Advice on letting cats out for the first time

[user1471530109]

Hi all,

We've had our two cats since end of January and it was never the right time to let them out. My dd is very anxious about them running off and now we are in lockdown, she has convinced herself that we wouldn't be able to look for them.
She's been at her dad's for a few days, so I've been letting them out first thing before breakfast. I've done this for a few days.

What's the next step? How long do I let them out first thing for? The youngest isn't quite 1 yet and she has been the one more reluctant to come in. She wants to go and explore bless her!

We live in a v safe village with allotments behind us. They can easily get out of the garden. I have toetal gates they can just walk through. Plus at the far end of the garden (big garden), there is a fence panel down. But her anxiety has kind of rubbed off on me. Plus she would never forgive me if they didn't come back in.

Since the day mine have had access to a cat flap they have not needed a litter tray.

OP - the tracker is one of these:
www.amazon.co.uk/Tractive-TRCAT1-Cat-Tracker-GPS/dp/B07H9GS86P?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

for some reason it is cheaper on Amazon than the manufacturers website.

I can see on the app where they are

My cats would remove the collars and leave them somewhere

I'd be thinking "Oh how lovely the two of them are sunbathing at the bottom of the garden"
No, the collars would be sunbathing , the cats would be off marauding .

If a company can come up with a tracker that links to their chip......now you're talking .

Yes that would be the perfect solution. Mine have lost a couple of collars but they give me a bit of peace of mind as they are devils for going in other people's houses / cars etc. One of the neighbours leaves their car window open a couple of inches and we often spot the cats on the roof trying to squeeze their way in.