New garden for the lads!

[Howlinbob]

Just spent the last week putting up cat-proof fencing and netting around our whole garden. We're on a corner plot in a leafy suburb, and the last owners planted conifers around the edge of the garden for privacy. In order to get access to erect the fencing, we had to chop off most of the lower branches, so for the first time in years the neighbours can actually see our house! The conifers are great for climbing (had a few nail-biting incidents recently, had to get the ladders out a couple of times!) and we want the lads to be able to climb safely, so we have put in a canopy of netting at around 6-8 feet up so they can't go any further. The garden looks really bare now but the netting is very discreet and we have cleared away lots of overgrown shrubs as well, so we have sort of a 'blank canvas' now. Next year we can put in some climbers and so on, and get a bit of privacy back.

So the lads tested the new garden yesterday afternoon, and didn't they just love it out there! They were up all the trees and testing out the new restrictions - and they all held! For the first time they worked out how to get down a tree (previously we've dragged them down, and once Larry fell down). There are a few natural perches created by the tree branches, and Larry stayed up there taking in the new views up and down the street, for a good half-hour! We are going to make a few more perches or platforms for them, so that they can jump from tree to tree and generally lark about. If they are not going to be allowed outside the garden, then we should make the garden as interesting as possible for them. They are tearing around so boisterously now, I think I'd prefer it if they could do it outside!

Also, when we open the door and they scoot out, we don't have to worry about grabbing them quick before they get over the wall. Exciting stuff! I'll get you some pictures!