Does anyone let their pedigree out?

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Thinking about whether to let the Burmese out when the nights draw out a bit more. Am thinking the indoor life isn't completely for them despite my being here most of the time, cat trees, toys, etc. they are very active intelligent cats, can open doors and jump high. unfortunately a garden proof quote was £10,000 and the chat didn't seem totally convinced it would contain them.
So...I think there is a risk but it's fairly low. In suburbs, 150ft interesting garden with gardens backing on. After that one small road then forest. Front garden then a quiet road, no speeding. No cat cruelty/stealing reported.
Am thinking loca8tor collars and of course we'll go out with them initially, keep them in at night, I'll only let them have access when we're in (which is most of the time).
Just wondering what people's experience is with letting pedis out. Burmese are fairly plain cats I think so am hopeful they won't stick out too much. Thanks

I've got a Devon Rex, who is really unusual looking. Looks like an alien with curly fur. And very trusting.

I let both my cats out the back, and I live in a row of Victorian terraces. They could get to the road if they wanted to, but I've never seen them out the front, on the road. MCat's happy to prowl the gardens out back. He's a beefy moggy, and well able to look after himself. Little Monsieur, the Devon, has chosen not to leave the garden yet. (Hopefully it'll stay that way).

I use Loca8ters on their (safety quick release) collars. Proved invaluable when MCat stayed out after his curfew, in the gale a few weeks ago. Was able to find him very fast. Also you can train them to associate the collar bleeping with their favourite treat. Like Pavlov's dogs.

Are they chipped? I've also put these rather stylish tags on their collars, engraved with house number, post code and mobile number.

Thank you, that's good to hear. They are chipped, yes. Will definitely get those locator gizmos

interesting thread. we are getting our new cat (which is a ped) probably later this week and i have been worrying about this although she will be too young to go out initially anyway. I was in the garden yesterday filling in a hole at the bottom of the garden (which local cats & foxes use as a cut through) in preparation. I won't let her go out at night or out the front. fwiw there is a beautiful bengal cat at the top of our street that spends alot of time out the front and he hasn't been pinched yet and i live in east london :0)

My two Maine Coons spend hours outdoors and often overnight too - they don't have collars but are chipped. I'd shake the hand of anyone who managed to pick one them up though (without losing said hand)

You'd be mental to steal a bengal.

Yes , my Maine Coons go out, though they still come in at night. No collars but they are chipped. I just couldn't keep my cats indoors all the time.. they love being out in the breeze:)

RubbishMantra another devon owner !! I have 2 of the fools , they do go out but will sit on the wall in the sunshine or on the front step waiting to ambush people to give them some attention. I tried keeping them in but they used to yowl at the doors , now I let them out they are not really bothered about going out so much. The only problem I get is they tend to get picked on by the other neighbourhood cats and are rubbish at defending themselves I have to go and rescue them .

Yes my Siamese goes out. She's chipped.

My two Burmese and Burmilla used to go out in my supposedly cat-proofed garden. The two Burmese could escape and would always go into neighbours houses they quickly discovered who was friendly and my lilac girl in particular would always come back reeking of perfume!
I think with your surroundings the only thing I'd worry about is them climbing something and getting stuck, cream boy has plenty of form for this, other gardens mainly, and holy cow the noise! He certainly isn't difficult to locate at least.

I have a Persian. Excellent pedigree and the breeder was very particular about him only going to an indoor owner. Within two months he was out and about at the stables and accompanies us on walks around the fields like a dog. He has had to have most of his fur cut off as it was horribly manky after laying in manure so he has lost his good looks but is very happy. Always get him in and lock him in at night time as he is very bold and I'm terrified of him getting run over and wandering too far.

Our BSH goes out, but stays fairly close to home. We have a Sureflap cat flap which I have set to a curfew at 11pm but often she is not back in until much later.

We have two Burmese and originally thought that we would keep them indoors. I also had a quote to cat proof the garden that I just couldnt justify.
Our house is really busy- lots of children in and out and so we started to let them out the other day into our big back garden while we were there and their happiness and joy at being outside nearly made me cry. It's difficult because they already mean so much to me but I just feel that I can't keep them inside as it will be like living a half life for them. They are so happy and active.

I don't let them out when I'm at work only when I'm around and not when its dark. I went out with them initially and they would trot off and then return back to me. I got them used to me tapping the side of a food bowl to call them and they would come running and I would reward with lots of cuddles and a treat. Now when they are out of site I just need to tap the bowl and they come running.

I have a blue girl and a lilac boy and they are 7 months .

Thanks everyone it's helpful to hear your stories.

"I have 2 of the fools" I'm grateful he's got MCat to look out for him.

I have a ragdoll,she comes and goes as she pleases. I live very rural with no neighbours but on a busy road,thst she steers clear of.
I kept her in when we lived in town though, it would've been easy for a stranger to pick her up and walk away.

Some cats are more cautious with strangers too.

My Siamese goes out...if there's no weather anyway, lol. She's chipped, but no collar.

She won't talk to people outside at all, runs away in fact, but is really friendly as soon as they come in.

We have 3 Peds, a Bengal, Abyssinian and British Shorthair. All are allowed out. I don't treat them any differently to my other 6 cats, we have made a point of not living near main roads, but that's nothing to do with them being peds. I don't like them staying out over night, but it has happened on warm nights. If anything a pedigree by nature is much true to their instincts, so not letting them out feels like depriving them.

I have a Bengal, a Mau and a Persian cross. Persian thinks the world ends at the garden fence which suits me. The other two are more adventurous, esp the Mau, although the Bengal sometimes invites herswlf in to other people's houses which has been a bit awkward We let them out when it's sunny and we'd have all the doors open anyway, they are back in before dusk (bengal likes to chase the bats otherwise). They don't go out in the winter or if it's raining, and tbh they don't seem that fussed about it. The two oldest lived in a second floor flat with me to start, before we got our house. We're semi rural, so our little estate of houses and then woodland, quite a long way off a really busy road. They are all chipped, but I cannot get them to keep collars on, I must have tried every bloody kind and they always come back without them.

Maine coon here too....she comes and goes as she pleases, and quite often brings us back "presents" too. For a princess, she's an excellent hunter!
We have a cat flap for her in the back door, but she prefers to stand at the front door yowling until someone lets her in. Dp reckons she's too posh to push

My SIL's Tonkinese went out one night and never came back .

But judging by this thread, she seems the exception.

I faithfully promised the lady who gave me my 2 Burmese that they would be indoor cats only. It lasted about 2 months and they were desperate tiger out. We spent so long shouting 'don't letthecatout!'

Now they both come and go as they please, although I prefer them to be in at night. The mummy cat comes back reeking of perfume too rugbugs.

We live on a fairly busy road, but I have never seen them go on the road, they tend to stick to our and our neighbours gardens (and houses).

I am very at Devon owners. I really wanted to get one, but DH refused point blank (won't repeat his comments).