Shutting cats in kitchen at night (with outside access). Cruel?

[squashyhat]

DH and I are thinking of getting a rescue cat (or maybe two). We have had cats before - the last one had to be pts 3 years ago and he was a rescue from Celia Hammond. I think he had a happy life but we were both working so he was on his own a lot. Since then I have retired so am around at home a lot more, would like the company (DH is stilll working) and we live in a rural, very cat friendly place. The things is in the past we always shut them in the kitchen at night (with cat flap access outside) and DH now thinks this was cruel. It's a cold kitchen although they always had cozy beds to snuggle into. But I don't want a cat roaming the house at night, and certainly couldn't sleep with one on the bed.

I know the rescue place would do a home visit and I would be honest with them that this is what we plan to do. But would it be considered cruel?

Why don't you want them loose in the house overnight?

It would (hopefully) be your beloved pet not some random wild animal.

When I had a cat (she died a couple of years ago) she was shut in the kitchen overnight (she occasionally wasn't but she would have a habit of sitting on someone's head in bed which wasn't conducive to sleep).

Don't see a problem with what you're suggesting

Because I don't want them scratching at carpets, doors etc and waking me up at 5am!

I don't think so. I wouldn't personally let a cat outside at night though. I shut my cat out of certain rooms at night at home and when we took her to a holiday cottage we shut her in the kitchen and utility at night and when we went out. It was fine.

I don't think it's cruel, no. But why don't you just shut your bedroom door? That's what we do (otherwise the cat spends half the night padding around our heads purring and dribbling in our ears).

I don't think it's cruel as long as they have access to all the things they need, with plenty of space between bed, food and litter. It's quite normal to limit pets' access to various areas of the home at some point during the day.

Our house layout means the cats have kitchen and dining room available - as well as outside - overnight.
For us it is about being able to have the children's bedroom doors open. Ds2 is allergic to cats so can not have them in his bedroom.

Our cats stay in the kitchen overnight with a cat flap for outside access. It's really because of the dog but it does stop them shouting under the bedroom at 5am! Our kitchen is big and warm though and they have their own beds.

Ours get locked in the dining room if they make too much noise overnight. H and I argue about whose turn it is to get up in the small hours to deal with the cats.

They have beds, a tray and food- I still feel hideously guilty every time I do it.

We used to shit the Lion and the Snowshoe in the utility room overnight with a catflap but that was Mainly because the Lion (mayherestinpeace) would have a habit of shitting on the carpet instead of the tray or outside .

Now he's gone the Snowshoe has the run of the downstairs but never up because of cat hair on the beds and children's allergies.

*shut. We shut them in

Our cats were always locked in the kitchen at night, saves all those little presents being trodden on with bare feet.

They had cosy places to sleep and catflap access.

Every cat had ambitions of being allowed to sleep on human beds, but since one was very fluffy around her bum that was never going to happen!

That's fine, and I'm sure they'd be fine. I wouldn't be without my cat snuggles though

Seems fine to me. Ours has the utility room and kitchen to roam in and his catflap overnight. I don't want him on the bed mostly because he is a total fidget! He spends most of the night indoors and we hear him go out around 5am.

I have house cats so not sure. Mine sleep on the bed with me or sleep where ever they fall in the house. Up right downstairs.

If you are really worried about the cold kitchen, you can get a kitty radiator bed for the winter. TBH, as long as they have access to food, water and the litter tray, plus a comfy cushion, they will be fine.

Mine have the run of the whole house (bar loo & one bedroom) at night same as during the day. But apart from galloping up & down stairs for a couple of minutes every night 10 minutes after my light goes out, they tend to stay downstairs. Never have noises during the night, never scratch anything anyway apart from their proper scratch posts.

They like to sleep on the bed during the day sometimes but never join me in there at night, so it depends very much on the individual cat.

There is nothing better than a cat coming and snuggling up at 2am. The loud purrring is great for getting off to sleep. I love my cats sleeping with me or at least in my room. Snorg sleeps under my bed.

Our cats (and dog) were shut in the kitchen at night. Plenty hidey holes and beds high on top of the cupboards, access to food/water and a cat flap. They were quite happy with it.

No, of course it's not cruel. Why would providing your cats an indoor place to sleep with comfy beds, water, food and access to outside be cruel?

Ours get the run of living/diner and kitchen and don't get out at night. We have alktter tray if they need it and they're fine. We have to barricade the kitchen door to hallway as if they get upstairs (they can open the door) they just meow, claw and run around and wake everyone up

I'd say your set up is fine.

Mine get out out at night and just have a flap into the garage. They're fine.

Mine is confined to the ground floor at night, otherwise he keeps us awake! If we let him in the bedroom, he just wanders around on the bed half the night, if we shut him out of the bedroom he scratches on the door and wails! He's perfectly chilled out downstairs with food, water and a choice of places to sleep or watch the world go by.

Our pets have always been confined to the kitchen overnight. All have survived.