So, I've just come back from taking my cat Mr.jinx for a walk. It's semi-rural here so there's lots of open countryside that he likes to explore in my company. It's always been his idea and if I don't take him for a walk at least twice a week, he starts complaining at me very vocally until I do. My question to all you other cat aficionados is 'How unusual is this or do lots of cats like being taken for walks?'

Hey seams, I've seen and heard others say about it. mainly those posh cat's that look like they've been hit by a truck
Seriously now, many people have what they call 'house cats' that never go out so there owners will walk them.
This helps to with the increase in the theft of cats and dogs.

Mr.Jinx is just an ordinary black domestic shorthair and he loves being out and exploring by himself but like I said, once or twice a week, he likes me to go with him.

That's strange. although the cat next door who always comes over when I have a smoke will follow me around the garden like a dog

probably wants to be pals or fed.

Yes, he is well fed though. I think it's like you say, he wants to be mates. He loves to roll around in the gravel with me tickling his tummy. that is until he doesn't then stand back lol I had a cat years ago that would go out of the bedroom window and sit on the poarch roof. he'd meow so I'd let him in then he'd go straight upstairs and out on to the roof again lol

My kitties are (were) all indoor types.
But one, Fred, LOVED to go outside walking,
I put a leash on him and he thought he was
a dog (the other cats just dropped right
over with the leash.)

The issue became, of I did NOT take him out
EVERY day he would cry and cry and cry.

He finally stopped crying and settles for
going out on the porch.

Some cats love it, others are scared to death
is my take ;-)

My cats go in my yard when I go out. One is so skittish, if I (or anyone) happens to walk near him while he is exploring, he will run all the way to the back door. The other is mischievous and will leave the yard if I don't keep an eye on him. He comes back fast enough when I call, but I'm always afraid someone will grab him because he is a no tail Manx and he is very cute.

I probably wouldn't let them out as often if they weren't so good, but they are pretty easy to manage. I'm in suburbia so walking far from the house isn't a great idea.

I've always had cats that went outside whenever they wanted. I grew up in the suburbs and one cat, who was my best pal, always wanted to follow me. I never took her out on official walks but she just wanted to be with me. I thought it was cute, but I didn't want her to get hit by a car, even though it was a very low traffic area.

I would let my cat out, but never after dark.
She loved when I went out with her!
We had many wonderful walks and explorations.
In the last 2yrs of her life, I had to move into an apartment complex, where she couldn't go out much,unless I was with her.

It broke my heart. I still feel guilty. I had no choice. But yes, she loved going for walks with me.

Thanks for your thoughts, I'm just glad that he enjoys it.

I think it is all about how the cats are raised. If you live in a city, and the cat is trained to walk on a leash, why not go out? When I was a kid, I basically raised 2 litters of kitten myself, with help of the Mom cat. I got them eating solid and drinking water. When their eyes opened and were walking good, I got them outside and they loved it. They even got along with the family dog.

My last cat, would walk with me.
But, he'd never tolerate a leash.

My Siberian cat used to come for walks on the beach and hunting rabbits with my dogs in the forest .. she was hilarious . I have a picture of her standing on a rock in an alpine river . She was such an amazing cat She grew up with the dogs and they considered her part of the pack . Was pretty adorable