I’ve got a question about my cat, Loki. Loki goes out at night quite often, but sometimes he doesn't come home while we're still able to let him in, so he’s forced (unfortunately) to stay out overnight. He isn’t in any immediate danger as there aren't any main roads nearby and very few dogs are left outside, but I wanted to know if this is a problem? Will he hold it against me for leaving him out, or think I love him less?
I’m worried because I love him and I always take care of him, but sometimes we just can’t let him come and go as he pleases and I feel a bit guilty about it...
Thanks in advance for your advice and replies.
Translated from French
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Cats are often described as nocturnal animals, but that’s not strictly true. They are actually polyphasic, which means they alternate between periods of sleep and being awake throughout the day and night. It’s vital that your cat can meet their sleep requirements, which is around 16 hours on average. That’s why it is so important that your pet has the option to come back inside at any time of the day or night. If you’re out or asleep, you could consider installing a cat flap or perhaps leaving a window slightly ajar. It’s generally not recommended to leave your cat outside at night if they have no way of getting back in when they need to. This is especially important when the weather is poor (cold, rain, or wind) and if they don’t have any shelter. If your cat is outside at night, you need to keep in mind the significant temperature drops that can happen during the colder months. On the other hand, during the summer, your cat might well enjoy sleeping under the stars if they have a spot where they feel perfectly comfy and safe.
If a cat goes outdoors, they should always have a way to get back inside whenever they want.
Even if you’ve set them up with everything outside—a shelter, water, and food—it is vital that they have an opening to get back in.
One option is to wedge a sheet of polystyrene into the patio doors and cut a hole at the bottom so the cat can come and go during the night.
Alternatively, you could fix some rigid mesh across the patio door, keeping the hooks on the inside so an intruder can't reach through, and then use scissors to cut a hole at the bottom for the cat to pass through.
Just be careful not to make the hole too low, otherwise you'll end up with hedgehogs in the house! It shouldn't be too big either, as a fox can squeeze in just about anywhere.
Hi everyone, I’ve got a one-year-old cat called Bambie. Since yesterday, I’ve been letting her sleep outside, and I’ve put everything she needs on the patio – food, water, and her litter tray. What I’m not happy about is that I have to keep the door shut all night. I really don’t want her sleeping in someone else’s house, like my neighbours’, and I don’t want them feeding her, otherwise she won’t want to eat at home anymore and she might start trying to get into the neighbours' places. I really hope that doesn’t happen. Please let me know if I’m doing anything wrong by leaving her out with the patio door shut all night, or anything like that. Thanks in advance!
A tiny, very soft meow at 2:45 this morning. I told her to shush. She started again a bit later. Shush. She climbed right up onto my pillow to give me another soft, discreet little meow right by my head. Shush.
She went out onto the landing and kept doing it, still very quietly. It’s 3:15 now. She’s going to wake the whole house up. I give in and get up.
She wanted to go out into the back gardens. I said no, because the posh neighbours back there stay up late, and their aggressive cat might still be prowling. She’s already injured mine twice. So, I let her out the front instead. Instead of going for the urgent wee I thought she needed, she just sniffed everything. Then she hopped up on the fence and spent ages taking everything in. I waited for her to do her business so I could get her back in and go back to bed.
A grey cat walked past. No cars at that hour, so he was right in the middle of the road. Mine hopped down and headed over. It’s always a dilemma. If I move closer to intervene, she’ll feel overconfident and pounce on him. I decided to stay put. They sniffed noses. No bottlebrush tails, so everything was fine. After checking the intruder’s ID, mine came back to the fence. The other one carried on his way down the middle of the road, and for once, mine didn't follow him to give him a hiding out of my reach under a car. He kept looking back to check his six.
She came back inside—I don’t think she even had a wee. I went back to bed and so did she, but this time she sat right on my legs instead of just next to them like she usually does.
I woke up at 7:00, went downstairs, and my cup of tea was sitting on the table all by itself, stone cold.
Darn, I thought I’d replied last night but the message didn't go through... do you have an outdoor shelter? A cat that can't get into your house might end up going into someone else's! And besides, cats are much more active at night than we are! So, I reckon a cat flap really suits a cat's lifestyle! As for fights, they happen during the day just as much as at night! However, if you lock your cat out, he’ll just go to your neighbour’s, which could cause problems or even lead to him finding a second home if the neighbours think he’s cute... and it doesn't mean you don't love him; cats are often enigmatic but they aren't complicated, they just go for the easiest option: "it’s warm here so I’ll sleep here" or "there’s food over there"... it's up to you!
Hello (or good evening) everyone, I’ve got a question about my cat, Loki. Loki goes out at night very often but sometimes doesn’t come back while it’s still possible to let him in, so he’s (unfortunately) forced to stay outside overnight. He’s not in any immediate danger as there are no roads and very few dogs kept outside, but I wanted to know if this was a problem? Can he hold a grudge against me for leaving him out, or think that I love him less? I’m worried because I love him and always take good care of him, but sometimes we just can’t let him come and go exactly as he pleases and I feel a bit guilty... Thanks in advance for your replies/advice.
Hi!
How old is Loki?
Is he neutered and up to date with his cat flu, enteritis and leukaemia jabs?
Your cat loves you if you feed him, play with him, give him attention and let him join in with what you're doing without ever forcing him.
Cats are naturally active from dusk until dawn. If the door is shut sometimes, he’ll just wait; it’s not going to make him love you any less. 👌
Liza
Try to make sure this happens as little as possible—for instance, by not feeding him after, say, 6 pm, to encourage him to come home. Mind you, that'll be a struggle once the weather starts getting warmer.
If it does happen, try getting up around 11 pm or midnight; he might well be there.
The real issue is cat fights. A fight you didn't hear because it happened too far away, or a wound you didn't spot, which then slowly gets infected and turns necrotic. Contrary to what people often think, animals aren't actually any more resistant to bacteria than we are. Cats' mouths are full of them, and a bite will get infected, even if they lick it.
A smart cat flap or a standard one... but don’t go thinking he’ll feel unloved just because he stays out at night sometimes. Animals can sense whether they’re loved or not...
