Hi everyone.

New here, just taken on 2 11 week old kittens.

I'm very keen for them to explore the outdoors eventually but at the same time to keep them safe. As such, sometime down the line I think I'll enjoy taking them for leashed walks.

Keen to introduce them as early as possible to harnesses etc I was wondering what age you'd recommend to start training them by letting them get used to a harness/vest first of all.

Thanks for any tips.

The earlier the better. Just get simple kitten harnesses and let them wear them indoors. When you start to take them out, please consider a walking jacket, like those made by Mynwood Cat Jackets.

Do you have any pictures of your new additions?

_________________
~ Kyenta

Thanks Kyenta.

I've ordered a couple of the kitten Mynwood jackets - they seem pretty good from the reviews and once they arrive I'll see how they get on with them.

Here's pics of my 2 little boys - they're both brothers and act as if they are twins - always doing the same thing at the same time!

Welcome to the forum! Look at those beautiful boys of yours!!! Happy to hear you want them to enjoy the outdoors safely! I think you can begin putting the jackets on them and let them wear them inside the house -- as soon as the jackets arrive! They need to be completely comfortable wearing them before you attach a leash and head out the door. Hopefully, you will have someone walking one of the cats as having two of them going in opposite directions is not going to work. Know that initially, your kitties will stick close to the house. They will investigate and sniff everything. They will stop often. It's not really a "walk." . BUT .... as they gain confidence, they will want to walk farther and farther. My bengal and I started off just in our yard. Now we walk about 6 to 8 blocks. Carry a large towel with you in case you all want to sit and rest.

Just know that once you start the walks -- they will insist on them and want to go back outside constantly. Thus, you might want to see about getting a catio or cat enclosure that they can enjoy on their own terms. If you cannot do a permanent enclosure, there are portable enclosures that fold up and store away when not in use. It just gives you a little freedom -- not that you should ever leave the cats in a portable enclosure without your being right there. And you never tie your leashes up outside and leave the cats to "run."

Got my leads and jackets today.
They seemed to take to the jackets just fine so tried with the leads as well and went for a walk around the house which was amusing.
Hardest thing was constantly switching hands a they crisscrossed the leads and went under furniture etc.

You're going to need FOUR hands with TWO bengals on leashes! You will drive yourself batty! One will go one way, one the other, one under a shrub, the other wandering in the opposite direction! They don't heed commands very well either. It's great you're walking them around in your house. But, leashes can get tangled (Raiden got caught under a prickly shrub this morning.) I know while they are tiny and the outside is new to them, they will stick close to your house. I walk Raiden on a leash, however, a black and white moggie also follows us on our morning walks. He starts with us at our house, follows us the entire way and back home again. No leash for him. I doubt one cat on and one cat off for you would do the trick. The only other thing you can do is walk them separately if they get to be a handful walking together.

Beautiful, beautiful boys! I love those eyes.
Good luck with the walking. You'll have to fight the lady cats off!

_________________
~ Kyenta

Thanks for all the advice.
Went for their first saunter in the garden today. A lot of time munching on grass and plants and looking mesmerised by everything, it was great.
Now we've come back in, after a quick bite to eat, Drake is sat next to the door peering out...

So how did you grab that picture with both hands tied up with kitties? LOL. Seriously, you will have hooked them on the outdoors for life and you will have to train them to know how many times you are willing to walk them. They look absolutely precious in their walking jackets!!!

That is awesome :)
I have a jacket from butterfly cat harness, I love that it has the velco. Yours looks to be the same way.

My girlfriend had one with the clasps and her bengal got frightened and wiggled out of it! Thankfully she found him 2 days later.

I don't really take Archer on walks, but he loves going to the stores with me.

_________________
Archer- Born March 8, 2016 gold with amazing ink jet rosettes
DiVinci- Born July 31, 2016 charcoal seal lynx point