Monday, March 21, 2016

Our Favorite Cat Harnesses

WAFFLES:  Happy Spring, Boss! Are you ready to break out our harnesses? I'm thinking a picnic in the park. Just you, me and a bucket of chicken.


KATIE:  I had something a little fancier in mind. Fine china and crystal perhaps. I'm not going to be seen eating out of a bucket. 

WAFFLES:  That's not what you said when you got caught on the kitchen counter with a KFC drumstick in your–

KATIE:  WAFFLES! You did NOT just say that. 


Ready for Spring with our Favorite Harnesses
Just recently we've received a number of messages and comments on Facebook asking for our recommendations on the best cat harnesses. We've tried a LOT of them! But our absolute favorites are the Puppia harnesses. 

It's true, these are actually small dog harnesses. But the design and fit is perfect for most cats. We've tried harnesses that were made specifically for cats, but unfortunately none of them fit nearly as well as the Puppias. 

There's just enough fabric and coverage for a secure fit, without being super bulky. Those skinny harnesses made from thin straps are a little too loosey-goosey for us and very easy to wriggle out of. The bulkier vests that almost look like a jacket are a bit constrictive. For us, Puppia is just right.


Size Matters
It's all about getting the right size. When we purchased our first Puppia harness, we bought three sizes to try out just to be sure. Katie and Waffles both weigh approximately 10 pounds and regardless of the style, wear a Puppia Small. We recommend taking some measurements too. 

It's very important the harness not be too big. You definitely want to make sure kitty can't squeeze out of it. For cats in-between sizes, we really love their Rite Fit style. It has two adjustable buckles positioned at the shoulder that really help to ensure a snug fit. Of course, you want to make sure it's not too tight. Just keep in mind that many cats are master escape artists.

SIZE
Neck (base of neck)
Chest Girth
(min.~max.)
XS
7.5 (inch)9~13 (inch)
S
9.8 (inch)12~18 (inch)
M
12.5 (inch)14~21 (inch)
L
14.0 (inch)19~29 (inch)
XL
15.7 (inch)21~32 (inch)
XXL
19.0 (inch)26~39 (inch)


Style Matters Too!
With so many colors and styles to choose from, we have a harness for almost every occasion! And of course a coordinating leash to go with each of them. 
This is Puppia's Rite Fit harness in Sky Blue. In addition to the adjustable chest belt, this harness has adjustable buckles at both shoulders. These extra buckles help to create a more customized fit. The Rite Fit harness comes in nine pretty colors.


Puppia's Soft Harness is their classic. It comes in even more colors– 12 solids and a camouflage print. It's incredibly soft and comfortable. There's a matching leash for every color too. Though all of our harnesses are smalls, we prefer the medium leashes. They're not heavy at all but offer just a little more length which is nice.

We customized Katie's pink harness by removing the Puppia chest label and replacing it with a fun hear shaped patch. We also added some pretty flowers and bling to the back of her harness. This was a super popular DIY project we featured on our blog last year: Katie's DIY Cat Harness Makeover


Puppia also has some really fun fashion harnesses. This is Waffles' Hunter Harness in brown. It's made with an ultra soft camo-print fabric and has an stylish and hip hoodie attached to the back. The fashion harnesses are a great way to have some style-fun without dressing up your cat in clothes. 


Practice Makes Purrfect
Harnesses take a little getting used to. It's best to take some time and introduce the harness to kitty gradually. Taking the time with these simple steps can help cats to accept and enjoy their harnesses.
  1. Let them get used to the smell of it before you even put it on. Leave it out for them to explore for a couple of days.
  2. Use treats as a reward when putting it on and taking it off. 
  3. If you can't get it on the first time, don't worry. Just give them a treat and try again the next day. It might take a couple of tries for both of you to get familiar with it!
  4. Once you have it on, distract and reward with interactive play. Wand toys are perfect for this.
  5. Keep the harness on for only a few minutes the first time. Gradually work your way up to keeping it on longer and longer. Again, use play and treats as both distractions and rewards. 
Where to Buy
We've bought all of our Puppia harnesses and leashes through Amazon. We've shopped around, even went to Puppia's website, and have found the best pricing and return policy on Amazon. We have a Prime membership so our shipping is always super fast (2-day) and free. ...we get free streaming movies too! But if you buy enough, shipping is often free even without Prime.



Our shopping links today are affiliate links which means we 
receive a small commission when you make a purchase. 


21 comments:

  1. I have a Puppia harness and loved it... but even though it's the right size for me, I've slipped out of it several times! It was understandable when I was a kitten because I hadn't grown into it yet, but even after being full grown, I managed to get out of it once outside when I heard a loud bang! That freaked my human out, but I just ran for the front door. Oddly, the strappy black harness that I most often wear seems the most secure. My human has pulled me every which way with it, and I can't get out. Binga wears the Puppia now - my human had to let it out just a touch for her. ;-) And it seems to fit her well.

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  2. It is really interesting to see the Puppia harnesses that look so perfect and are as familiar to us as Katie and Waffles themselves, and also Summer's comments. Your advice for measuring seems to be absolutely crucial in this case. When in doubt measure and then measure again - right?

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  3. Those look very spiffy!!! Katie is so classy and Waffles so handsome!!!

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  4. I definitely need a new harness. Thanks for your recommendations! Love Toby

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  5. We just love your harnesses. Mom wants to get Morton and Lilly one. Thz so much for the info. Now mom has the information she needs to pick the best one for us. Purrs

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  6. Very interesting, and Summer's comment shows that the "shape" of a cat is as important as his size. Purrs

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  7. It is interesting how different cat shapes impact what harnesses that fit them. The head peep saw Puppia at Global Pet Expo this week, and she did not realize they had such an array of harness colors! There's one for every fashionable kitty.

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  8. I have a puppia harness and I really like it, though I don't get to wear it and go outside nearly as much as I would want to...which would be all the time. Mine's red. :) ~Wally

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  9. We love Puppia harnesses even though there sizes really really vary. I got a pink one
    Lily (& Edward)

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  10. Good info here and very cute pictures!

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  11. The Farm cats roam freely so I don't have harnesses for them but if I did I'd be sure they'd be stylin' ones

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  12. I've been considering getting a harness for Ringo, so this is good to know.

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  13. Dat's great. Me needs a new harness and mommy was lookin' round to find da right one. They all seem to break so easy. We'll have to look at these.

    Luv ya'

    Dezi

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  14. You both look great in your harnesses.

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  15. Very stylin'! I can't believe Katie doesn't keep it real no more. OMC! Do they make them with underwire? TW was just shopping for harnesses too. No underwire, please.

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  16. We thinks Katie and Waffles look furry nice in their harnesses. But our mom bean better not try these on us, just sayin'

    What we wants to know is...did Katie really eat a drumstick?
    Sasha, Sami, & Saku

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  17. I really miss taking my cats out for walks, but with seven of them it isn't convenient and as such it fell out of favor and now no one is interested

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  18. I'm shopping for a new one for Mimi, but she is so tiny for an adult cat for now only her "Come With Me Kitty" adjusts enough around her chest for her not to easily slip out of it, though I'm sure if she wriggled enough she could get out of the straps. I'll give her a good measure and see if she fits the Xsmall.

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  19. how does it secure around the neck? or is it a slip in where they can slip out of the neck part?

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  20. how does it secure around the neck? or is it a slip in where they can slip out of the neck part?

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  21. You Both look so great in your harnesses.The colours and design suit you both.x😻🐾🐾🐾🐾💕🌼

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