WHY WALK YOUR CAT?

Before we delve into the question of why, we need to define what cat walking is. Cat walking, as opposed to dog walking, is not about taking your cat out to do his business, though some cats will. It’s also not about getting your daily exercise, though it may augment it. Cat walking is not just something that crazy cat people aspire to.

Cat walking is about experiencing the natural world around you with one of its denizens at your side. It’s about stopping and smelling and being in the moment. It’s about exercising your cat’s curiosity and his intellect. It’s about your cat feeling the wind and the sun caress his body. And most importantly, it’s about your cat learning to trust you as if you were his mother.

Your cat wants to go outside. He sits in the window, hungering for the hunt. He needs to taste the grasses and rub against flowers. He longs to feel the earth beneath its feet. He wants to feel the walls of his world push out, expand, and grow.

Cat walking isn’t measured in kilometers or minutes. While you will enjoy it, much of that joy will be vicarious as your cat begins to trust the world and enjoy the walk for what it is, minute by minute, experience by experience.

Every cat is different, so while some cats will be sated by a walk around the block, others may be more comfortable with shorter, more controlled excursions. You’ve probably heard that walking a cat is not like walking a dog; the cat dictates the direction. That’s only partially true. You can lead your cat, but there are places and situations that may provide too much stimulation for your cat, so you’ll need to be cognizant of this. Sometimes just picking your cat up and carrying him past the object of its distress is enough, other times it might make more sense to alter your path. Either way, if you follow the directions outlined here, you’ll be more in control of the direction, and in part, the pace.

CAT WALKING AIDS IN BONDING

This is an interesting one, one that completely caught me off guard, but not for the reasons you might think. When I initially embarked on the task I had visions of my cat enjoying the weather, jumping at butterflies, and exploring the neighborhood. All of that happened, but took some time. First I had to acknowledge and help my cat get over some innate fears and complexities. One thing I had to understand was that my cat, being a small nocturnal predator, was also prey for larger animals. The fact that none of those animals were on my street made no difference; how was my cat to know? Putting a harness and a leash on him was akin to strapping a soldier into a straitjacket before asking them to walk through enemy territory. Every instinct was screaming “this is a bad thing.”

It’s positively terrifying.

But you have an ace in the hole. Beneath the terror is a place of curiosity and desire. Your cat needs to be out there. And while it will take time, if you’re consistent in your practice, your cat will begin to feel more confident, and little by little, he will become less fearful. The cautious attitude may never go away completely, but the sounds, the smells, and the sights will become less ominous as your cat’s practice progresses.

Somehow, I had to make my cat see that I was there to protect him, that I wouldn’t let anything bad happen, and that even though his natural instincts were ringing off the hook, he was safe.

Without getting into the nature-versus-nurture debate, I’m here to tell you, it can happen. Cats want to be outside. They want to be a part of the natural environment. They want the stimulation. That’s what makes it worthwhile. That’s what makes it work in the end. All you need is time, patience, and lots of understanding, and your cat will lose much of his fear and put more trust in you.

Fear is part of what a cat is. It’s a survival mechanism and, experienced in small doses, it’s harmless and potentially beneficial. In the early days of cat walking (an indefinite term if ever there was one), your cat may experience an inordinate amount of fear. Even if nothing untoward and startling occurs, the sights, the sounds, and the smells are likely to be overwhelming. Your cat’s senses will be on overdrive, and a short trip outdoors will likely leave him wiped out, wanting nothing more than to cuddle with you afterward.

That cuddle time is important. Your cat is seeking you out for affirmation, for love, and for understanding, so don’t end your walk and dash. If you don’t have time to be with your cat during the cool-down period after the walk, hold off until you do have time. If your cat hides from you after the walk, or runs as you approach, you may have overstimulated him. Give him a day or two to recover, and then try again, but rein in your enthusiasm. Make the next visit shorter and reduce the stimulation. Cats feel most comfortable in confined spaces. Boxed in. A fenced backyard is ideal. Being boxed in allows them to have a better feel for the space and gives them a sense of security that if danger does appear, they’ll see it and have time to respond. Remember, with cat walking, slow and steady trumps speed every time, and soon, rather than running from you, your cat may decide to cuddle, thanking you for the terrifyingly wonderful trip beyond the big door.

Does that mean your cat is ready to take on the outdoors again? Yes and no. Your cat may cower from the thought of it, but a part of your cat really wants this, really needs it. Though, there’s still that confinement of the harness and the leash to deal with—a condition that elevates but doesn’t really trump the joy of the adventure. So even if you don’t see it at first, it’s there. I’m going to state this often in this book: walking a cat on leash is a practice, and even if your cat is having a bad day and refuses to budge from the crook of your arm, with each experience your cat is learning and growing. And even though your cat is happy, ecstatic even, to get back home, at his core, your cat enjoyed the experience. Its trust in you has grown. You have become an even more important part of his world. And just when you think you’ve gone too far, exposed your cat to too much too soon, he hops onto the windowsill to look out beyond the big door, processing, cataloguing, and comparing his experiences to what he sees from the safety of his window seat.

CAT WALKING PROVIDES MENTAL STIMULATION

Cats need more mental stimulation than can be provided for inside. I know some of you will disagree with this assessment, but while a fur mouse or a fishing toy can bring out the hunter in your cat, a bee, a butterfly, or grasshopper takes that hunting instinct and multiplies it by 100. Your walks, if you plan them right, can provide more stimulation than a box full of cat toys ever could. And while you’ll need to rotate your cat toys to keep things from getting stale, you won’t have the same problem with the sights and sounds beyond the big door.

The first time you observe your cat spot an insect, crouch down, and wiggle his butt in anticipation—an activity you’ve no doubt seen numerous times in your living room—you’ll immediately understand the difference. The cautious demeanor it was experiencing just moments before will melt away, replaced with a steely resolve as your cat becomes one with the natural world. This is the real deal.

Don’t get me wrong, the toys have their place. You should play with your cat daily, especially on days when you can’t take him outside. But they are no more a replacement for the natural world than a travelogue is a replacement for travel. They both have their place, but beyond the superficial, they are worlds apart.

Even unwanted stimuli, such as cars, lawnmowers, dogs, and other people, will, over time, diminish in their impact. They will become part of the environment, something your cat may not like, but something he will begin to take for granted if you make sure that none of those stimuli result in negative outcomes.

And while it may be desirable to walk your cat on the sidewalk through the neighborhood, make time to do a little off-roading; take your cat into wooded areas where he can walk up and over and under and into places that demand exploration.

And remember, there’s no scratching post as sublime as a tree.

CAT WALKING PROVIDES EXERCISE

This is probably obvious, but getting your cat out and walking is a great way to exercise your cat. Some cats even run a bit when they get comfortable walking on a leash. All you have to do is acknowledge their desire to pick up the pace and start to jog beside them. The first time you do it, your cat will likely freeze and look at you like you’ve lost your mind. While it’s hard to know what a cat is thinking at any time, I’m pretty sure he thinks you’re chasing it. Like he’s prey. But then as your cat looks at you, he will realize he’s safe, that it’s just play, and within a few moments of the freeze, your cat will be jogging again. Some cats will enjoy having you at their side, keeping pace, while others will prefer you hang back a couple steps. But don’t expect your cat to run until he drops. Cats are sprinters, not long-distance runners, so your cat will likely decide he has had enough long before you do. Respect that.

Carpet-and sisal-covered cat trees are helpful for sharpening and sloughing off nail casings; trees are better. A pot of cat grass may help your cat dislodge the occasional hairball or help his digestion, a yard full of grass gives him choice. A window seat may give your cat a window on the world; a walk through the neighborhood invites him into that world. It’s the difference between looking at a photo of an apple pie and biting into a piping-hot slice.

This is the gift we all want to give to our cats. And we know, in our heart of hearts, that our cats want this too. Unless your cat received a lot of exposure to the world at a very early age, the window of discovery has shut.

It’s time to open it.

CAT WALKING PROVIDES SAFE ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS

Free-roaming cats face a lot of dangers and on average, live much shorter lives than cats who live their lives indoors. A well-fed and cared-for indoor-outdoor cat seems to have the best of both worlds at his disposal, and I understand the desire to provide that kind of life for your cat, because, in the end, I’ve no doubt the cat finds it ideal.

Unfortunately, it’s not. There are just too many dangers out there: lawn chemicals, dogs, wild animals, and traffic to name a few.

Many cat owners, myself included, are a bit conflicted over the fact that cats kill birds and other native species. We applaud cats for keeping the rodent population in control and proudly brag about an especially good ratter, but when it comes to songbirds, not so much. To a cat, a bird is a rat is a mole; it’s prey, and they indiscriminately take them to task. And since there’s no way to say, “hunt this, not that,” without your cat looking at you strangely, many of us overlook the occasional songbird carcass on the front porch. The fact that often, after killing the bird, the cat brings it to his owner as a gift also makes it hard to totally condemn the act.

But it is a problem, isn’t it? Not for the walker or the housebound cat, but for the free-roamer.