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AIBU?

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Original poster

To have kicked the cat out on Xmas eve?

106 replies

PoisonousSmurf · 24/12/2016 22:12

For the last two weeks she has been trying to kill the tree and wee on the presents under the tree.
I just want an upright tree and no bin bags under the tree.
Is this too much to ask?
The cat does have a safe place to sleep out of the weather.

Merry Xmas!

OP posts:
MontePulciana · 24/12/2016 23:18

Your cat sounds unwell.

dalmatianmad · 24/12/2016 23:23

What on earth? Why are people suggesting that op re homes the cat, if she doesn't want the presents stinking of cat piss then up to her whether she chucks it out for the night...
My cat often chooses to stay out at night, I'm sure she finds somewhere warm and dry Xmas Hmm

Reality16 · 24/12/2016 23:25

Everyone responding that their cat stays out all night and is fine/prefers it/asks to go out - that's all good and well because it is NORMAL for those particular cats. The OP putting the cat out overnight is obviously not the usual for her cat, so not much of a comparison.

LizB62A · 24/12/2016 23:26

Our cats are in at night - apart from the fact it's pretty cold and wet, it's too risky with a cat killer on the loose..... (google M25 Cat Killer)

Salmotrutta · 24/12/2016 23:27

melj - yeah, I live in Scotland, it's pretty windy and wet but my cats don't give a crap about that. A little bit of rain and wind doesn't bother them.
If it was freezing temperatures outside they would give me the Hmm look but not when it's anything else.

They have always gone outside - it's what cats are meant to do.

sj257 · 24/12/2016 23:27

My cats go out out at night, they ask to go out! Apart from nervy house cat of course...

Sparklingbrook · 24/12/2016 23:29

Cats should always be in at night. Cats Protection tell you that when you adopt.
It seems odd the cat is only interested in weeing under the tree on presents though. Does it have a litter tray?

kali110 · 24/12/2016 23:29

Really hope this is a joke Angry ( even then it's not a funny one).
Why do people have pets...
Mil has a cat that comes in through her cat flap nearly every night to sleep then leaves every morning.
Clearly this cats owners shuts it out every night thinking it likes it, it does not! She tried shooing it out to find it there in the morning anyway Grin
Get your cat back.
Be bloody thankful you still have it.

Salmotrutta · 24/12/2016 23:31

I live in a small rural Scottish town.

I doubt the M25 Cat Killer would be arsed to venture this far.

PickledCauliflower · 24/12/2016 23:31

Cats are more prone to injuries from fighting at night.
Fighting with foxes (both rural and urban) can result in the nastier injuries.
Fighting with other cats tends to be more of a problem during the night - as the ones that are out tend to prowl and protect certain territories.

Fireworks can be a problem as some cats become so frightened they can literally bolt - never to return.

Salmotrutta · 24/12/2016 23:34

I don't agree that cats should "always be in at night" Sparkling - we've had cats for 30 odd years and they always go out at night.

We have lost 3 cats to RTAs during the day so ours tend to be in by day and out by night.

Sparklingbrook · 24/12/2016 23:35

I know quite few people whose cats didn't come back in the morning and they either disappeared never to return or were hit by cars quite a long way from home. One was out at night and there was thunder and lightening and they just bolted. I think they do tend to wander further at night. And yes, the catfights tend to happen then too.

melj1213 · 24/12/2016 23:37

melj - yeah, I live in Scotland, it's pretty windy and wet but my cats don't give a crap about that. A little bit of rain and wind doesn't bother them.

I'm glad your cats aren't bothered by the bad weather, but not all cats are like yours - mine are currently curled up in front of the fire and would be very upset if I kicked them out tonight for the sake of it. It would be one thing if they were scratching at the door and yowling to go outside, but they aren't.

Your cats might be unbothered by wind and rain but mine would be, especially my housecat who was a rescue - she was abandoned outside as a kitten, very nearly died as a result - and hates the front/back door even being open, she will hide until all the doors are closed. Kicking her out even for just an hour could severely traumatize her, so no it is not necessarily what they are "meant" to do, and even if it is, they don't have to.

notangelinajolie · 24/12/2016 23:40

Re Christmas trees, mine thinks she is a monkey/bird and would live in our tree permanantly if we let her. But not everyone has Christmas Trees behind doors, my living space is big and open plan and the only door I can close is my bedroom door.

I cannot believe people are suggesting that it's some kind of cat cruelty to have a cat that stays out all night. THIS IS WHAT SOME CATS DO. Shock. Horror. Mine has just gone out - she goes stir crazy if she is indoors all night - night time is her time. And I'm not arguing with her - shredded carpets are not nice and if she was in the house at night, this is what I would wake up to.

Infact I would say that it would be cruel to keep her IN at night. She will be waiting for me at the back door in the morning, I will give her breakfast and she will slope off to bed for the day.

I love my kitty but she is a cat and she needs to be free and have adventures and catch mice and night time when there is very little traffic and not many people about is the time to do all that. She has her fur coat and plenty of hidey places she can keep dry if it is raining so I don't see it as being cruel - more like I'm giving her the freedom to do the things she needs to do. It isn't exactly freezing tonight so I don't see why the OP's cat can't go out.

Christmassnake · 24/12/2016 23:40

Someone tied a firework to a cat when I was a child....I've never been able to have a cat as an adult..the thought of it wandering and not knowing if it was ok while I was asleep would of had me in a state ..hope yours is ok

SaucyJack · 24/12/2016 23:45

Just keep the cat out of the lounge.

But as an aside- without knowing where the OP is you can't comment on the weather. Very mild here. No signs of the storm.

Salmotrutta · 24/12/2016 23:48

Sparkling - I live in a quiet rural area. My cats are at far less risk going out at night because the roads are very quiet at night. Yes, I get that the link says the opposite but frankly I am dubious about their claims.
For example, I drive through rural roads every day and rarely see dead cats at the side of the road. However, when I drive through busier roads in town suburbs etc I see lots of dead cats at the side of the road.

So I disagree with that link.

Sparklingbrook · 24/12/2016 23:50

I would not take the risk of having my cat out all night, but everyone has to decide on what they think is best, and weigh it up.

Sparklingcat is already in bed upstairs and will get up in the morning now. it's her routine.

Sparklingbrook · 24/12/2016 23:53

I have picked dead cats up from the side of the road on main roads and on country lanes, I don't think there's much difference. It's a shame we can't teach them the Green Cross code.

LouiseBrooks · 24/12/2016 23:56

Why not put the presents outside? Grin

If you think the weather's too bad to do that, then it's too bad to put the cat out.

MyWhatICallNameChange · 24/12/2016 23:56

My cat asked to go out earlier. Unless he comes back in the next half hour he'll be out all night.

Sometimes he stays in, other times he doesn't. I'm actually glad he's gone out tonight as he keeps fighting the Christmas tree and clawing the presents. Downstairs is open plan so we can't shut him in, and if we stick him in a bedroom he'd wake children up meowing to be let out. (Also haven't forgotten the time I let him in during a storm and he repaid me by shitting in my bedroom at 2am. Angry)

I've had cats for most of my life, and the 2 who were knocked over by cars happened during the day.

WantToRunAgain · 25/12/2016 00:02

Our cat is out every night - that's pretty normal isn't it?!

Some weird extreme reactions on this thread!

DierdrePewtey · 25/12/2016 00:05

My cat spends his entire life wanting to go out the front door. When I do let him out, he goes round the back, comes in the cat flap, and asks to go out again. If I don't open the front door he twats me with his claws out. Now and then his vomits on the bathroom floor. I often find mouse innards glues to the utility room floor. He shows no interest in the newspaper unless I want to read it, at which point he shreds it. Occasionally he meets up with his other cat friends and tells them about the twat the lives with him, and doesn't feed him often enough.

At night, if he is inside he wants to go outside. And visa versa.