I Put My Cats on Leashes, and I’m Not Ashamed

I grew up with outdoor cats. My fiancé grew up with indoor cats. So when we got two cats of our own, we had a choice to make. That choice led to a compromise: cats on leashes.

Let me tell you, don’t knock it until you try it.

When we moved from an apartment to our new home, we finally had a backyard and our own deck. I felt safe letting Marley and Piper roam free. My fiancé Ross didn’t feel the same and suggested we get leashes.

“Are we really going to be those people?” I asked him.

“One hundred percent,” he answered.

We headed to Petco, grabbed some leashes, a couple harnesses, and came back to the house for our first trial run. Even though I thought the idea was ridiculous, it ended up being great. Piper and Marley get to experience the outdoors while still staying in our control. It’s a win-win for Ross and I. When Ross isn’t home, I tend to let the cats roam freely on the deck, barricading the steps with flowerpots – but we’ll keep that between us.

The next step for our cats will be taking them for walks. I used to think the idea was absurd, but after seeing how much Marley and Piper don’t mind the harness and truly enjoy being outdoors, I don’t see why we wouldn’t give it a shot. Not to mention, they look adorable in their harnesses.

Do you or do you know someone who walks their cats? Do you think this is weird or totally normal?

Am I a crazy cat lady in the making? Most likely.