Cats can climb fences in a flash. Since Cubby has never been outside and he is declawed I would not have him outside without a leach. He has no defenses. Take the winter to get him used to the leach inside the house. I tried just after a few days with RBButterscotch and he had been outside Kitty. He took off for the raven broke the leach and I went flying down the hill after him. After about 1/2 hr of coaxing him with treats I climbed up the hill to the apartment and inside we went and didn't try the leach after that experience. Our neighbors at the time did a leach but they did it since their guy was a kitten didn't try in a few years later like I did.