Out at night?

[bandito]

We have had a lovely rescue cat since November last year. He is about 3 years old. He had been a house cat with us because he had been in the animal shelter indoors the best part of a year and we wanted him to be settled at home before we let him out. Anyway, cat flap fitted yesterday and he's loved being out. He keeps popping back to check we are still here. Last night he came in at dusk and slept on our beds no problem and we locked the flap. However, tonight, he came in at dusk, we locked the flap and he has been scrabbling at the locked catflap and meowing to go out. What do you think? Just let him come and go all night? Perhaps he will settle and get used to being only out at night? Or perhaps he might not come back if he knows he's not going to be allowed out again? What to do for the best - I am overthinking, I know. Thanks for any advice.

Perhaps he will settle and get used to being only out at night?

Sorry meant only out in the daytime. In at night.

It's always safer to keep them in at night. However for me it would depend on how safe it is. If you are for example in the middle of a big row of terraced houses, making a big block of gardens and very little access to any (minor) roads, then I probably wouldn't worry.

Any other situation though and I would do my best to keep him in.

i don't like mine out at night....they have to stay in! Generally this is accepted with reasonably good grace, but idiotcat will often sneak out after his tea and then he is a bugger to get back in. His sister is much more agreeable and will nip out for a pee and come right back in.

We have a family alert "cat tea...NO MORE outside"

It's much better for the local wildlife if you keep them in at dusk and dawn...no mouse giblets under the breakfast table, or sad little bird faces outside the bedroom door, or squished up under your bare feet.

I hadn't thought about the wildlife, but I think for my own sanity, I will see how he goes inside tonight. Hopefully he will settle. Otherwise he will go out and if he stays out, the children won't sleep because they will be worried and we'll all be up waiting for him to come home before we can sleep.

Out in the day and in at night. It's too risky to let cats out at night.

I think you just have to be persistent and distract him from the flap. A friend of mine puts a little cover over the flap that clearly signals 'closed'.

Teach him to come in at dusk. The risk of being hit by a car or coming across unsavoury characters who'll harm him (read about the M25 cat killer if you're not aware yet) is much higher in the dark.

I posted a few weeks ago about exactly this issue. I can share what has worked for us.

When M comes in for her evening meal, we lock the cat flap and move the cat barrel in front of it, so she can't get to the cat flap to scratch at it. She sits on the cat barrel and looks out of the back door.

In the morning, we move the cat barrel out of the way and unlock the catflap.

She seems to have got the message.

Thank you, a cover is a good idea. I've briefly distracted him with a dreamies treat ball. In he is then.

Exactly as TheSecondOfHerName says. Mine's kept in at night and I've always kept the bin in front of the cat flap when it's locked. Putting the barrel there's a good idea.

How late is late? Mine are out now as, tbh, i like the peace so i can get tidied up and ready for tomorrow. I call them in around from 10pm and they are usually good. They arent interested in the Winter. I did notice coming in from nights this morning they were both waiting outside a locked door. My friend went out clubbing and im assuming she was worse for wear and locked them out by mistake.

Mine do sleep all night once they are in.

forgot to say, we don't actually have a cat flap, they just in and out of the porch window, so if he is out after curfew he can get back in, and sleep in the porch.

he just likes to sit hopefully, yowling at the back door when the dog goes out for his bedtime wee!