How To Harness Train Your Cat

Do you want to take your cat on leash walks? This step-by-step guide shows you how to introduce your cat to the Cat School harness - a brightly colored, safe and secure vest. Because a vest drapes over your cat's back versus having to put your cat's head or paws through an opening, it is a lot easier to train. Cats of all ages can learn to wear a vest. Although NO HARNESS is "ESCAPE-PROOF," a snug vest is an excellent option because it covers a lot of surface area of your cat's body, making it harder to slip out.
*Keep your cat safe: Every cat that goes on the leash walk should ALSO wear a collar with a tracking device.
Now on Amazon
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Our leash walking kit includes the Cat School Harness, 10' leash and 40-page leash-walking handbook.
Learn How To Leash Walk Your Cat:
The Cat School membership is a roadmap to training your cat. Inside the membership, you will:
• Get access to all Cat School courses from clicker training, harness training, nail trims, leash walking, addressing problem behaviours, and lots of skills and tricks.
• Join a growing community of cat trainers.
• Get support from the teacher to help your cat get outside safely.
WEBSITE: www.catschool.co/
➡️ MEET THE TEACHER
I'm Julie Posluns, also known as Julie, the Cat Teacher. My goal is to help people enrich their cat's life with clicker training. I am an Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist (ACAAB). I love to break complex behaviours into tiny achievable steps and show cat guardians how fun and rewarding it is to train their cats. My assistant in the videos is a black cat named Jones, who has a full scholarship to Cat School.
➡️ Get Featured!
Show off your training and tag @cat.school on Instagram: / cat.school #catschool #catschoolstudent
Looking for our clicker training tools:
• Amazon (US Only): amzn.to/2ZUNloj
• Amazon (Canada Only): www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B084...
Check out our Leash Walking Kit (US & Canada Only): www.catschool.co/products/har...
*We participate in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliate sites.*

[@judithbayley2308]

I have been trying this with my cat, who is very shy due to past bad experiences, and she is slowly but surely progressing and doing well. After about 9 months she is now learning to walk around with the harness on. Thank you so much for this video.

[@remarkableblox]

Ok

[@sksk-bd7yv]

When I tought our boy to walk in leash+harness I found that the smell of the harness is really important. To get the smell right I slept two nights with the harness in my bed before I presented it to him. Later we had to introduce clothes. Yes, cats are not your dolls to make pretty - but we live in a (sometimes) very cold place. Not all cats fur can handle 4 feet of snow&ice. I washed the sweater, and slept with it in my bed two nights. Now (winter here) the sweater = fun adventure, and he never objects to it. I would also like to add that harness and clothes must be comfortable. Cats get very annoyed at anything ill fitting. Edit: Important in snow and ice: Limit exposure to snow, and esp icy water. Pick them up every five minutes to heat up. Cold paws are ok, just hug'em a little. Cold tummy? Go home, eat a little, put in a blanket burrito. Make sure to get the salt of the paws as soon as you get home! Then follow with the miracle of Swedish military inventions. - Gosh, the mini sub that sunk US Navy's biggest ship?😮 - No. The Swedish Army's Foot Ointment. (But more like a firmer paste? English has no great translation.) If you don't, you may struggle for weeks with ecsema, like we did.

[@kenrutherford1109]

taught

[@chloet9263]

So how did your cat react to the smell of the harness? Did they take it well?

[@sksk-bd7yv]

@@chloet9263 Well... When our boy thinks I'm too slow getting clothes on in the morning (=take more than 30 seconds to get ready) he'll jump up, grab his leash and drag it to my feet. Then he meows loudly every third second until he's outside. If I move to another room, he follows me, carrying the leash in his mouth. Not difficult to understand what he wants. So it didn't help that the kids grew up. I still don't get any slow&sleepy mornings. Oh, well. The forest is really beautiful at dawn.

[@addy405]

I washed the closed and slept with them for 2 hours and I trained my car too!!

[@yellopinki]

@@sksk-bd7yvthat’s a great way to describe their morning behavior 😅❤

[@dk2853]

Your cat is so well-behaved, and he looks so cute in the harness!

[@remarkableblox]

I agree

[@simonharris3640]

Hi, your videos are great, we've found them super helpful with training our Maine Coon kitten. Please can you do one on teaching a cat to play fetch? Thanks!

[@bigusdickus3068]

Throw the toy. If they chase it; then you have a cat that likes to fetch. If they don't; Then don't abuse the personality and you would be a horrible person to get rid of your child if they cant bring you something but would rather curl up next to your leg...

[@Su-jk5ve]

Okay that makes me have confidence now since my cat is 3 years old

[@albertgeorgy6827]

My cat won't stop playing with it :)) she also eats the treats every time amd go back to playing with it. Her favorite toy atm

[@gessamdiongzon4928]

thank you for this video! very clear and easy to follow.

[@squidlover7615]

My boy made so much progress today, thank you for the advice

[@Ali-ln6px]

this guideline is genius. thank you thank you thank you

[@DanielKRausch]

Thank you for your well done comprehensive video.

[@ObjectivePersonality]

This is so helpful and make sense! Thank you!

[@nyncn]

Your methods are always super creative and helpful. Your videos save me from my super energetic kitten.

[@farialhaqim6050]

Thankyou sweetbaby😻♥️🐾

[@Thenikot]

This video is great! I watched it a while back since I noticed my cat was getting fat I forgot about the video for a while but remembered it one day while petting my cat, and I started training him based on what I remembered I forgot a few steps but it has worked great so far! Hes used to the harness but still struggling with the leash Thank you for making this video! Its very helpful! ❤

[@utubepurposes]

thank you so much!

[@funnypetviewingtheworld8654]

Thank you for the video. I just started training my kitty and it feels a bit overwhelming

[@jena4896]

hi i just got a kitten were training to be a therapy cat she comes everywhere with me but she is deaf so she needs to walk on a leash. thank you so much for this, she already doing it so muchh better !!!

[@elliemm15]

Needed this video! Just bought a harness for my cat :) question: how does jones react to cars/louder noises/dogs etc?

[@scottharrison9083]

Well done

[@ekaterinamozharovskaya3053]

Oh, I've never seen such kind of harness in Russian shops! But it's much better than others, it's soft and comfortable for cat. ))

[@meggyfarnsworth626]

Beautiful 😍

[@chakribujji1204]

Hi Julian! Your videos are so much entertaining and fun..One small request. I have seen a video where the owner gives food to the cat in a bowl and the cat waits for the owner to say "good girl" cue and it immediately starts eating.. Can you please make a video of training your cat like that so we can learn?

[@debbest8546]

good stuff

[@Moxxiemorgan]

My cat tolerated me ignorantly just strapping him in (sweet ragdoll, but semi timid after almost dying from fip a year ago) but it’s the outside + the harness where he’s like over stimulated. Doesn’t freak out or claw me, but just kinda sits and is scared. If i hold him and just show him he’s curious, but still afraid. Maybe when summer comes we’ll try to re introduce the harness in a way where it’s not adding to the cocktail of weird and scary.

[@hospitalqueen4047]

I really want to train my new kitty to walk using a harness.

[@stephanielshaw5727]

Thanks for the great tutorial, my two 13 year old girls are progressing slowly but surely in their training! * I am wondering what tracker you use, I have a Pixel and am having a hard time finding a tracker for them* The large harness is a little snug on my big girl but it still fits her. They still have a few weeks (at least) so I have time to research the tracker. I'm a traveling medical tech and take my cats with me on my assignments and think they will love to have back yard harness excursions! I think they are too shy for street walking but going outside would be such a joy for them...cat TV gets old after a while😁

[@CatSchool]

I use two - the Tabcat goes in the pocket of the harness and a Tractive GPS goes on the cat's collar

[@mechanicalpants]

I have got to the point of putting harness on him and he is cool with it and gets lots of praise while it on and is even purring. But he is always walking wobly and falling over and we can't seem to get that stage. I usually take the harness off him after 5-10 minutes because it gets a bit much for him. Should I just leave it on him until he starts walking normally?

[@gretamichelle8514]

I'm trying to train my kitten 🐾 to walk on a leash but he's so hyper and wants to play with the least and try to bite it lol. I think I'm going to try a harness and not so much the leash.

[@katherine1304]

my boyfriend and i got a 2.5m/old kitten from a shelter (he was a stray) four days ago and he already walks around and plays in his harness. he went stiff a few times but with treats and us acting normal and playtime he quickly forgets what’s bothering him. i can tell he’s a fearless little kitty. he tries to get in the shower with us, too! we had a safe space with beds and blankets and water and food and low light all set up for him because we were expecting him to need a while to come out of his shell but the second we put him down he was playing and purring and exploring the whole apartment and constantly seeking us out for cuddles. the method you use with getting your cat used to the harness with very slow exposure therapy paired with treats is also what we’re doing with our vacuum cleaners! we have a small apartment and want to make sure he’s comfortable with everything. he’s doing WEIRDLY well. the treats we use are orijen freeze-dried original recipe cat treats and viva la kitty chicken and salmon mousse, for anyone wondering! one of those orijen treats can go a long way, too

[@rahburtheinz]

Hello there! I am a fairly new Bombay cat owner and I am thinking about training my darling for some outdoor time. Is your cat a Bombay also? The jet black coat seems like you do. I have researched a lot on Bombay and general cat outdoor tips yet I am a bit dismayed with the info out there saying Bombays aren't suited for outdoor environments. Thank you for this wonderful video! Blessings.

[@maryamahmed5390]

Hi! I have a 5 year old anxious cat who is scared of new things. I'd imagine that for him this would take longer than a day. What should this look like in terms of time line? When do you know that it's time to move on the next stage of training? And how do you handle regression?

[@CatSchool]

Hi Maryam - These are big questions. Feel free to enter our membership program to get more one-on-one support and build your cat's confidence with clicker training.

[@cheezicow8948]

Do i have to use a clicker for training? And what if i use a harness with a collar with a snap?

[@lynneross6411]

You make it look so easy but my cat is running away...I've been trying this for a few days now..I can't imagine ever getting it around her belly without someone holding her besides me...tough...

[@CatSchool]

Check out our online membership to get feedback on your training. You shouldn't have to hold your cat to put a harness on: www.catschool.co/pages/cat-school-training-membership

[@sksk-bd7yv]

I would say, go sloooow. Make sure that your cat trusts you completely - and that you can read your cat. That comes from many hours of cuddling, playing, talking. And get the smell of anything new right. Never introduce straight out of the box. Make sure it smells of you+treats. Never use an uncomfortable harness. Introduce it at a happy time, right after play+food.

[@carolinaescudero6241]

Hi! Love your videos and I'm a cat school member! I have gotten as far as to fasten the straps, but I have to be very quick as the moment I remove the treat, she backs away and/or won't let me fasten the straps properly. Same with taking them off. Do you have suggestions on this? Thank you!!!

[@CatSchool]

If you are in our Cat School membership, please post for help on the online platform. Sharing a clip of your training will help me give you the best feedback.

[@jordanbeauchamp4214]

I have a different type of harness. Is that still okay as long as I get her used to it?

[@Meeko2689]

I've been doing this but after the harness is on my cat becomes " paralized" 😅 should I stop the training or keep trying u tin he is use to it?

[@PawTrails_Crew]

Do I do each step separately for a few days or all of them the same day

[@anthonywisniewski2241]

Can you please tell me where you got the harness because I have tried 2 already for my 8 month old kitten, and they don't fit properly so I don't want to take a chance of him getting out of it, thank you.

[@PerformanceTech2629]

Hi my cat went from hating the outdoors to sort of liking it(tail up with question mark sign when with harness) i have now done 7 days bringing my cat to yard. Do you think 7 days is enugh so i start taking him outside pls

[@DC-ef8op]

What treats did you use?

[@tinar1142]

What if you have a harness that ships over the head?

[@banan.ann3]

I’m just starting this training with my kittens. One is more of an adventure cat and the other one is more anxious. Should i separate them to train only the one who has “more potential” to walk outside? Also they’re not scared at all, they sniff the harness but they play with it even when i give them treats, any tips to prevent it or is it a good thing?

[@xpumpkinxe]

What kind of tracking collar do you recommend? theres so many and i wanna make sure i get the right one

[@martagustafsson5749]

For how long should you do each of these steps?

[@bluespectrumtapes]

How long should I be training my cat on each step?

[@BellaLavoie]

how secure is the velcro for walking?

[@CatSchool]

The velcro is very secure.

[@macmarles3243]

Can you make a video on how to stop your cat from sprinting ahead to chase birds? Or how to keep them from running away when a person happens to walk by in the distance. He quite loves going for a walk around my patio and apartment building but freezes and tries to run when people, cars, or even dogs go by. I pick him up and sooth him and give him treats, but the first one is the biggest problem. So are dogs.

[@PawTrails_Crew]

What if your cat doesnt walk in a harness and just lays there

[@BAMtastico]

Tried putting a harness for the first time on my ten week old adopted cat. Needless to say I almost lost three fingers trying to put it on. He went crazy mad and I almost lost the rest of my fingers taking it off. Not sure I want to try again.

[@jackarrossi9584]

Hi Julian! I’ve learned so much from your videos! Quick question, do you feed your cats by the bowl also? Or do they feed just through training? Do you make sure they are hungry before training?

[@CatSchool]

My cat eats three small meals of raw food in a bowl. Any other wet food or dry food is used for training. My cat is very food-motivated so he's always happy to work for snacks.

[@taymabittard9548]

Hi do you do all these in one sitting? Or in the span of several days?

[@Supercecco85]

several weeks. the cat in the video is already very used to this stuff and is only for showing. new cats will need weeks I guess

[@searaph]

What do you recommend for a cat who lays down and stays there when their harness is on? Our girl will only reluctantly move when her harness is on.

[@di5106]

I'm having the same problem as you... you can through a treat to some distance to get her to move. but i'm still struggling to figure out how to get him to be as active when he has his harness on

[@britneyalyssa1314]

Can you do one on getting him to walk outside on a leash ? My cat is scared of my apartment hallway. She used to be an outdoor cat so I know she could be leash walked but she’s afraid of the hallway.

[@CatSchool]

I plan to provide more leash walking videos. This video talks about the methods used to overcome fears: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnu5gnyEiJ2rfM0 If you need more support, please consider joining our membership program on the website.

[@britneyalyssa1314]

@@CatSchool have you ever thought about making tik tok videos? Might reach a wider audience. Love your channel

[@christinaiannozzi4217]

what tracking device do you recommend? :)

[@sarahmanning4983]

My cat walks backwards/ throws his body on the floor when the harness is on (“: what can I do to help him get over this fear?

[@sksk-bd7yv]

Two tips: 1 - make the harness smell wonderful. Sleep with it in your bed, and rub it with some treats. 2. Take it sloooow. If the cat gets scared by just seeing the harness, putting it on is out of question. Connect harness with happy things, like play and treats. Perhaps serve food close to the harness. And of course, make sure the harness is comfortable. Cats can go nuts over just a tiny seam rubbing against them.

[@lokilover3746]

where did you get the collar with the tracking device

[@Woutjetw]

I was wondering the same thing. Most trackers that I found are quite big which can't be comfortable for my small cat.

[@CatSchool]

the tracking device is called Tabcat tracker: www.tabcat.com/

[@diamondcat9904]

Once the cat is harness trained how can we get them to walk on the side walk with the leash?

[@sksk-bd7yv]

With our boy, who takes a 2 hour walk with me in the morning, I've found that talking&gently steering works best. Praising him much when he walks very nicely, and pulling the leash only tiny. The leash is both tactile communication, and a safety belt. Our boy never wastes time to look before he leaps. There will always be occasions when he gets instantly super excited - and wants to run (butterflies, etc). It is important to keep your eyes open at walks, to learn to anticipate and be proactive. This isn't very difficult, it comes with some experience and concious thinking. Now, if I see a parked car, I now that our boy will want to chew at the license plate and tires (yes, he's 20% puppy), and so I steer him away before trouble starts.

[@exoticcalexx]

Hi! What if my cat doesnt like treats? My cat moochie is about 10 months old and she doesnt like treats so training her is so much harder to do

[@CatSchool]

Please check out our treats video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpKyd5h8oN6og7Msi=LCze6Dp0UpBh4e1i

[@bettyboop1524]

To me all these vest type harnesses look to be too wide at the neck, More like a turtleneck. I'm getting a backpack for my cat and would like some type of harness for him to wear while in the backpack, most of the ones I see are a lot of material, look uncomfortable around the neck. I don't want my cat to get overheated inside a pack with a full blown vest harness. Any suggestions for a lighter weight harness? I have no intention of ever walking my cat in my doggy neighborhood. Thank you

[@maggiemhayward]

I recently started harness training my 3 month old kitten but I was just putting it on him and hoping he would get used to it. Are there any steps I should do differently knowing that he already hates it and has bad associations with the harness and leash?

[@Window4503]

Probably just start counter conditioning

[@hannahdalal3269]

I would like to walk my cat, but he hates wearing things, and there's no harnesses in my local pet store, so i have to order online, and it's very expensive to ship overseas. He also in huge, and still growing ( he's a mainecoon). So can I use a collar instead, and attach the leash to the collar, and walk him like a dog?

[@wudgee]

Yeh, my cat freaked and ran round like a loon until she managed to wriggle out of it.

[@sylvannacaceres6380]

❤️❤️❤️👏👏👏👏🥰

[@Lola-nv8ex]

What size harness is that?

[@CatSchool]

Jones wears the S/M which is for cats 10-12 lbs.

[@beathecat6195]

What age should I start training my kitten (in general) she is 4 and a half months old btw thanks for the video

[@CatSchool]

You can start right now. Just like puppies get training when they are young, kittens can learn too.

[@beathecat6195]

Thank you

[@mlm4849]

Where do you get a harness like this? I just bought a clip at neck and clip at tummy one and within 5 minutes without me even noticing it happening even with me standing RIGHT THERE fixated on my cat and her surroundings she managed to get out of the neck part effortlessly!!!! She'd flopped over and I picked her up and both paws were free and only the harness around her tummy remained!!! The neck part was still clipped too!! So..a secret Houdini move happened when she "tipped" over onto the ground?!

[@CatSchool]

www.amazon.com/CAT-SCHOOL-Harness-Leash-Step/dp/B0B4KMQJ58

[@newasmitaelectronics7235]

Let's go to cat school

[@sarahcharter911]

What if my cat doesn’t take treats? She has never liked treats, which we think is very weird, she’ll take one treat but never another one

[@stellapun5540]

Could you tell me where to buy this cat harness?

[@CatSchool]

amzn.to/415o08O

[@sqqsha]

What do I do if my cat just falls on the side and refuses to walk? I really need help because my cat is a little overweight and needs to move more. 🙏

[@CatSchool]

You are welcome to join our membership to get more help on your training: www.catschool.co/membership

[@Iyzdor]

What if a cat isn’t food motivated?

[@mychanneljohn2024]

what size is that ??

[@CatSchool]

Jones wears an S/M size and he's around 12 lbs.

[@mandyinseattle]

I've had my two tabby sisters for 2 months and they're still pretty nervous around me. When they're sleepy I can pet them but they're still nervous. I'm one worried that the window for training them is closing. They will be 1 year old next month

[@CatSchool]

Please consider joining our membership program to get support at building trust and strengthening their bond with you.

[@RanLes7]

I dont think there is any “window closing time”. I think if you are just slow, yet consistent, and don’t try to rush the process… you will see results eventually. Look at this training as a daily adventure that always ends on a positive note… rather than a hurried end goal that may disappoint you because it’s not happening fast enough.

[@tinar1142]

What about cats that don't like treats? 😢

[@jacquelinepriscilla7936]

Hi Julian! What GPS collar tracker do you use? And do you recommend a long lead when going on walks? I have a pretty short ( 6ft when completely stretched) bungee style lead...

[@nuclearpistachio]

tabcat

[@MattyIcecubes]

My cat just will not cooperate and harness and leash training is impossible for her. I'm about to begin a career as a long haul truck driver and if I can't leash train her she can't come along. I've had her for 4 years, love her so much and don't want to rehome her, but that's probably what is going to happen :(

[@glenblack779]

are you hi

[@VishnuAnilkumar1]

ummm... my kittens dont stay still... even without a harness 0.0 I present them with treats... 1 swats the treat before eating as if he did the killing... the second looks innocently into my eyes and steps forward mewing wanting more treats.... as if her begging is what is getting her the treats... Well to be fair, they are very young, just few months old.... and the swatter just started learning to keep their paws on the ground when I give the sit command... the innocent beggar still isnt trained properly... the swatter keeps interrupting our training sessions...

[@Eaglemadhatter]

Our cat just goes limp. It's hilarious but not 😂😢 Day 3

[@bean420man]

I think I totally screwed this up on the first attempt.

[@jonash226]

Which harness is this

[@plushygun]

Cat School Vest Harness. But honestly, most vest harnesses that are tied with velcro would do the trick!

[@bigusdickus3068]

or you could just grab the mfer by the scruff, Put the harness and leash on then give them a piece of salmon after. Never trick your kitty with dry food as a treat. They'll catch on by the time you feed them their breakfast or dinner

[@erichansen3641]

Did you see how long that leash the cat was on? This is bad. People walk their pets on long leashes then distract themselves with their cell phones while the pets stick their heads into the street. I had to slow down this week for that same reason. A man had his little dog on a leash and the man was talking on the cell phone, and the little dog was at the curb with his head sticking out into the street with oncoming cars like mine. Pets, especially cats, should not be walked on a leash anywhere close to a street with any frequency of traffic.