Keeping in at night

[goldmum]

Have got 2 lovely 8 month old kittens. Boy cat occasionally brings us worms which I can handle, but girl cat is a more proficient hunter and we've had a steady stream of mice and frogs over the last few weeks in varying states. I'm getting to the point where I've had enough so I'm thinking of keeping them in at night. Would this mean going back to a litter tray or would they be ok til the next morning? Are there any alternatives to keeping them in?

[AdventuresWithVoles]

You will need a litter tray.
They may kick up a stink at first, but I would imagine they are young enough to adapt quickly enough.
You could give them somewhere else to shelter at night instead, I guess, it would mean shutting them out of the house.

[usualsuspect]

I always keep mine cat in at night, he uses his litter tray occasionally

[RandomMess]

same as usualsuspect, tray use is very occasional.

Ours usually have dry food but in the evening when we put them to bed the share half a pouch which they see as a big treat. Whenever I fed them for the first few months I whistled. They now come when I whistle them but their internal feeding clocks usually have them turn up for "treat" time automatically!

[SizzleSazz]

You could try a bell to warn the prey?

Not sure how good frog/worm hearing is though

[goldmum]

Can report that worm, frog and mouse hearing no match for determined kitten even with a bell !

[AdventuresWithVoles]

I read that bells cut predation only by 30%; so they help, but no cure.
My boys yowl to avoid using indoor tray, they can't always go 8pm-6am.

[usualsuspect]

My cat did pee on top of the wardrobe one night, in a dirty protest at not being allowed out.

[teanosugar]

Mine have a curfew, as soon as it goes dark in winter and about 8pm in summer.

My old one is 15 and she has never stayed out overnight and kitten (8mth) just accepts thats what happens.

They do have a litter tray they use all the time.

[Rollergirl1]

My 8 month old is kept in at night too, although he has had 2 nights over the past few weeks when he hasn't come when I've called him and I haven't managed to get him in for the night.

We do have a litter tray but he barely uses it and seems to just go out as soon as I re-open the catflap first thing in the morning.

On the subject of mice though, the little terror has caught 3 little baby mice since yesterday morning and they have all been during the day. I think he must have found a family of them.

[Freshletticia]

We just put in a new catflap which closes at dusk. We do have a tray, but Big G prefers to cross his legs until morning

[chokey]

My cat has her own 'bedroom' in the garage ever since she was a baby (she is 4 now). She has a curfew (just before it gets dark) and now that she is older comes in when we ask. It used to be hard to get her to 'go to bed' and she even knew the word 'bedtime' and would run under the table with glee and make a game of it but we now bribe her with treats (well she doesnt know she actually gets less at dinner) and she now comes to us to tell us it is bedtime :)

She has a huge squishy dog bed and is ultra spoilt, she doesnt usually use the tray at night and goes outside for a play 'etc' before her breakfast... Seems to work :)