Who let the cats out? The growing UK trend for cat walking

Greater London, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Devon, Berkshire and Sussex are the top 12 counties for cat walking in the UK, according to sales data from cat accessory brand and training school Supakit, with customers from these regions buying the most cat harnesses in 2021.

Leili Farzaneh, Co-Founder and CEO of Supakit founded the brand with partner Kevin in 2016 after making a breakaway collar for cat and ‘serial collar destroyer’ Lola, with the first Supakit cat harness introduced in 2018. Contrary to popular belief, Leili says that cats can benefit from training as much as dogs:

“We often do a disservice to cats, thinking of them as solitary creatures that take care of themselves but if we have a cat as a domestic pet, then we have a responsibility to meet their needs. Cats need stimulation just as much as dogs, boredom can be terrible for them, especially if they are house cats. Training of all types is a great way of offering mental stimulation to your cat. Combining that with harness training allows you to open up new sensory experiences outdoors for your cat too.

From interactions with customers, Cat Behaviourist Leili realised that there was a need for advice and support around cat harnessing. The Supakit Academy launched in 2021, with a new course How to Harness Train Your Cat:

“Harness training isn’t necessarily about taking your cat on epic adventures or long walks,” says Leili. “Cats like to meander, so whilst you might not cover huge distances, you might discover places you’ve never noticed before. It can be as simple as being able to take your cat into a communal garden using their harness if you live in a flat, or to the vet, particularly if they’re not a fan of their carrier.

“Cat training is not only about training the cat, but training the owner too, such as learning to redirect their cat to walk in a new direction without the cat realising, or how to hold the lead to prevent harness escapes.

“In the UK, harness training for cats is an emerging practice. We developed the Supakit Academy to give cat owners the chance to follow a cat centred training programme, taking the owner through every step to their first adventure, with support and advice from Supakit, but also our supportive community.

“The course is online and covers recall training, creating a safe space for your cat when walking, introducing the harness and putting the harness on. It’s all about making the process of harness training fun and stress free for both cat and owner, building positive associations.”