To let my cat out at night?

[Deargodletitgo]

I have two rescues, both fixed, both chipped and one of whom wears a tracker after getting himself locked in a neighbours house for a week last year and scaring the crap out of me.

Their schedule is out from early morning and then able to come and go till dusk when they are locked inside. Except twat face my boy cat is now waking me up at 2.30am onwards to demand to be let out. If its light, I've let him out (4.30am onwards and gone back to sleep) but last two nights I've waited until the sun comes up and had over an hour of claws, abuse and terrorist activity from him. And no, locking him out of the room isn't an option as he'll claw through the door and meow the house down keeping everyone awake.

Issue is we lost a cat a couple of years back during the early morning on a road when we lived in another village and so I'm a bit paranoid. AIBU to just say to hell with it and let the little sod out into the dark?

@Hobbesmanc The cat flaps that respond to microchips can be programmed so one cat can be kept in.

It depends on the cat.

I now know just over a handful of cats over 15 years old. The majority are female. All but one had a same aged partner of the opposite sex who didn't survive until old age due to cars.They were all let out at night and in the day.

Due to old they can't be bothered to go out now.

Where are you in the world?

I was looking at adult cats if the OAP cats died and the majority of the rescues required the owners to have cat flaps. Most of the cats have and still go out of windows and patio doors.

Ours is out to all hours, even In the depths of winter, there's no persuading him otherwise

Ours are usually in at night. In the summer they are often out later and go out early morning. Try to keep the white one in midday as he hates sunscreen.

We try to keep ours in at night because of risk of fighting with other cats.They have got out if they find an open window and then I'm kept awake hoping they come back safely.

I think cats can adapt to slightly different routine

Sadly my boy was hit and killed late at night on what's usually a quiet road. Some boy racer rounded the corner just as he was stepping across to come home. Someone witnessed it. Absolutely heartbreaking. Sorry that's not what you asked. And to those saying about them being wildlife killers, you do realise that animals kill each other? Larger birds steal eggs and babies from nests. We have red kites around here and other predators. Should we look them up all the time then?

Keeping him in at night is sensible as more cats are killed at night. Drivers are less likely to see them. I'd lock him in a downstairs room with a tray and food. He will soon get used to the routine and stop being such an arse.

www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/kittens-cats/keeping-cats-safe-on-the-roads#:~:text=Young%20cats%20and%20unneutered%20cats,higher%20chance%20of%20an%20accident.

There's no stoping mine, he was pretty feral when he came to us so can't break the habit now. Hew not out all night but I would prefer him to have a happy shorter life than a long miserable one.

Mine wouldn't!

We have two rescue cats we got as kittens and the universal advice from the rescue association and our vet is keep them inside, both for their well-being and to preserve the native wildlife.

We are in Australia and many local councils are now legislating to keep cats in overnight as that is when they inflict the most damage on wildlife. Cats are predators who kill for fun. They have a devastating impact on small mammals, reptiles and birds.

Indoor cats have a significantly longer life expectancy than outdoor. Our cats lead a lovely life where they mostly sleep with us overnight with a bit of a middle of the night run around. We find hair ties, ribbons etc scattered around the living room when we get up in the morning. They have more sleep during the morning usually on my bed then get up mid afternoon for more play, interact with with the family, watch tv then head to bed with us.

It’s a very cat thing to bother you for something. In our case it’s food/attention overnight and just our boy cat that does it from time to time. He will head butt me (always me), scratch, attack my feet. I can’t lock him out of the room or he throws himself at the door and yowls. I find if I encourage him onto the bed and stroke him for a few minutes he’ll often settle down and go back to sleep. But there are nights when nothing will settle him. I’ve had glasses of water tipped on my head, books knocked down, blinds prised open to let the light onto my face. This is a cat who will occasionally run out the front door, look around and run straight back instead again so he’s certainly not demanding to go out!I t’s lucky we love them!

Mine is always awake at 4.30 am - she's mostly an indoor cat.
4.30 is her first instalment of breakfast, then she settles down and goes to sleep again.
Have you tried feeding yours?

When we're on holiday she'll make a fuss to go outside as well, but breakfast usually placates her.

Our cat flap is on a 5pm curfew to get the cats in for their teatime meal. In winter, they are perfectly happy; in summer, there is a bit more of an issue but as long as it’s not too warm, they are ok about being inside and I don’t have to run the risk of our hunter bringing home a half dead rodent because hunting is all he stays out for. Our ex-stray just wants to sample the fresh air, and the two oldies won’t go out in the evening.

Luckily they can be locked in the livingroom overnight so I’m not having to deal with any carpet shredding but I honestly think they are so used to early nights that it’s not an issue for them.

The curfew doesn’t end till after we would normally be up so we see they are all ok in the morning.

Most people who don't own cats will get huffy.
Cats are more active at dawn and dusk which is prime wildlife killing time.
My cat is indoor only, 1. Because I have no cat flap, 2. Because I live on a busy road during the day and 3. I am anxious enough as it is without worrying where my cat is.
I'm also kept awake quite often by other cats singing the song of their people.
If I was more countryfied I would let my cat out during the day but keep them in over night.

Mine is locked out all night, lost a cat onthe road in daytime so it's always a risk but mine is an outdoor loving cat and she doesn't like being shut in so the catflap is exit only after 10pm!

Our cats are kept in overnight in the kitchen with food, water and a litter tray. We started this 3 years ago after losing our second cat in a year on the roads overnight. The older cat took a bit of getting used to it but the younger ones have only ever known that. They are far enough away that we wouldn’t hear if they make noise. We persuade them into the kitchen each night with wet food that they only get at bedtime. They are perfectly used to it.

We keep them in when it’s dark so a lot longer in winter than in summer.

FFS!!!!

You do realise this isn't 'either'/'or'??

I've never in general left my cats out overnight; I think it's too dangerous. They get dazzled by car lights; they get into fights. I could never sleep if they were out!! I had one cat for 9 years and he just loved dusk! He used to chase insects and refuse to come in! There were only three occasions though when he was out all night. 1) we went to dinner with friends and came home around 3am and he was sitting there all sorry for himself on the front door mat; 2) he didn't come home and I set my alarm every hour to go and look for him and he came back in the middle of the night; 3) Set my alarm etc and the little monkey didn't come back until after 7am. Still, he was out enough to fight and catch FIV which ended his life prematurely aged 10 when it led to kidney failure.

Last cat came to us as a stray, used to being out in all weathers. I am not sure why I didn't worry about him as much but I think it was because he was used to it and was streetwise. Although many a night I'd wake up to a catfight in the street and rush out to rescue his sorry ass!! He started to spend more time in the house, and would sleep indoors until the early hours and then ask to get out again. He was in his early teens when we had him neutered and it was like flicking a switch - he no longer had the same desire to go out at night, and in his latter years, to go out at all.

When we lost him, we adopted two rescues who'd both been living on the streets. I expected to use the catflap again but over a year later neither of them has ever 'asked' to go out. In fact if they are misbehaving, and I flick water from them from washing my hands, they run like the clappers! I don't think they ever want to be out and soaked again, and I am more than happy about that.

No, my neighbours cats use my front door step and drive instead which is nice. Particularly as it fucking stinks and they dig it into the gravel so I have to hunt around with a poo bag looking for it.
I love cats but that does push my tolerance limits.
Anyway, I'd just let him out at night OP. He's clearly unhappy being in. Any chance he would he happy using a "catio" or does he really just want to roam and not nap in the cool outdoors?

Mine get put out on a night when I go to bed and let back in again in the morning when I get up.
They also get put out during the day if there is no one at home.
I don't have a cat flap as I don't want them inside either on a night or when the house is empty.

Of course let cat out! Nocturnal & roaming by nature, don’t deprive cat of basic instinct

Never seen this. I deal with a lot of rescues and they are quite adamant that if they were outdoor previously that they shouldn’t be stressed by trapping them in but no such obligation to a previously housed indoor cat.

My 2 go out every night. I do worry but luckily we live in a small village so literally no traffic about during the night! They also have several places they can shelter if it rains.

We have a catflap which is always open so the 16 and 1 year old go in and out freely - old cat usually but not always in at night but the other one ‘ up to no good ‘ I expect .