Cats and Darkness

[Tuesday]

At night, I close my bedroom door so my cat won't disturb me while I'm sleeping. I make sure she has plenty of food, water, litter, and her toys are out. I usually leave the curtains open so she can sit on the recliner and look out, but since it's been cold, I keep them closed. Little light can get into the apartment that way, but I've heard that cats can see in the dark so I wasn't worried. Then I read that they can see in the dark, just not all that well. I was talking to other cat owners at work, and they were surprised that I didn't let my cat sleep in my bed. They said that she's probably scared alone with no lights on. Sometimes Maisey will scratch at my door, but she'll usually stop after a couple minutes. I guess what I want to know is: is it ok to leave her alone at night? Am I being cruel to keep her out of my bedroom? I guess I could leave the lamp on all night - I hope it raise my electric bill or anything.

[davet]

i don't think you are cruel at all..cats can "see" in the dark but not to the degree that most peoplethink ythe cane..they have a layer in the back of their eyebballs called a Tapetem (sp) which will take what light there is and bounce it around so they get pretty good vision in darkness.. In pure, absolute dark they can not see hardly at all but they use their whiskers and ears to navigate....i think all animals except Hogs have some tapetum but not to the degree that cats have...I think you are the boss of your bedroom and should have the right to sleep with or without your cat...darkness is no problem cause your cat will fnd its way around, especially if you leave the door open...if she wants to sleep in your bed, dark or not, she will find a way....

[Guest]

Thanks davet, I feel better about it now.

[LisaLisa]

Hi Tuesday,

Check out this post and link...it's interesting...

http://www.cathelp-online.com/phpBB2/vi ... php?t=2290

Thanks for caring about your kitty

[melissaranks]

NONE of my pets sleep with me. In fact, at bed time, the kitties go in the basement so I can sleep!! Booker gets very lonely when she can't find D'Artagnan (it's a 2 story house with a full basement) and she will sit right outside my bedroom door and howl for HOURS. Ignoring doesn't help and neither does opening the door because she'll come in, search and won't find him. She'll just start the howling again until he appears. The ONLY cure I've found is to lock both of them in the basement at night. That way, Booker can find D'Artagnan in the huge pile of boxes that they love to play in, at the food dishes on the stairs, sleeping on his bed, or in the litter boxes. Limited places to look. I just can't take her crying, it's HORRIBLE.

Don't feel bad that you don't let your kitty sleep with you. And if you are worried about the light thing, you could always buy some nightlights.

[davet]

i posted this before but some how it got lost in the nether-world but when a cat is stalking or in a pounce situation it is thought that the eyes are the only sense that is wortking. ...they will sub- consciously stop hear and feeling -to a degree of course, but the vision is focuesd on the prey so intently...i found this worked with all my cats..One was a siamese who was beeten by the owners to the poit that she had to survive a fractured skulll...she would be in the pounce position and oblivious to every thing...then she would pounce and miss what ever she was after by about a foot...this was due to her previous brain damage...our last cat would do the same in the pounce position--no auditory response no matter how hard i yelled but then she became deaf at about the age of 19--took me a while to figure pounce or not, she couldn't hear...i am a slow learner

[Mona]

Well- What I due is leave a night light in the kitchen and the hallway for my older cat Honeybun (5yrs). She goes in her bed and sleeps every night in the living room, so she can see her food with the kitchen night light.

My kitten Chloe sleeps with my daughter, but I also have a night light in her bedroom (not too bright). I think both cats feel better with these lights on at night. I know I do.

Mona,Honeybun and Little Chloe

[Guest]

I bought a little night light at the dollar store for only a dollar. I feel better that at least she's not in total darkness now, and it's also good for when I have to get up in the middle of the night. Thanks for the suggestions!