Today Fitch & Merlin went out in the garden for the first time without being on a lead. i was very anxious when we opened the door. Thankfully Fitch just played about in the garden and Merlin only ventured as far as our next door neighbours garden before coming back after an hour when I shook their food and yelled biscuits! Here's a couple of pics.

They look like they are having fun.

Oh bless them! It was certainly a lovely day for bengals to be having fun outside. Barely saw my two today, but I have trackers now so I know roughly where they are and what they're up to. Had to call jagger in tonight and could watch him on my tracker coming home - I was just thinking he should be here now and then heard him plop down on the patio next to me to roll around for a belly rub.

Your guys are looking really happy and well! Xx

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

a tracker sounds like a good idea, where do you get them from?

I am worried incase they don't come back, so anxious today even when Merlin only went to next doors garden.

I saw your post about Hendrix I'm really glad you got him back X

Thank you, it was a relief to have him home again. But I'm very anxious now when they're out! Google pod trackers. They're not cheap but peace of mind is priceless. If Hendrix is ever stupid enough to get in another van, at least I should know about it and where he is pretty sharpish. I did a post on them and jagger was modelling the tracker. He didn't blink an eye whereas Hendrix (ungrateful toad) was quite stroppy about wearing it! Still is if I'm honest. But if you're going to worry, it's definitely worth considering.

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

I know bengals, especially, enjoy the outdoor air and sunshine. Unfortunately, Raiden is not going to stick around even close by if he's not on a leash! I do recall the day I put his harness on, went out the door and thought something didn't seem right. We were walking across the neighbor's front yard and I realized the leash was not attached to the harness. I don't think Raiden realized that. LOL. The hardest part is when they are out of sight and you don't know where they care. Clare has these great pod trackers, IF you can keep a collar on the cat. Personally, It's much easier for me to keep an eye on Raiden if he's no more than 10 feet away from me.

We had another nice sunny day here in Plymouth and I spent most of the afternoon in the garden. Fitch stayed closer to the house than Merlin who was about 5 gardens away. If you shout on him though you could hear his loud meow, and if you shake the biscuits he's back in a flash lol

You always get one who is more adventurous than the other! My two loved the weather again today and are now happily exhausted and letting me relax lol

Having said that, Hendrix went out of his 'safe zone' today. Usually it's Jagger, and when I looked to see where he was I was close to going to get him if he went any further! Fortunately the next message from the pod tracker was that he was back in the safe zone and ten minutes later he strolled back in and loudly announced himself.

If I ever want Hendrix to come in I have to shake his treats otherwise he ignores me or runs off thinking its a good game. Show him his treats and he'll do anything you want! He will always respond to Jon's whistle though. I really need to learn to whistle....

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Merlin is more likely to come back if my other half shouts him than if I shout on him. They're more bonded with Tom as I'm away in Cornwall for work through the week :(

They're still my cats though...

They look so so beautiful next to each other.

I don't think even shaking a bag of treats would get Raiden to return home. He is as independent as they come and he wants to seek out another cat for some trouble.

I have a screened in patio and it can be challenging to get them to come in at bedtime or when I have to go to work. I use food to entice them back in. Usually all it takes is for me to make the kissy sound and within a couple of seconds they are galloping toward the door at light speed. But sometimes Grace will be under the patio furniture cover hiding and refuses to come out. Or like this morning Grace came right in and Blondie stayed at the far end fixated on a squirrel climbing the screen over her head. I had to go out and pick her up to take her in. She was making that cackling noise and wanted to watch the squirrel more than eat her crunchies.

Gaga blew past me when I opened the front door yesterday, carrying some stuff, I tried to block her but she made it out. She took about 5 steps out into the driveway, then realized it was pouring rain, and cold, and noises from the street and such... she let out a very unhappy, mournful "Meoooow", turned around in a big panic, and bolted back through the door into the nice warm, dry, safe home. It was her way of saying "why do you bother going out there? The outdoors SUCKS!" LOL... for which I am grateful!

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The little monsters 3

Raiden doesn't mind the rain as long as it isn't a heavy downpour. We have gotten soaking wet on more than one occasion. Raiden's deal is that he runs through the door, then STOPS. I don't know if he's taking the time to think about which direction he needs to go, but it gives me enough time to grab him and bring him back inside. And my heart is pounding until I actually get him in my arms.

My cats enjoy the rain and play in it for hours. They periodically come in to show me how wet they are then they scamper out again and splash in the puddles. It's mostly warm here so I figure it cools them off a little.