Help! New cats, outdoors and navigation skills!

[QuantumWeatherButterfly]

We've had our new cats for around 4 weeks, and they've settled in very well. We've started introducing them to the garden, in short, supervised visits before mealtimes. We have a catflap, but haven't opened it yet.

We definitely want them to have free, daytime access to the garden, but I'm a bit nervous. It's very easy for them to get out of our garden, but much harder (though totally possible) to get back. This is because of high fences, and the way that immovable objects are positioned close (or not) to them. Once out, the route back would probably be indirect, via at least one, if not two other gardens, from where there is access to a wall that leads all the way back. Other cats use this route regularly.

I can't see that there is any choice other than, at some point, to just let them go. But how good are cats navigation skills? Do I just need to bite my fingernails and wait?

Depends how smart your cats are

Have a bag of Dreamies on hand, helpful for tempting them down to the bit of fence they can get over. They'll learn.

Are there any hazards that may mean they need to get back in a hurry / avoid certain routes (dogs, in particular?). If so you may need to do some cat proofing / cat hindering so their way out of the garden us also the way back in, so they don't jump into a dogs garden without an exit route.

Thanks, Awkward. They are terrifyingly smart! Much brighter than my previous cat. No, no dogs in any of the gardens, but there are other cats who seem to navigate just fine!

Can you wedge a fence panel up slightly? That's what we did

They are terrifyingly smart!
This is a good thing (in this scenario, at least!), they should quickly figure out their routes & be zooming round the gardens in no time

My old ginger boy was lovely but dim, he had to be shown repeatedly and rescued on numerous occasions

AllThings No, we can't, unfortunately. Our fence panels are non-standard and massive. I have absolutely considered seeing if I could 'persuade' a small gap to open up between the slats in the far corner where I don't think anyone could see though!

Awkward yes, there has already been one rescue mission - managed to coax them up a ladder dropped over the fence (the neighbours weren't in, otherwise I would have just gone round). I definitely foresee rescues in the future!

We've never needed collars in the past, but I think we might need to get some quick release ones with our contact details, just while they're getting their bearings.

Hello quantum! 👋 glad to hear they're settling in well. Clever cats are curious aren't they 🤣. We had some rescue missions too and some anxiety provoking moments. Ours had collars with bells initially so we could hear them and that was useful. They quickly learned to ditch them though.

Hi, OneCuppaChar - thanks so much for pointing us in this direction! They're honestly the nicest, loveliest tempered cats I've ever met. I mean - they're a bundle of trouble and energy too, but just such a joy to have around the place.

A quiet life is overrated in my humble opinion . We had a similar issue actually and ended up cutting a small hole in the bottom of the fence.