Hi all. I'm new to this forum, but I was looking for some expertise. I have a seven year-old male bengal cat named Oscar. He has been going out on a leash since he was a kitten. He used to be extremely confident on his leash no matter the location (that includes going through airport security, block parties, etc.) He's well-traveled (lived in six different places, which included two overseas flights) and he's very confident in new/strange places. Quite the old pro. When I walk him I pretty much only use the leash to prevent him from going where he shouldn't: I don't pull on his leash to get him to go where I want. If I need him to go to a particular location I either coax him with a toy or pick him up. That's always worked out pretty well. I use a walking jacket type harness with a fixed length leash.

Lately, he hasn't been tolerating going out on his leash at all. It will be fine for a couple minutes: he'll do his usual thing of finding the nearest plant to sniff or go run after a bug. But within the first five minutes, he starts freaking out. I mean seriously freaking out: hissing, growling, ears back, etc. Granted, Oscar is the sort of cat who normally expresses himself by hissing (e.g. he slips off a table and he turns around and hisses at the table, or he'll hiss at a door that's closed that he wants open.) But this is different.

Today, I made what might be my last attempt: we're visiting my parents' house which has a huge garden he absolutely loves. He was whining at the door and was acting so excited when I put harness on I thought "he seems like he really wants to go out on his leash, so let's give it ago." Within a couple minutes he started hissing and growling. He was acting almost like he was in physical pain. I tried to carry him back in but he got me pretty good in the face. Eventually, after waiting with the door open, he went back in on his own. As soon as we were inside he started to calm down and I was able to get the harness off of him after about ten minutes. Then it was like nothing at all had happened. He trotted over to be pet and then turned his attention to a toy. Like nothing had happened.

My first thought is "fine, he doesn't enjoy this anymore, so there's no reason to push it." But he used to love going out on his leash so much. It used to be a daily routine. I know he likes being outdoors, because his favorite spot at home is my balcony. I'm wondering if something else is going on. Maybe the harness really is causing him pain (although it's the same harness he's had for years.) But if that was the case, why would he calm down once he went inside?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I would get him checked out at the vets in case there is an underlying problem with his health.

It seems like the harness has hurt him and now he fears it, also through experience I never pick up a frightened animal as they go crazy and attack through fear, I've been there.

Maybe something outside has worried him and he now associates the harness with out doors.

Hope you figure out what the problem is.

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Clare
Magic (brown spotted boy born 31 March 2012)
Pearl (seal Lynx Point girl born 1 October 2015)
Bristol, UK

Yes, it does sound like, as Clare said, he was either in pain or has associated the harness with something frightening. I had my old black cat who loved a little bit of cheese. We had a carpenter in one day and he started drilling when Harry went to eat the cheese. Harry never ate cheese again as he associated the noise of a hammer drill with his cheese. Strange but true! If you take Oscar (cool name by the way ) to get checked at the vets for anything like arthritis etc which could cause pain? Also had you got a little bit of his fur caught in the clips? Just throwing out ideas! You could probably go through a desensitising programme with him and the harness ie feed/play/cuddles/treats when the harness is on to get his used to it again. Short times with it on and building up to longer. Maybe he needs to wear it round the house for a good while before venturing out again. Sorry if im stating the obvious. Good luck to you and Oscar and hope he is soon enjoying his walks again

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

That's an excellent suggestion, that he may not be in physical pain, but associating it with pain. Maybe something like his fur getting caught in the harness on a previous occasion. It's interesting because that's kind of what he does at the vet: last time I had him in for a checkup you would have thought the vet was stabbing him with the stethoscope from the sound of it. Eventually she just said "Well, he certainly has a healthy growl but I've yet to be able to hear his heart!"

I like the idea of desensitizing program. I think one thing I can do is buy a new harness that looks and feels slightly different and restart the training process I used when he was a kitten.

If he hasn't been to the vet in a while, take him for a complete checkup. Normally, a bengal who has been outside cannot wait to go out again!!! Since this has happened not just at your home, but your parents as well, I'm guessing it's a situation with the harness. I would try a different one and see how that works. My bengal gets two walks a day and nothing will stop him from wanting out the door (unless he's not feeling well). We have other cats that come around our yard and he has to sniff them out. He's gotten stung by yellow jackets and just continued on with his walk like nothing was wrong (after leaping 6 feet in the air). Cats who have been traumatized in some way can feel the effects for a while. Don't pressure him to go outside, but put the new harness on him and see how he takes to it. If only our kitties could talk and tell us what was going on. I've gotten Raiden's fur caught in the harness before and he never let me know about it. I only discovered it when I was taking it off at the end of a walk.

From your description, I doubt its the harness, more like some bad experience outside. If its the harness, your cat would be start panic once you put it on, but the change only happens after several mins outside. Of course check the cat with a vet, there maybe some physical problem. If everything is fine, put on the leash, keep the door open, let him go in and out freely. He may somehow feel unsafe, a open door means he has a safe place to run and hide. Once he feel comfortable to go further, then it should be fine.