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Looking For The Best Cat Harness For No Escape?
Here’s a look at our favorites, including our top pick – PetSafe Come with Me Kitty Harness and Bungee Leash.
#1 Best Cat Harness No Escape
Whether you have a cat or a dog, using a harness is always better than using a traditional collar. Where collars can cause a serious choking hazard, harnesses distribute the pressure to your pet’s shoulders and chest.
Collars are much easier to escape from—especially when you’re dealing with cats. Harnesses are not only safer for cats, they add an extra layer of security to make sure they don’t pull a Houdini-like escape when you’re walking through the park.
What to look for in a cat harness
Not all harnesses are created equal. As you’re assessing your options, here are a few things to look for in a good cat harness:
- Girth – before you buy anything, take a moment to measure your cat’s neck and chest girth. Add 2 – 3 inches for comfort, and make sure the harness you purchase matches your cat’s girth. If it’s too big, your cat will slip it right off and defeat the purpose.
- Slack – we’ve all seen those pets at the park that take off running and get yanked to a stop by their owner’s fixed leash. Fixed leashes aren’t inherently bad, but they can be problematic for pets that like to dash around. If your cat fits that description, be sure to get a leash with some extra flexibility. You may even want to buy a harness, and then go purchase a more flexible leash separately (all of the products we’ll talk about have detachable leashes and a D-ring that can connect to any leash).
- Adjustability – harnesses with more size and customization options will help you tailor the fit perfectly to your cat.
- Throat pressure – don’t be fooled into thinking that all H-style harnesses eliminate the throat pressure that comes with a traditional collar. A lot of the cheaper products still put most of the pressure on the neck, making them just as dangerous as traditional collars. Look for a harness that spreads out the pressure and relies heavily on the chest area for restraint.
PetSafe Come with Me Kitty Harness and Bungee Leash
The Come with Me Kitty Harness uses a patented bungee design to provide firm control over your cat while ensuring the line has enough flexibility to allow more freedom (the 4-foot line extends to 6-feet when stretched).
The harness has a cradling effect that’s calming to many cats, and it eliminates the throat pressure that comes with traditional collars by applying gentle pressure to the shoulders. It also has an adjustable sternum slide that allows you to tailor the fit to your cat’s body type, with dual adjustment points on the girth strap to ensure a secure fit. The result is a harness that’s gentle, comfortable, and flexible.
- Small: 9-inch – 11-inch girth
- Medium: 10.5-inch – 14-inch girth
- Large: 13-inch – 18-inch girth
Kitty Holster Cat Harness
The Kitty Holster Cat Harness takes a unique approach to restraining your cat—rather than going with the traditional two-strap harness, it uses a full vest that wraps snugly around your cat’s upper body. The vest is made of 100% cotton, so it’s comfortable, breathable, machine-washable, and especially suitable for cats with sensitive skin.
It has a metal D-ring where you can attach a standard leash, and the vest straps shut with a Velcro line that runs up the entire chest. The Kitty Holster Cat Harness was one of the first walking vests for cats, and it’s still one of the best options out there. If you have a leash that you can connect to it, I would highly recommend this one.
- Extra Small: 5-inch – 8-inch neck, 10-inch – 14-inch girth
- Small/Medium: 9-inch – 12-inch neck, 13-inch – 17-inch girth
- Medium/Large: 10-inch – 13-inch neck, 16-inch – 20-inch girth
- Extra Large: 11-inch – 15-inch neck, 19-inch – 23-inch girth
Adjustable Cat Harness Nylon Strap Collar with Leash Black PUPTECK
If you’re looking for the best value out there, this is it. The PUPTECK Adjustable Cat Harness is made of a durable nylon material that’s thicker than the average harness, making it sturdy and resistant to wear and tear. It has snap-lock buckles for easy dressing and undressing, and it comes with a detachable leash.
- Neck size: 7 inches – 10 inches
- Chest size: 10 inches – 17 inches
- Lead length: 47.2 inches
Escape Proof Cat Harness with Leash – Holster Style Adjustable Soft Mesh – Best for Walking
If you prefer a vest-style rather than an H-style harness, PUPTECK offers that solution, too. The chest piece attaches with Velcro, and the neck piece has a plastic closure to make sure your cat doesn’t get away if they manage to rip off the Velcro.
The Escape Proof Cat Harness is made with a soft mesh material that’s cool and breathable in the summer, so you don’t have to worry about your cat overheating on long walks. On the back of the vest you’ll find two D-rings that you can connect to the detachable leash. The double D-ring format adds an extra layer of durability, so you don’t have to worry about the leash snapping when your kitty decides to chase after birds.
- Small: 7.4-inch – 9.3-inch neck, 10.5-inch – 12.4-inch girth
- Medium: 8.6-inch – 9.9-inch neck, 11.1-inch – 14.8-inch girth
- Large: 10.1-inch – 13.1-inch neck, 14.1-inch – 16.1-inch girth
Rogz Catz Alley Small 3/8-Inch Cat Reflective Lead and Adjustable Harness Combination
If you’re looking for a harness that’s ideal for night walks, this is the one for you. The Rogz AlleyCat harness is made with high-grade nylon webbing for breathability and sturdiness, with a reflective strip running through the center for better nighttime visibility.
The leash has a breakaway clip on the neck that’s designed to release if your cat’s collar ever gets snagged, and the breakaway clip is adjustable to match your cat’s weight. So, if your cat decides to do some night prowling and tries to run up a tree, you don’t have to worry about their neck getting caught on anything.
Takeaways
The Kitty Holster is hands-down my favorite cat harness. It’s one of the few options that comes in a breathable, natural fiber, so it is going to be significantly more comfortable than all of the nylon options. Lots of users report that the vest-style harness is comforting to their cats, so it’s a good pick for anxious kitties that don’t like the H-style harness.
If you prefer to go with an H-style harness, I’d recommend choosing PetSafe’s Come with Me Kitty harness. It’s thick and durable, and the bungee leash makes it a lot easier on your cat when they dart off after other animals.
When you get your harness, try leaving it near your cat’s bed for a while so she can grow accustomed to the smell and appearance. Put the harness on right before you feed her, and then lather on the praise as she eats (maybe throw in some snacks, too). Let her walk around the house in it for a while until she grows accustomed to the harness.
When you’re ready, attach the leash and start to follow her around the house, letting her lead you. Start to pull gently on the leash every now and then until she starts to recognize and obey your guidance. Whatever you do, don’t fight your cat—if she tugs on the line, pause and wait until she relaxes before you move on. The point is to help you cat grow comfortable with and accustomed to the harness before you attach the leash and go outside. Doing so makes the whole experience much more positive, for you and your cat.
