Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm giving leash-training another try with Murray. The first time around, I acted hastily and didn't give him much chance to get used to the harness/leash before trying to walk him. So he resisted. This time around, I found some online tips that stress patience and moving very slowly. Today I put the leash/harness on him for a brief period, gave him a treat, praised him for being a good boy, and after I took the leash/harness off, played with it like a toy, dangling it so he could grab at it (on the theory that if he comes to "like" the leash/harness, he'll be better about letting me put it on him). As I write this, he's playing with the leash/harness by himself. So I'm encouraged...
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I love my kitties!

hubpages.com/hub/The-cats-meow

Good luck with the leash training. I have tried it on various members of my cat family and I always get one of two reactions. They either flip, roll and leap like a fish on the end of a fishing line, or they fall over on their sides and play dead or paralyed kitty, refusing to stand much less actually walk until it is removed. As for playing with it, it was more like they were trying to kill it than play with it
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Tessa Onyx, Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, ShyRaven, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo,(We be house cats at last), and Salem, Wicca and Marmalade (We iz also house cats, we guess)and the 5 porch kits also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too
Tabitha and Samantha..always in our hearts//Fly free Penny 12/12/07
A house without cats is like a garden without flowers

Congrats! Get him used to the leash. Remember walking a cat is NOT like walking a dog, cats have minds of thier own. Smiggle loves "walkies", where she is on her leash and I walk with her around our yard. She leads me, not the reverse. Heaven forbid if a squirell or some other critter comes in sight- she drags me so she can try and catch it- sometimes she does. When we are working in the yard, she is tied up on her leash, with a 10' lead, enough so she can get excerise, but short enough to stay out of the cukes. She is not left alone outside at all. My other two brats would not even think of walking on grass!

good luck with the leash training, Ive never had much luck with it...only once, many years ago, did i have a kitty who enjoyed it
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PHTessie