Hi! I'm new on here, but wanted to join to be able to seek advice on my lovely Ocicat, BeBe. They truely are a lovely breed (I did much research and it was all very accurate). BeBe is a wanderer, though, and although we are pretty rural, with very good sized gardens, we do have our lane fairly nearby, which I know he crosses to go hunting. Does anyone have (and I think I am asking the impossible!), any advice on how to discourage him from doing this and encouraging him to stay out the back, where there are many fields beyond! Many thanks to anyone who can offer some advice!

Can't think of anything besides conditioning him to be more of house cat by keeping him inside when you there or when you leave or if you don't want him going there ever you can catproof the garden or make a cat run.

Example of a simple cat run

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Have: 4 Cats 3 Dogs currently
Have had: 6 cats

Dogs: German Shepherds
Cats: Ginger Tabby & Torbies

RIP: Ducati, Cheetah, Joy, Claire & Sapphire - Torties
Chloe - Black & White

I am in a similar-ish position to you in that I live very rurally and have recently acquired two beautiful pedigree kittens, though mine are Bengals rather than Ocicats.

The short answer to your question is that there is no way of preventing your cat from roaming into the fields unless you either completely escape-proof your garden through additional fencing with netting or roll-top products at the top, or you do as Merenwenrago suggested and erect a dedicated cat run - you can get these off the shelf, or have them purpose built, or even build your own.

I am currently in the process of researching cat runs as, unlike my moggies who can have free access outside during daytime hours, I am not going to allow this for the Spotty monsters.

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Owned by:

Friday, Harry and Robbie - all rescue moggies; Spot and Lulabelle - both F5 Bengals

.... and love every minute of it

Bill, Charlie and Misty all playing at the Rainbow Bridge. RIP

Its pretty impossible I would say to prevent them going one direction instead of another.

How old is Bebe, are are they neutered?

I don't know much about Ocicats, I only know that Bengals shouldnt be allowed to roam due to their territorial nature.

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I've got two (from the same litter) and one would love nothing more than to roam about outdoors exploring. They are both mainly indoor cats and walk on a leash when outside, except for the backyard. In the backyard they are allowed out if we are outside supervising and I just bring them in if they go to far. They are fairly good at coming when called so perhaps you could try going out with BeBe and calling him back when he goes too far. To be honest I'm not sure how successful you will be if he is free to roam normally...

Mine are a touch too soft to be free roaming (not to mention they would be stolen with the area we live in) but from my limited experience they don't need to be kept indoors like Bengals.

What colour is BeBe? Any chance of a pic?

Actually, there is no "need" to keep Bengals indoors other than for the same reasons that you want to restrict roaming for your cats I did thorough research before getting my two, I've spent many an hour in the company of both adults and kittens and have spoken to several experienced breeders who have extensive experience of the breed. It always saddens me when people tar them with a fierce reputation that they don't deserve. Yes, their ancestry evolved from the Asian Leopard Cat, but they were also bred with domestic moggies. They got their colourings from the ALC and their temperament from the moggies. They are the most affectionate cats I have ever come across.

I know that some people (who haven't generally spent any time in the company of these beautiful cats) will not agree with me, but I have seen for myself the true nature of these gorgeous cats. Any cat can show aggression at times, whatever its breed or origin.

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Owned by:

Friday, Harry and Robbie - all rescue moggies; Spot and Lulabelle - both F5 Bengals

.... and love every minute of it

Bill, Charlie and Misty all playing at the Rainbow Bridge. RIP

Anecdotal opinion is available for both sides, OwnedByCats, as you have sene the wonderful nature, I have seen 2 bengal cats who escaped and lived stray for 2 weeks, and literally came back wild. They were from a good reputable breeder, who in fact took them back and rehabilitated them over 2 months from literally wild cats back to how they were before, all because they had been outside.

I have also known many other Bengals exhibit extreme territorial behaviours from being allowed outdoor access, both to the humans involved and to neighbourhood cats.

Of course, some Bengals, as with any breed, may be fine outside. However, I would not allow a Bengal to free roam.

Also it is absolutely impossible to say they only take colouring from the wild cat and temperament from a domestic cat?? How could that possibly be shown or proved?

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I respect your opinion and have no doubt you have seen wild Bengals, just as I have seen sweet little moggies that have gone wild who have been living as strays.

The initial breeding programme was designed as per the way I described, just as breeders choose certain types of cats to enhance any feature of the breed they are promoting - I.e. They choose cats in the programme for their characteristics, whether they be temperamental or physical.

But I know there will always be those with their own opinions and I haven't got the time nor the inclination to change that. My thoughts are not based on anecdotal opinion, but the evidence I have actually seen of spending many hours with these beautiful animals from a number of different breeders, and of course the weeks I have spent in close company of my own two

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Owned by:

Friday, Harry and Robbie - all rescue moggies; Spot and Lulabelle - both F5 Bengals

.... and love every minute of it

Bill, Charlie and Misty all playing at the Rainbow Bridge. RIP

Well, others also have spent time and effort, and also bred these animals, and I know very very few breeders who allow their bengals to go to homes where they will be allowed outside. Why would that be? Just as softer temperament cats are unsuitable, Bengals, in mine, and many others (breeders included) opinions, are also.

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I know many breeders of other breeds of cat who also don't allow their cats to go to homes where they are allowed outside. But this is due to the risk of theft/straying/injury. These are the primary reasons the many breeders I have spoken to would prefer that Bengals are not allowed unrestricted outside access.

As I said earlier, you have your opinion and I have mine. Being as we are never going to agree, let's just leave it at that

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Owned by:

Friday, Harry and Robbie - all rescue moggies; Spot and Lulabelle - both F5 Bengals

.... and love every minute of it

Bill, Charlie and Misty all playing at the Rainbow Bridge. RIP