Although my two moggies were born to a feral mother they have always lived indoors. They are, however, microchipped as there is always a chance that they will get out.
Has anyone tried a collar such as this https://pawtrack.com/ ?? Recently I have heard of a few cats go missing, they have turned up again but their staff wonder where they have been.
We lost a cat in the 70s and not knowing what happened to them is quite upsetting. His name was Shaka.
I know where my avatar goes. He’s a home boy and doesn’t wander far (he’s also a big scaredy which keeps him close the home). His house mate, on the other hand, is a wanderer who often comes home smelling of perfume. We thought about getting a tracking collar but she is bound to lose it - she loses collars all the time. We often find them put through the letterbox by helpful neighbours.
Current feline stays indoors but his predecessor would often head next door where the kindly neighbours always made sure to have a tasty morsel or two to offer!
woof - the fact that it is a collar would put me off too. I think that it may be a few years before the technology improves though.
Toorak - like your cats my boy Frankie is a wimp and a mummy's boy but if his sister got out into the world there would be carnage. She is getting better natured as she gets older but she is, I think, a huge guard dog in disguise.
Helewel - I watched a documentary clip about a woman who had gone off to work, leaving her cat outside.
She turned back as it was cold and rainy and she felt guilty about him being out.
She arrived home to see her cat at the neighbour's door demanding access. The neighbour let him in in a way that indicated that this was what happened on a regular basis.