first time for my cats outside, questions if you dont mind

Hi catgirl

If they have been used to being indoors for so long they will probably just have a sniff around the garden then go back in. Best thing to do is let them out when they are hungry, for just a few minutes, with you in sight at first. Call them back with food, so they learn to come back to the sound of biscuits shaking or something. Gradually increase the time you let them out for, and stay around the doorway for a while- they might keep coming to check you are still there. We rewarded ours with a few biccys or something the first few times he came back.

If you want to think longer term, we whistled for our cat while shaking the biccys for a while. He now comes back to just the whistle,he thinks he's a dog ?

Hi there!

We've got 2 cats who've been house cats since day, like you being over protective incase they get squished or cat-napped!

But, during the 'fair weather' months (and during recent snow, for my own amusement!) they do go in the garden. This is only when I'm at home though, and I leave the patio doors in our living room open from them to come and go as they please.

TBH they've never, ever attempted to jump the fence, make a bid for freedom and leave the garden, they've more than happy to chew on the grass, sunbathe on the warm patio slabs and chase the odd pigeon that dares to land on their turf! I always keep one eye on them though cos we do have a few other roaming cats on our street and my girl cat is a bit of fighter and I'm scared incase she starts defending her realm!

We've been lucky and both the cats come back in the house on command and they respond to clapping, so I usually do <clap, clap> "C'mon fat cat, in you get" and boy cat trots in the house. Failing that and if they pretend to be deaf i go to the kitchen and rattle their biscuit bowls and then I'm normally then surrounded by greedy kitties!

You could try letting them out the house when they're hungry, as they won't go far on a hungry tum, which is what I started off doing. I also used to sit outside with them and yell if I thought that they were going to scamper off. You could also try my rather sad clapping routine - try to get them to associate you clapping with the fact it's time to come indoors?

HTH

R x

Thankyou both, i shall try that in a bit then when they are hungry. im worrying if they bring me *presents* now <shudder>