Cats don't recognise their name. How can I let them out?

[ShakespearesSisters]

So we have 2 gorgeous rescue cats (well, kittens) and they are 9 months old now. We had them at 3 months. I need to let them out as I want to have the windows and doors open in the summer.
They have been out on a harness.

My issue is that they don't recognise their names at all, or each others. (never happened with predecessors)
How do I get them back in if I can't call them?
Any tips?

Oh, photo payment included.

The rattle of a dry dcat food box was how I trained all of mine.. Shout their name and rattle. Only let them out hungry and they won't go far.

Just rattle the Dreamies!

Shake their dry food or treats. Works like a charm!

Beautiful kitties by the way

I don't even need to shake the treats, if she hears the tub lid open she comes running 😂

Gorgeous cats. Dreamles every time.

Another dreamie (cat crack) rattler here, Mine also has a tracker

I've got 5 cats and they just come and go as they please. None come to their names.
I occasionally ch ch ch them at the back door and a couple might come back.

Do they respond to anything? If not, could they be deaf? If they’re not, just shake the Dreamies!

That said, I don’t think I call my cats by their actual names very often, always something like “Mr Stinky” or “hello you fluffy fuck” and still they appear

I generally just clang the food bowl and shout ‘creatures’ out the back door and they soon come running

Allllllll of the above!

They'll come back when they're hungry.

My cat comes to the sound of me whistling him. He then assumes I’m going to feed him, however!

Used to use dreamies, shaking the packet as others have said, now just the sound of the back door opening has cat running back to the house.

My cats all know the 16 names we call them (4 cats, 4 names and all the nicknames) and still don’t come when they’re called. They sit looking at me. Shaking the dreamies works every time.

Rattling and whispering Furry Fuckers when they are out past 10 pm works also..

Also are you sure they don't know their names? They probably just ignore them!

I used to ring a little bell when it was feeding time so they associated it with dinner. They soon learned what it meant and it always worked to get them back in.

I know cats are clever fuckers but honestly you're expecting a bit much if you're waiting for yours to learn English.

Mine come and go as she pleases, using the cat flap. Otherwise, shake the dry food box. Also responds to a high-pitched meeeeeee sound. Ignores her name.

They are gorgeous 😻. Also I second (third?) Dreamie rattling. I would add that our current pair of rescue cats weren't let out until 6 m (current RSPCA guidelines) and their territory is very narrow, I think as a result, so you may not have anything to worry about.

Whatever you do don't give a nickname for treats. I feel a right twat shouting "yum yums" to get Haribo in. My partner just shouts fiiiiiiiish and he comes running.

they are BEAUTIFUL !!!

I rattle the dreamies despite my cats knowing their names, the downside of this is I then become the Pied Piper with about 15 cats at my door. ☺

I have never in my life called a cat back in. They just do what they want.

No no you've got it wrong. Cats don't come back when they are called, they come back when they are hungry.

Let them out shortly before mealtimes the first few times. They won't go far.