# Do you keep your cat in after dark?



## LucyLastic88 (Apr 25, 2012)

When our new 8mth old arrives, I'm tempted to keep both cats in after dark, for their safety. Maybe a bit more difficult peak winter as already dark when I get home. Hoping once they're in their routine, it'll be ok.

Do you get your cats in once its going dark? My older cat loves going out so I guess he may quibble a bit at first.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

LucyLastic88 said:


> When our new 8mth old arrives, I'm tempted to keep both cats in after dark, for their safety. Maybe a bit more difficult peak winter as already dark when I get home. Hoping once they're in their routine, it'll be ok.
> 
> *Do you get your cats in once its going dark?* My older cat loves going out so I guess he may quibble a bit at first.


Difficult to answer as all my cats ,except Bumble semi feral,have been indoor cats so have never been outdoor.Saying that though Bumble before he "moved in" was shut in over night in the shed he had made home.IMO it is not safe for cats to be outdoors in the dark,no matter where they live.


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## shamykebab (Jul 15, 2009)

Hmmm, neither of mine are allowed to stay out all night, but they do prefer to go out in the late evening, especially during the warmer summer nights. Hobbes' favourite summer pasttime (apart from snoozing in the sun) is twilight mouse-hunting.

I'd prefer it if they didn't go out late, but with a large cat population in our area and as they've got older they do tend to hang around very close to the house.


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## Aurelie (Apr 10, 2012)

I didn't used to but recently I have started to, I know that when the new kitten arrives (which won't be allowed out until she is at least a a year old anyway) I will want them both in at night, so phasing it in slowly now seems kinder than giving poor old Claude a new, annoying best friend and a curfew in the same week!


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## suzy93074 (Sep 3, 2008)

I always keep my cat in when its night time - as in when I go to bed .....I used to let him out and he got himself into all sorts of trouble - many cats are out at night so fighting is pretty inevitable - mine has had a few scrapes with other cats where he has come home in the morning in a very sorry state - and the last straw for me was when he got an abcess from a infected bite which was v painful and had to be drained .....neutering does the world of good but yes a curfew has also helped shield him from danger....they take a bit of getting used to it but tbo my cat is 8yrs old now so he is more of a homebody


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## littleblackcat (Dec 26, 2011)

when i used to let mine out before i changed them to house cats they were always in at night. they used to have meat in the evenings so would always come home before dark for their meat. it put my mind at rest plus on bin nights peope would be being right nasty to the cats going near the bins and i would of flipped if anyone did anythig to my cats. strangely it worked with my cats and even if they got accidently shut out they would go to all my windows meowing because they wanted to be in.


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

I read an article years ago which recond that cats who were out all night were more at risk from RTA's on there way home in the mornings  maybe because there minds are on food. 

Back in the day our lot at the time, were kept in at night, just used to keep food up through the day & they would all be there for tea & lock down


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

Nope but its their choice to stay out. The cat flap is open 24/7, they usually spend most of the day asleep, occassionally going out, then once the evenings drawn in they will start going outside and staying out longer. 

They have an automatic feeder set for 4am and 8am so that they always have food during the night (and dont wake us up at some stupid hour, hitting us in the face because they are hungry!) They usually pop back in every now and again, when I get home late from work in the early hours there is sometimes a cat waiting to make its escape out the front door..although why she needs to escape when there is an open cat flap is beyond me..

I used to keep my first cat inside at night but we didnt have a cat flap so if she was out she couldnt get back in which I didnt like. I think she still stays in at night now and the other cat always goes out as he climbs the walls if hes in too late.


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## McSquirtle (Jan 13, 2012)

I don't physically get them in once its dark, but I have a petporte that locks at around 10.30pm - they can get in but once they're inside after this time it is locked until 5am. 
Dexter and Lola pop back quite regularly but Oscar tends to roam for longer. Either way they're always all in when we get up to give them their breakfasts


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

McSquirtle said:


> I don't physically get them in once its dark, but I have a petporte that locks at around 10.30pm - they can get in but once they're inside after this time it is locked until 5am.
> Dexter and Lola pop back quite regularly but Oscar tends to roam for longer. Either way they're always all in when we get up to give them their breakfasts


Do you not find they make an absolute racket trying to get back out again? Thats why we kept the flap open all the time.


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## harrys_mum (Aug 18, 2010)

i let button come and go all day long, he comes and goes but never far fromthe garden, or along a few gardens. he goes out in the evening but always comes back abut 11ish and he then stays in when we go to bed. hes fine.
michelle x


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## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

Even though we have a cat proofed garden they are always in at night. The cat door is locked and opened again the next morning at 6.00.
They get use to it.

I would not let an 8 month old out on it's own I think this is far too young.
There are too many Dangers. Dogs, other cats. Humans, and Traffic.


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## McSquirtle (Jan 13, 2012)

oggers86 said:


> Do you not find they make an absolute racket trying to get back out again? Thats why we kept the flap open all the time.


Dexter does yes! He is getting better at realising but half the trouble was that he was ready to go out around the time that it opens, so I think he thought his banging and head butting successfully opened it! I'd hear him going at it and then hear the beep as it opened! 
Since I turned the door around on the flap it doesn't bang against the flap so much so I rarely hear them now. The other two are good and know that if they try and its locked, that they have to wait for the beep. 
Luckily our bedroom is at the front of the house so I can only hear it if I'm already awake or in the spare room at the back (whilst escaping H's snoring!) 
They would prefer constant access but I worry about things like cars - they drive much faster through at night, and drunks. Oscar and Lola would befriend anyone and it is a worry.


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## koekemakranka (Aug 2, 2010)

Yes, without fail, even though I have a catproofed garden. They usually come in voluntarily about a hour after dark. The two girls do not ask to go out again until they are let out in the early am after their breakfast. The boy is harness walked for 20 minutes every evening and then does not ask to go out again.


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## Cats cats cats (Feb 4, 2011)

My garden is also cat proofed but my cats have to come in at night . Noooooooooooooooooooo way are they staying outside and and looking for ways of escape  

They're such demons , so very hard to catch  It usually takes a good 30 - 45 minutes to get them in


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## Lel (Mar 21, 2012)

Yes, mine stays in overnight. Cat flap is blocked off til morning, I thought he would object but actually seems to have no problem and voluntarily takes himself off to bed some nights. We Like him to be in before it gets dark, not sure how practical that will be in the winter though!


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## rose (Apr 29, 2009)

MIne have a cat proof garden and a cat flap. They spend most on the evening and night outside trying to catch moths, they sleep most of the days on the beds!! eating in between!


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