Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Live on my own - someone has switched oven on - all doors locked

246 replies

Seeingadistance · 16/12/2023 18:27

Ok - I never thought I'd be posting one of these threads, but there you go! I also don't know what I'm posting for, tbh.

I live on my own in a large bungalow. I have two cats.

Was out this morning.

Spent afternoon sitting in bed, where it's warm - watching Youtube videos, writing Christmas cards, procrastinating ...

About 20 minutes ago went through to kitchen to feed cats, and immediately noticed light on in oven. No heat, just the light and fan on. Knob was in 7 o'clock position so very definitely turned deliberately - so seems very unlikely that it was caused by cat jumping around, and even when I had cats who could open doors and turn handles - which these ones don't - I've never had a cat turn the oven on. Cats have either been with me or out all afternoon.

Front and back doors both locked and keys in both locks. Both doors are fairly new - I've lost the spare key for back door but it's in the house somewhere. The spare key for front door is in key safe in garage and the number is known only to my son who's not here, and a trusted friend.

The loft hatch is bolted on this side, but there is another loft hatch in an extension I rarely use, and I've never actually looked into that loft or touched that hatch. However, anyone who was in that part of the house would need to come through a door which is closed and makes a noise when opened and closed, then walk past my bedroom to get to the kitchen.

I'm trying not to be freaked out.

The only other strange thing was maybe a couple of weeks ago, late evening. I was in bed, cats were both sitting on bed, and I heard a noise somewhere in the house. Just one noise - like something fairly light had fallen - so not a loud crash or thump. The cats heard it too - they both lifted their heads and looked towards the bedroom door which was ajar. It was the kind of noise which I would have blamed the cats for making, but they were both with me.

Fuck!

Give me reasonable explanations for how my oven could have turned itself on!

And, no I didn't turn it on myself and forget. I hardly ever used my oven before and pretty much never now as I have an air fryer.

OP posts:
Auntieobem · 16/12/2023 18:28

It was the cat.

ThePoetsWife · 16/12/2023 18:28

The lost key? Someone's got it

NameChange259 · 16/12/2023 18:28

Is there any chance you’ve done it? That’s most likely isn’t it.

any idea of lost time? Headaches, dizziness? Do you have a carbon monoxide detector?

Seeingadistance · 16/12/2023 18:29

Auntieobem · 16/12/2023 18:28

It was the cat.

I hope so.

OP posts:
theduchessofspork · 16/12/2023 18:29

You knocked against it I guess

Unless you suddenly wake up to ornaments turned around and the shower on I think it’s going to be that rather than a ghost / stalker

Seeingadistance · 16/12/2023 18:30

ThePoetsWife · 16/12/2023 18:28

The lost key? Someone's got it

I wondered about that - but I always leave the key in the lock on the inside of that door. And used the front door when going out.

OP posts:
Miserablehag · 16/12/2023 18:30

I would guess cat, but whenever I read threads like this, I always remember a thread on reddit about someone who spent months thinking someone was doing things in their house only for them to have suffered carbon monoxide poisoning! So check your detector!

EmptyYoghurtPot · 16/12/2023 18:31

It was the cat. Mine tried to set the house on fire on Monday when I’d let a curry simmering on one and stepped out of the room for a couple of minutes to answer the door - he managed to turn it up to 9!

Pussygaloregalapagos · 16/12/2023 18:31

Have you seen that film Parasite?

WhatsInStoreFor2024 · 16/12/2023 18:31

Check that unchecked loft....

tomatoontoast · 16/12/2023 18:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

ianshe · 16/12/2023 18:32

Do you (like me) keep a year peel on the oven door handle?
Putting that back after drying something and knocking the knob?

ianshe · 16/12/2023 18:33

ianshe · 16/12/2023 18:32

Do you (like me) keep a year peel on the oven door handle?
Putting that back after drying something and knocking the knob?

Year peel??? TEA TOWEL

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 16/12/2023 18:33

It was the cat. Mine can and have turned on the gas hob, walked away without it being lit. I now have protectors on all the gas knobs. Nearly blew us all up the little devil.

Seeingadistance · 16/12/2023 18:33

theduchessofspork · 16/12/2023 18:29

You knocked against it I guess

Unless you suddenly wake up to ornaments turned around and the shower on I think it’s going to be that rather than a ghost / stalker

That would be good but you really do have to take a hold of it and very deliberately turn it. It's not loose at all. And I've not been near the cooker since maybe Thursday or even Wednesday. I'm not a very domesticated person. Was thinking if there has been a creepy weirdo in my house it would have been nice if they'd done the dishes rather than messing about with the oven!

OP posts:
Seeingadistance · 16/12/2023 18:35

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

It's really not and I am trying hard not to be freaked out by this.

OP posts:
StmMary · 16/12/2023 18:35

Hi, you could have spirit trying to connect to you.
They do these things..
Number 7 maybe a number they want you to know about.
Movement can be them. It could be your family in spirit trying to connect.
You'll soon know..
I how it's something very special to you. That comes to you later on..

user1499114292 · 16/12/2023 18:36

Have you cleaned your cooker and managed to turn the oven knob on?
I did and when I switched the cooker on, to used the hob, managed to explode the top over / grill, and broke it big time. Housework is overrated.

CherrySocks · 16/12/2023 18:36

Did you automatically wipe the knob because of a splash of something while cleaning the counter?

27icey · 16/12/2023 18:37

Yes does the number 7 mean anything to you OP?

MILTOBE · 16/12/2023 18:37

@StmMary Don't be daft.

DinoDays · 16/12/2023 18:38

Don't be freaked out. If there was an unknown intruder in the house why for the love of the wee man would they just put the oven on??

You've knocked it yourself or the cat has done it.

MILTOBE · 16/12/2023 18:38

Do you know anyone who'd have a good look around your house for you?

I'd get a Ring doorbell with a camera on the front and back doors.

WhateverMate · 16/12/2023 18:39

StmMary · 16/12/2023 18:35

Hi, you could have spirit trying to connect to you.
They do these things..
Number 7 maybe a number they want you to know about.
Movement can be them. It could be your family in spirit trying to connect.
You'll soon know..
I how it's something very special to you. That comes to you later on..

FFS here we go 🙄🙄

OP, you've either knocked against it, the cats have managed to do it or you did it in your sleep.

I've a feeling this thread will run and run and fill up with nonsense as they tend to do.

ArchetypalBusyMum · 16/12/2023 18:40

Is it a modern oven with software you can programme with cook times etc... I'm thinking software fault.
Or do you have a mischievous friend who visited recently who night have set a pre-programmed timer to come on for a prank?