My baby is outside. Gulp.

[wevecomeonholidaybymistake]

Kitten is just over 6 months old now. For the past couple of days I've take him into the garden with me staying with him.
Today, he's on his own. I've left the patio doors open and he's coming in and out. He's not gone out if the garden yet but I'm dreading it when he does. What if he doesn't come back?!

Any chance of cat proofing the perimeter of your garden to prevent escapes?

I'm assuming he's neutered and had all his shots etc?

That first time you see the tail disappearing over the garden wall! Yikes - you have my sympathies.

And I wish I could tell you that it improves a whole lot...... You'll likely find many owners pacing a bit if even an experienced cat varies from their schedule a whole lot.

Have you given him an agreed 'calling term' or something similar? (Some people use eg the tinkling of a food bowl.)

Yes he's neutered and all jabs done.

He knows his name and comes when you shake his dry food. Of course if he finds somewhere interesting it may be a different matter!

He's been a pain on a night recently so think he's definitely ready for more stimulation, though he'll be kept in at night time.

The weather is on your side at this time of year if you're in the UK - the garden will soon lose its glamour with sideways rain and no young birds etc.

Well he spent a couple of hours running manically in and out and in and out....
Now crashed on the sofa which probably means another 3am wake up call.

Bless him, what fun!

Well what a nightmare. He managed to get onto next door's shed roof, walk along the back fence and jump onto the shed roof of the house at the back. He then got off their roof into their garden.
He was met with 7 foot fences all around and realised he was stuck!

I've just spent nearly 45 minutes hanging off the kids slide and the fence trying to get him back.

Stupid idiot creature couldn't climb the fences and just meowed pitifully at me. I ended up having to take the trellis off my side fence, hoik it over the back fence (all while balancing on 7 foot fence) and place it up against their fence like a ladder.

He still stood meowing at me so I had to wave a slice of ham about until he got the idea he could climb the makeshift ladder.

Then I had to lean over and grab him, hold him one handed while I hauled the trellis back over and try to carefully climb down the slide trying not to drop him or break my neck.

Fucking hell! Bloody animal!

I can't cope with this again. Is cat proofing the option? Or do I just not let him out until he's bigger and more able to climb?

Take the neighbours a (tear-covered) bottle of wine and tell them you have a new resident who doesn't seem to have the brains he was born with. Maybe they'll lend you a key or something.

(Where were they all this while?)

PS - in my last house, I had to watch The Lodger chasing seagulls along across-the-road's ridge tiles. That was a fun afternoon.

Sounds pretty normal to me. There's every chance he can climb a fence but why bother when your their providing a matinee?.

Thankfully they were out!

He at one point tried getting under their gate. This would have put him in the middle of an estate and he really would have been lost then.

Fluffy you may be right. Bloody idiotic animal.

I'd totally forgotten how stupid cats can be. The old dear departed cat was stupid but this kitten takes it to a whole new level.