How to Choose and Fit a Harness for your Cat


To measure your cat for a harness you will need to
measure around your cat's middle just behind the
shoulder blades, then measure around the shoulders. You
should then add five to ten percent to each of those
measurements so that your cat will be comfortable while
wearing the harness.

Most cat harnesses are marked for general size and are
adjustable within certain size ranges. Be careful to
get the right size for your cat and then adjust the
harness around your cat so that it is snug but you can
still get two fingers under the belts close to the
skin. Before making your purchase, check the harness
over for secure riveting and buckle so that your cat is
not endangered by getting lose from a broken harness
while you have it outdoors.

Be sure to follow the two finger rule. A harness that
is too tight can rub the fur off of your cat because of
friction as the cat moves and walks. For cats that have
long hair, try to part the hair and put the harness
straps into the part. Allowing the harness to lie on
top of the fur can cause mats and painful pulling of
the hair.

If you are getting a harness for a kitten, remember
that they grow very quickly, so getting one that you
have to adjust a lot at the beginning will make it
usable for a longer time. Measure your kitten before
going shopping for a harness; it is hard to gauge the
proper size when you have a large selection of harness
choices in front of you.

Be sure to only put the harness onto the kitten when
you are ready to have a training session. That is a
best practice rule for all cats, but kittens especially
are prone to climb, squeeze through small openings, and
other activities that could cause the harness to hang
on something and at least frighten the kitten and
possibly injure it.

The most popular type of harness is the H-style harness
that goes on quickly like a life jacket. The clips
buckle under the cat's neck and chest. There are some
that come with reflective material if you intend to
walk your cat at night. Most of the harnesses come with
swivel style clips so that the harness and lead do not
become tangled.

Another harness type is shaped like a figure eight,
with a loop going around the cat's head and another
around its middle, and the leash fastens in the middle
of the figure eight. This type of leash is often used
for rabbits and ferrets, and you may find that it works
well for your kitten or thin cat too.

You can even clip an extendable lead to your cat's
harness and so give your cat room to roam up to sixteen
feet from you, and then you can easily reel the cat
back in when you want it closer to you. Such a leash
may give your cat a feeling of more freedom and make it
more amenable to walking on lead.

Also Check out: Cat Leashes and Cat Collars



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