DIY Cat Harness: Keep Your Feline Safe Outdoors

Cats love to roam, but giving your cat this type of freedom can compromise her safety. To keep your cat safe without denying her outdoor privileges, you may want to consider a homemade cat harness. A DIY cat harness will give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your cat won't be able to step out in front of a moving car and risk getting injured or killed.

Draw, cut, and sew

Drape the paper pattern over your cat, center it, and approximate where you will need to cut out holes for your cat's arms. Draw circles on the paper pattern for armholes and cut them out. Cut out two pieces of fabric using your paper pattern as a guide, and sew the two pieces of fabric together along all the edges. Sew coordinating piping to the edges to create a finished look.

Time for kitty's fitting

Measure and sew darts around the neck of the harness to pick up any slack in that area. Darts are small, sewn folds that gather excess fabric and give the harness a three-dimensional shape. The harness must fit your cat well enough to eliminate the chance of her slipping out of the garment.

Add some finishing touches

Sew Velcro to the edges of the harness for a snug fit. Fasten a metal ring to the center back of the cat harness by folding a short length of fabric around the metal ring and sewing the ends of the fabric to the harness. Make sure this piece of fabric is sewn on securely. Sew ribbon ties to both ends of the cat harness to ensure an even better fit.

Uses and precautions

A cat harness comes in handy if you like to take your pet on walks or car rides.

Besides using a cat harness to keep your cat from wandering, a cat harness comes in handy if you like to take your pet on walks or car rides. The sturdy metal ring sewn to the back allows you to hook a leash to the harness. If you intend to attach a leash to your cat's harness for the purpose of letting her sit on a patio, keep an eye on her in case she finds a way to wiggle loose, and to ensure she doesn't jump around an obstacle and strangle herself. Make sure the harness isn't too tight around your cat's neck, but is tight enough to prevent her from escaping.