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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

Allowing cat to come and go at night ... thoughts please!

35 replies

BookWorm45 · 10/09/2021 08:32

Hello all
I have a kitten now aged 6.5 months - he has full access to our garden during the day. We have been keeping him inside overnight.

He is really keen to be outside and in the morning, desperate for us to unlock the cat door.

We have been considering letting him come and go freely 24x7, probably from when he's 7 months old. He is quite fast, strong and very confident so far. He has been neutered, microchipped, vaxxed and we have a cat door which recognises his chip so no other cats can come in.

Our previous cats (died of old age) were able to come and go freely through the cat door. With our current one, he's definitely not a cat who could ever be happy indoors - he loves being out in the garden.

What are your thoughts - from what age did you let your kittens / cats come and go at night ?

OP posts:
BustleInYourHedgerow · 10/09/2021 08:40

I have three who come and go at night as they please. Through the cat flap. The only issues I've had is a frequent feral visitor (who I've trapped and neutered) sitting in front of the cat flap blocking their exit. I often come down in the morning to the three pacing and looking perplexed.

It makes them happier and they rarely use the cat litter anymore, only if it's raining lots and they don't want to go out.

agedmother · 10/09/2021 08:42

I worry about my sweet little cat and foxes at night. She's rabbit coloured and not much of a fighter.

BlameItOnTheBlackStar · 10/09/2021 08:45

My cat comes and goes as he likes. I've only ever locked the cat flap if the weather is awful.

Tubbyinthehottub · 10/09/2021 08:50

Mine is a free spirit and he comes and goes as he pleases. I have one of those catflaps that tells you via an app what times he's in and out. It offers a bit of peace of mind because I know his routine and only worry if things are different.

sashh · 10/09/2021 08:52

My bedroom window (Bungalow) is open most months of the year and madam comes and goes as she likes.

In this weather I see her on the morning long enough to feed her and then I don't see her until 'hoomin food' is being made and she checks to see if she should confiscate it for the good of my health.

Pinkybike · 10/09/2021 08:54

My cat loves to be out at night, she's usually waiting to be let in when I come down in the morning.
We have no cat flap but she's got plenty of places to shelter.
We have a litter tray for her but very rare for her to use it .

sashh · 10/09/2021 08:55

BYW where is the pic of your boy? You know the rules.

Original poster
BookWorm45 · 10/09/2021 08:58

Ah yes I have failed with the pic posting.... This is him about 6 weeks ago, having a fight with the yoga mat.

Allowing cat to come and go at night ... thoughts please!
OP posts:
sashh · 10/09/2021 09:17

Action pic, thanks

SoloISland · 10/09/2021 09:29

I have seven cats in my care. Two are island strays and live outside although the newer one yearns to be in.
Usually until this summer I have at least two of MY cats in but for some reason they all stay out now just coming in to eat.
I am finding it very hard to get used to. lol... ALONE just now
And no cat flap.

All you can do is try one night? And with colder weather in winter that will affect him? I know; nail biting time. With you in thoughts.

NB I am on a very small island so they are limited in their explorations, I did hear there is a fox here but in my six years have not seen it

Off to stand at the door and call my cats... Two have been in for food earlier on and one was in during the night, stuffed his face then demanded OUT.

Original poster
BookWorm45 · 10/09/2021 09:52

Thank you for all the replies, very helpful.

Cat is currently curled up asleep as it's raining.... no chance he wants to go out right now.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 10/09/2021 10:25

Night is the worst time fir them being run over so ours was in every night.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 10/09/2021 10:52

Mine regularly stay out at night.
Bloody Karl comes in in the morning, demands food very charmingly, eats and then goes straight out again. What does he think this is? A bloody hotel? Grin

Coogee · 10/09/2021 12:35

Mine is out all night during the warmer months.

I locked the cat flap once and he almost destroyed the thing trying to get it open. Bits of broken plastic everywhere.

Then he tried to escape up the chimney.

Moonface123 · 10/09/2021 12:55

Mine come and go as they please. They are out a lot at night and tend to sleep more in the day.

rainbowstardrops · 10/09/2021 13:07

Depending on the time of year, I lock the cat flap around 10pm in the summer and a bit earlier in the winter.
We're early risers, so she's able to go out again around 5.30am. Rarely uses her litter tray. Works for us.

CSIblonde · 10/09/2021 13:17

My girl is out all night. Has been from 6 months old. She's 11 now & a bit chubby, but it doesn't stop her chasing the foxes twice her size off at 3am every night, with full on v floofy bottle brush tail & un Godly yowls 😁. Weirdly shes scared of the male tabby who's half the foxes size tho!

SoloISland · 10/09/2021 13:24

I am ALONE. Everyone has vanished. Oh I saw Boycat at a distance but he aint interested even in the word CHICKEN.

Maybe they are self catering... Young hares etc?

Allowing cat to come and go at night ... thoughts please!
SloopB · 10/09/2021 13:30

Ours is in from dinner until breakfast. We lost our last cat on the road in the very early morning. It's far more likely for a cat to be struck at night. I didn't realise the increased risk with our other cat.

RandomMess · 10/09/2021 13:30

More cats get hit by cats overnight
More likely to get gifts due to Dawn and dusk hunting
More fighting likely
Cheaper emergency vet trip during the day too

Mine ask to be out to bed for the night from 9pm as it's their routine and always has been 🤷🏽‍♀️ even the one that could escape from the locked cat flap was the one most demanding her supper time treats and to go to sleep for the night.

Rookie93 · 10/09/2021 14:30

Like other pp have said cats are much more likely to be killed on the road at night. My old lady is now into her 20's so rarely stirs from her various beds but previously would aim for her to be in before I went to bed, so was rarely out over night. She's black as well which makes it harder for anyone to see her. We live two roads away from an A road so always traffic around.

theemmadilemma · 10/09/2021 14:33

Both of mine were out in the day initially only from a year. In the end they just wanted to be out at night more, and since we lived near a busy road it was preferable to me that they be out when the road was quieter. So eventually they had 24/7 access. One sadly passed at 13 from ill health, my girl is still going strong at 16.

theemmadilemma · 10/09/2021 14:34

Oh I meant to say, my old neighbour has 4 that aren't allowed out. She had a catio built. Poor things were always right up to the windows/fencing desperate to get out imo. And christ her house must have been boiling before she got the catio done. All windows always closed, because they'll find a way out if you don't!

EatSprayGlove · 10/09/2021 14:42

Mine have always been let out at night and sadly accidents have happened during the day for us so I feel on balance I'm happy to take the risk. I find we see more of current DC in the day when she is let out at night because on the occasion we keep her in she is desperate to be out by morning and then disappears for about 24hrs!

Coogee · 10/09/2021 18:17

Mine was born and grew up outside and that is where he prefers to be.