hello I have just let my cat of 7 months out the back garden but she insists on jumping the gate and going out the front where there is a road. She runs in front of cars and I am terrified that she will be run over soon. I am in a flat and she cries to go out, I have been leaving her out for about an hour a day. Please help!

i dont know if this is something you would be willing to do. When i got my cat CPL told me to stand on the kerb and smash two saucepans together to let your cat know that it is not good to go onto the road.

Has she been spayed yet??? Yeah - I can only agree with the noise theory,
Don;t know about the saucepans though - you'll perhaps get arrested!!! for disturbing the peace!

Seriously, like your suggestion - just puts strange images in my head!

yeah aparently though it does really work as i was told it is not a normal noise they will be used to.
suppose it depends where you live though to be doing this.
Cant see people complaining if they can see the reason you are doing it.
I wouldnt complain but people are very different.
the only other thing my mum used to do was to get a cat harness and walk our cats around the garden so they have more time to mark there terriotory.
All of her cats now only stay in the garden.

yes, i have to agree here. also your cat is only 7 months might just be a bit too early for the lil one to go out. might be best to let it get some comfort time at home and make the home its own for a bit before letting it out.

the pan idea sounds brill! though i don't think i would want to throw my pans in the road lol. have you also thought about special fencing? have a search on google for cat proof fencing to get some ideas. some of them are a bit expensive but you might be able to make something up yourself. might also be an idea to sprinkle some of the used cat litter in the garden where you want kitty to go so that the territory is marked with their scent and they know it's a safe zone.

If you are going to let your cat out then it's just a risk that you will have to take.

When I lived at home our cat used to sit in the road and wash himself. The road was not busy though and I guess he is just lucky. He's now 10years old and still a healthy outdoor/indoor cat.

Prehaps get her a friend so they can stay indoors only together?

I think making the noise at the side of the road when the cat is in the road is a good idea, If I am getting in my car and my cats are comming towards the road, I would always rev my engine to scare them away from the road.

Have you tried playing in the garden with the cat? They normally like to be where you are, so if you are in the garden, they are more likely to stay there. Also, try not to let him out at dawn or dusk, keep it to the middle of the day, they are more lazy in the middle of the day, and more likely to do a bit of sunbathing than go for a wonder.

I was faced with the same problem. With my previous cats the road wasn't nearly as busy and as the volume increased they adjusted to the situation.

However these two little chaps wouldn't have much of a chance. If I could guarantee they would stay in my back garden or jump the fence into the very large playing fields at the back of our house I would let them out.

I am fortunate in that we have room for an outdoor pen, I call it a play pen because that's what they do play and lounge in it.

In fairness Sooty is itching to get outside to explore. I have cat harnesses and I take them into the back garden regularly. I can't take them any further because of loose dogs in our area. If they weren't harnessed they could climb a tree.

Sue