Sandy Bay cat Theo walks on a lead amid Tasmania’s confinement law debate

Meet Theo – the domestic short-hair who loves nothing more than a cruisy amble through the neighbourhood with his owner on a leash.

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THEO the cat loves nothing more than donning his leash and taking a cruisy amble through the neighbourhood.

The domestic shorthair grew up on the streets, scavenging and swiping for his next feed, before Bec Secombe adopted him as a rescue cat at 15 weeks old.

Ms Secombe said she wasted no time training the now three-year-old cat to walk on a leash.

Bec Secombe of Sandy Bay with her cat Theo who likes walking on a lead around the streets. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“I’ve had cats before that I’ve tried it with and it just didn’t work, but he was really comfortable,” she said.

“Everybody does a double take as they’re driving past.”

The Sandy Bay local said Theo especially enjoyed sniffing flowers and rolling in the dirt.

“With cats, they’re taking you for the walk – there’s no rhyme or reason to how they do it,” she said.

Although a cat on a leash is rare, Ms Secombe said she has bumped into another cat walker in her area.

“I hope it becomes more of a trend,” she said.

“I had a cat that did roam in the past and was unfortunately killed by a car, but in addition to that I know cats cause a lot of destruction to wildlife.”

More owners are keeping their felines indoors, with the state government’s recent decision not to make cat confinement compulsory stirring community debate.

Ms Secombe said cat owners looking to try the trend should practice different harnesses and get their pet familiar with the lead at home before bringing them into the neighbourhood at a quiet time of day.