Cat people. Do you let your cat out at night?

[Spidermama]

We're in the process of trying to get two rescue kittens but I'm finding it hard. Firstly they're not keen to home them with young children (understandable I guess) but then they (The Cats Protection League) adcise you to bring the cats in overnight and lock them indoors. When I was a kid my cats loved night time the best as they would hunt and enjoy themselves.

I'm not sure I'd want to keep a cat in at night. Surely the whole point with a cat is you put in cat door then they can come and go as they please.

Yes, am imagining them staggering around like drunkards!

I don't know tbh, I only know that we did put a bell on our cat once and he hated it, couldn't work out where the noise was coming from and crashed around trying to get rid of it. I felt cruel and took it off, but as i say, he's never actually caught a bird, only mice for some reason.

I think mice are more dim-witted because I read that birds respond much more quickly to a cat's bell than meece.

haven't read all posts but this year I kept our cat in for about 2 months during the spring to stop ehr catching (and bringing in) young birds.

I just got a litter tray and she was shut in the conservatory when we went to bed. She probably hated it but I got fed up of the carnage and mess (once got up to find entire kitchen wall blood spattered ).

She also spent an entire 9 months indoors when we lived in a rented house wihtout a cat flap and she refused to go out

AFAIK she just goes out at dawn usually which is natural behaviour in a cat and not one I would really want to supress but it's a balancing act when the baby birds are about.

I am not overly concerned for her safety because like otehrs have said cats hate to be confined and I'd rather she led a life roaming about happy than depressed because she couldn;t fulfil her natural instincts most of the time. Not that I'd want her to suffer in an accident, obviously.

Having witnessed a dying cat who had been part crushed on the road outside our house, I never want to risk that happening to ours. I personally had put that cat out at night (it belonged to a neighbour) and I have never ever forgiven myself. I know it could happen in the daytime theoretically, but that horrible event happened at night so the two things are inextricably linked.

My cats are perfectly happy to wander around in the day and sleep at night - thank goodness.

In... No cat flap, I just whistle her at dusk. i worry about the foxes getting her.

LOL, no! I'm sure the collar's had nothing to do with it (don't think they had bells) it's just a superstitious thing now. My cat only travels about 10 metres from the back door anyway. And she's far to lazy to do anything like catch a bird......

Aw sorry to hear that twinkle. That's really hard for you. I'm sure you know, and everyone will have said to you, it's not your fault but you probably still feel bad.

My kittens are doing OK. They're both a bit scared but I'm glad they have each other. The challenge is going to be making sure they don't slip out and drilling everyone in the house to be aware about doors. They're so young (9 weeks) and probably shouldn't even be away from their mum yet.

sorry to hear that TM - I had similar - woke up one morning to see our 9 month old laid out on the road right outside the house. I'm not sure the guilt will ever go. I miss her loads.from now on the little one won;t be out at night. like you say - I;m not sure the day/night thing makes a difference - but as I'm not prepared to keep her in 24/7 I guess limiting the total time spent out must reduce the chances

Depends hugely where you live doesn't it? We have lost two cats to our quiet-ish village B road at evening "rush-hour" time. It must have been that hunting-at-dusk time. We used to let them come and go and they survived many years in London (terraces, no access to front), a really busy A road (thundering artics day and night scared them away from it) and even backing onto a railway.

Now we have put up a whopping big fence that confines both the new cats and the kids to the back garden. But the new cats (rescued) are lazy old puddings and just sleep all day under beds to keep away from the children. Makes me sad when I think the old guys would have just adored the kids. Oh I feel sad now [blue].[sniff]

I'd say unless you think there's a risk from traffic, go with your instincts. It's natural for cats to go out but talking to your neighbours should put you in perspective as to whether area is risky, from roads/fights etc.

Apparently an estimated 65,000 cats are killed on the road each year - mostly at night

Having said that, I let mine out at night via the cat flap so they come and go as they please. The eldest is 16 now so obviously manages to stay safe.

cats protection are great for the cats but are a bit nutty - when we had our follow-up visit she insisted on adjusting our cats collar so it was really really tight and he went psycho and bit her - we also asked for a young male cat - got given this black and white 3 year old male - vet later discovered that it was a girl cat, at least 13 years old with tons of health problems. This time around I bought a kitten from a pet shop as I couldn't bear the interrogation from the cpl and knew that with two toddlers they wouldn't let me have a kitty anyway.

Anyway, back to the op - I do think that when a cat is well settled in a home they should have a cat flap and be able to come and go as they please, it is in the nature of a cat to go out night and day.

I was given a '2 year old' cat from CPL - that had loads of problems, too! Vet said it was probably 10+

Well I wanted to rescue but I bought my kittens today and I'm very happy. She was a jolly, rounded animal lover with a house full of animals and clearly not in it for the money.

The kittens are beautiful. They still haven't pooed or wee'd though. They've eaten tuna and water.

How are the kitties this morning Spidermama? Was loving the cute descriptions last night.

They're now under the chest of drawers in my room Twinkle.

I've put them in my room now with the door closed because they need to get comfy and feel safe.

They've used the cat litter in there. They ate lots of fish yesterday, but as far as I can see they haven't touched the KiteKat kitten food we've offered up today.

Expensive tastes?

Expensive tastes - watch out you will be their SLAVE.

The "lazy old pudding" left several "offerings" in the kitchen sink this morning What was she doing, logging on to Mumsnet in the night to read I'd insulted her?

Better get that catflap mended.