I went for a walk in the woods and my cats followed along.

[99bottles]

I went for a walk in the woods and my cats followed along.

I found that sentence in the 5th result HERE, though I couldn't find it when I clicked on the result. Anyway, what I want to ask is: Isn't along redundant? Wouldn't it be enough to say my cats followed? I'm not sure I have got the difference between follow and follow along.

 

[Rover_KE]

Wouldn't it be enough to say my cats followed?

Yes.

Please don't give as your source a link where we have to sign in to Google and/or accept their cookies.

 

[jutfrank]

follow along is used when the followers are having a new experience and learning something.

In the context of singing a song, you follow along when you don't know the words or tune very well. You're following the leader in order to be guided.

 

[Tdol]

The cats probably weren't singing.

 

[Phaedrus]

Wouldn't it be enough to say my cats followed?

Or you could change "followed" to "came." Then "along" wouldn't be redundant:

I went for a walk in the woods, and my cats came along.