Cats are notoriously curious animals who love the great outdoors, but letting them wander isn't always an option. If you live in an area with lots of traffic or a local population of feral cats, both can pose great danger to your pet. If you're willing to provide supervision, then walking your cat can be a good solution. Since cats are often less cooperative than dogs, however, you're going to need to invest some time into training your independent feline before escorting it outside.

1. Buy a harness made specifically for felines.
2. Begin training before your cat's regular meal time, when they're most receptive.
3. Allow the cat to smell the harness.
4. Put the harness on the cat. Clip on the leash if it isn't already part of the harness. The cat will probably do one of two things: sit very still, crouching low to the floor, or squirm in a frantic panic. Stay calm and don't interfere unless the cat seems like it will hurt itself. This is also a good time to watch and make sure the cat can't squeeze out of its harness -- they can be incredible contortionists.
5. Immediately give your cat his regular meal.
6. Allow the cat to walk (and lounge) freely in the harness for 1-3 hours, then take it off.
7. Repeat this process for however long it takes for your cat to feel comfortable.
8. Set a path through your home to walk after your cat gets used to the harness. This is essential if your cat has never been outside and you want to train it to walk with you before exposing it to the outdoors.
9. Choose a route on which to walk the cat outside, and walk it solo for the first few times to see if it's also a route used by dog walkers. Being confronted with a dog may cause your cat to panic and escape, so it's important to try to prevent this. You can also prepare a cat carrier to bring on your walks and so that you can secure the cat in it if you see a dog coming your way.
10. Leave the front door open and start making your walks gradually further in that direction. Guide your cat, (don't pull), to the door.
11. Take your cat outside for 5 minute increments, 3-5 times a day, gradually increasing the amount of time outside. Call the cat as you walk it and be consistent in where you walk the cat each time. Eventually the cat will become familiar with the process, but you must be patient.
12. Give the cat a treat as soon as you get home, and eventually your cat will love going for a walk.
    

• Start as soon as your cat has been weaned--generally around six or seven weeks of age. Young kittens are more receptive to a leash and if your cat grows up walking on one it will become second nature.
• 
  
• Let the cat become comfortable with the harness. Start by laying the harness by him or placing it in his bed so he gets used to the leash and learns to think of it as something familiar. Then, after a week, place it on the cat for short periods of time until no longer objects to wearing it.
• 
  
• Be patient if your cat panics and tries to hide. This will be more common for cats who aren't used to being outside. Wait for it to calm down, then gently urge it out of its hiding spot.
• 
  
• Let your cat walk on its own terms. Cats are finicky creatures by nature, and cannot be forced into walking with you; let the cat set the pace, if you can. Don't forget who is the owner, and who's the pet.
• 
  
• It can be helpful to hold the cat while walking it for a while; this helps the cat get used to the route.
• 
  
• If you want to have playtime for your cat in the backyard make sure the leash is too short to hop over the fence (see Warnings) and never leave the cat alone.
• 
  
• You could also make the garden cat-friendly and fenced off so the cat can play safely without the leash. This can be done without very much visible interference to your garden.
  

• Walking an indoor cat on a leash outdoors may make the cat less afraid of the outdoors and more likely to escape through an open door, then get lost, hit by a car, or attacked by a feral cat or other animal.
• 
  
• Never loosen your hold on the leash. The cat may become startled and suddenly bolt away, taking the leash with it.
• Never leave the cat on the leash in the backyard alone. The cat may try and hop over the fence and get stuck, resulting in an imminent cat funeral.
• 
  
• If the cat runs up a tree, immediately try to get it down or seek help quickly. The harness is a liability to a climbing cat desperately seeking a safe haven.
• 
  
• Do not yank on the leash; this may hurt the cat or make it angry and it will squirm to get out of the harness.
• 
  
• Keep an eye out for dogs. Dogs that are large or not under their owner's control could lunge for your kitty. When in doubt, pick up your cat and turn your body slightly, hiding the cat from the dog's view. This makes it less likely for the dog to attack and for your cat to bolt.
• 
  
• Some cats will never take to a harness - some merely fall on their sides and lie as if dead - they will "recover" if left to themselves, but any pressure on the harness causes a relapse and the "walk" quickly turns into a "drag". These cats are amusing as entertainment, but cannot be walked as such.