When it comes to having a pet at home, the majority of people opt for a cat or a dog. Some people are dog people, and others are cat people.
Both pets have many different benefits to having them in your home. For dog people, they love the interaction of playing fetch with them, walking them, and even taking them to the dog park. On the other hand, cat owners love the snuggles, the ” independence ” that cats have, and also how they oftentimes don’t need to be walked.
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Many cat owners keep their cats indoors.
Many cat owners love the freedom and the ability to have a pet without so many responsibilities and needs. Many dog owners have to do a lot for their dogs, like walking them and making sure that they get a lot of exercise.
Cats, on the other hand, require far less attention in terms of walks and exexercises.
However, if you’ve never “walked” your cat, you’re not alone.
Let’s face it, we’ve never had to walk our cat before. And, if you have, you would have 100 people looking at you like you are crazy.
But, there are actually a lot of benefits of walking your cat. Surprisingly, taking your furry friend out on a leash, in the park, or down the block, can help your life and mental health overall.
Leili Farzeneh, a cat owner, began to walk her cat recently and shared her positive story.
At first, Farzeneh was very nervous about walking her cat because of the things that people would say to her.
“I am a real introvert so the first few times, I was really nervous about what people would say,” said Farzeneh. Not for nothing, seeing a person walking their cat could be a little crazy.
However, she was surprised that it wasn’t so crazy.
Surprisingly, Farzeneh said that people were very receptive to her walking her cat. At first, people would stop and ask her if she was indeed walking a cat, and she would say “yes.”
“They say that they wish they could do it with their cat or their mum’s cat. It’s a real conversation starter and you usually have to add half an hour onto your planned walk, just to answer all the questions.”
Now, Farzeneh has launched a whole business for cat owners to follow suit.
Farzeneh said that the benefits of walking her cat are truly remarkable. She gets out in the fresh air and her cat, also, gets outside and gets to do things, as well.
And, with the trend growing, she launched a new business dedicated to cat owners who want to walk their cats outside and around town.
Supakit is a company designed for cat owners who want to take their cats on a walk.
Farzeneh launched Supakit.co, which is a website dedicated to cat harnesses, collars, and leashes.
There are tons of colors, designs, and styles for pet owners to choose from. In addition, Farzeneh has a blog up where people can discuss and comment on things pertaining to cats.
While it seems silly, the population of “cat-walking” is growing.
Many people may think that walking your cat is silly and unnecessary, but, the population of catwalkers is growing immensely.
Farzeneh estimates that now, around 50,000 people and cat owners in the U.K. are part of the “cat walking” community in which they enjoy taking their cats out on a stroll.
This has helped her business immensely.
“It’s really growing in popularity. It was already huge in the US and Australia where cats are usually kept in the house and owners are reluctant to let them outside but we are getting more and more inquiries in the UK now. It’s really taking off,” she said.
Many experts say that this “cat walking” business can also be beneficial to the animals immensely.
Veterinarian Dr Alex Avery claims that cats who are “stuck” staying indoors may not live a “fulfilling life.”
“If a cat is always indoors, it’s often not being given the necessary stimulation to lead a fulfilling life, which can lead to pent-up frustrations and stress, as well as medical conditions such as urinary tract disease, over-grooming and obesity,” Dr. Avery said.
In addition, it has tremendous health benefits.
“Over 60 percent of cats worldwide are said to be overweight. In addition to the physical benefits of getting more exercise, walking your cat using a harness can be beneficial to their mental wellbeing too,” he said.
Get those leashes ready!
