Hi everyone! First of all, I'm new to this forum. I'm a huge cat lover and have had several over the years. I adopted my latest little one, Rambo, in October 2020, and he’s now 7 months old. Living in the countryside, I used to let my cats roam freely, but as I've got older, my perspective has changed and I’ve become much more aware of the dangers facing outdoor cats. Six months ago, my previous cat passed away (from illness) and I still haven’t quite got over it. Because of that, I’m very anxious about the idea of losing Rambo, so I’m wary of letting him out on his own. Our surroundings have some risks: a small road, local farmers using harmful chemicals, nearby wildlife... a young cat from the neighbourhood even came home once with a broken snare tightened around her middle. Basically, I’m terrified for Rambo’s safety.
Since he was tiny, he’s been used to a harness because we have a motorhome and always take our cats with us. So, he’s used to being tethered and walked on a lead and has taken to it really well. As a result, we’ve decided to keep him on a long lead at home too, under close supervision as he tends to get tangled in the bushes. He plays, chases butterflies, and sprawls out in the sun for a nap. He doesn’t seem unhappy. However, I’m thinking about giving him more freedom later on because I feel like I might be restricting him. I’ve been told that cats who are used to being on a lead from a young age lose the urge to wander far from their territory as they get older (around 1 or 2 years old). Does anyone have any experience with this? I’m thinking of getting him a GPS tracker before letting him roam completely. What do you think? Thanks for your replies and sorry for the long post.
