AIBU to wait up for a cat?

[YouDoYou18]

Or rather, is my husband?

We got a new cat just over two weeks ago, kept him in for the whole time and let him out today. He’s been out and come back twice, and then went out about 4 hours ago and hasn’t come back in... I’m not overly concerned yet as growing up our cats often went off travelling for hours before the rolled on in... hubby however is totally panicked!

My only concern is he can’t get back in if we go to bed and it’s blooming cold outside!

How long would you wait up? Hubby had to go to Manchester overnight last night for work (5hrs each way) and really needs to get some rest before work tomorrow but he won’t go to bed if the cats not in...

Will the cat find somewhere warm? Do I stay up all night if necessary? Should I drug hubby just to make sure he gets some sleep?!

That's mine back, they are all now galloping around the house

My dozy SIL let their cat out on its first night with them. He was missing for a couple of nights but was tempted back with very strong smelling food (as was every other cat in the neighbourhood I expect!).

We've got kittens and apparently these days you have to keep them in until they're neutered. God help us!

Hope yous is home soon.

I don't understand why anyone would keep them inside overnight or when no one is at home.

Well they're not nocturnal for starters. They "crepuscular" doncha know

Any news?

I'm sleeping downstairs tonight as one of my cats isn't eating and seems quiet😿. His brother was the same last week and vet couldn't find anything wrong.

If my cat is not in at bed time I wake up every hour to open the front door. Sometimes she isn't sat there untill 6am!
I am going to buy a cat cabin for the garden and carpet it etc so she has somewhere warm.

Has your cat got a litter tray? If so, put that outside your back door. The scent brings them back.

By the way, YANBU....just being a nice, responsible & caring owner

Our princess is has doorman service from DH and there is no way he would be going to bed without her in. The cat gets treated better than the kids 😂

Is your cat microchipped OP?
I’ve slept downstairs in the past with the door open for 2 different cats in 2 different houses. Couldn’t have slept otherwise.
Some cats are streetwise and some aren’t. Mine weren’t 🤷‍♀️

I try to make sure mine are in by dark coz I've had this before. I was out for over an hour walking the streets in the dark attracting every other cat except mine.
Give up and go in, they normally come pelting out of a hiding space in the garden mowing that they are starving.
Home hes home soon.

I usually wait up for ours, though less so in the summer. He seems more keen in our new house to come in early. Think the foxes and badgers unnerve him. He is quite happy strutting around dominating other cats. Not so happy with the big boys. Hope your cat comes home soon. Guess at least with a baby you will be up in the night so can check for him then.

I thought I was crazy doing this. I can not sleep or even think about going to sleep until puss is in. I can't get a cat flap as I rent but to leave your cat outside while you go to sleep I think is animal abuse, that sends shivers down my spine just thinking about it. My cat is apart of the family and we all adore her.

Yanbu i do the same. I like her in once its dark and in the summer she does mess me around.
Last year i read World Without End (about 1200 page novel) over a week waiting for her to come in (anytime between 10pm and 7am). I just cant sleep properly even though she has a cat flap.

I've done it, and no doubt will do it again.

I fell asleep on the sofa and am now worried that he has tried to come home and I’ve not heard him! No sign when calling still! He is microchipped and honestly two weeks has always been the ‘done thing’ in both our families so I didn’t even think to question it, now I wish I had!! Really hoping he’s home soon, he has got a litter tray so I’m going to try that too!

I now have a microchip car flap since local bullying cats started coming in and scaring my little cat 🐱
She's still very wary of other cats, but rescued her 3 years ago now so she does know this is her home

Mine stays out all night, always has OP... catching mice.

YANBU. Kept our youngest cat in until he was neutered. First night out, he forgot where he lived and was literally screaming at the back door of our next but next door neighbours (empty) house. Despite us keeping a window open and calling him every time he shouted and shaking his favourite
treaty snax bag. He finally sauntered in when it started getting light. I think no-one in our street slept that night 'cos of his yelling! Hope your kitty comes home soon.

Is he back yet? They don't half cause some worry...

I'd probably snuggle up on the sofa tonight if you have time to take a catnap today

I've been known to sleep in the living room with the door open if need be. Our current cat doesn't stay out ever. He was anbandoned by his mum so checks on us every ten minutes, outside or in. (DH works from home). We can go out for a few hours but if it's the whole day we get his "reprimanding" miauw.

Two weeks is too quickly. You might have grown up with cats but it might be a good idea to read up about them anyway. You weren't the one making the decisions back then.

We have a cat flap. Our cat comes and goes as he pleases and never once have I waited up for him.

Our cat is an arsehole and sometimes the only way we can get him in at night is by playing YouTube videos of other cats miaowing
Hope yours is home by now x

I used to have two tom cats which were brothers and they would be out all night hunting. When I got up in morning there would be a dead mouse or vole waiting for me by their cat flap. Some cats like to hunt at night and I tried to keep my two in at night and they would meow loudly until I let them out. If I was the OP I would get a cat flap so the cat can get in when he returns.

@TulipCat they don't have a cat flap unfortunately

Is he back?

We are near a fatally fast main road so I keep mine in at night too.

I also always call them in when we are going out. I do this because I am 100% certain that when I go out they try and follow me! The neighbours have seen them doing it. They head for the main road because that's where we go.

Cats sleep for 18 hours plus a day anyway. So mine sleep when we are out. It depends on where you are of course. If deep in the countryside Then no problem.

The cat flap is only open when I am in.They go in and out then. Mine definitely range less far afield when We are at home. They stay in the garden and they keep coming in to check on me!

My neighbours nearest the main road have lost 8 cats over the last decade on the main road - so my strategy is justified.

I so hope yours is now back.

Hope DCat is back soon.

Ours must have been about 4 months old the first time he stayed our all night. Scared the crap out of me. 3 years later he’s a bit better - latest he’s stayed our in a couple of years is 11ish - but I know that feeling and I hate it, so you have my sympathies.

We have a cat flap that can be made ‘entry only’, I’d really recommend it if you can have one. It means we can set it at teatime and then once he’s in, he’s in, even if we’re in bed or have gone out for dinner or something.