hi there! my cat is six months old now and i want to start harness training him, but my family has some concerns that i want to see to rather than just brushing them off. namely, the possibilities that our cat could break away from the leash and run off - how could i keep this from happening?
Unfortunately any harness there is always the possibility of escape, however depending on the fit and the brand you can minimize that risk! Using a cat-specific harness, ensuring it is fit well, holding the leash properly, and a collar/tags (just in case) are all good ways to ensure your cat will be safe on a walk.
If you’re looking for a specific harness with preventing escape in mind, Theoretically Teddy on Instagram made a great blog post testing different harnesses. They also talk more about preventing escape there.
You’ll notice in the video they created that they pull the harnesses up and over Teddy’s head- that’s because the easiest way for a cat to slip out of a harness is by backing up and out of it. To prevent this from happening, keep your cat’s harness behind them when at all possible, and at an angle of no greater than 90 degrees.
Here’s Dave showing off an ideal leash angle (green) vs a non-ideal one (red):
You’ll also want to make sure it’s fitted properly. A well-fitted harness should be tight enough that you cannot fit more than two fingers flat against the cat.
Lastly, make sure your cat’s microchip/tattoo information is up to date and get them a collar with tags. I’ve found great success in putting something like “indoor cat” or “lost cat” on my boys’ tags so people know they aren’t supposed to be wandering outside.
Good luck with the harness training!
