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The litter tray

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

Original poster

Away for 3 nights at Christmas...AIBU to lock my cats in?

30 replies

Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:16

They are usually outdoor cats, although locked in overnight. Ideally I'd have a cat sitter who would stay over and make sure they were in and safe, but the person I usually use is unavailable. Neighbours could pop in and feed but the cats can be little tykes with coming in when called. Unfortunately one cat hates the cat flap so if need a door left open all day and potentially night if she wasn't home when then popped over.

Plan B is they would be locked in the house for 3 nights, from Friday afternoon to Monday morning and i get back Monday evening. Neighbours could pop over and feed them and change litter.

They would not be pleased, although given the cold one would probably be not too worried.

I should say I get anxious about them being out overnight as I have previously lost a cat to a night time road death, and one of these two has form for getting locked in houses and sheds (they wear trackers).

Am I cruel or does it seem like an ok compromise?

OP posts:
HelloVeritas · 12/10/2025 23:19

Well they might feel a bit miffed and let you know about it when you return. But they’ll have fresh food and water and a litter tray, so they’ll be fine.

DiscoNights · 12/10/2025 23:21

Get a camera so you can check them from your phone.

Copperoliverbear · 12/10/2025 23:21

Could you not send them to a cattery

whoosit · 12/10/2025 23:24

Will the cat who hates the cat flap not use it anyway if they need to? Mine will sit and look at it if I'm in the house and near it but will use it if they need to. Some of them just don't like the indignity of crawling through the flap but will do it if they have no other choice.

mynumber · 12/10/2025 23:26

It’s fine! They are in their own home and it’s not for long.
It would be so much more stressful to send them to a catery.

FrazzledHippy · 12/10/2025 23:28

They'll be fine OP. Ours are both outdoor cats (although one can take it or leave it in winter) but we keep them in anytime we go on holiday and just have a family member come around once a day to feed and play etc. They're both buggers and wouldn't come back to anyone else calling them (they come back when they think they will to us tbh!). I'd much prefer this than maybe having something awful happen if they were left out!

Original poster
Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:29

Copperoliverbear · 12/10/2025 23:21

Could you not send them to a cattery

They are both rescues and my girl is incredibly timid, I don't think she'd cope
Plus they don't get on that well so couldn't be housed together in a cattery.

OP posts:
AutumnCosy2025 · 12/10/2025 23:29

it's still a good way off, could you not get a different sitter.

Id go for licking them in the house with neighbours feeding over a cattery though if you can't or don't want to get another sitter.

Depending how naughty or destructive they might be....

its it's it actually over Christmas Day? How far away will you be? If his willing woukd your. Neighbours be to go over if you could see the cats distressed/rampaging 🤣🤣. on a camera?

Original poster
Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:31

whoosit · 12/10/2025 23:24

Will the cat who hates the cat flap not use it anyway if they need to? Mine will sit and look at it if I'm in the house and near it but will use it if they need to. Some of them just don't like the indignity of crawling through the flap but will do it if they have no other choice.

Nope, according to my little girl cat the flap is the devil's work and must never be attempted. My boy on the other hand can break through a locked cat flap in seconds.

She would rather starve

OP posts:
murasaki · 12/10/2025 23:31

We did, with an additional litter tray.

Original poster
Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:32

FrazzledHippy · 12/10/2025 23:28

They'll be fine OP. Ours are both outdoor cats (although one can take it or leave it in winter) but we keep them in anytime we go on holiday and just have a family member come around once a day to feed and play etc. They're both buggers and wouldn't come back to anyone else calling them (they come back when they think they will to us tbh!). I'd much prefer this than maybe having something awful happen if they were left out!

My boy is a knob, he'll sit just out of reach and ignore the neighbours just to be annoying.

Looks like prison is the way to go.

I'll make it up to them on Christmas Day

OP posts:
blunderbuss12 · 12/10/2025 23:33

Copperoliverbear · 12/10/2025 23:21

Could you not send them to a cattery

I've always thought staying at home where everything is familiar (even if no outside access) but with somebody coming in to check daily is surely masses better than being squished away in a cattery?

Zov · 12/10/2025 23:35

Yeah they'll live! Little tykes sleep most of the time anyway, and December is likely to be cold and snowy and icy and damp! So it's better if they are locked in, than out!!!

And have a lovely break! 😎

murasaki · 12/10/2025 23:35

Agree, my girl cat is so twitchy and nervy a cattery would destroy her. And they'd probably evict boy cat for being an arse. So home it is. And if I have to deal with an accidental, or more likely in his case deliberate, mess, then so be it.

Zov · 12/10/2025 23:36

blunderbuss12 · 12/10/2025 23:33

I've always thought staying at home where everything is familiar (even if no outside access) but with somebody coming in to check daily is surely masses better than being squished away in a cattery?

Show quote history

100% this. Cats are far happier in their own environment. If it's possible, I would always advise people to avoid a cattery! I mean, they are not all bad, but I have experienced a few bad ones!

Original poster
Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:36

AutumnCosy2025 · 12/10/2025 23:29

it's still a good way off, could you not get a different sitter.

Id go for licking them in the house with neighbours feeding over a cattery though if you can't or don't want to get another sitter.

Depending how naughty or destructive they might be....

its it's it actually over Christmas Day? How far away will you be? If his willing woukd your. Neighbours be to go over if you could see the cats distressed/rampaging 🤣🤣. on a camera?

I'm taking the kids away to the Christmas markets in Europe as a treat, so some distance away. Neighbours could go in twice a day and bear the brunt of their disapproval.

Might get my partner to lock them in the house on the Friday after we've gone so I can blame him. He's unable to cat sit but could visit if there's an emergency

OP posts:
murasaki · 12/10/2025 23:37

Either a professional cat visitor, sitter ,or a neighbour is best. Tricky re neighbours at Christmas though possibly.

murasaki · 12/10/2025 23:38

Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:36

I'm taking the kids away to the Christmas markets in Europe as a treat, so some distance away. Neighbours could go in twice a day and bear the brunt of their disapproval.

Might get my partner to lock them in the house on the Friday after we've gone so I can blame him. He's unable to cat sit but could visit if there's an emergency

Show quote history

Sounds fine. They'll just sleep for most of it anyway.

Original poster
Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:39

murasaki · 12/10/2025 23:37

Either a professional cat visitor, sitter ,or a neighbour is best. Tricky re neighbours at Christmas though possibly.

Luckily they have already agreed. They often go a away for a week or two and I pop over and feed their cat, although he's a lazy sod that doesn't venture far and poos in their bath!

OP posts:
murasaki · 12/10/2025 23:40

Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:39

Luckily they have already agreed. They often go a away for a week or two and I pop over and feed their cat, although he's a lazy sod that doesn't venture far and poos in their bath!

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0h dear re pooing in the bath. But great re neighbours, a reciprocal thing is really useful. Bring them back a treat!

murasaki · 12/10/2025 23:41

By which I meant the neighbours and the cats....

Original poster
Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:47

murasaki · 12/10/2025 23:41

By which I meant the neighbours and the cats....

Lol I will definitely bring back lots of Christmas treats

OP posts:
StrikeForever · 12/10/2025 23:53

My cats enjoy being in and out, but we have them kept in when we’re away. I have a cat visit once a day for wet meat and trays cleaned, with enough dry food left for the time until the next visit. They are kept indoors because they would very likely not come to the cat visitor calling them (they come to call to us) and we really don’t want them left out.

AutumnCosy2025 · 13/10/2025 02:06

Deargodletitgo · 12/10/2025 23:36

I'm taking the kids away to the Christmas markets in Europe as a treat, so some distance away. Neighbours could go in twice a day and bear the brunt of their disapproval.

Might get my partner to lock them in the house on the Friday after we've gone so I can blame him. He's unable to cat sit but could visit if there's an emergency

Show quote history

Personally think it's fine, but they might not? Bring them back a treat.

hood you enjoy gge markets, I love them! Thd atmosphere. Gluewein & food. Don't tend to buy much 'stuff' as rarely find anything you can't get here (just the odd 'memory' Christmas Decimation for myself)

I can't travel at the moment, so won't be going this year 😢

thisishowloween · 13/10/2025 08:55

We always lock ours in when we’re away and then the sitter lets them out on her last visit before we get back.