Walking cats with belt is in fashion. We have asked an expert in feline behavior and is clear about what he thinks

If you have Instagram or Tiktok and you like cats, I bet an arm to which videos have come out of Cats that leave the house tied with strap and harness. Some even go on a trip around the world, explore forests, jump, run and They even swimas if they were dogs. How is it possible? Is it advisable to walk the cat? To solve these and other doubts we have spoken with Paula VanascoFeline therapist and president of the association Rescues Borges Blanques.

The phenomenon of adventurous cats

It began to popularize in the 2010 on Instagram. One of the first was Vladimirthat traveled with its owners in a motorhome Throughout the United States. Also Skattya Maine Coon who was traveling on a sailboat with its owner, who was completely deaf and leaned on the cat to know when ships approached or sent him messages.

“Cat harness”, “Adventure Cat”, “Cat Leash Training” … Today, any of these searches in Tiktok or Instagram returns us hundreds of results. Walking to the cat is fashionablebut it is not easy. If not, many of the reels that appear to us would not be tutorials and advice to accustom the cat. And if there is something that has tried to know is that, unlike dogs, cats They don’t like anything to atten.

Understanding the nature of cats

Paula is part of the team of Feline therapy And in your day to day Treat cats with behavioral problemssome of them caused precisely by these walks. Its positioning is clear: it is not a good idea to put a belt to a cat. “Cats are hypersensitive animals. For them a harness is stressful, so when you put it on the first time, many are thrown to the ground.” In addition, he adds that “to make it safe, it has to go very tight, which still makes it more annoying for the animal.”

You have to understand that the nature of cats differs a lot from the dog. They are territorial animals and They feel safe within their territoryit doesn’t matter if that territory is the countryside or a flat in the city. When they leave their comfort zone, they always do it very little by little: “The cat needs to explore the territory at its rhythm, not that you take it wherever you want.” Instead, walking to a dog is more natural because its nature is to move in herd. They are social animals And security is provided by your pack, so when we walk them they feel safe.

Surely you have seen cats rubbing against the corners of furniture or other objects. It is the way they have of Create a safe space. When they explore, cats are rubbing at different points where They leave pheromones that serve as olfactory references. “This is how they explore the territory feeling safe. If there is any scare they go back, then they leave again … and so on until they have it controlled.”

Nor should we forget that, although cats are predators of small animals, they are also prey to other larger ones. “When we get the cat out of its territory, it adopts a prey behavior. If there is a strong noise you will try to run and if you are tied, you can’t do it,” says Paula.

It is not that the cats we see in the Instagram videos are all stressed, Some enjoy those outings, But according to Paula “they are the exception. They are cats that have learned that their environment is that and also have a very balanced character.” Using them since childhood is key because “cats do not develop fear until they have 5 or 6 months,” but insists that this is not a guarantee that it will enjoy it and should never be forced.

What we don’t see on Instagram

If it is outside its territory and scares, The cat instinct is running and getting safebut what happens if we have it tied? Two things can happen: “Let the harness escape or attack you.” In This video You can see perfectly how the cat tries to flee and when not getting it, he ends up biting its owner. Is what is known as redirected aggressivenessan episode in which the cat has a very violent response, in this case for a clear cause: try to flee and not be able to.

The other scenario is to get rid of the harness and run away (the most common, because we already know that Cats are liquid). Being in a environment“It has no visual or olfactory references and there are not a few cases of cats that end up being lost.” If it is also in the city, the risk that a car is hit or attack a dog is very high.

There are people who opt for Take the cat inside a backpack type carrier and walk it in this way. Here it is much more difficult for the cat to flee, but Paula does not recommend it either: “I had a case of a cat that took him inside a backpack. The cat did not show the stress at the time, but when he got home he became aggressive. They were very frustrated to be locked up.”

Another problem is that many people who get their cats abroad do not know how to understand The language of cats. “That a cat is still does not mean that it is calm.” In other words, it is not necessary to go crazy like that of the video so that it is assuming stress. Cats communicate through the pupils, position of the ears, tail tension … “You have to make an effort to understand them,” says Paula.

Access to the outside yes, but controlled and without belt

So a cat does not benefit from going abroad? “Going outside is life for cats and for everyone. We live better in a pool villa than in a 30 -meter floor, right?” Paula says with laughter. The cats They benefit a lot to explore abroad. They receive many more stimuli and They reinforce natural behaviors such as hunting, marking or exploration. They also have Less obesity problems and contributes to its Emotional well -being.

Yes indeed, Any exit abroad entails risksbut a rural environment is not the same as a city. The experts recommend putting protections always. In the case of a floor, networks in windows and balconies, and if we live in a house there is also the option to put Anti -Escape fences or build a catio (cat+patio). There are from very simple to others that seem Authentic attraction parks.

Interior cats can be happy, but you have to work it

Many people who want to get their cats for a walk because they believe that in a floor is not happy. Is that so? “No, a cat can be very happy on a floor, but you have to work it,” says Paula. The emotional well -being of the cat depends on more things than going abroadIt also depends on whether he lives alone and if he has a feline partner to play, how is his relationship, etc.

That an apartment is not the natural environment of a cat we all know it, so we must provide what its species needs. That is why the Environmental enrichment.

One of the best ways to enrich their environment is to offer them surfaces to get on, for example a High scraper or place the furniture so that they can be uploaded at different heights. Gatify the house It is very fashionable and is also an excellent option. It doesn’t need to spend much; Placing some shelves on the wall you can create a circuit so that your cat can run and jump. This has a double benefit: They love to climb And we also greatly expand its territory.

Another very important aspect is the game, but not a game in which we simply make them run. Paula recommends the olfactory games as olfactory gardens either Interactive toys where we can hide prizes and that they have to look for them: “That’s where they disconnect. They get tired more than if they spend an hour running.”

In Xataka | Living with five cats on a floor and that there are no hairs at home is possible. You just need an infallible method

Cover image | Pexels