How to turn a hunter to a house cat.

[Dustbunny1900]

Sweet affectionate four year old neutered black male , likes being inside during the day but won’t stand for it at night..he’s a prolific hunter and loves his freedom. Can’t stand to see him miserable (plus the yowling at night and shredding of wall paint is insufferable, we have a baby who I don’t wanna wake).
Halloween is fast approaching and then winter, is it even possible to get him to be a lazy house Tom??
I thought neutering him would make him less adventurous at night!

Our neutered black tom would hate to be indoors constantly. We have a cat flap for him in the conservatory (and leave the inside doors open) so that he can come and go as he chooses. During the winter, he definitely chooses to come inside for most of the night but in the summer only comes in when I leave for work (5:45am).

I worry about him especially since I occasionally see dead cats on my drive to work. But he should enjoy his life and being locked up is not him enjoying it. I have had house cats before, so don't think it is always cruel, but it is for some cats.

Leave him be. He’ll hide under a bush or come in if he’s bothered.

Another vote for letting him do what he wants to do. Allowing a cat to do (more or less) what it wants to do will make it less stressed, as long as it doesn't include shredding your house.

Hahaha no
You have to let him be who he is. Cats are fine to be out at night in the winter.

It's mean to not let them out especially if they are used to it . Mine goes out for shorter periods in the winter and sometimes hardly at all - some days he is still desperate to go out.
Ours hates the litter tray so going out is important for that too!

You've said it yourself - he WON'T be in at night without stress, so he needs to have access to outside.

The best practice advice is keep cats in at night for their welfare & safety, but each case you need to judge according to the cat, I think.

We've had one who would be stressed at being out, one who would be stressed at being kept in, and one who could take it or leave it happily.

Ok, that’s what we’ve been doing, and we live in a safe rural area so he’s been fine. When I tell people some of them act like I’m being cruel or neglectful, but he’s an intelligent animal and wants his freedom.
One woman suggested a cat tree, like that would replace the great outdoors for him !

It just takes time, in my experience... About 10 years in your case I reckon. Then he'll be a portly elder statesman and will be a lot more amenable to warmer nights inside!

In the meantime, let him have his nights out prowling. As long as you make sure he's got somewhere safe and dry to go (microchip cat flaps are the best) it's not cruel at all.

I m with giving him his freedom. I have had a few cats like this who love to hunt and I have a cat flap so they come and go as they please. It's more often staying out late in summer, they hardly move off the sofa/bed in the winter cold. I think it's more cruel to force them to stay inside if they like the outdoors. You can't control a cat. Maybe keep him in on Halloween and bonfire night time though, I ve heard some nasty things can happen to cats then.

Honestly? Cat flap. If he's got the choice he's more likely to stay in if the weathers shit.

I have a similar cat and I posted on here before about trying to keep him in at night after I got a cat flap fitted. After he barged his way through the locked flap one night I eventually gave up and let him come and go as he pleases. I thought he was a relaxed cat before but he seems even more content now! I think he's in and out most of the night but ALWAYS comes to wake me up at 5.45 in the morning ( bit too early for my liking). I've tried to keep him in during the evening this week when the fireworks are going off and open the cat flap again when it gets quiet around 10pm ish- by then he's bashing at the cat flap again so I give up and open it for him. My main concern with letting him come and go at night is that he may bring me a 'present'!