Amelia Flynn’s eight-year-old cat Pamplemouse — whom she affectionately calls Moose — has been exploring the great outdoors from the comfort of a leash and harness since he was a kitten.
“Since then, he demands his walk,” said Flynn, adding that the two walk around their Rockland neighbourhood two or three times each day.
Flynn said she decided to leash-train Moose because she was wary of him getting hit by a car or eating something poisonous. Now, she says it’s an important part of their relationship.
Moose even wears a winter jacket for snowy adventures, and enjoys playing with lizards when the weather is nice. “Sometimes he’ll go and meow at a big sequoia tree outside,” she said.
Dr. Bvandeep Shergill, veterinarian at Vic West Pet Hospital, said leash training is on the rise among his feline patients, adding that the biggest benefit is the mental and physical enrichment it offers indoor cats.
Shergill said leashing is the safest way to let a cat experience the outdoors while living in an urban area, since it decreases the pet’s likelihood of getting in a fight or an accident.
While Shergill recommends leashing when indoor cats are struggling with boredom and obesity, he said the practice also lets the cats develop a stronger bond with their human companions.
He said it’s important to keep in mind that cats often have a mind of their own, which can affect their willingness to try leash training.
Owners shouldn’t expect their cat to follow their lead like dogs do.
“We don’t own cats, cats own us,” he quipped.
Shergill said any cat going outdoors on a leash should be fully vaccinated, and owners should keep in mind that cats are more sensitive to harsh weather than dogs are.
Cory Walker, owner and operator of Mrs. Doolittle’s Cat Hotel in Langford, said she doesn’t use leashes in her hotel, which is a free-roam space. Cats who stay with her while their owners are away are allowed to explore her enclosure and catio while making new friends.
Walker said she’s noticed that leash-trained cats tend to be a bit more nervous at first, since their only interactions with the outside world have been through the “umbilical cord of safety” that a leash provides.
“It’s the equivalent of an eight-year-old being dropped at camp for the first time,” she said, explaining that some cats can take a bit of time to adjust to the new setting, especially if they’re used to being connected to their owners with a leash in outdoor or unexpected scenarios.
While Walker has noticed nervousness in some leashed cats, she said leash training lets cat owners experience more with their feline friends by their sides.
She said she used to bring Jesse James, her cat who lived to be 17, on camping trips in her RV with the help of a leash to keep him safe.
Fairfield resident Claire Pollock started harness training early for two cats she adopted a year ago as kittens from Pender Island.
She said she hoped they would take to being walked on a leash so she could provide them with the joys of outside exploration without the fear of them doing it on their own.
Poppy, an outgoing and adventurous orange cat, and Blossom, her laid-back and relaxed black tortoiseshell sister, enjoy roaming around Cook Street Village with Pollock and her partner, Jo.
While Poppy and Blossom adjust to life on leashes, Pollock brings a cat stroller on their walks for extra protection if the cats feel scared.
“It was the best money I’ve ever spent,” she said, noting that parents with children in strollers have walked up to them, expecting to see a baby inside. “They’re so delighted that it’s cats.”
