.
3. We look for the jumper to run in the center of the chest.
4. We fasten the chest ring.
5. We fasten the leash.

Video: how to assemble and put on a Y-harness

Harnesses with two straps are put on in the same way.

V-shaped harness

These models are very easy to put on, just spread out on the floor, put the animal's front legs in triangles, and then fasten the buckle and attach the leash.

V-shaped harnesses are the easiest to put on a cat

Video: how to put a V-shaped harness on a cat

Harness vest

These types of harnesses come with fasteners both on the belly and chest and on the back. In the first case, simply wrap the cat with a harness and fasten it at the bottom. In the second, you put your paws through the holes and fasten them on the back.

How to train your cat to harness and leash

It is better to train a cat to use a harness from childhood, but it is possible in adulthood. It's good if your cat wears a collar, in this case she will react calmly to the harness:

1. First, introduce your cat to a new subject. Let him sniff, examine, touch - the cat must make sure that it is safe.

   

   Be sure to introduce the cat to the new harness, let her understand that this item is safe

2. By the way, if the harness has an unpleasant and pungent smell, the cat will definitely not like it. Wash it, weather it, freeze it in winter, bake it in the sun in summer, in general, do everything to get rid of this smell. Then place the harness over the cat's toys or in the basket where the cat sleeps.
3. When the harness is perceived as your property, start putting it on. With a successful experience, be sure to praise the cat, pet it. Let the cat walk around in a harness, play, eat, or even sleep, in general, get used to feeling it on the body. The time spent in the harness should be increased gradually.
4. If your pet resists, it's best to calm him down first, distract him, and then try again. It is impossible to allow the connection "harness - unpleasant sensations" to be fixed in the cat's brain.
5. Well, the cat got used to the harness, it's time to accustom her to the leash. First, attach it to the harness and let it walk around the apartment so that it freely stretches behind it. This should be done only under your supervision, because you need to make sure that the leash does not catch on anything. Otherwise, the cat may feel trapped, try to free itself, panic and, ultimately, begin to perceive the leash as a dangerous object for itself, which it is better not to mess with.
6. If this stage is also successful, teach your cat that you follow her. Take the leash and follow the cat around the room.

7. It's time to field test. The place for walking should be quiet and safe, preferably away from dog walking, so that irreparable excesses do not arise. Be patient and let the cat get comfortable, do not try to immediately lower it to the ground. If she is scared of something, pick it up, calm her down and go home. The first walks should be short, gradually increase the time spent outside.

   

   If the cat loves to walk, the harness will not interfere with her

If you do everything right and without coercion, the cat will love walks, and they will give you both many pleasant minutes.

Owner reviews

If you want to walk with your cat in a big city, then you cannot do without a harness with a leash. But for the animal to feel comfortable, it is necessary to choose it correctly, as well as teach the pet to walk in it, which will require some effort and patience.