getting meko used to leash walking & car rides

I know i dont post much here, between all my pets & my life I have to divide my time writing about them lol.
Anyways Meko is wanting outside lately, she is just about 5 months old (getting spayed next month). She especially goes nuts when she sees her buddies (my dogs) outside. I dont want her outside, especially not now, at least not until after shes spayed. Besides i dont want to loose her by a car or running away. And I hate owners that just let their cats roam (no offense to anyone) but I have had scratches on my new car from cats walking on it, the stench of male cat urine on my porch, cat feces in my flower gardens, garbage ripped up etc.. etc..
So I decided to make her semi-happy I'd let her out on a leash so I bought her a harness last night. Should I let her gradually get used to wearing it (like a puppy) let her wear it for a few minutes a couple times a day for a few days then eventually hook a leash to it, then eventually let her outside with it? I know she wont be like a dog on a leash more like a ferret but at least she'd get to be outside & get some fresh air.
Do any of yous keep your cats on leashes?

the next ? (I will probably get some "bad" remarks for this one but oh well to each their own), anyways I want to take my cat for car rides not in a carrier. She goes quite often w/ me but shes always in a carrier, but she is so calm & love rides now that I would like her to just hang out in the car (like my dogs do). I know I have seen pics of peoples cats in their cars so I know some of yous do this. Do you bring a litter box just in case? (she nevver goes in her carrier), do they run all over the car or do they learn to just hang out? Meko is laid back, used to distractions & strange object & places. I think she would love to sit in the back window on car rides, what do yous think?

She is a mini-dog I swear, I have treated her just like a dog since I got her @ 3 weeks of age & she has no other cats only dogs & ferrets & rats to play with, she learned a lot from my dogs, she knows to lay down, shake paws, sit pretty & give kisses all on command!

Thats a hrd one , as we had Cats , when i was a young fellw , that loved to go for drives , and some that hated it. It all depends , I guess on the Cat. Good Luck with Meko , and may he enjoy the ride!

Everything you want to do with Meko is entirely possible. Tubby has been going outside on a leash for 17 1/2 years now - and he loves it! Also, when I take him to the vet I just put his leash on and put him in the car. He loves to look out the windows. He's a little more unstable now that he's older, so he only looks out the windows when we stop, but the second we stop he's up and craning his neck to see everything he can possibly see. I usually carry him into the vet because it's on a very busy street and I don't want to take any chances, but also because once he gets a whiff of where he's going, there's no way he'd go in the door himself. :rolleyes: :D

My only suggestion would be to get a harness for Meko instead of just a collar and a leash. The harness will keep her much more secure without fear of getting out of the collar. The only reason I use a collar for Tubby is because 17 1/2 years ago they didn't make harnesses for cats and my only option was a small dog collar. I also never leave him outside alone. First of all he gets way too tangled all the time, and second of all we have way to many stray/neighborhood cats around and Tubby would be at a definite disadvantage because of the rope.

I only take Tubby in the car to the vet, but I see no reason why you couldn't take Meko with you when you're running errands. Since you have dogs I'm sure you're aware that you can't leave them in hot cars and such, and the same would apply to Meko.

I love it when I see other kitties out and about and I really think it's people's fears that keep so many of them in carriers. Of course I know there are the kittes that are really terrified and the carrier is the best place for them (like Peanut), but it sounds like you have an adventurous sort and if I were you I would encourage it like you want to.

Here's Tubby on his way to the vet.
"C'mon Mom, let's go!"
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...d/fd4befd8.jpg

This is before we even left the driveway.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...a/fd4befd3.jpg

And here we are at a red light.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...a/fd4bef05.jpg

On the way home he was more than happy to snuggle on my lap after a stressful vet visit.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...9/fd4becf3.jpg

And here are a few of him outside with his leash.

This first one is 17 1/2 years ago when he first started going outside - when he was a mere youngster. See how little he is? :D
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...8/fd481e1f.jpg

And here's another one of when he was just a youngster. I got him in October of 1986 and he was probably 4 or 5 months old - about the same age as Meko now.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...2/fd6edecd.jpg

And here's a few that are more current.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...5/fd673f97.jpg

And one final one.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...d/fc7d4947.jpg

Also, there have recently been a lot of threads about kitties going outside because the weather was so nice last weekend so if you want to see more kitties on leashes, check the threads back to last weekend. Sammy & Dudley, Edwina & Eddie and I think Nakita and probably a few others that I'm forgetting all have threads and pics.

Good luck with Meko and try and find the time to fit us in your schedule and let us know how it's going with her. :D

thanks t&p's mom, now i feel better about her riding in cars not in a carrier & tonight when I get home from work (if its not raining) were going to try on her harness (I got the figure 8 kind, i guess it safer than the regular h style harness for cats) if she takes to it well then were going outside for a bit.

Great photos! This is what we are doing with Houdini and Cheetah, but so far they want nothing of it. They only go out for a few minutes a day just in front of the house right here on the porch. :)

There is no way in hell Ewok would get leashed train. He has an independent wild streak a mile wide! You can't even touch him without trying to kick your butt. :rolleyes: :p Ok well he's not that bad, but he's bad. :p I'm trying with Cheetah and Houdini though. We will see.