Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2017)
Wednesday, February 8, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Paw Prints Jodi Schneider McNamee Columnist Walk your cab on a leash You adopted her as a tiny kitten and now she’s eight months old. She’s an indoor cat and it’s gotten nice out- side. The windows are open so fresh air circulates around your home. Kitty loves to curl up on her window perch in the sunshine taking in all the glorious aromas of the great outdoors. But lately she’s been lurking by the front door just waiting for the perfect escape. Everybody has a touch of cabin fever, and, after all, living inside isn’t an entirely natural envi- ronment for felines. It’s hard for Kitty to express her innate urge to explore, climb, and hunt prey from her perch at the window. Unfortunately, letting her run around loose outside is unacceptably risky. Cats with free access to the outdoors are much more likely to be exposed to viruses and other disease- causing agents — not to men- tion poisons, predators, and speeding traffic. Indoor cats need environ- mental enrichment, and one of the ways to broaden your kitty’s horizons is to get her outdoors on a harness and leash. Walking your cat on a leash offers her safe access to enjoy all the sights and sounds of the great outdoors. It’s also an excellent way of revving up her exercise routine and can alleviate boredom-related behavior problems. Outdoor activity provides fun experiences for pet parents and their feline friends, and enhances their quality of life. According to Dr. Frank McMillan, director of ani- mal well-being studies at Best Friends Animal Society, walking outside can be great fun for cats — it gives them new things to see and sniff out. So, if you want your cat to join you on outdoor adven- tures, you first need to find her a harness that fits com- fortably and teach her to walk on a leash. There’s no question that a cat’s personality plays an important role in deciding if she’s game for the fresh-air challenge. An adventurous cat will probably go for the opportunity, while a skit- tish scaredy-cat may resist, preferring the view from her kitty condo or perch instead. It will probably be easier to introduce the idea of a har- ness to a kitten or younger cat than an older one. But either way, patience is the key. Cats do everything at their own pace. The key to getting your feline friend used to a harness Let Us s Help You Ge Get et Thro Through T h r o ugh hro h . . . R E T N I W ls Snow S hove akes Roof Snow R very ellets & Deli Wood Fuel P on Pipe Insulati ore! Ice-melt & M is making it a positive expe- rience — and that means food. A good way to start is to leave the harness by your cat’s food dish, or by sim- ply holding out the harness so Kitty can sniff it and then feeding her treats afterward. New noises can be alarm- ing to some cats, so practice snapping the harness together or undoing the Velcro to get your cat accustomed to the new sounds. Now that Kitty is aware of the harness, slip it on her, but don’t fasten it. Provide more treats as a distraction and to help your cat associate the harness with a positive experience. Try putting the harness on right before mealtime, so that the dinner distracts her from the new sensation and keeps her from focusing on remov- ing it. If your cat is comfortable at this step, you can fasten the harness and practice adjust- ing the fit. You should be able to fit one or two fingers beneath the harness – but no more than that. Keep in mind that cats can back out of the harness when they are fright- ened, and you certainly don’t want Kitty getting away from you outdoors. It’s completely normal for cats to freeze up, refuse to walk or walk very strangely the first few times they’re wearing a harness. Your cat has likely never experienced the sensation of something on her back before, so it’s going to take some time to adjust to it. It may take several days or even weeks to get your cat comfortable in the harness, The average adult is MISSING AT LEAST 2 TEETH Sisters Denture can help... SISTERS DENTURE Free consultations! 541-549-0929 35 YEARS EXPERIENCE | LOCALLY OWNED H Hours: M-F M F 8 t to 5 5, S Sat. t 8 t to 4 4:30, 30 Cl Closed dS Sundays d 440 N. Pine St. • 541-549-8141 • www.hoyts.net Tune into new medical talk radio show, YourCare ~ YourHealth on KBND every Sunday 4 to 5 p.m. Hosted by Sisters’ own Eric Wattenburg, MD. Call in, 541-388-1110. Stream live at www.kbnd.com 541-548-2899 3818 SW 21st Pl., Ste. 100 Redmond • Open every day yourcaremedical.com WALK-IN • URGENT CARE• OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE • X-RAY 23 PHOTO BY JODI SCHNEIDER MCNAMEE Tinkerbell enjoying nature outside. but once Kitty is used to hav- ing it on and walking nor- mally, it’s time to attach the leash. If the most your cat has interacted with the outdoors has been through the window, it’s likely she’s going to be on high alert when you take her outside for the first time, so take things slowly. Going immediately out- side to a busy street or neigh- borhood will certainly over- whelm Kitty. Start in a quiet backyard. You don’t have to take your cat far to help her get used to nature. Keep in mind that walking a cat is different from walk- ing a dog. While Kitty may happily accompany you on your walk, she may prefer to simply sniff around your yard and doze in the sun. Other cats may hike for a little while and then decide to stop and just look around. It’s important to pay attention to what your cat is comfort- able doing. Don’t force her outside her comfort zone. Just like at home, Kitty is the one who’s in charge. Cork Cellars Dinner Specials Wine & Bistro France vs. Italy Thursday 5-7 pm Friday & Saturday Beef Burgundy Stew Free Wine Tasting Live Music Sat., Feb. 11th, 7-9 pm Bill Keale Open Tuesday-Saturday 12-8 pm 391 W. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-2675
