Why do people let cats out at night?

Question

I am a pet lover. Sadly, I'm allergic to cats, so I cannot own one, but I do have two dogs. I am very watchful over my dogs and would never just let them run free. Yet, I know many people let their cats "out for the night". Yet, each day I hear of or read sad stories where a person's cat didn't come home. Our urban world makes letting a cat out at night challenging - there are fleas/ticks, tons of cars, cat fights and dog fights. In other words, it is not safe for any cat to be free outside! Yet people do this daily. Worse, many cats kill birds, which is now endangering local bird populations! It seems to me that the damage caused by cats combined with placing their lives at risk is too great to let any cat outside unsupervised. Yet this continues. Why? Can a real cat lover explain this to me and justify their behavior?

I would like to add that while I know cats "like" to be out at night, the reasons I mentioned above seem to indicate the risk is too great. For example, people like eating greasy, high-fat food, but the health risks are too great. So why would any rational being purposely put their cat at such great risk, not to mention the destruction of birds or other wild life species?

Answer 1

A. They think they are doing the cat a favour by giving it its freedom.

B. The either ignore research on how bad it is to let cats out or have not heard of it. http://hsus.org/search.jsp?query=outdoor+cats

C. They don't actually care for their cat.

Fact of the matter is that the estimated age of death for an outdoor cat is 2 years. An indoor cat is 12-15 years. Indoor/outdoor cats are somewhere in between. Just because your grandmother's cat lived for 20 million years outside doesn't mean jack.

My old neighbors had 4 outdoor cats. In the 1.5 years I lived next to them, one was gutted by a rottie (died a slow & painful death); one was hit by a car and broke his jaw, several legs, and had severe internal injuries, but survived and was put down at the vet's office because they could not afford to care for it; the other 'disappeared'; I placed the last cat with a rescue group after they moved and left it behind. All the animals were under 5 years of age and several of them were considerably younger.

Sorry, but I'm smart enough and caring enough to not want my cat to be killed by a dog, a car, a human, an animal lab, or any other preventable source. I also don't want my cat to be maimed and sit there for 3 days in severe pain before he finally dies. I'm just not that kind of person.

Answer 2

cats are nocturnal by nature, thats why they seem so lazy because they sleep all day and then go and play at night, i'm sure most of those people dont even know that their cat is out! the only birds that my cats have ever killed are pigeons which i don't think is endagering the local bird population, i believe its helping the rest of us not have worry about bird poop and birds disease and all that other crap. fleas and ticks are out all the time and its not just cats that get them so i'm not understanding whats so dangerous about that and yea cats fight at night thats what cats do. as for you not letting your dogs run free..... dogs are much different than cats, dogs need to be told where they can and can't go, dogs wont come home after being out all night they'd keep running away, thats why cats dont need to be supervised.

Answer 3

I can't justify it as I don't let my guys outside at night. We live in the country, so I'm afraid of coyotes getting them. I will say that out of our three cats, one of them loves outside, and will escape with the slightest opening of the door when we come in or out. We don't "let" him out, he just goes. He sometimes has been known to actually walk underneath one of the dogs when we let the dogs out, so we don't even seen the sneaky little monster until he's free. Now that he's getting older, its easier to catch him, but its not always the peoples fault. Luckily, he has a bell around his neck to warn the birds, even though he's too fat to actually catch one even if he did try. He did use to go off in the woods during the day and catch mice though, then brought them home to us as some kind of gross present. Lucky for the mice, he's too old to catch them anymore either. We're also lucky that his activities are limited to the day time, which is a good thing because of the coyote situation at night. The coyotes don't come around in the day time because of our dogs, but we hear them at night, and see their tracks the next day. Some cats just require more freedom than others, just like some people.

Answer 4

I agree with you. Simply because your cat wants out is NOT a valid opinion. Say your kid nags and nags and nags and wants to do something dangerous... would you let give in? I hope not. The main concern is not that kitty wants to go out to explore, the main concern is kitty's probably going to die one day by being hit by a car, tortured by stupid teenagers, or some other horrible way. Your cat really wants to go out? Get a leash, it's feasible. Or if you feel you can trust him/her enough, just go out and supervise. The cat's YOUR responsibility, YOU have to make sure it's as safe as possible. If there's a problem with the litter box, work with it, train, don't give up. If you really don't want cat in the house at night, maybe build an outdoor enclosure where wild animals can't get in. The bottom line is, the cat's safety comes first. If it doesn't, then you shouldn't have one anyway, IMO.

Answer 5

Dogs have owners, cats don't. They just choose to live with us. Cat's hate to be shut in. So if you love something, you have to let it live the way it wants too, even if that way brings with it risks. Dogs are happy to follow the pack leader, that should be you. Cats live by their own rules. Some people do choose to shut their cats in but it's not kind.

There isn't any more risks associated with letting cats out at night than there is during the day though. We have a cat flap, they come and go as they please, we've had a cat that decided to go and live somewhere else, 2 of our 3 cats just turned up. One of those 2 also lives next door and next doors cat also lives with us part time. That's cats for you, if you don't want that in a pet, don't have a cat.

As far as endangering the local bird population, cats are part of the food chain as are birds, that's life.

Answer 6

Cats are wild animals, and are allowed a free run. this shows their loyalty to the family they live with when they return each day, and 99% of the time they do, because of food, etc.
I do see what you are saying, but people don't like to keep their cats locked up at any time.
For example, i have 2 cats, and we let them go out when they like. It would be just that extra bit of hassle to lock the cat flap each night and open it in the morning, and also, the cats would run into the cat falp and try and escape becasue they are not used to it.
Where would they wee?
And also, why would you keep them locked up at night and not during the day?
They are surely under much greater risk during the day, when many cars are going about, and their is things to do!
The truth is, if a cat runs away from home, then it probably isnt enjoying itself their, or has been caught in an accident. it's sad but true.

Answer 7

That is exactly why all my cats are now strictly indoor kitties. Cats like to "prowl" around at night, which, I'm sure, is why people let them out. We lost two cats to coyotes, in an urban neighborhood several years back. When we got new kitties, we don't let them out any more.

Kitties live much longer, safer, healthier and happier lives when kept indoors and away from those dangers.

Answer 8

I love our pussycat and because we do it is locked into the house at dusk and not let out till well after sunrise. The sleeping birds and other small animals are then free of being attacked by our pet when they are most vulnerable. Just like you I understand that my delight may not be someone else's delight. Yowling cats in the night disturb people's sleep and the animal itself may become harmed from fights and people taking pot shots at them out of frustration. I love my neighbours and I love the native wildlife as well as my cat. So the cat comes in and I know there is a balance struck for everyone. The ones who don't do this are thoughtless, inconsiderate and plain irresponsible. They ought never to have a pet if that is the best they can do. Enjoy your dogs and continue to be vigilant about them. Your friendship with them and your neighbours will be long lived this way.

Kind regards

Lisa

Answer 9

They think cats are still wild, when they're domesticated just like dogs -- actually have been domesticated for a longer period of time. Letting cats out at night is just like letting a dog run lose at night, or letting your kids run loose at night, not a good idea.

Answer 10

i am a dog owner myself but have owned cats in the past, cats are nocturnal animals and are more active at night, notice if you see a cat during the day its usually chilling out, at night they just go out fighting other cats getting up to all sorts like little ASBO`s some come back some don't but it don't matter cos you can never get as close to a cat as you could with a dog. if you starved to death with your dog, you would be found dead with your dog by your side. with your cat you would be half eaten.


think about that all you cat owners lol. though its a survival instinct and i respect that.

ps i once had a cat that died, the dog rolled over it while they were sleeping anyway me and my mate cremated it in a biscuit tin, it smelt like a BBQ we ran out of paper so our next door neighbor buried it for us before me mum come home.

pps i once stayed on the Greek isle thassos and the cats run wild there. there are hundreds at night they come into the restaurants looking for food.