Not letting cats out after dark

[Popcornismandatory]

Finding it very stressful with my remaining three cats (lost our lovely girl just over a week ago)
The two boys are crying to go out from around 8pm but obviously as the nights draw in it's going to be earlier and earlier.

Any tips on how to cope with wailing "let me out let me out" cats?

So sorry you lost your cat. Can I ask what happened.

I have tried curfews But my little monster makes such a fuss to get out (Ben through upstairs windows that I have given up and now let her out.

It’s scary.

It's hard if you have escape artists or determined to be outdoors cats!

Mine have always been in at night, but if they do the sitting by the back door the following me around crying thing I give them extra dinner and put headphones in

They don't do it often, but I know I'm keeping them in for their own safety so as long as I know they're ok and trying it on rather than telling me they're unwell, I have to block out their little mewing con artist attempts to get me to open the back door after dark...

I have found feeding her a big meal at bedtime, and letting her sleep on my bed with me means she spends more time inside at night. She is asleep on the pillow beside me now.

She will get up at around five am and go out for an adventure.

I bring mine in around 8 at this time of year, it will be earlier once the clocks change. He whines a lot and it is stressful, but I feel a lot happier with him in at night. Then he miaows to go out from 5am....and I usually end up relenting then, though I notice he is usually in by 7am ish so not out for long at that time.

Sorry you lost your cat too.

@Ideasplease322 I don't know. Just that my lovely healthy girl went out and I found her dead in my garden underneath my car 2 days after searching for her.

I am now fearful of letting my remaining three out overnight.

They get used to it. We keep a 6pm curfew year round.

We lost an outdoor cat in similar circumstances a few years ago, so much sympathy.

A friend of mine gives her cats access to a cat porch (Catio might be the correct word) via a cat flap at night, though the garden itself is escape proof during the day even.

I don’t let mine out when it’s dark either. They are resistant, cue crying and dramatic escape attempts from them all!

Lots of play, rotate toys so they don’t get bored, lots of catnip and cosy fleeces.

I agree they get used to it. Ours have a curfew between 8pm-5am (they stay out a bit later in summer when it's lighter longer). They generally meow for a bit then settle down to sleep. They're still only 1.5 years but are getting a lot better at staying asleep the whole night too.

We do let our girl out after dark, but she only really goes in our back garden, and the immediate neighbours, never into the street. She is obsessed with the drain beside the utility room and will spend hours observing it.

She’s always in overnight, but in winter it’s dark by about 3.30 here. She’s snoozing next to me just now, but will probably want out for a wee wander about 11 before we go to bed.

I can't keep mine in at night, they'd be so unhappy. I've put fluorescent colllars on them so they get seen in the dark.

I keep my two in at night, they are mostly used to it now and just settle down to sleep. In summer though they are often out so late they don't get shut in and then we end up with dismembered bits of creatures strewn throughout the house.