We have adopted a young female cat from a cat rescue. We've had her indoor for about 4 weeks, she's very affectionate and seems settled, and we thought it was time to slowly let her get used to the outside.
So - first unaccompanied trip - made sure she hadn't been fed recently - straight down the garden with confidence, then through the hedge to next door, so thought it time to retrieve her - not at all happy, even with food dished out on her return
Second trip - same, but different neighbour.
OK, then, we'll get a cat harness until she's really used to the garden, and shows more sign of coming in when called.
First 3-4 trips with harness - fine.
Next trip, she hops over a wall in the garden, so I tie off the lead to a branch so I can go round the wall to the other side - she pulls at lead, which stretches until - ping! she's out of it, so I collect her up and take her back in.
Next trip - same - but this time she's under next door's car.
I've looked at the various threads on GPS collars, and they don't seem wonderfully successful.
I'm not sure whether she just wants a big range, or whether she's hankering to get back to the streets where she was picked up. It's not possible to cat proof the garden. So, any advice? Should I keep her in longer and start training her to come for treats? Or should I just relax?