reliable cat harness

forgodssake

hey
Would love some advice on getting a cat harness ! . My cat is indoors , is 11 months old and I'd love to take him outside. We live right on a bend and lost a little kitten last year to it. So obviously were keeping this little guy inside. He's pretty strong I've bought two different harnesses from maxi zoo, don't know the name make etc, and hes managed to escape out of them. I'm pretty sure I had it on securely so if anyone has experience of a good harness I'd be delighted to hear ! Thanks.

Irish Stones

Mine is the Trixie 4188. I have two of them, one each cat.
One of the cat likes to lie in the grass, occasionally walks around. In very few occasions she tugged the lead heavily, but she didn't get to get rid of it.
The other cat likes to walk a lot and I lead her outside the house, on the sidewalk, with no problem at all.
The harness comes with a 120 cm lead which is to short to walk your cat comfortably, so I bought two flexy leads and now it's perfect!

On Zooplus.it I have seen something better, have a look

http://www.zooplus.it/shop/gatti/accessori_viaggio_gatti/pettorine_gatti/459829

forgodssake

Irish Stones wrote:

Mine is the Trixie 4188. I have two of them, one each cat. One of the cat likes to lie in the grass, occasionally walks around. In very few occasions she tugged the lead heavily, but she didn't get to get rid of it. The other cat likes to walk a lot and I lead her outside the house, on the sidewalk, with no problem at all. The harness comes with a 120 cm lead which is to short to walk your cat comfortably, so I bought two flexy leads and now it's perfect! 

thanks a mill Irish stones I will have a look!

VonVix

You most likely know this already but I'll say it anyway, you'll want to use the harness in the house a good few times before ever using it outside the house. We put a puppy harness on one of our cat's (the laziest, dopiest cat we have, he thinks he's a dog) and he wriggled out of it like a worm. I was impressed.

forgodssake

VonVix wrote:

You most likely know this already but I'll say it anyway, you'll want to use the harness in the house a good few times before ever using it outside the house. We put a puppy harness on one of our cat's (the laziest, dopiest cat we have, he thinks he's a dog) and he wriggled out of it like a worm. I was impressed.

Oh god we did ! we put it on him every day for a full week before we went out!. Then he escaped and I had a mini heart attack . Don't want to experience that again.

VonVix

forgodssake wrote: »

Oh god we did ! we put it on him every day for a full week before we went out!. Then he escaped and I had a mini heart attack . Don't want to experience that again.

Were the harnesses you used the strappy kind?

You'll want something like this instead: http://www.nipandbones.com/images/products/harnesses/cat-collars/cat-supplies/plaidcatharness.jpg - the strappy kind is easy to get out of.

forgodssake

VonVix wrote:

Were the harnesses you used the strappy kind?

VonVix wrote:

You'll want something like this instead:

One was strappy and one was the other kind. The strappy one he got out of in seconds so I knew that wasn't going to work. I'm just so worried about him escaping 😟

VonVix

forgodssake wrote: »

One was strappy and one was the other kind. The strappy one he got out of in seconds so I knew that wasn't going to work. I'm just so worried about him escaping 😟

You'll want to make sure the material isn't too soft and that it's a comfortable/solid fit, you want to make sure that if there's any tug on the leash that the harness doesn't stretch out ridiculously easy.

That said, you could get a harness that is built like a straitjacket and your cat may still be able to get out of it.

forgodssake

VonVix wrote:

That said, you could get a harness that is built like a straitjacket and your cat may still be able to get out of it.

Beginning to think he might. I'll keep looking hopefully more on here can recommend some really good ones. Thanks for your help.

tk123

SillyMangoX has a cat harness afaik and might be able to advise you OP!

VonVix

forgodssake wrote: »

Beginning to think he might. I'll keep looking hopefully more on here can recommend some really good ones. Thanks for your help.

I think it largely depends on the cat's personality. I would never have thought my fella would get out of a harness, even the strappy kind, he's just so laid back and "meh" about everything I didn't think he would make the effort. But he somehow shrank himself down and popped himself out of it and then acted like nothing happened. :rolleyes:

forgodssake

VonVix wrote:

I think it largely depends on the cat's personality. I would never have thought my fella would get out of a harness, even the strappy kind, he's just so laid back and "meh" about everything I didn't think he would make the effort. But he somehow shrank himself down and popped himself out of it and then acted like nothing happened. 

That's exactly what I thought ! Could have written that. He just reversed out of it IYKWIM!

SillyMangoX

The best ones I found for security were actually ones I got in the 2 euro shop. They were the strappy type that go around the neck and chest. The difference with them was that they were tied with a traditional buckle rather than quick release so you could go that small bit tighter with them. With these though they absolutely have to be kept near you on a short lead as if they decided to go climbing they can end up getting stuck!
The other type of one I have is more like the jacket type, 2 holes that the paws go into and it closes at the back with a quick release buckle. There are two loops above the buckle so when you tie the connection to the two of them, if it does get open you have a few extra seconds to grab and close again as it's still held in place. Dude was a demon for getting one leg out of that one though!

forgodssake

SillyMangoX wrote:

The best ones I found for security were actually ones I got in the 2 euro shop. They were the strappy type that go around the neck and chest. The difference with them was that they were tied with a traditional buckle rather than quick release so you could go that small bit tighter with them. With these though they absolutely have to be kept near you on a short lead as if they decided to go climbing they can end up getting stuck! The other type of one I have is more like the jacket type, 2 holes that the paws go into and it closes at the back with a quick release buckle. There are two loops above the buckle so when you tie the connection to the two of them, if it does get open you have a few extra seconds to grab and close again as it's still held in place. Dude was a demon for getting one leg out of that one though!

no way the 2 euro shop! Would never have thought it! The jacket type one was better but he still wriggled out of it.

aonb

When I was freaking about whether our cat would disappear if allowed outside, I got a harness, for outdoors time. Like your cat, she wriggled and whoosh! Gone! But Im very rural so cars werent an issue... So I adapted the harness. I got some strips of felted fabric, and added two extra 'straps' - she didnt get out of it - one around the belly and chest - in an X shape - might be worth trying to adapt the two you have... Scary to let your cat out when you have a busy road so I know how you feel, specially when you already lost one, its a dilemma...

forgodssake

aonb wrote:

When I was freaking about whether our cat would disappear if allowed outside, I got a harness, for outdoors time. Like your cat, she wriggled and whoosh! Gone! But Im very rural so cars werent an issue... So I adapted the harness. I got some strips of felted fabric, and added two extra 'straps' - she didnt get out of it - one around the belly and chest - in an X shape - might be worth trying to adapt the two you have... Scary to let your cat out when you have a busy road so I know how you feel, specially when you already lost one, its a dilemma...

I don't know if I'd be handy enough to add straps. But I might give it a try . Might be a stupid question but how did u attach the extra straps to the existing ones?

aonb

forgodssake wrote: »

I don't know if I'd be handy enough to add straps. But I might give it a try . Might be a stupid question but how did u attach the extra straps to the existing ones?

I knotted the straps in place to test where they were most effective. Did some testing (indoors) on the cat. Then I sewed them into place. I had a harness that I bought in a euro shop that I adapted...

forgodssake

cool I'll give it a go thanks for all the help!

boomerang

Mynwood Cat Jackets (UK) or the Kitty Holster (USA) - both available on line, I have both.

forgodssake

boomerang wrote:

Mynwood Cat Jackets (UK) or the Kitty Holster (USA) - both available on line, I have both. 

Hi . Yes I've seen these is one better or are they the same ?

boomerang

I think the Kitty Holster because the ring you attach the lead to is between the shoulder blades rather than the waist - I think that's more comfortable as they're not tugging on it, if you know what I mean?

Only thing is, the material around the neck of the KH is quite stiff but I think it is softening over time.

The strap on the Mynwood that goes around the belly is a small bit of a pain as it's too long, for my fella anyhoo. So putting on the Kitty Holster harness is faster. But the Mynwood harnesses are prettier! :P

Also worth having a look at 'Butterfly Cat Jackets' on facebook.