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

[Seeingadistance]

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.

I was just thinking this - I’d either call my neighbour or bestie to come have a quick check round if I was worried.
This would not be the strangest reason I’d called either of them to be honest.

Could be the ghost of Len Goodman I suppose 👻

Probably a bad connection at the knob causing it to turn seemingly by itself (it really does happen) Take the knob off and give it a clean.

Itll be the cat. My friends dog once put their oven on - set fire to the kitchen top

You've knocked it.

The cats knocked it.

You've done it and forgotten.

There's a stranger living in your loft and they made themselves some dinner while you were out.

You've got a very low level poltergeist or a normal ghost who likes a laugh.

In order of probability.

😂😂😂

Brilliant

It was the cat.

The lost key? Are you sure it's in the house?

We used to have a ghost that would stack clean plates from the dish washer - people never believed me so I haven't mentioned it in years, but as a family we weirdly just accepted it. Lots of other things happened too, but tbh we never felt threatened or frightened. I just wish it had learned to put a load on as well.

Anyways OP I digress...I'd guess it was the cats. Or a potential fault with the oven itself?

😆
Yes OP, it's a sign telling you to watch the Strictly final tonight.

OK - have found and tested CO alarm which is functioning normally.

I've just been and checked what that setting on the oven does - as I say I am not very domesticated and any cooking I do is usually on the hob or the air fryer. It looks like setting for partial heat up of grill and I've never used that setting so it's not like I turned the knob then changed my mind and used air fryer instead.

I don't know.

Getting ready for the final tonight?! Sorry but that really made me laugh!

at the Len Goodman ghost

Power cut?

Must have been the cat.

If there was a person in your house, you'd have heard them. And they'd hear you.

My front door still unlocks even with the key on the inside

Bloody hell! I've never watched Strictly before - is this how they generate their audience?!

To all the people who're suggesting I knocked it while cleaning - the sad reality is that I am a slob. I'd have to clean the sodding kitchen before inviting anyone round to check my unknown loft!

The most reassuring answer is that I took leave of my senses, turned the oven or rather grill, on and then forgot all about it.

Could your cooker have been turned off at the wall switch for a while, and the oven set at 7 but nothing happening because no power getting to it, and maybe you flipped the switch back on without noticing /paying attention? I accidentally flipped the socket for our fridge off when aiming for the light switch.

I realise my theory has a lot of what ifs

I've turned the knob on my oven a few times by accident, when I've hung the oven gloves or dish towel on the oven door handle. Is that a possibility?

I'm jealous of the dishwashing ghost. I live in a victorian terrace and odds are we should have at least one or two ghosts knocking about. But nothing!

OP, I'd blame the cat before anything else.

(Maybe that's why I've never noticed a ghost, we have 4 cats here that get the blame instead. 🤔)

I know. There's been a few.

I always hang tea towel on oven door handle. But I'm 55 and have been doing that for about 35 years, and have never turned oven on by accident.

Find the spare key.

I knew someone who came home a few times to her stuff including underwear being moved around, it turned out to be the landlord had been letting himself in.

I've done this before by catching my jumper sleeve on it.

Definitely the cart.