Often it has been seen that whenever a cat owner opens the door, the cat runs out of the home. Probably the cat is just curious to have a look at the outside world. If that is your problem, then you should probably consider cat leash training. Cats are considered to be very stubborn and thus the question is quite obvious, can you leash train a cat? The answer is yes, cats can be trained on leashes. The trick is doing it the right way. Most cats (not all) can be leash trained with patience.

The main purpose of a leash is to control the erratic behavior of your pet while outdoors. Cats are taken on leashes so that they don’t run away from you and cause public nuisance. Once a cat escapes it’s very difficult to catch him, because they are very agile and able to get through small spaces easily, not to mention their jumping abilities. In some areas, it’s illegal for a cat to run free. It’s also potentially dangerous, despite your cat’s fine instincts. There are cars, large dogs and rabid squirrels to contend with that your cat might not be able to escape.

Just as with any type of training, cat leash training will take a considerable amount of time. Do you remember the first time you tried to put a collar on your cat? The cat might have resisted putting it on and after you managed to put it on somehow, the cat would have been busy for hours trying to remove it. You will have a similar experience with the leash, but if your cat is already accustomed to a collar, half of the battle for leash training is won.

The first step is to acquaint your cat with the leash that you will be using. The best way to do so is to place the leash at a place where a cat spends most of its time. The bed or feeding bowl is a good place. Put on the leash or harness just before the cat is ready to take its meal. Make sure that the leash or harness leaves a space of two fingers when placed and does not make the cat uncomfortable. If the cat is comfortable with the leash consider yourself lucky as cats generally do not like foreign objects placed on them.

If the cat shows a little bit of uneasiness, distract him by offering his favorite toy or food. Repeat this for several days till the cat gets accustomed to the leash. Once it is comfortable, just keep the leash on for few minutes everyday.

Next, try to walk your cat around the house. Once she gets accustomed to walking with the leash on, try to take her outdoors. Put the leash on for longer times now and walk with it even while it is walking casually. If the cat at this moment is comfortable, then consider your cat trained to walk on a leash. Next time you are going outside, just leash your cat and take it outside with you.

Cats are very independent animals and like to stay that way. It is often said that humans do not make cats their pets; it is the other way round. Cats use humans so that they can get food and shelter. For this they have adapted themselves in such a way that we feel affectionate towards them and take them as pets. You need to use these attributes in order to coax your cat to walk on a leash.

Leash training is just one unusual form of cat training. Visit Cat Toilet Training to find out why and how you can easily teach your cat to give up its litter box and use the toilet instead!