What Do Cats Do Outside At Night? – Although, most cats have an independent streak a mile long. It’s a bit easier to locate them and keep an eye on their behavior in the light of day. There is always a risk involved when you allow your cat to go outside but there’s also a bit more confidence in knowing that the sun is shining and the creatures of the night are still hours from appearing.
However, as darkness begins to set in and one day slowly rolls into the next, the very same outdoor setting can change dramatically. Once calming and peaceful during the day, the night time can introduce several negative aspects. If your cat is roaming your neighborhood and failing to respond to your calls to come home, anxiety bills as you wonder what your cat could be hiding.
As the minutes and hours continue to tick away your cat’s journey will likely take many turns. While some of those turns involve safe behavior others can become quite tricky as unexpected influences can appear and perhaps derail your cat’s plans to come home in a timely fashion.
What Do Cats Do Outside At Night?
Let’s explore a few of the more common activities:
Does your cat have a habit of coming into your bedroom at night to visit? Does your furry friend wake you up?
If so, there is a respectable chance that a similar activity is pursued at night when your cat is roaming under the stars.
If you live in a neighborhood where homes are mere feet away, your feline could be spending the overnight hours, saying hello to the folks next door. If your cat spends most nights outside there is a good chance that at least one neighbor perhaps more has grown accustomed to seeing your cat.
This regular ritual could have morphed into a bit of a friendship. If your neighbor is feeding your cat at night or even allowing it to sleep inside for a few hours, then chances are the coming back home is the last thing on its mind. At least in that moment your cat may also be sleeping on your neighbor’s porch or finding shelter in their backyard or a growth of bushes on their property. If the darkness is peaceful there’s a good chance that your cat will sleep the night away under the cover and safety of a sheltered area.
Stalking Prey And Hiding From Predators
If your cat loves to chase lizards, mice, bugs and other critters during the daylight hours, this desire to stalk and capture will continue under the moonlight.
However, the joy and thrill of stonking prey can quickly turn in an instant and your cat could become the prey of a night feline predator.
The night especially in rural areas away from the lights of the city can be quite intimidating. The creatures that roam in the overnight hours on rural land can be quite different than what explores the night in the parking lot of an apartment complex in a suburban area .
The threat of attack from a fox opossum and/or raccoon can be very real, especially if these creatures of the night are aware that cat food will remain on a backdoor patio.
It is not uncommon for wildlife to enter your property under the cloak of night and eat food that was left unfinished by your cat many hours before. If your cat roams the night and other creatures are aware that food is right around the corner, the two animals will likely cross paths.
These encounters can be a bit tricky and potentially very dangerous. Depending on your cat’s location your feline pawel could find itself trapped or cornered by a wildlife. This the means that all of your calls to come home will likely go unanswered ,if your cat feels that is not safe to make an attempt to re-enter your property. some cats will seek shelter in trees in an attempt to wait out the predator as the night lingers on.
Vehicle Danger
Without a human around to oversee certain behaviors , cats have a tendency to get involved in some rather risky business especially during the overnight hours.
In addition to clashes with wildlife and other critters vehicle danger becomes a cause of major concern. sleeping under parked cars or inside of an automobiles we will can potentially produce a dire outcome if the vehicle is set in motion before the cat has had proper time to react.
Cat sneaking into the engine and automobile can also prove to be incredibly harmful. Some felines choose to seek this measure of shelter on very cold nights. If your neighborhood is near a road your cat is also in danger of being hit. spook during the night either by headlights or a predator your cat may dart into oncoming traffic.
Visibility can be compromised on roadways that are not properly lit, this increases the danger for both feline and driver.
How Far Do Cats Travel At Night?
In very rare cases some cats have been known to travel as far as a full mile during the overnight hours. However, this is certainly the exception rather than the norm. Some cats within a standard neighborhood setting will travel no more than 15 to 20 doors away.
Most cats simply hang around your property and likely stay within 25 yards of your home at all times. Although it probably seems like they’re miles away when they’re refusing to come home, there is a good chance they’re right under your nose and hearing your every word.
Regardless of distance what your cat is doing is far more concerning. Most altercations in troublesome behaviors happens just mere feet from your door, this is why it is not only important to call out to your cat at night but also pay close attention to every sound, the meowing and yowling you hear coming from a wooded area could very well be your cat.
Also Read How To Find Your Lost Cat?
There’s No Place Like Home
Keeping your cat indoors at night is the ultimate protective measure. Helping your feline to develop a positive over night routine inside of your home is vital, not only for your personal property but quite obviously for your cat’s health.
If your cat has become accustomed to spending his or her nights outdoors it would likely take some time to learn proper habits however, this adjustment period will be well worth it in the long run.
Outdoor life is risky not only for the reasons that have been discussed but also the elements rain, wind, cold temperatures and snow can all pose major health risks to your cat, spending just one night in a driving rain or cold weather can leave your cat very unwell in some instances it is not feasible to keep your cat inside at night if this is the case in your personal situation it is important to develop an outdoor area preferably on your porch or patio that is protected from the rest of nature.
An enclosed or fenced-in location can be invaluable, this will protect your cats from potential predators in addition to many of the other risks that come from roaming under the moonlight.
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