Raja, a cat adopted from AWLA, taking a walk on a harness. Photo by AWLA.
The feline residents of the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter will soon be glimpsing blue sky and breathing some fresh air. A “catio” under construction on the shelter grounds will be the animals’ new playground — a fenced outdoor area with a specially curved top that will prevent escape.
The catio is an effort by the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, which operates the shelter, to recognize that cats need to stretch their paws and get outside from time to time, but in a safe space. “Cats that roam outside face so many dangers — getting hit by cars, encounters with wildlife, poisons — that we really encourage people to keep their cats inside,” said Abbie Hubbard, the League’s director of animal care.
She recalls numerous times cats have been brought to the shelter suffering from injuries caused by run-ins with cars — and even a kitten whose ears were sheared off by a lawn mower. Fortunately, that one survived, with aid of veterinary care, and was eventually adopted.
Hubbard says that an expanding array of products, such as outdoor mesh enclosures, provides ways to create safe spaces for cats. Screened-in porches also can put cats in touch with the outdoors while keeping them at a safe distance from vulnerable wildlife. Apartment dwellers should be aware that cats who fall from open windows or balconies can sustain serious, even fatal, injuries.
Increasingly, cats are following in their canine pals’ footsteps by taking walks with owners, sporting harnesses and leashes made for cats. Cats should be introduced to that concept gradually, Hubbard says. She suggests that cats’ human companions start the process by putting a harness on the cat while indoors, for just a few minutes. “If your cat likes treats, make sure the treats come out when the harness does, so the cat will enjoy the experience,” Hubbard said. After several times, a leash can be attached to the harness but allowed to just drag on the floor until the cat becomes comfortable with it. Finally, the cat and human can venture outside on short trips. “It won’t be like walking a dog,” Hubbard said. “The cat will probably choose the direction it wants to go, or it may just perch somewhere to watch birds and inhale outdoor smells.”