Back in 2020, before Mia and I ever stepped outside together, I used to look at other adventure cat parents and think, 'HOW?! I need to learn how to do that.' But I didn’t know anyone personally who was doing it, and I felt unsure of where to begin. One day, I decided to just give it a shot—starting slowly in my building, then gradually venturing around the neighborhood. I’ve been taking Mia with me ever since.

In the beginning, most of my decisions were based on reading as much as I could about dogs (yes, dogs!) and blending that with what I knew about cats—and more importantly, about Mia. I was winging it, really. I devoured books, watched countless YouTube videos, and tried to follow all the tips. But something always went a little off: Mia wouldn’t follow commands, she’d get spooked, or she’d act oddly at home afterward. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. (Spoiler: If you don’t understand why something isn’t working, it’s pretty hard to fix it.)

Still, I loved exploring with her. I kept training—awkwardly but consistently. And over time, with a lot of trial and error, things started to click. Eventually, friends and a few early followers on social media began asking me the same question I once asked myself: 'How did you do it?