To leave the cat "locked" out

[Arashi]

I know I know that's broadly it's unacceptable to treat our Lord and Masters that way but here me out first

Said cat is being a fuckwit. He has a cat flap which he is perfectly capable of using but for the last 2 weeks he is obsessed with coming in the upstairs window. He always does this around 4.30AM. I know my place so I usually let him but but 30 mins later he's screaming to go back out!!

So this morning I didn't let him in .... and he's now giving me the silent treatment and in fact is walking out of every room I go in

I've tried to reason with him and explain that's its just an unacceptable time but he's not interested. DS thinks it's just a phase and I should accommodate it and it'll pass but I don't know.

So AIBU to leave him locked out and should I just accept waking up at 4.30 until he gets bored?

We don't have a catflap. Our DCat took to shouting at 3am beneath our open bedroom window (we are in a bungalow) to come in. He would then eat biscuits for a couple of minutes (slightly peeved at no offer of wet food at this time) and then jump all over the place requesting to go out again (no cat flap as DCat is a hunter and we don't want his prizes in the house). So now, he goes out between 10pm and midnight (his choice) and his food goes in the garage, where he also has a super comfy bed, and he stays out until I get up.

This works at the moment, but I'm sure he will realise the window is still open at some point..!

One of my cats showed her contempt for the cat flap by vomming caterpillars into it.
She always eats caterpillars and comes in to throw up this time of year but doesn’t seem to suffer any ill effects. The vet was very impressed the first time it happened and I took cat and sample of said caterpillar vom to see her - she said she might write an article on it for publication.
Proud cat mum moment

Nope don't do it. If you get up every night you will be doing it forever. Our boy tried this. Whenever we open the big windows in summer he treated it like a new toy and was obsessed with coming in and out by windows only. I absolutely refused to play the game at night time and he quickly realised and went back using the catflap during the night, I was his servant but I had limits😁

😁😁

It comes down do who is in charge you or the cat. Currently it’s the cat.

I agree with Iris. You need to take back control of the situation but be vigilant for revenge tactics from your kitty. 😁

I used to lock one of my cats in at night but he had a tantrum and broke the lock on the cat flap so he now brings me rodent presents at 2am. His throaty "I've got a present!" meow is alarmingly effective at getting me up. In winter, he doesn't want to go out so he hunts balls of wool from my knitting bag and gives them to me instead.

My other cat, a literal former barn cat, goes outside in late spring and early autumn and spends the rest of her days camped on the sofa. She also watched a live mouse run across the floor with mild disinterest like a freeloading slacker.

Basically, cats are dicks.

My previous cat did not understand the concept of a locked cat flap (if kept in) and learned that with sufficient force he could remove enough of the cat flap housing to get it open again...

Unacceptable. Surely you knew this already. Go repent, perhaps some organic oven-baked salmon will do 😜

As someone who used to get up several times a night to let in a cat through the ranch slider in my bedroom (right next door to the cat flap in another door) I don't think I am the right person to answer this!

Btw, I've moved, the only way in or out is the cat flat - no more sleepless nights

Sounds like my cat and the sofas.
Despite having a deluxe cat tower she has chosen the sofas (and the carpets) as her nail sharpeners.

When I tell her off, she stops. Then she puts both front paws on the sofa, extends her claws then does like a slow motion full body pull back. All while looking me straight in the eye.

It's hard to interpret that as anything other than "fuck you sideways with a pineapple you bitch"

As far as he's concerned are being totally unreasonably - surely you can have a bit of a nap this morning to make up for lack of sleep!

Thinking long term though and the fact you probably won't have a window wide open in the winter, I'd get him used to the fact you don't work in the night now. I suspect when it's really cold outside, he won't be out for long.

OP, I do think we need to see a photo of his Lord and Master!!

Apparently, it takes cats two weeks to learn and understand new routines, so ignore him and in a couple of weeks, he'll know that this isn't going to work for him. Apparently!
Of course, in two weeks he'll have thought up new and unusual ways to punish you for your wilful neglect and failure to comply with his demands.

Mine is stropping with me because we have bifolds with a single door at one end and he wants to come in at the other end.

my cat is an arsehole. She refuses to sit on us. She will occasionally lie down down next to us. The rest of the time she treats us with complete indifference except when she's hungry.

Love this thread.

Both of mine were pissy with me this morning because I locked them in downstairs last night, determined to have one night where I wasn't woken by a cat on my chest/face/back at 4am. There are comfy beds, food, water and a litter tray all within the space. They were unamused.

We used to have a cat flap in our old house. Useful for freedom, not so much fun to discover half a mouse or bird in the morning. Unlike a PP, one of mine likes to eat them tail first. The other one pretends to hunt, but in reality just shouts at them.

One night we awoke to a cat that wasn't ours on the windowsill above our bed courtesy of that cat flap. The door leading to upstairs was shut at night after that.

DH sent me this of the tail eating wonder earlier. He's WFH.

Cats have long memories. Though I think you should try with a closed cat flap.

Wouldn't lock mine out all night,pretty irresponsible pet ownership.

If they are being chased by a fox or bully cat there's nowhere to go.

Injured they can't get in for several hours.
Could just lay there in pain,bleeding.
Get a cat flap if you want to let them out at night but don't deny them sanctuary.

If he has a cat flap but chooses not to use it in favour of waking you up then I would leave him out until morning & let him sulk!🤣 & that’s coming from someone who is literally a stepford mother to my cat & dog - literally life revolves round them!

my cat comes (used to until last week) upstairs when it gets light at 4.30 am & cries for me to get up
& if I don’t, she knocks every bit of make-up & perfume off the side to wake me up!

Get a cat flap if you want to let them out at night but don't deny them sanctuary

It literally says in the OP that he has a cat flap.

I have two outdoor only cats and a fox den in my garden. Not once have their paths ever crossed. Also leaving cats outside at night is not always irresponsible especially in summer. I see that opinion a lot on here and can't help but roll my eyes. Mine have access to a utility but at this time of year they do not use it. Even my most indoor loving cat likes sleeping in a plant pot on warm nights.

I see he's put out the call for people to support his view that IAU!!

I have attached a photo of the fuckwit.

I have to admit his revenge worries me. I once upset him over a change of cat food and he responded by turning into a hunting machine and just bringing in shrews and mice .. some alive some dead, some half eaten, some not, he even just left heads around....

The rodent population petitioned me and I conceded and reverted to the original food and he stopped hunting overnight!

Why don't you leave the window open?

I hate the silent treatment!

I refuse to open the bedroom window for our cat (she has a perfectly good cat flap)

Result being, she spends most nights at a neighbour’s who has her bedroom window open.