Keep cat in at night?

[Dilbertian]

MrCat is about 13yo. He is free to come and go whenever he likes. He's a big cat, though right now he's a little skinny at just under 6kg. He may not look it, but he's a bit of a fighter and a hunter.

He is starting to show his age a bit in his condition, getting a little stiffer, scrambling a bit to get over fences etc.

I'm wondering, should I start keeping him in at night? We live on a fairly quiet road in a small town. There are urban foxes, and also other cats.

I always kept my indoor/outdoor cats in at night safer for them even in quiet areas you still get idiots driving fast

Keep him in at night so he doesn't kill native wildlife.

He's adorable! I would say let him be out if he wants to be. If he wasn't well enough or confident enough then he simply wouldn't choose to go or stay out. If he's got the energy and inclination to go prowling and 'hunting' still then I wouldn't deny him it.
Mine don't often like staying out all night. But my old cat would be out on the street, patroling gleefully from dusk till dawn and beyond!

My boy turns 16 on the 5th of November.
I want to start keeping him in at night but he either grumps around the house staring in a foul mood for hours or sprays - he was neutered at 6 months old. He saves that as a special "fuck you".

Take a look at any lost and found pet group on Facebook and get back to me. My local one has about six dead cats on it in the last 48 hours.

He needs to see a vet if he's struggling - he likely has arthritis which can very easily be helped along with medication.

Mine have never been allowed out at night but I'm not sure I'd change the routine of a 13yo cat just because he's getting on a bit, especially when you've not tried medication or anything first.

Foxes generally aren't a problem to cats. I feed a fox in the garden, and some cats around here actually chase it.

Traffic and other cats are the danger. Your cat might be bitter (resulting in painful abscesses that need treatment).

Ha cats for 44 years, all were kept in all night.

Aw he’s gorgeous!

We keep ours in at night - we don’t have a cat flap so when we’re in bed or out at work the cat is in. Our previous girl was a pest in the summer and wanted to stay out all night, so very occasionslly we would leave the utility open with her bed etc if she flat refused to come in.

I've had many cats, over the past 44 years. ALL were kept in all night. Foxes don't usually bother cats (I feed a fox and it backs off from local cats). Other cats are a problem, getting into fights.