do you have to put cats out at night?

Answer 1

No. That is the worst thing you could do to your pet. Think about it, if you were left out in the cold all night you could get hit by a car, get into a fight with other nocturnal animals, or some sicko could think it's "neat" to torture it. If you don't want your cat in the same living area as you at night, try putting it in a room or maybe the basement. Make sure you have a bed and the litter and some water around for it too.

Answer 2

No you dont HAVE to, but some people do. I think it depends on the cat/s and your living arrangements. If cats have access to the house via a cat flap then that is probably the best option. They can wear special collars that only allow your cats through the flap. Or alternatively if you have a shed, garage, or special cat house that they can get into to sleep, get away from the weather etc then that is fine too, provided there is a warm bedding and some water. Cats like being out at night - if they are that sort of cat - prowling, hunting etc. They are nocturnal animals. When i had cats i always had a cat flap where they could get back into the kitchen, but the door was shut so they couldnt go prowling and yowling round the house waking us up!

Some cats have always been kept in at night and it would be cruel to let them out to face the dangers of the night, but other cats, in my opinion, it would be cruel to keep them IN! My sister lived on a farm and all her cats were free at night - but they had an open back kitchen that the cats could shelter in, plus many barns.

Do what YOU think is best. If you look after your cat, love it and it is fed and always has access to water day and night, you can't go far wrong.

I think some cats kept in all the time must be going stark raving stir crazy and i pity those kind of cats.

Answer 3

If it is spayed or neutered than it is safe to let them out at night, at least safe from having kittens or contracting kitty Syphilis...sounds funny but it is true, and one of the biggest killer of domesticated cats. Another thing to worry about is Rabbies which is more common among nocturnal animals and especially Racoons, Skunks, and bats. Cats being put out served many purposes in the past and became quite common. For one thing the cat is Nocturnal and will sleep all day only to wake at night when everyone else in the house is trying to sleep and the cat is a very mischievious animal and may get into alot of indoor trouble as well as break alot of things in the name of Kitty Fun. Another reason was that the cat, being a hunter, would help to keep the wild animals away from the house. Most Rabid animals will not be seen in the night but in the day because it is losing its' mind and no longer makes safe judgements. The common field mouse as well as the common rat are nocturnal and the cat stops them from coming into the house by catching them on the outside. Most of the other wild animals will avoid a house with a cat keeping watch. When the cat is spayed or neutered it will less likely travel far from the house in search of a mate and so it stays guard very well and also stays away from risky behaviors such as crossing roads. If you have a cat then you know that it will be an annoyance in the house when people are trying to sleep and when the rewards of putting it out outwiegh the consequenses than it is a good thing to put them out, but if the consequences outwiegh the rewards than do not put them out. And that is that...clickity clack!

Answer 4

Why would you have to put them out at night? Out of your bedroom maybe, if one of the occupants has allergies, or they insist on interrupting your sleep, but you definitely don't want to put cats outside at night if at all possible. Depending on where you are, cats are probably at more risk outside at night, because its when a lot of the other wildlife (racoons, coyotes, wolves, bears, etc) may be more active, since people are generally asleep. Plus, it gets too cold at night this time of the year in most places for cats. Play it safe, and leave them in, if you can't go all the way and just make them indoor cats.

Answer 5

No Way! my cat sleeps either in my bed, or my mothers bed if i am working late. She has never slept outside, or alone any night since we got her as a kitten and she is four now. She has never messed in the house, she usually goes to the toilet before she comes in for the night, however if she needs it during the night then she will wake me, this is the only reason she wakes us so we know straight away what is the matter with her. I also have three other cats that sleep in the conservatory and they have a litter tray, but they never use it.

Answer 6

No not unless you want to, it all depends on the character of your cat. I have 2 cats and they are both complete opposites, 1 likes to be out at night and the other is more a house cat. if your cat likes the outdoors try putting it out on a very nice night and if it doesnt sit at the doorstep crying you know it likes the great outdoors! its all down to personal preference.

Answer 7

NO! Cats should always be kept in at night - that's when most accidents happen. Make sure that they have a cosy bed where they can feel safe, a litter tray, water, some food & toys to play with if they are kittens. You can let them out during the day if it is safe.

Answer 8

You don't have to but I do. All my three cats prefer to go out at night.
I suppose it also matters where you live too, I'm fortunate enough to live in a quiet little cu-de-sac, so there's no traffic & there's fields across, so thet tend to there.
Any time of the day can be dangerous for a cat though, I would think it's safer to go out at night as there's no way near as much traffic/noise at night as there is during the day.
All my cats have been neutered, so they don't really go off looking for females/fights.

Answer 9

No way. Our kitten is an indoor cat. Outdoor cats are happy, but they are more likely to die younger because of all the trouble they can find outside. As for putting our kitten out of our room at night, for a long time, yes we did. We found her in a parking garage when she wasn't even 4 weeks old, so I had to bottle feed her. I'd wake up in the middle of the night with her sucking on my neck! Now she just bites my toes when she's bored...

Answer 10

Well cats are night time lovers so yes-they hunt at night-but do not have as good vision as people think infact have a tendancy to knock thing over. They also give you dead birds/bunnies/rats/moles as presents in the morning . If you leave them in you need a litter tray, and they need to know how to use it. You will really know it if they poo in your kitchen or bathroom or sitting room.The smell of cat poo is much worse than dog's. Also keeping them in keeps them fat as they do little exercise. But beware cats will want feeding first thing. If it is really cold or really wet yes keep them in. But make sure they know and will use a litter tray. Or the cat flap!!!