Going outside for the first time!!

[Suzygeorgie]

I thought I'd add my own experience here with Kenny. When we first got him we thought we would be letting him go out just like our two moggies do. As soon as he arrived (he was 7 months old and we got him through the Maine Coon rescue) it became obvious he was dying to get outside. He's very boisterous and curious and wants to see everything that's going on. However, it also became obvious that he is very single minded when he goes after something or is interested in what's going on. Where we live we have a field at the front of our house and just an access road at the back so I thought it would be safe, as it has been for our other cats; but the more I thought about it the more I realised it wouldn't be realistic for Kenny for both reasons. Firstly, he's so beautiful and friendly I would be scared someone would steal him, and secondly I really don't think he is streetwise like the other two cats are. I think if he saw something he wanted to chase he would just dash for it regardless of any dangers.

At the moment my answer to it is to tether him to the pole of my rotary dryer. He has a Mynwood cat jacket and as soon as I put it on and opent he door he goes straight to the clip and waits for it to be put on. He then happily roams around playing with the other cats and is much happier than being couped up indoors. We can always see him and he really loves sitting outside. He even asks for his litter tray when he wants to go to the toilet! I don't really want to make the garden secure as the other cats like to go out and are safe to do so.