Does anyone successfully (and happily) use a harness?

[tricollie4me]

I got a little harness at the pet store today and used it on Levi, our very, very mellow kitty (he's doing great, by the way, no peeing except for the litter boxes like a good boy and we've got our two additonal ones set up upstairs). He was a willing participant when I put the harness on, and he was tentative then eager in his outdoor exploration. I thought he might be the "best candidate" to try a harness and leash because he's the kind of cat that plops down on the kitchen floor to take a nap despite the fact that I'm busy making dinner and the other kids are running through with toys and the dog is acting goofy...he's just so easygoing! Anyway, I took him out for about 15 minutes on the back deck with a brief foray into the yard, and he was adorably curious.

I only plan to take him out infrequently, but it worked out nicely for Levi. Does anyone else use a harness on occasion, and if so, what additional vet precautions do you take? Should Levi (and our other two cats, perhaps?) be stepped up to having monthly flea/tick preventative? Currently, we were doing flea/tick preventative in the spring and in the fall, but I'm a huge believer in prophylactic meds (when appropriate).

Thanks for any feedback ~ I wish I had taken some pics to share!

:)

[kittycats_delight]

Both my girls have harnesses and leashes. Lilith is more eager to use hers than Vixen. Both are pretty good on them. But my RB Mytsi loved her leash and harness. She loved walks and would run to the door when you asked her if she wanted to go for a walk. Once she seen the harness come out she would run and jump up on the bar stool waiting for you to put it on so she could go for her walk. She was better on a harness and leash than a lot of dogs. LOL

[catmandu]

I PUT A HARNESS,ON BOBO,YEARS AGO,AND SHE WAS LIKE A CARTOON CAT,SHE RAN,TO THE BACK,OF THE YARD,THEN TORE FREE!
THE WAS THE LAST TIME,THAT I TRIED,A HARNESS.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/catphotos953.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/catphotos1046.jpg

[AlleyCat]

Oh, I've used a harness on Millie when she was younger. I don't have digital pictures, though. I must say it was NOT a successful or HAPPY attempt, however !! http://www.chrisandreabeard.com/Emoticons/cat.gif

[G535]

My cat never goes outside without his collar and leash on. He's 12 years old and goes for a daily walk, no problems at all. He walks home faster than he does going out though, 15 minutes out and 5 minutes to go back home.

[moosmom]

When I take Moo to the park, I always use a harness. It's a ferrett harness that loops around his fat body and his neck and then clips. It's adjustable. He doesn't mind it at all. When I take him out in the yard, I don't bother because the yard is fenced in and he never wanders far from me. As a matter of fact, he's a pest!!! :p He weaves in and out of my legs and jumps up to give me kisses, What a goof.

[rkidsrcats]

William does fine with his harness, but he's used to having a collar on.

Tiger hates it and doesn't understand why he would need one - "I'm a good boy...I would never R U N N O F T !" Yeah, right!

Norbert never goes outside. If he ever gets out, I don't know how we would get him back in - don't want to think about it.

Percy absolutely cannot stand a collar (completely freaks out) so being college graduates, we figured he wouldn't do well with a harness. He doesn't go out either.

And Pippin, well if we need to put a harness on a blind cat to keep track of him...then WE need to get our eyes checked! :D

[orangemm]

Every single cat we put a harness on (no matter how tightly it was cinched) managed to wriggle out of it in no time flat. I don't know how they did it, but those little bodies were so flexible and lithe they had no problem at all.

Maybe if we had put collars on them when they were young, they would have been used to having something on.

[Uabassoon]

My rainbow bridge kitty Zasper used to love going out on a harness, I used to take her with my to Petco! I've tried using one on Corkscrew before but gave up as he didn't seem to like it. I've never tried on Tibby though.

[Lobodeb]

Payton uses a harness and to date, we haven't had any issues. He sees me coming and starts meowing like crazy until it's on and he can go outside. I'll try to find a pic (I think it's at home) to post.

*Edit...I found the pic. Enjoy:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/Lobodeb/000_0204.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/Lobodeb/000_0203.jpg