Confining A Cat To A Room at Night: Is It Cruel?

Cats seem to stay sleepy all the time. Most of the people who are not familiar with cats often say those things. But people who know about cats know that they are very active and can be a reason for many problems. 

There is no doubt that it is painful for a cat owner to put their cat in a room for the whole night. But sometimes they need to do such things because of the safety of other breakables. But that is not the end of this point. 

You also need to make sure that the cat is comfortable with it. Otherwise, simply locking them in a room will be a tough decision for the cats so you should look for alternatives.

Confining a cat in a room for the night should always be the last resource. More on this point will be discussed underneath.

Should you lock a cat in a room?

All creatures in this world love to walk in freedom. Animals are not part of your asset. They have their own life and way of living. You might provide them food but that does not approve you to do anything you want. 

We often see people talk about birds that are caged. Well, putting your cat in a room is also the same thing. It is also some sort of imprisoning the animal for their freedom.

Do you remember your childhood, when your family used to decide everything for you?  

Going outside was the best thing for you at that time. Your pet cats are just like you now, they love to go outside most often.

Don’t try to be harsh with animals. They can’t talk but their eyes will tell you the truth. But things might be different if your cat is okay with it. 

If you own a cat that is fine staying in a locked room then you can do it. Otherwise, I will advise you to never put a free cat in a room for a long period. Give them enough space to live and let the cat enjoy the life in freedom. 

Some cats do love to stay in a room

There are types of cats that do not want to meet new cats. They are very shy and love to stay in a room all day long. This type of cat most of the time will be eager to stay in a room and play with its owners. They are kinda lazy compared to other cats. 

You should feel concerned if your fun-loving cat suddenly gets shy and start to seat on a sofa all day long. You need to check out a veteran about the problem.

But some cats are always like that and there is not much of a problem to put them in a room for sometimes. 

Still, that should always be the last part of your plan. Give them as much freedom as you can. That will help your cat to grow bigger and stay healthy. You will also feel good when your cat will stay happy all the time. 

What should I do when it is needed to put a cat in a room?

You can discuss your points with a veteran. Let the expert decide what you should do when it is certainly needed. As we speak ourselves with some of the veterinarians, they suggest that putting a cat in a room for 24 hours is most often not harmless. 

But you should make sure that they have enough food and water for their need. I know some cats that are always angry while some are not social so you need to put them alone. But the first thing is to make sure that they are not abused by your action. 

How can you make it sure? You can discuss with experts and let them suggest you the solution. You might get unexpected feedback from them. So, always try to keep in contact with one of them. So that you can contact them anytime you want. 

If you have too many cats and that might be a problem for you. Try to separate them in a safe space and let them have their own territory. Give all of them equal love and care in the process. Overall, put a cat in a single room only if it is badly needed. 

Is it okay to keep a new cat in a room?

When you pet a new cat, there will be a lot of things that the cat will see the first time. You need to give it enough time to adjust to the environment you are in. Lots of studies have been done to see how much time a cat really needs to adjust to a new home. 

Most of the research suggests that most of them will need around 3-4 days at max to adjust to his/her new habitat. Cats will not feel safe so they will look for dark space to take shelter or hide. You can keep it in a single room to feel comfortable on its own. 

But there should be a few things that you should have at the place. Enough food and water should be there so that it does not stay hungry all day long. Additional cat toys will make their space more comfortable for them. 

Visit them as often as you can and they will start to play with you. Slowly, you will become a true companion with it. The separation of the cat should not go above the recommended margin otherwise it will be bad for the cat’s health.   

What kind of room will be good for confining a cat?

Few people have the tendency to put their cats in the bathroom. Well, let me tell you that it is cruel. No animal should be accommodated in such a disgusting space. Besides, there will also be very little space for the cat to stay lively. 

You need to look for an open space where the cat will feel comfortable. The space also needs to be free of germs and all types of bad odors. But sometimes you can put them in a congested space but that should not be that long. 

Besides, the cat will also move here and there in the space. They will look for new things and play with them. You need to make sure that all harmful and valuable products are out of the room. Put some toys so the cat does not get bored. 

If you have more than one cat, then you should know the nature of them. If they are quiet and friendly then there is not much of a problem putting them together in a small space. Otherwise, you should look for separate spaces for each one of them all the time. 

How will a cat behave when you confine it in a room?

Most of the cat is not going to like it. You are going to hear some angry meowing sound from them. You can ignore them so that they are not encouraged to do that. Besides, there should be enough water and food for the cat otherwise it will also create a problem.

No matter what you put in the room. The time frame of a confining cat should not be much. You also need to check them as often as you can. Cats love attention and you need to give them as much as you can. Long days alone confining can bore your cat and that will not be so good for their mental health. 

Give them an open air space to feel the environment which they always love to do. The first confining behavior will be different in the next period. It will keep on changing from time to time. They will learn to behave lightly and will be comfortable being alone in a room for some time. 

When should you allow your cat to roam freely at home?

If you bring a new cat to your surroundings then they will feel insecure. You need to give time to the cat to feel comfortable in the space. Besides, you can also treat it with some training that will make it calm in your space. 

Cats love to cuddle and that they deserve from their owners. You should give it enough love so that it feels like home in your space.  It will wander around at your house but will never damage your things. Sometimes, it might happen but that is not going to happen all the time. 

All cats need time to learn what they can do in a house. It is also your duty to make them work on these points. You might feel like I am suggesting that the cat is a sensible human. Well, a cat truly can learn things from rewards and it is proved by research. 

When you see that your cat does not create much havoc on your house at night, then that is a good sign. You can start to allow your cat to roam freely all over the house whenever they want. Give them enough food and water too so that they don’t look for food at every single corner of the house. 

Should you allow your cat to roam freely at night?

Cats will be glad to be free at night. Most of the act will not do much damage to your space. It will keep the house safe and protected from any other things. They will act as a guard of your house and you will feel safe when you are sleeping. 

I know that is not going to happen all the time. At that period you can put them in a room that has enough space for them. Otherwise, you can just lock things that are breakable. Having more than one cat can make them more comfortable.     

They will play with each other and will not create much trouble for you at night. Cats are hunters and they will always look for prey. There will be no more tolerance of mice in your space. You will have a safe and sound house with the assistance of a cat. 

You should also take note that the cat does not go out of the house. They are not so good at the road crossing and can face a brutal accident. Lock the door and window properly and make sure they are in the house at night. It is never fun to see your beloved pet die in a road accident.  

Final Verdict

I tried to put the confining cat on a small space detail as simply as I can. You already have good enough information on the queries that you might have on your mind. You now know when to allow them to roam freely or put them in a room as suggested. 

I will also suggest you have some discussion with veterans before taking this sort of decision. Let the expert have the last say on these points. It will often turn out well in the long run. You will have a good relationship with your cat and that will also be good for the mental health of the animal. 

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