More on Halters

In earlier blog covered training cats to walk on a leash, and mentioned harnesses. There are a variety of halters available. The H-harness modeled here by my cat Seren works well on small to medium size cats. The jumbo-size kitties often tend to be too big for the smallest size, and two small for the medium size found in pet products stores. And it must be fitted correctly or else your cat will wriggle out of it in no time. These harnesses have a band that circles the chest, and another band that goes over the head to fit around the base of the neck. These two bands make up the legs of the “H” and the connecting segment over the shoulders completes the “H” and typically holds the ring where the ring connects. Some of these harnesses also include a second crossbar that connects from the throat-band down the chest to the bellyband and are a bit more wiggle-proof. The key is to fit both bands so that you can only get a single finger between the band and the cat’s body. That takes quite a bit of putting on and taking off, with adjustments in between, and cats can get quite fed up before you have it properly fit. They also can still pull the whole thing over their heads if they vigorously back away from the leash…keep them heading away from you, and you’ll be more secure. I personally like the adjustable figure-8 harness better (shown here on the kitten) because whichever direction the cat pulls, the belly/neck bands tightened and do not slide off. This style leash also fits any size cat--from tiny kitten to gigantic adult. It’s a single line of cord, so it’s halter and leash in one. One end of the line is the leash loop handle, and the other end has a metal butterfly connector creating a neck loop that goes over the cat’s head. The loose end from the neck loop goes behind the cat’s front legs, under the chest, and connects with a hook to the butterfly connector over the cat’s shoulders. I like this style because you can fit it once on the cat--you don’t necessarily have to take it on and off. Measure an approximate length for the belly loop around the cat’s chest before you put it on, making sure you have enough space for the loop to go over his head. You can then pull the cord through the shoulder connector to adjust a snug fit--a bit more snug around the torso and with some give about the neck. What kind of halter do you prefer for your cat? Leave a comment and let me know why, or send me a picture of your cat on a walk to photos@petside.com