Harness and lead training

[Kazz]

Whats the criteria for a PAT cat? why not give your contacts at PAT a ring and ask them to check her out informally so you can concentrate on the things you need to.

[dandysmom]

Originally Posted by yola

Well done Moli, as ever girls are more adaptable to new concepts and challenges than boys !!! I've too just started this with Darcy. He's such a 'monkey' for running off out of the garden that I've decided that he stays on the lead until he learns that vaulting the garden wall is not an option. Thing is he just sits and glowers at me when I put it on him. He refuses to move!!

Siwwy cat!!

Yola, don't think I agree with you on this one: I've had 5 harness & lead trained cats over the years...3 boys (Siamese, Aby, Pura) who all took to it instantly, and 2 moggy girls who did also...although Misty"s idea of a nice walk was from the basement door to the end of the driveway...approximately 10 feet...and than sat & basked happily in the sun! It is very funny to watch the expresions of psssersby who suddenly realize that the animal at the end of the lead is ...a CAT!!! Have not taken Leia out...she is shy with strangers, traffic is worse these days, and...I'm getting a bit old for it

[dandysmom]

By the way, what is a PAT cat?

[Naomi]

PAT is a voluntary organisation in the UK (Pets As Therapy) where pets are used to visit elderly people in Nursing Homes, hospitals etc here's the website http://www.petsastherapy.org/

I used to do PAT work with my staffordshire bull terrier and everybody loved him

It's very rewarding when you see peoples faces light up when they see you coming. Mind you they couldn't miss you with the pets wearing bright yellow coats and the volunteers wearing bright yellow or orange t-shirts

I'll get onto the local co-ordinator this morning Kazz, thanks for that.

[Naomi]

Just out of curiosity, those who have already trained their cats to walk on the lead, do you take them out everday on the lead when training or not?

[dandysmom]

I always took mine out daily..after dinner when it was still light out and mid day when it wasn't. They got to expecting a walk & were miffed when the weather was inclement...except Sultan, who would walk in a light drizzle just to prove his point! lol

[Hreow]

Rover gets walked three to five times a day - think that means I'm dog-trained for the time that we'll have one of them as well.
Length of the walk is until I have to go to work or do other things, or when Rover's had enough. He's sometimes just out and back again, but we've been out for over an hour at times. On a lead is the only opportunity he has to go out, so it feels fair to me.

[Naomi]

Right will make an effort to take her out tomorrow as the weathers been a bit yukky today.

Had an email back from the Co-ordinator of PAT, all assessments are now done by a vet nurse or a vet so she says I've got to wait till Moli's 12 months old and then she'll find a local vet nurse or vet who does the assessments for them. In the meantime I think I'll just do the same stuff that I did with Jasper

[Snoof]

Oh, that's so lovely Nae I want to train one of the kittens up to be a PAT cat and I suspect the female will be more susceptible to it... But we'll see. I may end up having two

Don't think either Ninja or Sweep (the two of them have come to an agreement, it seems, but unfortunately the bloody catflap was postponed again so we're still waiting to take Sweep in - am pondering setting things up in the room I plan to keep him in and just seeing if I can get him in there and then to the vet's) are young enough to get used to it - as you all know Ninja, at least, will never be socially "ready" for it, and I think Sweep may become a very pleasant housecat but will not be that sociable either.

[carternm31]

Hate to sound dumb, but why do some people put their cats on leads?