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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

Does your cat / kitten go out at night

43 replies

rubyslipperss · 19/08/2025 22:50

My kitten is only 7 months old. I’m not feeling happy about him being out at night yet even though he’s happy going out with a tracker during the day. Is it reasonable to keep him in at night for a bit longer ? Our other cat is older and goes in and out at night with the cat flap but she’s very large and I doubt she goes very far.
I feel there are so many dangers for him as he’s still quite small .

OP posts:
Overtheatlantic · 19/08/2025 22:53

I wouldn’t let him. The kitchen and outdoor access close when the sun goes down. He’s too young to fend for himself at this point.

Beamur · 19/08/2025 22:55

Personally I don't let cats out until after they're at least 1 year old at night.
My older, wiser cat can come and go as she likes. My younger 2 do not. I used to let them out but one nearly died after eating something outside that poisoned her and since then I am happier to keep them safe and indoors. They go out during the day. It depends on the cat.
My older cat wouldn't take well to being shut in but the others have got used to it and don't complain. If anything, we get rounded up and herded to bed for cuddles.

Pepperedpickles · 19/08/2025 22:55

We shut our cat in once he’s had dinner - which is usually around 6/7pm. (We lock the cat flap). We mainly do it because he brings in half dead birds and frogs otherwise - much easier to hunt at night and there’s nothing like coming down to that in a morning to put you off letting them out!

PrinceRegentLady · 19/08/2025 23:00

I do not let my much-roaming male cat out at night after 10pm (if I can catch him before I go to bed that is) as I have learnt I worry about him & stay awake myself. Maybe that is worth considering? Would you stay awake worrying?
(Plus in my area there have been several cat road deaths at night recently.)

ohbee · 19/08/2025 23:08

I never let mine out at night

DiscoBob · 19/08/2025 23:10

Mine do. They sometimes stay out all night sometimes just pop out for a bit. But I don't let them out the front, only the back where they can't get to a road.
In summer it's natural they'll want to.

NotDarkGothicMama · 19/08/2025 23:11

Mine both stay in at night. The cat flap is locked between 8pm and 8am (and will be locked earlier as it gets darker too).

GreenAndWhiteStripes · 19/08/2025 23:11

Mine go out at night and have done since they were kittens.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 19/08/2025 23:13

No - we don’t have a cat flap so he’s called in at bedtime and that’s him until morning. Usually he’s pretty good about coming, but I have seen me out shaking his snack box at 2am on occasion! We live on a quiet, one way street, but I feel happier knowing he’s safely indoors.

Our previous girl was a monkey for wanting to stay out all night if it was really warm. She’d come when called, but curl up under a bush just above the patio (she was pure white so always very visible) and flat refuse to come in. On those nights we’d lock the kitchen door and leave the utility/back door open for her her with her bed and water. (We do have a litter tray under the counter in there but she toileted in the garden mainly so never used it.)

StrokeRecovery25 · 19/08/2025 23:14

Not at 7 months, no. It would be spring before I even considered it

CatChant · 19/08/2025 23:21

Mine are called in once it starts to get dark. The two-year-olds are then kept indoors until morning. The stately old gentleman cat is allowed to nip out to use his toilet area behind my lilac bushes because he can be relied on to come straight back afterwards.

I would not let a seven-month-old kitten out at night. There is a higher risk of road accidents in the dark and we have a lot of foxes prowling at night.

Purplecatshopaholic · 19/08/2025 23:24

None of mine go out at night. Never have.

Original poster
rubyslipperss · 19/08/2025 23:26

Thanks for all the responses . @Pepperedpicklesyes I’ve experienced that with a male cat years ago. We often came down to a dead bird etc . Our house is tricky , we have a kitchen door which we can close for the older cat to come and go as she pleases , but our kitten has to stay in the living room as otherwise he roams the house wanting to play at 5 am Hmm

OP posts:
Original poster
rubyslipperss · 19/08/2025 23:27

StrokeRecovery25 · 19/08/2025 23:14

Not at 7 months, no. It would be spring before I even considered it

Yes good idea.

OP posts:
Original poster
rubyslipperss · 19/08/2025 23:28

Purplecatshopaholic · 19/08/2025 23:24

None of mine go out at night. Never have.

To be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever worried about it. But I usually have rescue cats who are a bit more streetwise. I haven’t got that much experience of having a kitten .

OP posts:
Purplecatshopaholic · 19/08/2025 23:34

rubyslipperss · 19/08/2025 23:28

To be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever worried about it. But I usually have rescue cats who are a bit more streetwise. I haven’t got that much experience of having a kitten .

Show quote history

I’d defo keep a kitten in at night for at least a few more months. Statistically they are far more likely to be attacked or injured if out at night. Mine all come in for their tea and that’s them until the morning (all mine are rescues). Better for my peace of mind!

GentleSheep · 19/08/2025 23:41

No I keep mine in, once he's come in at around 9:30 p.m. (it'll be earlier once it gets dark earlier). At 7 months old he's definitely too young, but even at an older age I think it's best to try to keep them in overnight.

TrousersOfTime · 19/08/2025 23:47

I have kittens the same age. My older cats come and go as they please, but the kittens only go out during the daytime, and only if one of us is in. I'm going to wait and see how much common sense they develop and how quickly before relaxing restrictions!

MrsMoastyToasty · 19/08/2025 23:50

Mine has the freedom to come and go as he wants. He has a microchip type of catflap. He's busy on night shift. A whole cul de sac and school grounds to patrol.

beachwalkx · 19/08/2025 23:59

No, he’s a black cat so he stays in at night
I don’t trust people and feel he’s more likely to come to harm at night. Around big nights like Halloween, bonfire night etc I have him inside by 3pm ish

Favouritefruits · 20/08/2025 12:37

My two get locked in at 8.30 in the summer at 5.30 in the winter! They don’t seem to mind and it’s part of their routine. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

autumn1610 · 20/08/2025 12:45

mine stays in but I also don’t give him free access to outside. Mainly because I don’t want him going out ton the front, live on the main road through the estate and people just drive faster than they should and use it as a cut through.

Mamma22cats · 20/08/2025 13:11

Our 10 month old kitty has free range, we live rurally so traffic not really an issue, since she was spayed she really chilled and lost her clumsy kittines. She tends to go out early evening and hangs about with the Toms and then comes in with us when we go to bed until the early hours of the morning, she is then out until 7am when she normally wants feeding. My previous cats had free range also and the only harm they ever came to outside was in the day. I think only you can decide, based on where you live and your kitties nature.

IamChipmunk · 25/08/2025 14:55

Our kittens are 11 months. Been going out since about 7 months but are kept in over night. They dont know any different and seem happy enough. Seems a good compromise for them to be able to be outside doing cat things but kept safe at night.

Original poster
rubyslipperss · 25/08/2025 18:43

Thanks for all replies . We have decided to keep him in at night for now and think about again in the spring .

OP posts:
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