{"id":457167,"date":"2026-09-08T12:38:50","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T12:38:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/457167\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T12:38:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T12:38:50","slug":"want-to-walk-your-cat-in-los-angeles-heres-how-to-keep-them-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/457167\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to walk your cat in Los Angeles? Here’s how to keep them safe"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Catifornia_Dropcap_G.png\" <\/p>\n

Gnocchi sits attentively on a Beverly Grove sidewalk with his owner, Julia Luke. Gnocchi wears a pink collar with his name on it, an air tag and a red harness with a leash. He observes the neighbors. He sniffs the grass. He watches bugs crawl in the dirt.<\/p>\n

Catifornia<\/p>\n

A clowder of stories celebrating cats and the L.A. people who love them.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople know Gnocchi\u2019s name before they know mine,\u201d Luke said.<\/p>\n

But seeing Gnocchi stops strangers in their tracks.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because Gnocchi isn\u2019t a dog.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a cat on a leash!\u201d an unfamiliar neighbor exclaimed recently, stooping to pet him.<\/p>\n

While walking cats may seem like a novelty, more Angelenos do it than you think. We asked readers to tell us why they walk their cats, and within hours, roughly 160 people answered. Many said they want to give their pets a fully enriched life, fearing that indoor-only cats miss out on the outdoors experience. Rather than subject free-roaming outdoor cats to dangers like cars and coyotes, some opt for supervised harness and pram walking.<\/p>\n

\"Zephyr <\/p>\n

Zephyr the cat leads Ivy the dog in an evening walk in Highland Park. Zephyr is the unspoken boss of Ivy, their owner Hayden Freedman said.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aI know [Gnocchi is] happier when he has exposure to more sensory things than being inside all day long,\u201d Luke said of her domestic shorthair. \u201cI think about how happy I would be if my whole entire life was inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Highland Park, Hayden Freedman and her partner, Kyle Smithers, walk their cat, Zephyr, up and down their quiet street, usually once a week. Sometimes they bring their dog, Ivy, who treats the walk more as a cooldown than a workout. (She runs separately with Smithers.)<\/p>\n

\"Zephyr, <\/p>\n

Zephyr, left, is given a snack while Ivy , right, sniffs Zephyr after going on an evening walk with owners Hayden Freedman and Kyle Smithers in Highland Park.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Over in Silver Lake, Allison Nill walks her cats around the local reservoir in a pet stroller. Safely tucked beneath the pram\u2019s netted covering, Lana \u2014 short for Lana Del Rey, a tabby \u2014 takes in the sights while Steve, an orange American shorthair and Abyssinian mix named after Stevie Nicks, lounges in the shade.<\/p>\n

\u201cI call \u2019em our hot girl walks,\u201d Nill said, pushing Lana and Steve in their stroller around the Silver Lake Reservoir. The sunset-hour routine helps relax her when she feels anxious. \u201cMost nights, it\u2019s just [Lana] and I.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Beachwood Canyon residents David Atrakchi and Sophie Meister, both actors and producers in the film industry, take their Bengal cat, Taita, for hikes near the Hollywood Reservoir, Bronson Canyon and even Joshua Tree. Taita prances along rock walls and rolls in the dirt, meowing with his tail held high.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Taita saunters along a rock wall near the Hollywood Reservoir.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he has his tail up, he\u2019s happy,\u201d Atrakchi said on a recent hike overlooking the reservoir.<\/p>\n

The practice comes with benefits and risks. Dr. Kate Blair, a feline veterinarian at the Cat Hospital in Marina Del Rey, said it comes down to knowing your cat.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the right cat, I think it\u2019s a great thing. That\u2019s the key, is, not every cat will enjoy spending time outdoors on a walk,\u201d Blair said. Confident, curious cats may do well, but cats who like predictable environments may be fearful. \u201cIt\u2019s not something to force by any means.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"David <\/p>\n

David Atrakchi and Sophie Meister walk their 3-year-old Bengal cat Taita on a trail near Hollywood Reservoir.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Mental enrichment is the biggest health benefit \u201cby far,\u201d Blair said. Under-stimulated cats may have an increased risk of obesity and urinary problems, and the ability to explore the sounds, scents and textures of the outdoors is one way to provide that enrichment.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a small exercise benefit, but remember: You aren\u2019t walking a dog, Blair said.<\/p>\n

\u201cA very successful cat walk can be five minutes,\u201d Blair said. \u201cThey go outside, they smell a bush, they look at some birds, they get to make a few choices on their own. You\u2019re following their lead, and then you go back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what a walk looks like with Freedman and Smithers\u2019 cat, Zephyr: a short, leisurely stroll up their street, with plenty of pauses for Zephyr to rest on the sidewalk or scratch a tree.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you ready to go back?\u201d Freedman said on a recent evening, noticing Zephyr had turned around. \u201cAll right, well, he\u2019s ready to go back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rescues in L.A. tend to discourage cat walking, said Gwendolyn Mathers, the executive director at Pasadena\u2019s Tail Town Cats, a cat cafe and adoption center that partners with Kitten Rescue Los Angeles, one of L.A.\u2019s largest shelters. Tail Town Cats doesn\u2019t exclude adopters who consider walking their cats. However, they advise caution due to the many uncontrollable factors that could spook a cat outdoors like cars, dogs and wildlife.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what this is all about,\u201d Mathers said. \u201cWhat do you have control over?\u201d<\/p>\n

If a cat panics, Mathers said, anything could happen, including losing the pet.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone who has wrangled a scared cat knows it\u2019s not just like picking up a dog and holding them,\u201d Mathers said. \u201cThey are clawing you to get away because, to them, that is a life-and-death situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luke described a similar experience during one of her earliest walks with Gnocchi. While holding Gnocchi, a large street cleaning truck whipped down the street and startled him into clawing away.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe never claws me,\u201d Luke said. \u201cI held him as hard as I could, and he went \u2026 he just was gone like a flash.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luke found him in a neighbor\u2019s driveway. Afterward, she ensured Gnocchi always left the house with a collar in addition to the harness.<\/p>\n

\"Allison <\/p>\n

Allison Nill walks her two cats Lana and Steve (not shown) around the Silver Lake Reservoir. Lana comes running down the stairs of Nill\u2019s apartment when she hears the word \u201cwalk.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Eric Thayer\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Other cat walkers take precautions too. When Atrakchi and Meister hike with Taita, they carry a sturdy, mesh backpack in case Taita gets tired or nervous around dogs. Gnocchi is on a flea prevention plan, Zephyr wears an air tag and Nill\u2019s pram gives Lana and Steve a safe enclosure.<\/p>\n

Nill, a digital creator and actor, got her first pet stroller in a brand deal about a year ago. After one walk, Lana was hooked. She would climb into the basket on her own, meowing, purring and rolling on her back. Steve isn\u2019t as consistently interested in the ride as Lana, but if he makes his way to the stroller, Nill takes him along too.<\/p>\n

Her other two cats ride along less regularly. Vinny, short for Vincent van Gogh, gets nervous and prefers shorter, quieter walks, and Macaroni, named after Fleetwood Mac, makes the stroller a tight squeeze for two cats. If a friend joins Nill for the walk, the extra hands help her take them all out in two strollers.<\/p>\n

Even in a stroller instead of a harness, people are just as surprised to see her cats out and about. <\/p>\n

\"Allison <\/p>\n

Allison Nill pets her cat Lana during a walk around the Silver Lake Reservoir.<\/p>\n

(Eric Thayer\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aI\u2019ve had people be like, \u2018Oh my God, how old?\u2019 And I\u2019m like, \u2018Uh, like, 5 and a year and a half,\u2019\u201d Nill said. \u201cThen they look inside. They\u2019re like, \u2018What the heck, that\u2019s a cat.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The routine doubles as exercise for Nill and enrichment for the cats, she said: \u201cKill two birds with one stone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aThey get to smell the reservoir and all the trees, and it\u2019s close to home,\u201d Nill said. \u201c\u200aI can just walk out my door, do an hour loop and then that\u2019s the perfect amount of time for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re considering walking your cat, many who\u2019ve done it offered the same tips: Start slow, don\u2019t force anything and follow your cat\u2019s lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started outside our building, by the pool, by the gardens, then in the street, and then we went to here, on different hikes,\u201d Atrakchi said. Every hike is at Taita\u2019s pace: \u201cVery slow,\u201d Meister said.<\/p>\n

Be prepared: If you take your cat outdoors, they may expect it regularly. \u201cIt\u2019s like Pandora\u2019s box,\u201d Atrakchi said. \u201cOnce you open it, you have to continue doing it, because they will want to go out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Sophie <\/p>\n

Sophie Meister carries 3-year-old Bengal cat Taita in a backpack while hiking a trail near Hollywood Reservoir. It\u2019s important to Atrakchi and Meister that Taita has a safe space.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

To do so safely, Blair suggested collaring and keeping cats close on a well-fitted harness. Also, avoid walking at dawn and dusk, when coyotes are active. Beware of lilies, which are toxic to cats; even chewing the leaves or licking pollen off their fur while grooming can be fatal. And talk to your veterinarian about a parasite prevention plan to combat fleas and other pests.<\/p>\n

Cats \u201ccan have a very happy, healthy life without ever going for a walk outdoors,\u201d Blair said. There are other ways to provide enrichment, like rotating toys every day to stimulate exploration, using puzzle feeder dishes to satisfy hunting behaviors and playing videos for your cat showing birds or fish. (Just make sure they don\u2019t try to catch them.)<\/p>\n

But cat walking seems to enrich owners\u2019 lives too.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gives you a different perspective on your block,\u201d Freedman said. \u201cWith Zephyr, it\u2019s like you can really appreciate all the little things, because he is interested in every leaf, and every stick, and every bug. It\u2019s like a moment of zen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA moment of Zeph,\u201d Smithers agreed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Gnocchi sits attentively on a Beverly Grove sidewalk with his owner, Julia Luke. Gnocchi wears a pink collar…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":457168,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[180418,180423,85122,25316,2899,180417,180424,180421,48,52,51,47207,47,50,49,180422,132788,46189,180420,687,180419],"class_list":["post-457167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-allison-nill","tag-atrakchi","tag-blair","tag-cat","tag-dog","tag-gnocchi","tag-gwendolyn-mathers","tag-julia-luke","tag-la","tag-la-headlines","tag-la-news","tag-lana","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-headlines","tag-los-angeles-news","tag-mental-enrichment","tag-steve","tag-stroller","tag-taita","tag-walk","tag-zephyr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/457167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=457167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/457167\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/457168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=457167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=457167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=457167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}