Outside advice

[Bazsmum]

Good choice! 

Do have a search on this forum for cat proofing pics... Its not as prison like as your parents may imagine! 

[MiddleEarthNet]

Yes, they are both chipped (as of last Wednesday).  I've blocked the bottom of the gate off but actually I've kept them in since the original post.
Your assumption is correct, it is my parents house.  They weren't keen on cat proofing either but I'm going to try and convince them on that one.  Until then I'm going to keep them in - I'll make the utility room full of things they can climb on (besides the cupboards).

[Karon]

I think I'd either cat proof the garden, or keep them in.  I don't suppose your parents would like a nice big cat run in their garden?     (I'm assuming it's their house - am I assuming wrong though?).    If it was me, I'd be devastated if one of my cats got run over as it's a main road.  We're at the top end of a loop and it's bed enough there with people assuming a 30 limit means it's safe to do 30 (which it's not - I nearly ran a child over yesterday and I was doing 10 mph at the most!).  The ones going faster than 15 or so are the exception but I still worry about my cats on it.  And we live on a quiet estate with no other road near enough for the cats to go on.   There's a private drive at the back of us and one of our cats got run over on that (nothing but fields and woods behind us other than that drive).

Could you lead train them?  Might be worth getting a harness and lead for them each and trying it! 

[Millys Mum]

A road thats busy at times and quiet at others i think are worse as they will often cross with no worries at quiet time but then chose wrong another time.
Blocking the gate will stop them whilst young but they will soon be over fences and gates  boys are often more adventurous and a field isnt always enough.
Please dont risk them with the road, theres nothing more sickening then picking someones pet out the gutter 

If they are going to be out always keep them in from dusk til dawn and get them chipped, collars often come off when they get hit

[Bazsmum]

Not sure about that... I will pm "Roz" a member on here that does cat proofing systems, you can pose your querries to her! 

[MiddleEarthNet]

Thanks for the advice.  I can get the gap blocked off this weekend.  I'll speak to my parents about cat proofing the garden.  I can pay but it is their decision.  Is it possible to cat proof hedges?  I searched on google but only found ones designed for fences.

[Bazsmum]

As your babes grow they will gain confidence which in effect will keep them out longer, you wont be able to keep them in at busy road times.... Have you considered getting your garden cat proofed so they can enjoy the outdoors safely? 

[JackSpratt]

Definitely block the gap. You can never guarantee a cat won't go near a road but you can certainly make it more awkward for them so they're more likely to go the safer option.

[Mark]

Also, just to add that the man told me his 2 cats had been going outside for quite a few years. I assume it often crossed the road but was unlucky this time 

[Gillian Harvey]

You can't train a cat to avoid the road I'm afraid. I lost several cats on the road (a quiet - but fast, country road) that ran across the end of my cul-d-sac - and yet at the back of my house were fields as far as the eye could see 

I agree with Mark, if that gap is the only way they can get near to the road - definitely block it up somehow.

[clarenmax]

Sadly I don't think there is any way to train road safety into cats 

As Mark says, they can be the most well behaved placid animals normally, but they could easily get distracted, or chased by another cat or something, which could startle them into the road.

I don't think there are any simple solutions to be honest, for anyone who wants their cat to have outside access, apart from maybe catproofing an outside area, but by the sounds of it, this would not work in your situation 

You would have to hope that the lure of the open fields would outweight the noisy road, but unfortunately you just never know 

[Mark]

Sorry but I think anyone who allows their cats out the front where there is traffic is heading for hearbreak. A cat only has to see a bird or something on the other side and that is it 

I recently had to pick a dead cat up from the gutter on a road that is fairly quiet most of the time. I also had to speak to the owner.

Is there no way you could block off the gap?

[MiddleEarthNet]

My two cats are just starting to go outside.  I've kept them in until now because I live by a main road.  It is only busy at certain points during the day and other times it is quiet but I'm worried about my two 7 month old rascals.  Alfie, the more adventurous of the two, clearly loved it outside on Saturday (I was with them the whole time).  Frankie was more cautious which means I'm more confident in him being safe.  The side path has a gap under the gate that they could fit under and when I realised they had found it, I took them back inside.  We have a lovely big garden with fields at the back and I know there are other cats nearby who obviously manage the road.  Is there any way to train my cats so they avoid it?