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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Do you keep your cat(s) in at night?

55 replies

Hookedoncatnip · 14/05/2018 11:00

Just that really. I do. I just wondered what others do. I would feel very unsettled if mine was out all night.

OP posts:
Watto1 · 14/05/2018 21:08

Mine stays in at night, mainly for the benefit of the local wildlife. When it's very hot, she sometimes disappears overnight though. Last time she did that, I was woken up at 3am by her dropping a dead mouse on my face Angry

0range99 · 14/05/2018 21:11

Our nearest town has seen attacks from the UK cat killer, I won't risk it, although there has been one occasion where one of the little sods haven't come back.

Pebblespony · 14/05/2018 21:12

Every cat we ever had that died in the road was killed at dusk/dawn. We feed ours at a set time every evening and he's stuck in till then. Never any trouble getting him in as he's a greedy sod.

BarbaraOcumbungles · 14/05/2018 21:14

Mine are in at night to lessen their chances to hunt. One of them isn't bothered but the other one stalks around the house trying to get back out but my house, my rules so tough shit.

LuluJakey1 · 14/05/2018 21:16

Ours go out if they want to - they only want to on warm nights between May and end of Sept. But we live backing onto fiedls and a bridleway. I would not let them out ever if we lived on a road.

GinGeum · 14/05/2018 21:18

He is free to do as he likes, mainly because he is a huge tom and is used to standing up for himself with the dogs, so I'm sure he can handle himself with wildlife. He loves being out at dusk on a warm evening, and we are often going to bed before it’s dark so feels mean to make him come in. Plus I need him keeping the rabbit and mouse population down! He generally spends most of the night indoors after that though.

LuluJakey1 · 14/05/2018 21:19

When they want to come in they climb onto the extension roof and tap on our bedroom window and miaow. We have to shine a torch on them before we let them in be ause they bring live gifts- mice, voles and shrews which they let go as soon as they get into the bedroom.

StuntEgg · 14/05/2018 22:32

I always used to keep mine in at night, with catflap on incoming only, but after doing a fire safety assessment of our slightly inaccessible house, I had a horrible vision of a fire downstairs, us safe upstairs and cats desperately scrabbling at the catflap but unable to get out.

So I've kept it open since then, however they've pretty much stuck to their old routine and are indoors most of the night anyway.

OnTopOfSpaghetti · 14/05/2018 22:35

Yes mine are in. A) they're not very streetwise and could easily get into trouble with a car B) I can't bear the thought of the cat killer even though we've had hardly any reports in our area, I'd never forgive myself... and C) girl cat is a hunter and most likely to catch something at dawn or dusk.
So they're in from 9pm ish until I get up at 6am. As a PP said, my house, my rules!Grin

Wolfiefan · 14/05/2018 22:37

Always.
Increased risk of RTA or injury from wildlife.
More chance of being involved in a cat fight.

MimpiDreams · 14/05/2018 22:41

I wish. We set the cat flap to in only at night but now it's hot the little bugger jumps out of the windows.

BlushingCrows · 15/05/2018 03:01

My three are in as soon as it gets dark . We don't have a catflap (rented accommodation) but even if we did I feel happier knowing that they are tucked in at night. Plus they don't seem to mind as long as they are let out early in the morning

InappropriateGavels · 15/05/2018 11:08

Because of the UK Cat Killer targeting very near to where I live there is absolutely no way my cat is going out at night. As soon as it starts to get slightly dark, sun is setting, he is kept in and the door is locked. It's been this way since we got him and it's not going to change - it would be the same if we got another cat

We have a cat flap, he knows it's there, but for some reason he's scared of using it, so it's locked for in and out.

recklessruby · 15/05/2018 12:31

Mine have a cat flap and are allowed out in day but I call them in at darkness and lock it. I m in M25 cat killer area and wouldn't sleep if I didn't know they were safe. Old girl who's 15 has been a bit grumpy and obstinate about it during the long summer evenings but 14 month old is a bit scared of the dark so usually in by 8 anyway

MycatsaPirate · 15/05/2018 12:36

Yes, every night at 10pm I go cat herding.

We have six cats, and at 10pm there are normally 2 or 3 still out. They rarely leave the garden so it's just a case of rounding them up and getting them in.

Little shits though, I call them, no sign. So get shoes on and go out and find them sat in the cat house or on the table looking really surprised to see me even though I just called them from 10ft away. As soon as I say 'get in the bloody house, it's bedtime' they just get up and come in.

pilates · 16/05/2018 22:20

Yep she is snuggled on the bed and will stay there until about 6 next morning

Megabeth · 17/05/2018 08:19

At the moment we get ours in between 9.30 to 10.30 PM. They pace around like tigers when the cat flap is locked. DH says when they turn one they can come and go as they please.

Megabeth · 17/05/2018 10:26

I have discussed this again with DH. We can't bear the thought of losing them so will probably not let them out all night. They both look guilty when we catch them on the drive way.
There is a field opposite that will be very tempting to them, in the daytime they are in our garden or the ones either side.

pilates · 17/05/2018 10:57

I wouldn’t be able to sleep unless I knew she was safely tucked up.

sugarplumfairy28 · 18/05/2018 20:39

We have 10 cats, 4 who spend all day out, during winter they all come in they have they're own whistle they come to, the warmer it gets the more likely they are to refuse to come in. We have 2 who have to be put outside, and they never miss an opportunity to get back in, 2 who don't want anything to do with outside, and 2 more who aren't allowed out. Even the 4 adventurers make me feel a little uneasy when they stay out, but we live opposite a stables and they're almost always in there overnight.

CookPassBabtridge · 18/05/2018 22:03

Yes, I can't relax if he stays out. Live in rural-ish area so not worried about cars or cat haters, just don't want him to get cold Grin And maybe Foxes.

AnnaMagnani · 18/05/2018 22:08

Yes, rural area but want to prevent fights and reduce the feline bird killing machine.

Plus I get to have kitty cuddles all night.

Can be a struggle to get them in on a sunny day and we get a fair bit of whinging from the younger ones but I brook no argument.

penguinsnpandas · 18/05/2018 22:15

Ours always loves to stay in plus we get foxes at night though have seen her making eyes at the foxes, don't think she realises that wouldn't end well Grin

gamerwidow · 18/05/2018 22:16

I give my cats free range via the cat flap all the time. I've only had them 5 weeks and they've only been going out for a week but they don't seem to want to stay out for very long.
Our previous cat could also go out whenever he wanted but he never really roamed either.

gingerbreadbiscuits · 18/05/2018 22:42

Completely free range cat. The one time we had to keep him in for a week he was so miserable and stressed.

In Winter he mostly stays in all the time but summer he is in and out.