Roo is ready for a walk, donning her harness while her owner, Alana Kestle, holds the lead. Roo is a cat, and she's part of a growing trend where cats are taken for walks, sharing the spotlight on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Videos of cats engaging in outdoor activities, from paddleboarding to hiking, have surged in popularity.
Read More
With many young urban dwellers living in apartments, outdoor walks offer cats a chance for enrichment while minimizing risks associated with outdoor freedom, such as traffic. Cat expert Emily Blackwell does not outright condemn the practice but does not endorse it universally, emphasizing that its success depends on the specific cat and owner.
Cats Protection advises potential cat owners to select pets that will thrive in their living situations instead of forcing them into activities that may not suit them. Alana, who adopted Roo with her partner in Cardiff, reflects on the commitment required to successfully harness train a cat. Initially intending for Roo to be an indoor cat, they were inspired by social media posts featuring walking cats.
In Cheshire, Abby Mayers and her wife Melody also participate in this trend with their cat, Olive. They began harness training Olive while living in a first-floor flat without a garden, close to a busy road. Although they now have a house with a garden, they sometimes let Olive outside unsupervised to expend her energy.
Concerns regarding the safety of harness walking have crossed Abby's mind, but she believes that if Olive and their other cat, Robin, disliked it, they would refuse to participate. "Cats don’t do things they don’t want to do," Abby said, noting her awareness of her pets’ comfort levels. She emphasizes that she would stop this practice if her cats showed signs of distress.