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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

4641.0. "Too late to train ---harness?!" by SENIOR::REDDEN () Sat May 11 1991 15:45

    Delilah is now 10 months old.  I want to be able to take her outside
    with me, but I can't leave her out by herself.  There are a lot of
    large dogs in the neighborhood that run loose.  Knowing Delilah she
    could put them in their place - she doesn't take any $h!t from our
    boxer/shepherd.  We also have a terrible (understated) neighbor that
    hates for anyone/anything to walk on her lawn.  I am very concerned
    about this neighbor.
    
    As I mentioned, I would love to take Delilah oustide with me while I'm
    on the deck.  I've tried to tie a rope from my lawn chair to her
    collar, but she hates it.  I'm curious if 10 months is too late to try
    to get her used to using a harness.  I've tried to find related notes,
    but haven't had much luck w/info.  I'd appreciate any feedback, and any
    other ideas of how my baby can enjoy the great outdoors without getting
    hurt....
    
    Thanks in advance -- 
    
    Mary & Delilah  8^D
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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4641.1It's HAMPS::PATTISON_MThen, as if by magic, it crashed!Mon May 13 1991 09:1512
    We tried walking our 2 on leads when they were about 3 months old, and
    they would not have it at all. Nowadays we let them out alone every
    day, while it is still daylight, so gave up on the harness idea.
    However last week Calvin, who is 15 months old, was playing up just
    before bedtime and clearly wanted to go outside but as I didn't want to
    let him out and then wait for him to come back I put the harness on him
    and took him for a walk around the garden, and he didn't object at all.
    I suppose if they want to go out badly enough and thats the only way
    out then they will put up with the harness.
    
    Martyn.
    
4641.2MPO::ROBINSONdid i tell you this already???Mon May 13 1991 09:2715
    
    	I'm sure others will tell you, it's not too late to try. Buy
    	a harness, and start by putting it on her inside the house,
    	just let her walk around with it on to get used to it. Then
    	add the leash, inside the house, let her walk around again.
    	In a week or two you should be able to take her out on the deck
    	with you. Just have patience, and don't worry if she acts like
    	the harness is trying to murder her, just take it off for a
    	while and try agian later. 
    
    	ps I love the name Delilah - is that from the Queen song?? :)
    
    	Sherry
    
    
4641.3CSCMA::DOUGLASMon May 13 1991 09:5123
    
    
     Hi Mary,
    
       I'm going through something similar only my little girl is 
     "10" yrs old and like others say and I feel it's true, it's never
     to late to train...I'll admit she hates it, but she is a traveller
     and I know how much she enjoys being out, so I try to take her out
     for a 1/2 to an hour each weekend and during the week, whenever
     the weather is nice, and I do feel that in time she will get used to 
     it..Even though as a previous note did mention, at times she does 
     look like it's trying to murder her...
     She has only been out with it 4 times.. She doesn't wear a collar
    and when I first tried a collar, she kept running and hanging herself,
    so I asked a couple of people who had been in the same situation and
    they both said that at first their cats also hated it and after
    awhile they did adjust...
    
    So I would say have patience and keep trying...
    
    Best of luck
    Diana & Tykey                  
    
4641.4Thank you, Thank youSENIOR::REDDENMon May 13 1991 13:4921
    Thanks for the quick replies!!!!
    
    I will try to get a harness for her and allow her to used to the feel
    first.  Diana, Delilah did have the same reaction to her collar - She
    HATED it when we first put it on her -- she's used to it now. 
    Hopefully she'll get used to a harness too.
    
    Sherry -- Delilah actually came from "Sampson & Delilah".  My fiance
    has a boxer/shepard named Sampson.  We kept tossing around names, but
    none seemed to fit.  His roommate jokingly said "hey, what about
    Sampson & Delilah - ha,ha,ha!!..." and we loved it.
    
    
    Thanks again for the quick responses -- I appreciate it!! (Delilah will
    appreciate it too when she realizes that wearing the harness means she
    can join us outside)  This weekend was terrible for her - she had to
    sit inside and watch all of us on the deck.  (She won't sit on our laps
    outside -- there's just too much to explore  8^D )
    
    Mary & Delilah
      
4641.5DelilahMPO::ROBINSONdid i tell you this already???Mon May 13 1991 14:0138
    
    	There is a song on the latest Queen album about his cat, Delilah.
    	It is adorable, I will try to give you the words here, as well
    	as I can remember them...makes me want to get another cat just
    	so I can name her Delilah!
    
    		Delilah, Delilah
    		You're irresistable
    		You make me smile
    		When I'm just about to cry
    
    		You bring me hope, you make me laugh
    		And I like it
    		You get away with murder, so innocent
    		But when you throw a moody, 
    		You're all claws and you bite, that's alright
    
    		Delilah, Delilah,
    		You're unpredictable
    
    		You make me so very happy, when you cuddle up
    		and go to sleep, beside me
    		And then you make me slightly mad, 
    		when you pee all over my Chippendale suite!
                                                              
                You take over my house and home,
    		You even try to answer my telephone!
    		Delilah, you're the apple of my eye..	
    		
    		ooh, you make me so very happy,
    		you give me kisses, and I go out of my mind
    		ooh, you're irresistable, I love you Lilah,
    		Deliliah, I love you Lilah, I love your kisses
                                                     
    
    	It's very sweet, I suppose you'd really have to hear it...
                                                   
    
4641.6How could they know my baby?!?!SENIOR::REDDENMon May 13 1991 14:066
    I can't believe it!!  It sums up MY Delilah!!!!!!!!!!!  I can't believe
    it -- I have to print it out and hang it up next to her picture.
    
    How could he know my baby?!?!......  8^D
    
    Mary & Delilah
4641.7Use an "H" harnessMIVC::RIVETTSMon May 13 1991 15:3915
        My cats are 1 year, and 2 years old and I just started using a
    harness on them.  At first they couldn't figure out what I was doing.
    By the way, the April or May issue of Cat Fancy had a "How to Tether
    your cat".  It was an interesting article.  They said to put the
    harness on them and let them walk around the house and get used to it.
    At first, when I took them out, they would only lay down and not move.
    Now after a week of taking them out and watching them lay there, they
    are walking around.  
    
        By the way, I like the "H" harnesses the best.  The figure 8 ones
    they can work off too easy.  (my opinion)
    
    
    
    
4641.8wish I had the advise B4 I bought the figure 8MCIS2::HUSSIANBut my cats *ARE* my kids!!Mon May 13 1991 16:0618
    I find the fig-8 ones slip off too, I'll have to try the "H".
    
    We don't take Tabitha out much. We tried it a couple of times, cuz she
    seemed to be itching to go out. She was pretty frightened by the whole
    thing! She still sits at the door when we get home, & acts like she 
    wants to go out, but she is satisfied w/ just looking out. I can't get
    too cocky about it tho, you may remember my story of when she was "just
    sitting there" on the window sill & went out on the 3 story roof!!!
    
    I think she'd like to explore outside w/o mommie pestering her &
    following her around, but I'm not about to let her out there (near the 
    road) by herself! I love her too much! I'll keep trying the harness
    every now & then when she seems daring, who knows, maybe someday she'll
    like it & then I'll BE STUCK doing it all the time! ;*) Yuh, that'llbe
    the day! She's such a little whimp sometimes...but I love her all the
    same!
    
    Bon
4641.9CSCMA::DOUGLASTue May 14 1991 09:2714
    
    
       I agree also with the H one, cause my little girl doesn't like
      anything directly around the neck, but the H harness she is starting
      to tolerate, which is nice this way she can lay in the grass while
      I sit out and read and that way I don't feel guilty about leaving
      her in the house on these nice days.....
      Although, she is still trying to figure out what it is and sometimes
      when I put it on her, she stands like a statue, so incredibly
      still, it's so funny cause you could just push her over and she
      would probably fall in that same position....           
    
    Diana & Tykey
                          
4641.10silly girlsMCIS2::HUSSIANBut my cats *ARE* my kids!!Tue May 14 1991 11:265
    Yeah, Tabitha stays still too! But she crouches down next to the ground
    like she's cowering, but is ready to dash away if need be. (doesn't she
    realize, she's not getting too far?!;*)
    
    bon
4641.11CRUISE::NDCPutiput Scottish Folds DTN:297-2313Tue May 14 1991 16:2213
    Batman had a harness on this past weekend for the second time in 
    his (almost) 2 years of life.  It doesn't bother him in the least.
    I have had cats that took to a harness (I like the H type best too)
    immediately, some that took some training and some that are just
    unable to wear a harness.  They've been all ages so go for it.
    
    Another option that would allow her to enjoy the outside safely
    is to build a *big* enclosure in your backyard.  This is probably
    not a good option if you don't own your own house.
    There is picture in the back of "The ultimate cat book" of one
    such enclosure.
      Nancy DC
    
4641.12CRUISE::NDCPutiput Scottish Folds DTN:297-2313Tue May 14 1991 16:232
    BTW - I'm rather partial to "Delilah" myself.  My nickname in
    college was "The Lady Delilah" - but thats *another* story  ;^}
4641.13let them go where they want to go on the leashJURAN::MILESFri May 31 1991 17:1917
    
    I would suggest also that when you put the harness and leash on that
    you allow the cat/kitten to go whereever (within reason of course) they
    want.  Let them sniff and walk around.  Follow them around.  Let them
    get used to it.  Once they get a bit used it, then you start pointing
    them in the right direction with a very slight tug on th e leash.  Two
    of my kittens love it.  They actually will follow me around like a dog
    (again within reason..sometimes they are stubborn...but for the most
    part they are pretty good).  On the other hand, I got my third kittens
    when it was 5 months old (the other two were 2 months) and she really
    hates the leash.  She won't walk with me like the oth ers.  I just let
    her go or not go whereever she wants.  I think she'll eventually turn
    around.
    
    michele
    
    p.s. good luck