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We have wondered why people put their cats on leashes and it seems the only answer is "Why not?" Today, the NY Times' City Section confirms that answer, with a charming article about Corcoran broker Court Hassinger whose Abyssinian Radar enjoys constitutionals around the Upper West Side.
In spite of Radar's previous escapes and in spite of people asking, "Is that a rat there on the end of that leash?”, Hassinger takes Radar (who he "met on the Internet"--hee!) to Central Park and there's an accompanying slideshow (our favorite). And in honor of this story, we present some photographs of other intrepid New Yorkers who bring their felines out for strolls.
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After 10 years in an apartment i decided to take
my gray cat for a walk to show him what NYC was
about,Boy did i end up a bloody mess,poor cat
never saw the street and clung on to my shoulders
for dear life ,I learned a lesson.
I noticed on the fourth, fifth and sixth pictures above that the owners either weren't using harnesses or using them incorrectly. Not much point to putting a lead on a collar or a harness that's not properly fitted. The cat would slip right out if it got spooked by something.
I took pictures of a young woman taking her bunny for a walk on a leash once in Manhattan. Interesting facts: city squirrels will intimidate house bunnies; dogs on a leash get along get along reasonably amicably with a rabbit on a leash; seeing a bunny going for a hop with its owner in NYC is totally awesome.
Pew pew pew!
Saw a guy walking his 3 yr-old tuxedo kitteh (w/harness) in West Chelsea the other evening. He said that his cat yearned for the outdoors from kittenhood. Funny...cat was really into sniffing and scratching the ground....such canine behavior!
I tried this once with my cat in the back garden. It ended with me crawling in my stomach under a dumpster to retrieve my poor kitty when she freaked out and busted apart the harness. I do wish she could go outdoors but she can't seem to handle it very well. When she's feeling brave, she walks down the hall of my apartment building instead.
who didn't try this with their indoor cat?
every time I'm in a pet store that nylon harness and leash would say buy me.
the funny part was trying to get the cat's legs in that thing. the closest my cat roamed outdoors was the roof and the fire escape, took it to the country and it was a fraidy cat didn't eat all weekend.
The fourth kitteh, the tabby, even has a bandana around its neck. I saw kitteh + owner on Saturday. Kitteh was walking pretty tight to the wall, avoiding people gawking and petting him. I believe you have to get the kittens on leashes to train them. Adult cats don't take the leashes well, I don't think.
I think one of my kittehs--the one who lived in an empty lot on 115th Street and Madison until he was rescued--would love to be outside, but he would hate a harness leash deal.
I could try walking one of our (many) cats on a leash, but it's a reasonable guess that the results would be disastrous.
What is this "kitteh" of which you speak? Is that "kitten" with an "h"?
www.forgotten-ny.com
Jen, maybe your cat would feel more comfortable with the harness if he felt more empowered about it; like if he was also wearing a Superman outfit or something. I know that sounds totally insane--who would do such a thing?--but you never know. Could work.
[11] "Kitteh" is LOLspeak.
The idea of letting a cat get out and get some air seems great but I still don't feel it's the best thing in the city. Only one of my cats likes to go outside and she'll take a walk in the hallway, go next door into neighbor's houses then come back. The others won't step outside the front door so I think not only does it come down to training it also comes down to personality. It took me a year to get collars on any of them so I can't imagine a harness.
By the way the guy in the fifth picture with the cat on a dog leash uses it as a gimmick, gets you to pet the cat then asks you for a dollar for petting it. He's just as bad as the homeless man that hangs around the F on W4 and 34th st. who collects kittens so you'll pity him and give him money.
Yeah, I"ve tried the harness a bunch of times, and my cat hate hate hates it. I think she'd like the outdoors, but it just ain't gonna happen in a city like this. Instead, I take her out periodically in this pet carrier that's got mesh all around and which doubles as a backpack. She can see the world a little but still feel like she's sheltered by the carrier.
Cats on leashes are pussies.
My cat would sneak out the door or jump out the window and disappear for two days. The fucker always came back, usually with a fresh scar or two. To this day, I believe he was running with organized crime.
It's pure selfishness to put a cat on a leash, much less take it outside in a big city. Many cats enjoy being outside, but they should never be let out of their home in an urban area. C'mon, there are far better ways of getting attention than torturing your kitteh!
Um, ping, I don't think (most) people are doing it for the attention. I think many of us genuinely want to let our cats out of their tiny apartments for some fresh air in the same way dog owners take their dogs out.