As any cat owner knows, cats love the outside. But it’s hard to let your beloved pet out of the house to wander knowing they could be run down by a car or torn apart by an aggressive raccoon. So they usually spend their days sitting by the window staring longingly at the world outside. But thanks to the invention of the cat leash, your pet can enjoy the best of both worlds without the danger of becoming road kill.

Some people may say that cats don’t belong on a leash. “Leashes are for dogs!” they argue. But taking your cat out for a walk on a cat leash is the perfect way to protect your pet while also improving their quality of life. After all, even though they aren’t dogs, cats deserve to get out of the house every once in a while.

Training your cat to wear a cat leash can take some time. A normal cat leash is more than just a collar that fits around the cat’s neck, because as anyone can probably figure out, a cat would end up hanging itself it that was the setup. The cat leash is an actual harness that fits along the cat’s body and attaches to a leash that you can then use to guide the cat during a walk.

The first time your cat experiences the cat leash, he will probably fall to the ground seemingly under the unbearable weight of the leash. Don’t let this fool you, the leash is not hurting the cat, the cat is simply being dramatic. It may take a little time for the cat to adjust to the feeling of the leash, so it might be a good idea to put the cat leash on your cat while you’re in the house so it can acclimate itself. Once the cat begins to walk normally, it’s time to head outside.

Don’t expect the first walk to go very far. Most cats will experience a sensory overload the first time out on the leash. It is best to just pick a spot where the cat can sniff around and not try to make the cat walk in a specific path. Forcing a cat to walk along a sidewalk while on a cat leash for the first time will only result in you dragging the cat. Let the cat lead. Once it becomes familiar with the scents and sounds of the outdoors it will begin to walk around.

One important thing to remember when using a cat leash is to never leave your pet unattended outside unattended. It may seem like a good idea to tie the cat leash to a fence so that the cat can experience the outdoors while you find something else to do, but this can be very dangerous. Cats are small and may become entangled in the leash. If they are unable to free themselves they may end up choking themselves to death or cutting off circulation to a limb.