Many years ago, a couple we knew had split up and left the cat in their flat. One came to feed him every day, but none of them lived there. As soon as I found out, I took the cat - a male 4 years old (called sir Patrick) At the time I lived in a huge villa with lots of space and lots of people coming and going all the time. The owners already had a cat, a tuxedo female, but it was no problem! I was rather worrried to let him out, so I kept him in my room for 2 weeks, the food was in the kitchen close by and the litter probably in the bathroom (can't remember) He was too scared to go down the chairs anyway. The house had 3 floors and he gradually went around to have a look at his new place and soon started to go out. There was a huge garden and chickens in the back. The other houses around was similar, so he really started enjoying this. The point is that because I kept him inside for the first two weeks, he stayed around the house always!

Hope you will succeed doing the same!