So Norris is finally settling in after losing Mace but when we went on vacation in September and left him for a week, that also caused him some issues. He is demanding, cries a lot, almost like he wants us to come and get him, yet we are completely in plain sight. I’ll call him over to give pets, but he won’t come and will continue to cry, or he’ll come over and get a few scratches before he moves back into the hallway. This is usually done in the evening as our morning routine is pretty settled now, but every evening is different. I was wondering how to help him and thought about leash training him, that being outside and being stimulated a different way will benefit him (and me). But how do I do that and not have it so he wants to slip out of the house every time the door opens. (Side note: He did slip out the other day and tried to evade me a few times. Thankfully with his bad hip, he can’t run too fast and I managed to grab him before he ended up under the back porch). I am a huge fan of Jackson Galaxy and watch My Cat From Hell when I can. I thought if anyone can help me find a way to leash train Norris, it would be him.
October 27th 2017. I sent off an email to Jackson and his team. Not really expecting a response too quickly, it only took 19 minutes for someone to respond, Jacob from his team. He sent me his sympathies at the loss of Mace and gave me a link about pets and how they deal with loss, as well as a link to his spirit essences that he has developed to help him with his behaviour. I also got a link to help an ex-outdoor cat and how to leash train a cat. The secret for Norris would be to carry him outside with his harness on. So that he learns that when the harness is on, he’s going to go outside, but only when I say so. That the doorway is still a no go zone. Norris will get a new harness and leash today (November 1), one that will feel different as his harness has only been used for vet visits and I don’t want that negative association, and the leash training can begin.
November 6, 2017. Our first trip outside. It was just for a little bit, and I brought him in when it started to get dark. He slinked around a bit, not quite used to the harness, or being told where he could/couldn’t go. He did seem to enjoy the smells and exploring. When I brought him in, he cried for about an hour, wanting to go back outside. Very irritating. Finally he settled down though.
Novemeber 8, 2017. He stood by the back door and cried while I was doing some sewing. He wanted out and it was a very nice day in the sunshine, so out we went. We stayed on the porch this time and I tethered him to the swing, this way I could read and not worry too much about him. He really enjoyed just lying in the sun, listening to the sounds and smelling the smells. 
He then sat at the back door and just looked at it, so I knew he was ready to go in. About an hour later, he looked at the back door and started crying. I wasn’t feeling great, so I was on the couch in and out of sleep while he cried at the door for an hour and a half. How the hell I was able to doze with his yowling, I don’t know. He settled in, but started again about 6 pm. Holy crap cat!
Talking with Mike, we have decided that Norris is not going to continue his outside adventures. We are not sure if he will get used to going out when we decide, or if he needs more which we cannot give him. If I could trust him to stay on the back porch or our yard without us, we would consider it, but he cannot be outside unsupervised. With his hip, he cannot out run me, let alone another cat/animal or car. We are being more diligent with his play time, and maybe he just needs more of that.
On dog and cat training tv shows. I know a lot of people who watch them and for myself, it’s mostly Cesar Miilan, but also Brad Pattinson back in the day. I follow Jackson Galaxy when I can as well (it’s not just cats being cats, they have their own baggage also). For me, it’s about getting as many tools under my belt to make my work easier, to make life easier for pet and pet parents, and a happier, healthier animal-human bond. I also know of people who hate the techniques used by tv show hosts. I am an intuitive person, and I let my feelings guide me on what the pet is feeling. One of my clients, (Seamus) is fearful aggressive with his bum, feet and face. I have to have a strong voice sometimes, sometimes it is soft, a sturdy grip, a no-nonsense attitude and no fear. He improves with each grooming, but I still see that he doesn’t fully trust me. Sadie is the same way. With Sadie, she will bite so she is muzzled, and she uses so much of her energy trying to stop me, that by the time I get to her face, she’s exhausted and I can take her muzzle off and there is no issue. I am learning with her as well different ways of holding her to reduce the chances of her lunging. Regardless of whose technique I use, I use my own. What works for me may not work for you or your pet. Cats are completely trainable, and they deal with fears, anxiety, and depression. If you need help with your cat and training, feel free to message me and we can work through the issue together, or contact Jackson’s team through their website. If you have problems with your dog and training, again, you can message me and we can work through it, or contact a reputable trainer that you feel comfortable with.