Would you ever 'walk' you cat? (1 Viewer)

[Paul_D]

I was on my way home last night and I saw someone walking along with their cat on a leesh, trotting along behind him. Why? Anyone here ever do it?

 

[Nigel McN]

I imagine if you have an indoor cat it could be a way of getting them some fresh air, or used to the outside. or just plain old exercise.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I value my skin, no

Frankly, I think it's humiliating to walk your cat, either let them out or don't

 

[Julie K]

I had a Siamese who loved to go outside on a leash. Most cats, however, seem to flop over on their sides whenever you put a leash on them, so it really depends on the cat. Siamese do seem to take to a leash.

However, walking a cat is a very different thing than walking a dog. Most of the time they do not, at all, trot along beside you. I'm frankly stunned by what you saw. A cat's idea of a walk is to roll around on the sidewalk a bit, sniff some interesting smells, blink at the sun, investigate things of interest to cats, and so on while you stand there like some big dumb lump of a primate and watch the cat. Eventually, you get tired, pick up the cat, and go back inside.

That's how you take a cat for a walk.

 

[MickeS]

Hey, that sounds like me walking my dog!
There's only one of our cats that I think would be willing to walk on a leash, but she lived outside for 12 years and doesn't seem to have much of an interest in going out anymore anyway.
I wouldn't mind doing it though if the cat liked it. I saw a woman walk her cat the other day, but apparently her neighbors don't like it much because she lets the cat pee all over and it stinks pretty bad (as we all know).
/Mike

 

[Patrick Sun]

When my neighbor walks their little dog, their cat will walk along with them up and down the street. The cat is rather obedient in that she doesn't venture to far away from them. The cat has no leash on her, only the dog has the leash. It's a pretty cool thing to see (cat-wise).

 

[Ryan Wright]

Hey, you can buy leashes for large reptiles, so, why not??
Personally, I want to get myself a pet alligator and walk THAT around the block...

 

[Malcolm R]

There's a woman who walks by my office quite often just carrying her cat. Sometimes in a carrier, but more often just slung over her shoulder or arm. The cat doesn't seem to mind, as I've never seen it struggling or trying to get away (good thing, as this is downtown/main street area).

 

[Jack Briggs]

A cat's idea of a walk is to roll around on the sidewalk a bit, sniff some interesting smells, blink at the sun, investigate things of interest to cats, and so on while you stand there like some big dumb lump of a primate and watch the cat. Eventually, you get tired, pick up the cat, and go back inside.

Now, that's the second-funniest thing I've read at HTF all day long.

Anybody here see the wonderful 1974 Paul Mazursky film Harry & Tonto? The opening shot is of the marmalade tabby ("Tonto") walking, with Art Carney ("Harry") holding onto him via a leash.

I don't like anything that makes a cat seem like a "pet," so leashes don't appeal to me. But when it comes to protection--cats have notoriously bad streetcrossing habits--I'm all for it. But since I live in an urban neighborhood, my little buddy Attila stays indoors a hundred percent of the time.

 

[Edwin-S]

I don't know or care about walking the things on leashes but I'm all in favor of leash laws for cats. Keep them indoors or keep them leashed because I'm fed up with having to clean up someone else's cat's droppings. If I wanted to clean up cat or dog crap........I would own a dog or a cat.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Except one doesn't "own" a cat.

 

[Jed M]

I value my skin, no

LOL, agreed. I don't think my roommates cat, Mr. Kitty, would be very fond of being taken outside for a walk. He does occasionally like to come outside in the backyard but only a few feet away from the door. Mr. Kitty is more into enjoying the outdoor breeze and sunlight through a screened in window than actually being outside.

 

[Ryan Wright]

Except one doesn't "own" a cat.

Your opinion. Legally, of course, you're wrong. I can go down to the store, buy a cat, and do whatever I want with it (short of harming it). It's mine. I own it.

However, "spiritually" (not sure how else to phrase it), you're right. You really don't "own" animals, as all animals have free will and make their own decisions. Especially cats. If you think about it hard enough, we actually "enslave" our animals. One might substitute the word "caregiver" if the animal loves you and would choose to be in your company, but since the animal does not get a choice, "slavery" or "captivity" would be a more accurate assessment of the animal's situation.

Of course, I have no problem with this. I own (enslave?) a dog, love her very much and spoil her rotten.

 

[Jed M]

since the animal does not get a choice, "slavery" or "captivity" would be a more accurate assessment of the animal's situation.

Interesting point, but lets not give anyone from PETA any ideas. I like having pets.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

My cat 'owns' me! He's free to go outside whenever he wants, if he didn't want to live with me he could just run off.

 

[Bill_Weinreich]

Why not, I sometimes take my pet cockatoo out for a "walk" on his leash.

Bill

 

[Kirk Gunn]

My 8 yr old wants to take our bunny for a walk on a leash, so why not a cat ?

 

[Mike__D]

Julie K,
You just described what my cat does to a "T". He's an indoor cat, and once in a while I'll leave my back door open and let him venture out. He stays real close. He'll jump of the deck onto the concrete and roll on it forever, then he'll sniff some stuff, eat grass, etc... all while I just sit there and watch.

 

[Bruce Chang]

deleted

 

[Patrick Sun]

So what's with all the rolling on concrete by a cat? My neighbor's cat is an outdoor cat, and she'll come over to my driveway, and just plop on her back and just squirm/roll for a while. If she sees me, it's like clockwork that she'll come over and rub her side by my legs, and then just roll around the driveway everytime. I know she's trying to impart her scent on me, but it cracks me up when she does. Too bad she's a bit mean from being an outdoors cat.