For this reason we walk our cat. With some training (and some - not all - cats) you can even get rid of the leash and let the animal roam whilst maintaining visual contact.
It's very different from walking a dog. Ours usually hides in his favourite spot and just sits there for 20 minutes straight, then takes his usual route, sniffing and rubbing his face on places where apparently other cats have been.
The upside is that you only need to do that once every 2-3 days.
Now that we're on quarantine he's been calling out other cats from the balcony. Fortunately on Monday we'll be allowed outside, so he'll get the chance to catch up with his buddies - or actually - their scents.
I'm what you would call an accidental crazy cat person that started off feeding one feral cat but was unable to catch and get fixed and wound up multiplying (finally have it under control). One of the cats was great and would just naturally walk with you. We live about a block away from a grocery store and it would walk with us to the start of the parking lot where we'd just tell him stay and he lays down and waits until we come back and walks with us back to the house. People would always be amused seeing this and how much it resembled the behavior of a dog. Probably one of the best cats we've had.
My family owner over 20 cats (some died) before I turned 18. Same reason: we didn’t fix the first female. My favorite cat would always take walks with me around the block. She passed away while I was in college. Really showed me how cool of a pet a cat can be.
I walk my two cats every morning, neither use a leash.
Trained them to run to the front door if they get scared. I use sounds like snapping or clapping for re-direction or warnings.
They’re even trained to return to the front door when I say “Haus”.
Then a treat when they are good, which is everyday!
that's awesome! my dog is under voice control and is soccially appropriate/reserved around other dogs, so i can walk her without a leash. i've been thinking about trying to train my cat to walk with us (on a leash, as she's skittish outside right now), but haven't had the gumption to do so yet.
It's very different from walking a dog. Ours usually hides in his favourite spot and just sits there for 20 minutes straight, then takes his usual route, sniffing and rubbing his face on places where apparently other cats have been.
The upside is that you only need to do that once every 2-3 days.
Now that we're on quarantine he's been calling out other cats from the balcony. Fortunately on Monday we'll be allowed outside, so he'll get the chance to catch up with his buddies - or actually - their scents.