Kitties' 1st outing on a leash!

15 mns of fighting to get the harnesses on, 10 mns of struggles to get them outside, 10 mns of wriggling, jumping and being very, very scared (and that's only the cats, lol), 10 mns to get the harnesses back off, and they are completely traumatised, and so are we!

Still, Rome wasn't built in one day. That will do for a first try.

That's about how it goes with Diesel too

You may want to try just putting the harness on them in the house and letting them get used to wearing it. Just for short intervals until they adapt. Diesel never would accept it, but I want to get him one of those walking jackets and see if that is any better for him.

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Dallas, TX USA
Diesel - snow Bengal born 09/01/2013 adopted Feb 2014
Tuck, Chloe, Buddy, Lewis & Tia - rescue kitties
Clyde, Bleu & Coal - Great Danes

First rule of thumb ... get the kitties used to the harness before you ever take them outside. That may mean putting the harness on and letting them walk around the house for a few days. Rarely does a cat accept a harness immediately. It's a process! A cat may be able to escape if it is fighting the harness and off it goes. These babies have walking jackets which can get better, but still ... they need to be comfortable walking in them so they can enjoy the outdoors. And it is easier with two people when you are dealing with two cats!

Bengals love the outdoors and starting them on walks means continuing them on walks every day, 365 days a year. Mine walks in the rain, in the 103 degree heat, 10 degree cold, snow. Doesn't matter. He has to have his walk. He demands it, twice a day!

I know you never expected to have new babies who would take up so much of your time. Hopefully, Ellie can come over and help walk them. You now have a lifetime of 2-year olds that never grow up.

Well, 2nd outing went much better, they sussed out what the harness means, I think, we didn't have the same battle at all to put them on! Mind you, this time, we just got them out in my back garden, which is tiny, but which they're used to seeing through the veranda door.

So that went well.

Today though, it's pouring down with rain. So, no walkies. My son went off to the shed at the bottom of the garden (where the smokers convene).

Suddenly, I heard Nala meow, meow, meow, staring at the back door! She had seen T go off outside and was telling us she wanted out, lol! So my hubby held her in his arms and stood outside with her in the rain, thinking she'd soon tired of that, but as it goes, he got tired much quicker than she did, lol.

So yes, I hear you, seems we are letting ourselves in for a lifetime of walkies, but hey-ho, there you go, such is life!

Oh yes, bengals want to go where people go! I'm sure you've discovered they want to be in the same room you are in at all times. Hang in there -- these two will grow into adult cats at some point.

It gets worse, lol... She's trying to suss out the lock!

That's the way that it goes.

If you have any lever-type door handles, now is the time to either move them 90 degrees or replace them with knobs.

Yes, they are little smarty pants, these Bengals!! Jagger has broken out of his cat flap by pulling out the knob that controls the locking mechanism. I had to replace the cat flap and now I barricade it once they are in for the night. They will both try to open the window where the lever type handle is at the bottom as it opens out from the bottom as opposed to the side. Fortunately, no opposable thumbs, so they can't manage the button you also have to press

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Did we mention that bengals are INTELLIGENT and love figuring out puzzles??? You give them an obstacle and they can go around it.