The best cat harness will not only be comfortable, it will keep your feline adventurer safe. Choosing the proper harness depends on your cat’s age, shape, and preferences. Read on to get the pros and cons of four different styles of harness.
*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!*
Why A Cat Harness?
There are many reasons we take Fish and Chips hiking, camping, and traveling with us. It provides them with endless entertainment, results in better behavior at home, allows them to get the exercise they need, and strengthens our bond.
Of course, there’s also the added benefit of never having to find a pet sitter!
If you decide to take your cat outdoors, whether exploring in the backyard or off on multi-day hikes, the first thing you’ll need is the right cat harness. Collars are fine for attaching ID tags and a bell, but it would be dangerous to attach a leash to your cat’s collar.
Start With A Kitten Harness
Many harnesses made for small dogs will work for adult cats, so you’ll have more options. Unfortunately, for kittens the selection is limited. And you should plan on buying a new harness every few months as your little friend continues to grow.
When they were eight weeks old. Fish and Chips started wearing figure-eight style harnesses made for teacup dogs. This style of harness is easy for cats to wiggle out of, and tightens up if they pull, so it can be uncomfortable.
The purpose of those harnesses was to have them get used to wearing something that fit their tiny kitten bodies. At that point, we weren’t walking the cats or doing any leash training.
Cat Harnesses for Adolescent Kittens
After a couple months, the boys graduated to the Petsafe Easy-Walk Come With Me Kitty Harness. This harness is great for growing kittens because of it’s unique design and adjustability. It also comes with a neat little bungee leash that allows your cat to jump down when riding on your shoulders or backpack.
Both Fish and Chips used these harnesses for the first few months of adventures with us, but we eventually moved on to safer and more comfortable cat harnesses.
Vest-style Cat Harnesses
Next we tried vest-style cat harnesses. These are often the most comfortable for your cat because they distribute weight and pressure evenly. This also makes them an excellent choice for strong cats, because they’re very secure and don’t have pinch points like the strappy harnesses do.
READ MORE ⇒ Get pro tips for road tripping with your cat
Fish loved his vest-style harness and is still using this design. He’s currently wearing the Puppia brand harness, which fits him nicely. It also comes in a fantastic variety of colors, allowing every cat to look his best.
Chips, on the other hand, tried it a few times and decided he’s not a fan of the vest-style harness. Fish and Chips have very different body shapes, and the vest was too bulky on Chips. He also disliked having it tugged over his head and ear, so he went back to wearing the Petsafe harness for a while.
READ MORE ⇒ Pet Friendly Hotel Chains That Welcome Cats
Other Cat Harness Options
In the search to please Chips, we’ve tried jacket-style harnesses. The Kitty Holster got great reviews online and was designed for cats that tend to slip out of their harnesses. But it was unnecessarily bulky for our cats. Fish and Chips had difficulty walking comfortably in the Kitty Holster around the house, so we never even tested it on the trails. That said, it might be the perfect option for your feline friend!
Another possibility are what I refer to as “designer” jackets for cats. Some of these can be used as harnesses and are also quite fashionable! Chips has a leather biker jacket from the AllCatsGood Etsy shop that he seems pretty comfortable in, though it would be too warm to use on long hikes.
The Best Cat Harness for Chips
Since Chips prefers a cat harness that doesn’t go over his head, we searched for one that would be easy to put on and wouldn’t have to be adjusted once it was in place. That brought us to an H-style harness.
It should be noted that H-style harnesses are not super-secure and would not be ideal for strong cats or escape artists. They are, however, a good option for docile cats that require a lightweight harness. We started with one made for dogs, but found that the fabric straps were too wide and were chaffing Chips’ little arms.
After searching high and low for an H-style harness that was the right fit for Chips, we discovered one at our local grocery store! The harness was inexpensive, fits him fairly well, and has little skulls on it to match his tough-guy personality.
This is what he’s currently using, but it does move around on him a bit. It’s not perfect … so we’re still hunting for the perfect harness for him. Luckily, more cats are starting to travel, and companies are making more cat gear. That will make finding the best cat harness for your furry friends even easier!
READ MORE ⇒ Purr-sonality Traits of Adventure Cats: Does Your Cat Have What It Takes?
EXPERIENCE MORE TOGETHER
Accommodations | Destinations | Trip Planner
The post Choosing the Best Cat Harness appeared first on GoPetFriendly.com.
from GoPetFriendly.com https://ift.tt/2HuzQQH
No comments:
Post a Comment