Dave wont come in at night.

[Grace56]

While we've been having this nice, sunny weather, Dave has been staying out all day. Mostly keeping near the house, lying in the sun but sometimes going off somewhere.
I don't have a problem with that as he loves being outdoors.
However, he wont come in voluntary at night. I have to tempt him in or carry him in. Tonight (early morning) he was sitting under his favourite bush but when I went to get him, the little ****** had disappeared.

So, here I am at 02:45 with the door open waiting for him. It's so worrying as I wont go to bed leaving him out. Plus, as he was rescued by me from a life on the streets, I'm a tad worried that he wants that life again after two years with me.

What on earth can I do? I'd welcome any suggestions as to what to do.

Thanks folks

Grace

[catslave16]

Oh Grace, I really feel for you. I remember the anxiety when my beloved Blake occasionally stayed out for hours and hours, and recently Rufus was gone a long time - he pops in and out and rarely stays out for more than an hour. I'm afraid I don't have any clever or helpful suggestions, except to mention that Rufus has an electronic cat flap that beeps, so I always know when he goes out, and when he comes in again, which saves me sitting by the back door. Apart from that, all I can offer is empathy I'm afraid. I'm sure Dave will be back, in his own good time, and if you're anything like me you'll say 'Where have you been, you naughty boy?' and then gave him a cuddle.
It's a bit like having a teenager, isn't it? I reckon it's only a matter of time until someone invents a feline smart phone that will let you check up on your cat's whereabouts and tell them to come home...
Paws crossed for a speedy and safe return.

[Grace56]

Aww, thanks for replying, Catslave (love that name. It's what we are )

Dave wandered in at 03:15 just after I posted. This was after wandering around the courtyard in my long shorts pyjamas,rattling a box of 'Go Cat'. I bet the neighbours were thrilled if they heard me.
He had some food then followed me up to bed. I was so pleased to see him as I wasn't going to lock up and leave him out....no way.

So today, I'm not going to feed him after about 5/5:30 and see how that goes. He'll get fed when he comes in later when I fetch him in at 10:30/11-o-clock. If I have to carry him in, so be it. But then the yowls kick off and believe me, Dave can't half yowl....loudly!
But I'll just have to ignore him.

What do others do as their night time routine with your furry ones to get them in?

It's the warm nights that make him want to stay out I guess.

[mr_frisky]

All mine have been doing that. As soon as it gets colder of wet he'll change his mind. I've taken to leaving the back door and side gate open and get joined about 1-3am with them purring and jumping on my bed.

[LittlePenBigHeart]

Oh no!

WE used to have the same problem with Mr Bubbles every summer and it drove me to distraction. While my husband was convinced he was okay (he always was), I would drive around the block, worried out of my mind, and struggle to sleep in case I heard the catflap or his bell. Many was the time I would open the dining room window (looking over the drive) at 3am or 4am, only for him to hop straight in through it!

However, we did find something that helped. Every night when he came in as soon as we called him, we gave him a few treats that he liked, like one of those meat stick things, or some Dreamies. He was definitely better at coming in when we remembered to do that regularly.

Unfortunately, sometimes even that would fail because boys do like to roam a little further and if they settle down for a snooze somewhere, they sometimes hang around for HOURS, blissfully unconcerned that their human-mums are sat at home, wringing their hands with worry!

[bobbys girl]

Willow and Gracie love their home comforts and are nearly always tucked up in bed by 10PM. But Purdy and Bob are night owls. They often want to go out after 'supper'. They usually don't go far and although I would prefer it if they didn't go out at night, the fuss and trying to climb out of every window is not worth the stress to cat OR human!

I suppose we are lucky insome respects as we live on a fairly quiet country road. But there are foxes around here and a neighbour recently lost her chickens to a mink/polecat.

They usually change their habits in the bad weather.

[Kay]

if you have a good place to put one, you could try something like a Mr Snugs kennel outside

my Tosker is hardly in the house at all at the moment, day and night, but 80% of the time he is curled up inside his Mr Snugs on the patio

[Grace56]

Thank you for your replies, everyone. It's good to know I'm not the only one with a 'always outdoors in the summer' cat.

He does spend all day outside when the weather is good and warm. He loves it; you can tell he does when he rolls around ecstatically in the dust

@Kay, the kennel sounds like a very good idea. I'll look at them on line.

Take care each and fusses to your furry little ones.

Grace x and meow from Dave.

[Crewella]

Oh gawd, I know the feeling only too well! Several of my lads prefer to be mostly out in the summer, and I've had to compromise and call them in later to give them a chance to be out in the evening. Otherwise they all go nuts trying to get out if I lock them in too early!

When I imposed the night curfew, I started feeding them much later so that I called them in for dinner and then locked the door - that way they came when called. If you don't want to feed him that late, maybe keep back a litle portion as a late night snack that you can call him in for. If you set up a routine, so he knows to expect food and then lock-in, and stick to it like glue, you stand a better chance of him cooperating.

Good luck! My neighbours must be well-used to seeing me wandering round my garden with a torch and biccy tin in the wee small hours!