The pros and cons of walking cats outside

Cat owners are seeking ways to indulge their pets' primal instincts with exposure to the outdoors by walking the felines leashed outside. But some experts warn the trend is too dangerous.
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[@AppyDancer]

I walk my cat (up to 2km) but only at night. During the day there are too many things around and he's anxious about cars, people, other animals, and he just freezes up...and no, it's never the same as walking a dog. I always have to be ready to pick him up and carry him.

[@squidlings]

You don't walk cats. They're called. Scouting missions

[@countytunavids]

I have outside cats so I learned nothing from the video😂

[@hondakid9170]

​@countytunavids please consider not letting your cats roam free on their own

[@kotasbyubilieau8365]

Depend on each cat's personality and behaviour.

[@NellieKAdaba]

Exactly

[@darrylbirdsall2342]

When my British shorthair cat Carmen died in Austria back in August, 2018, I wanted to do everything I could to help my tuxedo cat Macek live a happy and healthy life. He lived the first eight years of his life indoors and I wanted to give him the opportunity to have the best of both worlds. Macek took to his harness relatively quickly but it was a challenge to get him to walk around. I basically let him do a lot of sniffing around the courtyard and he hissed at all the other cats. He was the boss. Macek was born in Germany, and has also lived in Slovakia, Austria and now the United States. He’s twelve years old now and in great health. He’s my buddy. I don’t walk Macek. Macek walks me. We usually get on one, sometimes two or even three walks in a day, depending on my work schedule. He loves to run up the trees and he walks long distances in one go. He looks forward to his daily walks and we often walk all over our 4 acres. I use a wrap around velcro harness because it’s much more comfortable than a narrow one, and also safer on him. I don’t walk him after dark because we have a lot of predatory animals in rural Washington State.

[@TheCutiepuffs]

I walk my cat and hes got out of the harness before but he just gets scared and waits for me to pick him up. My cat loves walks.

[@Bonnie-lo3zh]

HAhaha awwwwww so cute 😭💗

[@Realwessharpe]

Mine would absolutely not do that 🤣 I'm afraid to go out for a walk so I just exercise him with toys at home

[@chefcook09]

People needs to give cats a chance in society

[@thepeff]

I get it, you have a tiny friend and you wanna go out and hang out together and your pet feels the same way. If you can protect the little thing's life then it feels like a no-brainer

[@brownsugar163]

If you have a fenced in backyard letting your cat out once in awhile isn't a bad thing especially if they want to go outside. I adopted a cat a year ago and was told oh no she doesn't like going outside. Come to find out she does but I make sure if I let her out I go outside with her.😺

[@brownsugar163]

@@STONE69_ Oh I know cats can climb fences my cat is an older cat and I notice she isn't much of a climber. If I take her out which is the rare time she goes to the same place in the backyard.

[@vi9763]

I used to tie my 🐈 harness to the base of one of my trees on the backyard while I read on the deck. We both loved it

[@Levy122]

Normalize wallking a cat with a leash 😂

[@nhvnaturalpet]

Great insights into cat walking trend! It's helpful to give them exercise and sunbathing, but should also be careful of insects.

[@greasysofunny]

one-time i had took her outside she did get scared and got loose off her leash, but then she seen to many people outside,so she cry as she ran back to me and sit there in front of me crying waiting for me to pick her up how sweet😊 ..I'm not going to lie i was so relief cause i had gotten her from a shelter and I didn't want to lose her to anything I hurry up grab her and said to her your butt staying in no outside for you no more,now when i try to hold her tight and try to bring her outside she screams alot now 😂😂😂

[@chandifellin4027]

My cat use to sit on back yard and exploring nature. He never leaves the boundry. When i call his name he is right up by the window. When ever he gets tired sitting out there wait by the kitchen window to come home. I am glad that my cat has good behaviours.

[@chandifellin4027]

@@tracyk3567 Thank you so much for your advice. we are living in NY queens city. We dont have that problem so far. But for sure if lives in countryside i should be more awareness of the danger .

[@chandifellin4027]

@@tracyk3567 oh yea. Unbelievable. I will keep my eye on them . Will be more careful then. Thanks again.

[@HeyLookPropane]

Pros: Your cat gets some exercise Cons: You look weird walking a frickin cat 🤣

[@NellieKAdaba]

True 😆

[@TSWaves1]

Walking a cat shouldn't be taboo

[@canyoudigit9369]

Should be safe for a cat outsite. It's the best feeling be able to take any pet with you.

[@lathafalls7675]

Outside

[@heathergilbert7042]

Cats are not the only ones that get spooked and escape. Dogs will do the same. If you don't want to Harness and leash your fur babies you can get a pet stroller - just saying......

[@emilyhopemeechem4183]

It’s funny at the time I recently moved into my new house this year, my girl neighbor walks her cat on a leash every day

[@wolfywlf3983]

Make sure to be careful if your walking your cat you might come across dogs that might want to attack him

[@rebeccalent9404]

Where I live there are predators out in the woods. Like Coyotes, Foxes, cars, dishonest people, etc. So I have to keep her on a harness and leash to keep her safe.

[@3rdandlong]

I've just started walking my cat. Interesting this video popped up. But so far, so good after only a week on a leash that does not go around his neck. Bad idea to use those. Get the one that has to go up under their front paws and clips on top. More comfortable for them, and secure.

[@vicgamesvt9682]

The one that goes around the neck is called a collar the on that goes on the chest is a harness

[@3rdandlong]

@@vicgamesvt9682 Yes, thank you. Harness. Some words are difficult to develop late at night.

[@edyann]

Haha.. I'm a crazy cat lady so this is super funny!

[@edyann]

Ohh.. but it can be dangerous as well so that's why I don't walk my kitties.

[@NellieKAdaba]

😆

[@vicgamesvt9682]

I tried walking my cat and it was hard and he would often escape his leash/harness

[@getfreemazes]

people got paid with your money to tell you this.

[@InCan-D]

I have a rescue who I got when she was only 3 days old. She just turned 7. She used to go everywhere with me, since she needed to be fed every 2 hours. She always travels with me cross country and I have a harness for her. She would always stay in close proximity to me but I do tend to keep her on a harness when outdoors or in a new destination. They do get spooked from time to time, like all animals do. She loves traveling! I have to add, she is a mix between domesticated and part wild cat. Everything is possible as long as you do it right and with love and care!

[@Khi420]

My cat would think I’m joking if I even thought of trying to walk him

[@trevorbyron9448]

My neighbor never let her cat's out once in the 8 yrs she's had them. The cat would also think it's a joke to walk him...must take the risk for once in his lifetime...hate people being imprisoned

[@ozgurkoc8889]

Cats don’t need leash first let them be free they ll love you and will always come back cause cats they never forget. I have 2 cats. One of them is timid had a lot of trauma with dogs from her old owner. Anyway she’s first 2 months mostly under the bed now she can go outside walk on the grass and living with my roommate husky as good friends. My male cat is so confident and curious. He’s so smart, I am taking him walk everyday he doesn’t need leash he follows me wherever I go, he sometimes gets too busy because of curiosity and he smells that I am going far then start running to me. Cats are also loyal if you give them freedom they are not like dogs cats needs to feel that they’re free with you

[@ronki23]

Before I went swimming I saw a friendly cat and played with it. After swimming I saw it walking with some other people and behaving like a dog

[@markvogel5872]

I walk mine every day.

[@kaiharris9675]

I cat walk my cat since she was a baby.

[@notyourophelia]

Only issue is when they wanna explore small holes and wants you to follow along😂

[@alvinip9128]

I understand but I think this is much much better than letting them free roam and destroy the local wildlife

[@MarkWhich]

I thought of that with my cat, but she not the best with the strangers, and if a dog sees her, i may not even get enough time to react.

[@daviddawes293]

I wish I could take my cat outside but it’s too risky.. she’s most likely going to run off at the slightest bit of stimulation

[@collectorguy3919]

Is professional cat training a thing?

[@Wowocats1]

Guys get them a harness and have a firm grip on the cats Leash

[@ronm6585]

Thanks.

[@annabezanson6167]

I walk my 3 cats

[@joshuasummers7554]

Yeah people are approaching this weird, and its even weirder seeing this be so novel too. Cats are small, and in a world barley even built to scale for human (we build for cars, humans are after that) its a pretty intimidating place. And two, of course some cats want to go outside, but the things they can protect themselves against is so much smaller than ours, they cant just trust to follow us wherever, so its more of an "expedition" where the cat dictates whats explored at each destination, but the human travels there and determines when its time to go. Edit: bringing them out at night is perfect, at least in the begining . Cars suck, and they are way worse in the day lol

[@georgeanngash9896]

My cat is not afraid of people at all but he is afraid of noise

[@PISETHeducation]

Hello 🐈🤩🤩💗 love you 💕

[@lynncrf]

Glad I live in Europe where cats are perfectly safe going out walking by themselves. The indoor only cat life must be so depressing for cats, so daily walks seem like a good idea.

[@djkbyofficial]

Nice

[@DiXtionRap]

The way they talk about the cats slipping out of their leash and getting lost isn’t very well thought through, as if they’re more likely to get lost after slipping out of their leash compared to being let outside to roam

[@Bonnie-lo3zh]

I tried once. My cat was terrified 😂 poor thing. I want to try again soon. We live by a beautiful park I’d love to take him to see the lake or something

[@kenjinmishima9928]

Leave the damn cat alone. If it doesn't want to be out don't force it.

[@Bonnie-lo3zh]

@420KinK I don’t want him running away!!! Lol

[@epictetushasepictiddiez2615]

If your cat is the type to door dash but not go out too far then it's a good idea to walk them. But if it has no interest in stepping outside then yeah. No need to walk them

[@misslayer3340]

Yeah it depends on your cat's personality and also, you can't just throw a harness on them and expect them to know what's going on. It takes time to train them with a leash and sometimes they need to be slowly introduced to the outside. If that's what he wants of course

[@ibrahimm2012]

When I went to the park with my cats and remove their harness one cat just sat on the part chair with me and another one explored the whole park .

[@mynameisjump4772]

now this is the news we want

[@loganholmberg2295]

People should be applauded for this. Dog owners get ostracized if they free roam their dogs so they have to walk them. Why do cat owners get away with free-roaming their cats? They should be walking them just like dog owners have to. Plus it's good exercise for both of them.

[@Whoami691]

1) cars don't leave shlt on the grass, they bury it in a secluded spot 2) cats are far less likely to attack people 3) cats lack the muscle to do long term harm if the do attack.

[@epictetushasepictiddiez2615]

People get cats because they think they're low maintenance and don't require training so they don't bother with the effort to walk them

[@PinkNintendoDuo87]

When trained smartly and correctly, I think it’s possible to walk your cat. If wild cats can survive outdoors, then I don’t see why you can’t bring domesticated ones out of the house. We need to challenge pet stereotypes like “only dogs are allowed to be walked.”

[@jdanielcramer]

This was boring but my cat liked it 🙃

[@RubyTuesday-kx3up]

Don't walk your cat because it might get away? LOL don't walk your dog outside either because it might slip away and get hit by a car😅😂

[@trazx8521]

Yup nope never happening again. I tried putting a harness on my cat once and the usually sweet playful little guy turned into a psycho demon cat. I've never heard that much growling and hissing out of a cat before and I ended up with deep scratches over my chest and neck so ya I think it's safe to say he didn't like the harness.

[@HackersSun]

If you're really determined and the cat is food motivated, have it put on when you're feeding it The point is for the cat to get used to it

[@someone4458]

thats why u cut their nails

[@misslayer3340]

Well, you have to train the cat to walk with a harness lol. Most of them don't love it immediately, but they get used to it if you work with them, and eventually they'll associate it with going outside. It can take a while sometimes depending on the cat, but not always. It does take a lot of patience and dedication on the human's part. Which explains why not that many people walk their cats

[@AbimaelTurcios3040]

I would love to walk my cat. But I'm afraid of the insects. And fleas cats get. I know there's collars.

[@user-it6bx9tt5h]

i have a really dumb cat thats very friendly. 0 survival skill. curious about everything. smells everything. perches on my shoulder like a parrot.. and i got another cat the runs away from pets and hides under the couch. only comes out for food. loves food. the dumber one would probably love to walk. the skittish homebody, probably no

[@dumpsta-divrr365]

Honor! Justice! Reinhardt Reinhardt Reinhardt!

[@haydenzahn]

Awww

[@msandifort22]

What if there is a dog walking loose huh?

[@penny4thought168]

It shouldn't be walking loose, especially if it has a high prey drive. You have the right to defend your animal. If the dig attacks the cat, the owner of the cat can hurt the dog to make it go away. That's entirely on the owner of the dog.

[@ZippyZepeda]

where I live it offensive take your cat for walk because people think it mean predator looking for kids

[@jannamaenpaa]

😊

[@alexkostyanko6976]

Smart designer 35

[@AW-xv7dq]

make sure u have boots, steel toed

[@JonSnow-ThePrince]

I have two huskies :)

[@davidmacphee8348]

Me too!

[@davidmacphee8348]

@420KinK beautiful it should be a viral trend by now. A cat can self learn to use a toilet so mastering a Dog should be No Problem.

[@JonSnow-ThePrince]

Huskies are very naughty animals

[@alihussain4349]

You should put the leash around the humans and let the cats walk them. Now that would be a real story.

[@chrismaloney2289]

CBC “News”?

[@Khalikhalzit]

This is what Westerners think about?

[@canadaclub8920]

Its something that should be normalized

[@atheistyoda8915]

Is there a problem? I mean, I'm an Asian watching this because I'm curious about possibly taking my cat out for a walk sometimes.

[@Dylan_thebrand_slayer_Mulveiny]

If I saw someone walking with their cat on a leash, I would laugh at them SOOOOOOOO hard.

[@loganholmberg2295]

Why? Too many cats are allowed to free roam as it is. Should not cat owners have to have the same responsibility as cat owners? My Dad used to be the nuisance office for the town we lived in and he had to sholot cats cause people couldb't be bothered to look after their cats like dogs and we got feral cats in town as a result. Responsable pet ownership is a good thing. Feral cats bring desease and decimate local bird populations.

[@BrianaCunningham]

You'd probably just get weird looks for laughing. XD

[@ahhmm5381]

Now imagine seeing a cat in a stroller...

[@natashabegley1346]

Should own cats if you can't let them out with no leash! Cats on a leash is ridiculous!

[@TheHummingbird876]

Why is it ridiculous?

[@Bonnie-lo3zh]

“Should own cats If you can’t let them out with no leash” what????? I’m so confused 😂

[@BrianaCunningham]

@420KinK i live where we dont have coyotes or foxes so im fine letting mine out in the farmland area where i live.

[@Bonnie-lo3zh]

@@BrianaCunningham oh you have the perfect area!! I’m so jealous 💕💕 I would love to let my cat roam free but I’m scared of cars and other animals freaking him out too much. 😂 I would love some farm land haha

[@stikyfinkaz183]

Dam that cat its huge.