Cat owners- in or out at night.

slimsid2000 · 20-07-2006, 13:33

This is inspired by another thread asking how to get a cat to come inside at night. Opinion amongst cat owners seems divided on whether a cat should be inside all night or put out for the night.

Which is your preference?

Ginger_Kitty · 20-07-2006, 13:37

So far ours are too little to go out at all, but we have every intention of them being in at night.

they are more likely to get hurt if they are out at night, and more likely to kill small creatures too, so for the sake of both we won't want them out after tea at all.

Anj1364 · 20-07-2006, 13:45

We have a patio door on our bedroom which we have been leaving open during the summer. The night before last I woke at 2.15am to find next doors cat sat on the bedside drawers! So they thought he was out but he was in!

medusa · 20-07-2006, 13:51

I'm a firm believer of my furries being inside with me and knowing that they are in and safe overnight. I also don't have a catflap for the same reason.

Not only are they at greater risk of being hurt and hunting, but housecats also can and do suffer from hypothermia and exposure on cold nights.

tess667 · 20-07-2006, 16:50

I too prefer Sadie to be in at night - was it my thread you refered to? I worry when she is out when it's dark and sleep better knowing she is safe in the house.

Jabberwocky · 20-07-2006, 16:53

I leave the door open for an hour before I go to bed, I expect him to stay out but he rarely does, he likes his home comforts too much.
Plus, if he does stay out, I have a cat kennel for him in the garden that he likes.

bensonhedges · 20-07-2006, 17:09

All the cats I ever had have had the choice of whether they want to go in or out at whatever time of day - after all as far as a cat sees it - you're just the hired help.

bluebird62 · 20-07-2006, 17:13

We have 2 cats now, a queen and a male. They do not roam as we saw 2 youths throw a defenceless cat in the path of an oncoming lorry, it was hit but did not die instantly. It lept off with a trail of blood and was found the next day curled up in some bushes near to the cemetary dead. On another instance my son came in from school crying and grabbing me at the sametime
he tried telling me something but i could not understand , so i followed him to the bottom of our road and i saw for myself what he was trying to tell me. there was 2 youths with something in a box , and they were throwing something in the box and tried to set the box on fire. when i shouted they ran off which left me to go and see what they were doing, they were only trying to to set a live cat on fire. sorry it was not a cat but a kitten. This kitten ended up dieing through its injury's.
this is reason why we dont let our pets roam. We would prefer to have them under our feet and on the back garden then let the scum around here kill them.

Jabberwocky · 20-07-2006, 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliediane

We have 2 cats now, a queen and a male. They do not roam as we saw 2 youths throw a defenceless cat in the path of an oncoming lorry, it was hit but did not die instantly. It lept off with a trail of blood and was found the next day curled up in some bushes near to the cemetary dead. On another instance my son came in from school crying and grabbing me at the sametime
he tried telling me something but i could not understand , so i followed him to the bottom of our road and i saw for myself what he was trying to tell me. there was 2 youths with something in a box , and they were throwing something in the box and tried to set the box on fire. when i shouted they ran off which left me to go and see what they were doing, they were only trying to to set a live cat on fire. sorry it was not a cat but a kitten. This kitten ended up dieing through its injury's.
this is reason why we dont let our pets roam. We would prefer to have them under our feet and on the back garden then let the scum around here kill them.

Thats horrible, just horrible.
Some people.... jeez.

crookes · 20-07-2006, 17:38

Our cats go out all night. Less traffic and no birds hopping on the lawn. They curl up contented all day, have a late feed and practically beg to go out at night they're so used to it.

amandakm · 20-07-2006, 18:22

Ours go out, they yowl (? spelling) loud and long if they are in, so not much chance. They have access to the garage where we have a couple of cosy cat boxes, however they seem to be rarely used except on coldest nights. I do worry but they are very independent and dislike being in all night.

Lotti · 20-07-2006, 19:13

Ours have a cat flap and do as they please however it is lockable for bonfire night and similar things and if one is ill they stay in.

They don't get as much chance to come and go during the day because of the dogs so when the dogs are locked in the kitchen at night they can come and go as they please.

Noodle · 20-07-2006, 20:29

Inside! Being super over-protective

there's no chance even with the cute meewing at the kitty door! The one time I let them out over night, my little girl didn't come back for a week and when she did she was injured and had lost weight!

tess667 · 20-07-2006, 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliediane

We have 2 cats now, a queen and a male. They do not roam as we saw 2 youths throw a defenceless cat in the path of an oncoming lorry, it was hit but did not die instantly. It lept off with a trail of blood and was found the next day curled up in some bushes near to the cemetary dead. On another instance my son came in from school crying and grabbing me at the sametime
he tried telling me something but i could not understand , so i followed him to the bottom of our road and i saw for myself what he was trying to tell me. there was 2 youths with something in a box , and they were throwing something in the box and tried to set the box on fire. when i shouted they ran off which left me to go and see what they were doing, they were only trying to to set a live cat on fire. sorry it was not a cat but a kitten. This kitten ended up dieing through its injury's.
this is reason why we dont let our pets roam. We would prefer to have them under our feet and on the back garden then let the scum around here kill them.

That is sooo sad, another of those incidents that makes you ashamed to be human

Siân · 20-07-2006, 20:48

I don't think it is over protective. From what I remember being told by the CPL (now just CP) they recommend cat owners keep their cats in at night where possible (although I don't think there's anything wrong with the cat being given a choice if you have a cat flap).

The reason I was given was that cats tend to get bored if shut out all night & around 4am is when they're most likely to be involved in an accidents - although I'd not really thought about the danger of accidents at that time in the morning, I have to admit.

They don't need to be inside your house necessarily but they do need somewhere to go (as opposed to wandering aimlessly I guess) - like amandakm and her cats' cosy cat boxes in the garage.

Jabberwocky · 20-07-2006, 20:49

My cat doesnt know how bloody lucky he is.
No traffic, lots of countryside, a kennel to kip in and me leaping out of bed at 3am to either let him out or in when he yowls at me.
He doesnt even give me a wage!

tess667 · 20-07-2006, 21:28

oh you don't own him , he owns you

PIF_Tails · 20-07-2006, 21:41

My cats have a choice of whether to be inside or outside at all times (except bonfire week etc) They are usually outside in nice weather and inside in bad weather.

At night there is less traffic, less nutters and no birds, hence there it is just as relatively safe outside.

I did read an research paper last year, which aimed to prove that allowing cats outside at night was a more dangerous than day time access and they ended up proving there was no difference in levels of danger between night and day outside access (I'll try and find the link)

Lotti · 20-07-2006, 21:42

too right Tess! lol he's got you wrapped round his little paw Jabberwocky

I feel that as long as our cats have the opportunity to get in they're ok. They don't roam far, and tend to stay in at night anyway although in this heat I think they prefer to be out under a bush where it's a bit cooler.

I've heard them come running in and having a spitting fit at the male cat that continuously tries to seduce Smitch

but as long as they can get in away from trouble I'm happy.

I do worry about them and refused to let mum get rid of the cat flap but they have always been outdoor cats and I can't refuse them that now.

dustbunny · 20-07-2006, 21:55

our cat is a house cat and is only allowed out in the garden hen someone else is out with her, live on a busy road so feel this is safer. Any other cat that dares to roam on our garden she soon chases off