Pat wrote:
wrote

Have you ever considered just building an enclosure and forgetting
about trying to fence the entire yard? Even an 8x10 enclosure,
enclosed at the top, would be very safe and much less expensive. You
wouldn't
have to use a fence charger either. You could furnish it with all
kinds of ramps, ledges, perches, scraching posts, climbing trees and
leave a grass floor. I would really be concerned about the safety of
the cats. I'd be afraid they'd get zapped by the charger, then panic
and get hung up on wire fence. Or it wouldn't be effective in
keeping them from escaping.

No I hadn't considered that idea because we are talking about seven
cats, who have had free run of a *very* large territory all their
lives. There won't be any danger to them from the fence I described.
They may initially try to climb it, sure, and get zapped, jump back
down and probably never try it again.

I'm trying to picture whatever you're picturing that you think they
could "get hung up" on, and I can't. Do you know what welded wire is?

I need to fence the whole yard anyway for security reasons and to
protect the garden from other folks' pets roaming at large (not to
mention the people themselves, who might find my produce mighty
tempting when they know I'm gone for the day).

Besides, I will introduce the cats one by one to the yard and fence,
and be watching closely until I am sure each one has got the message
about staying in the yard. I'm just thankful it's a big enough yard
that they at least won't feel seriously confined in it.

What I might do, though, is build an enclosure they can use instead
of going out in the yard when I am not at home. That way I will be
able to stay gone for several days if I wish, without having to leave
them totally cooped up in the house yet free from worry that they
might find a way to escape the yard in my absence.

Miranda and Caliban have a wonderful enclosure and I don't see why it
wouldn't work for all of your cats. They'll get used to an enclosed space
and still have access to the outdoors.

Jill