Last Updated on January 16, 2020

There’s something about the sight of a curious cat skipping along a beach at the end of a leash that doesn’t fail to make me smile. It’s awesome to see confident cats spending quality time at their humans’ sides! Several years ago, this side-by-side exploration was almost exclusively reserved for dogs, but as more people pushed the boundaries of what cats can and cannot do, these happy hiking kitties aren’t such a rare sight.

If you…

• Just adopted a kitten and think it would be fun to adventure with her…
• Think your indoor cat is showing signs of boredom and would enjoy experiencing a bigger world…
• Saw someone walking their cat and thought it looked totally fun…
• Need backup to respond to the misguided comments of your confused friends and relatives who don’t walk their cats…

This post is for you. 

5 Reasons Walking Cats is Awesome

Disclaimer: Some of the products recommended in this post have affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we’ll receive a small commission, but it won’t cost you any extra. Thank you!

1. Walking cats keeps them happy.

Many cats are crazy about the outdoors. There’s something about the feeling of the grass under your paws and the wind in your whiskers that is stimulating, exciting, and satisfying. Cats who spend all of their time indoors have limited experience and can end up being bored. Active cats who live in smaller spaces may have trouble getting the stimulation that they deserve.

In many cases, walking cats eliminates boredom and satisfies a curious cat’s need for variety. Walking your cat, whether it’s in the yard, on the sidewalk or along a back-country trail, is a great way to introduce variety and excitement to your cat’s life.

2. Walking cats helps them to stay fit.

It’s important for your cat to get exercise! Thousands of cats in the U.S. are overweight. A lack of exercise to offset food consumption is contributing to a rise in feline obesity.

Cats in the wild exercise through constant activity—they’re always hunting, climbing, and avoiding predators. Indoor cats are limited to the resources inside the home.

With the use of a harness and leash, you can provide a safe and healthy opportunity to stay in shape. Walking is great aerobic exercise and can help your cat drop any extra pounds. It can also encourage healthy muscle tone and is part of preventing the diseases that come along with obesity.

3. Cats who go for walks are more calm and sociable.

With an expanded worldview and a stimulating adventurous lifestyle, cats who go for walks are better prepared to deal with new things: trips in the car, meeting new people, and changes in the environment.

Just as a rich life full of varied experiences helps to make people calmer and more ready to deal with new experiences and new faces, this stimulating lifestyle can help cats handle these potentially stressful situations as well. Especially if you start them young, cats who walk on a leash will be more social and adaptable.

4. Cats and humans who take walks together often forge deeper bonds and have more trusting relationships.

If you really want to get to know your cat, go for a walk with them.

You’ll find out what they like to sniff and explore. If you follow them on sidetracks, you’ll begin to understand what they find exciting. Your cat will learn more about you, too. Your cat will have to pay attention to your signals and commands. Walking with your cat is an opportunity to step into your cat’s paws and see what they like. As adventure buddies, you and your cat will be closer than ever before.

5. Walking cats is crazy fun!

Once you start walking your cat, you’ll find yourself in places you never thought you’d be.

That may be investigating a curious tree that your cat was interested in or snuggling in a tent with your cat at your side. It could be you crawling through the bushes after your cat hears a vole skittering through the brush and decides to go after it.

You’ll meet extraordinary people who are truly excited about exploring the world with their cat at their side. Your cat will inspire you to be more spontaneous, more carefree, and far more curious than ever before. At the end of the day, there’s nothing like knowing that you’ve done something special for yourself and your cat.

You’re making them healthier and happier. Through walking your cat, you can provide a truly rich life for your feline adventure buddy.

Are you ready to take on the world with your cat now?

Now that you’ve read our five reasons walking cats is awesome, you might feel ready to take on the world with your cat. Before you harness up your cat and hop in the car to go hiking, we need to touch on something very important. The cat walking experience we described doesn’t apply to all cats.

Not every cat is cut out for adventures. A cat who gets stressed easily or hates change shouldn’t be forced into becoming your next adventure buddy—it won’t be fun for either of you. Embrace your cat’s personal sense of fun. However, if you’ve just adopted a kitten or have a sociable cat who you think would enjoy exploring the world with you, I strongly encourage you to give cat walking a try!

Here are some resources to help you get started walking your cat.

Our friends Hasara and Daniel from CatExplorer are cat exploring experts and put together a fantastic resource of cat training guides so you can train your cat to walk on a leash. Check out CatExplorer’s guides to training your cat. They share everything from how to know if your cat is suited to exploring with you to how to take your first hike together.

Explore cat harnesses and leashes on Chewy.com.

It’s important that you get the right gear before taking your cat outside. A comfortable and secure harness is a cat walking essential. Shop cat harnesses on Chewy.com.

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