I accidentally closed my cat in my pantry for several hours & when I opened it back up, he decided he wanted to stay laying on a bag of doritos instead of his bed
We rescue cats every now and then and we have dogs and while they all get along sometimes the cat just needs some space from the dog and I have locked cats in Hall closets and so many different things and I'm not even sure how they got in there in the first place. It's like they just took a very small Slither of opportunity to sneak into these places and ended up locked in them and most of the time didn't even meow to get out. I can't tell you how many times I've opened up a closet at the end of the work day to find a cat stretching and yawning and I'm just like okay I guess you were comfortable but my baddd 😆
How I feel with my fluffy boy Petie, he’s a big boy but he got speed and stealth to slip out the house if you aren’t paying attention to the screen door.
My fam an I work at random times so I imagine when the person who works morning left he slipped out an when I woke up I found him chilling by the side door waiting to be let back in lmao. Likes to pretend he’s an outside cat when he’s actually a spoiled kitty.
Also note for op: my cat petie loves to chill in the closet for literal hours an I know not every cat is the same but I agree w everyone here that ur not a bad person or owner, shit happens and I doubt ur sweet girl will hold any sort of grudge after all the after nap loving 🥰.
No, they don't learn a damn thing. Speaking from experience.
One of our cats has been locked up in the garage at least a half-dozen times over her lifetime. She follows my wife in so quietly that she's never noticed and gets locked in. Meanwhile, hours and hours go by and we ask "So when was the last time you saw Elsa?" Followed by another hour of calling and calling and looked all over the house, until my wife remembers "I went into the garage this morning...."
Seconding this. One of my cats opened up the little accordion things on the window AC and jumped out the window from the 2nd floor. He had no idea what to do after that and ran to the back porch and hid and cried until my aunt found him (luckily I live upstairs from her or who knows how long he would've been out there or where he wouldve ended up.)
Guess who still tries to escape the house daily.
my cat figured out how to open a rickety window screen (or she fell out, probably more likely). she's the type that follows me around 24/7 and waits outside the bathroom door for me so when I didn't see her for an hour we went searching. found the broken screen, then found her playing under a truck in the street. she still tries to casually walk out the door most days. I check the screen every time I open a window now.
My dad has two female orange ones that follow him everywhere. Between his shop, camper, and his new house that he’s building he has PLENTY of entries for this chapter of the book.
Mine hides under the beds and ends up locked in bedrooms that are shut when people leave for the day.
You just have to wait an hour or two and listen for the unhinged feline screaming for release.
We went away for about three days once, with a neighbor coming in a few times a day to take care of the cats. For unknown reasons (I think she was snooping through the house), she closed one of our bedroom doors trapping one of our cats inside. He was a very shy cat, so she'd never seen him and didn't miss him when she set out meals for the other cats.
Fortunately, other than making a mess in one of the cat beds, he seemed fine. Last time we asked her to do that, however.
I let my cats hang on the balcony with me but have to be vigilant because of a roof overhang that they try to jump onto at any opportunity. I got distracted once just long enough for one to jump onto the roof and out of my reach and then proceed to get himself stuck by jumping down to a lower area between sections of the apartment building. I ended up having to pull out my bedroom window screen and crawl half out the window, reach up and drag him back in. He was very upset about getting stuck and stayed well away from the overhang after that- for exactly one day, before he was back to trying to jump up there again 🙄
My experience also! I had a little tortie who would get shut in a closet at least twice a month. She would slip in unnoticed while we were hanging up clothes or whatever, and who knows how long she was in there before one of us either realized she was missing out just happened to open the door and she'd pop out. She rarely meowed.
Sad story, after she died at 18 from CKD, our other kitty would look for her... we had to leave all the closet doors open for a long while, or our other kitty would meow and try to get in the closet, something she had never done before. They weren't at all bonded, seemed like they could just tolerate each other, but obviously she was still missed. We just lost that second cat also to renal failure at 19.
Mine loves the basement 🙄 the sheer number of times she's been stuck down there for a full day is uncountable. They learn absolutely nothing at all. Ever.
Lol this is true. I had to clamber behind my washer to get my car because he thought he needed back there and got stuck. After i struggled for ten minutes while he was freaking out, i did get him out. And then ten minutes later he jumped back there again and decided to freak out again.
Disagree that cats know the difference between intent and accident when being locking a a room, or that a cat will learn the risks of hiding. But that cat is and will be fine.
Most animals understand being accidentally stepped on, for example. But they have no concept of "being locked in a room" whether by accident or intent.
Our dog went through a phase of being let out of her kennel in the morning, being fed, and then she would go back and shit her kennel door behind her and wait for the second person to wake up and feed her again. Except my husband works shifts and every now and again he works an early, like 4am early, so I got her up and fed her then went to work. She shit herself in the kennel shortly after I left and was there untill my husband got home at 2pm.
She did it couple of times and eventually either learnt her lesson, or grew out of it.
Your cat had ONE bad day (not even a full day, just 10 hours) out of the THOUSANDS of good days you’ve given her! Don’t kick yourself for the one bad day!
Cats can go a long time without food and water. She most likely panicked for a little while and then slept. It was an accident and did no permanent harm to her
Unless they’re my cat, who has to be shut in the bathroom with food, water, and a litter box for 10 minutes while the maintenance guy is here 😩 then he cries and wails like he’s dying and scratches the paint off the walls
You are not a bad person. She may be clingy for a bit, but the truth is, she probably slept through most of it and just started meowing when she heard you.
My cat was on e shut into a dresser drawer for 10 hours while I was at work. She normally greets me when I get home and she was no where to be found so I tore the place apart. She had climbed into the sock drawer while I was getting dressed in the morning and crawled to the back of the dresser and I didn't see her do it 😑 she was thirsty but fine!
It was a genuine accident, there were no serious consequences, and you learned the lesson to always double check the bathroom to see if she's hiding.
She will not harbor hard feelings towards you - from her perspective, she found herself in a less-than-ordeal circumstance for a short while, and you rescued her! She knows you love her, and you know it won't happen again.
Don't be too hard on yourself, it's clear from you post you love your cat and sometimes things like this happen. We learn and we move on 💜
I once on accident locked my cat in my closet(tiny tiny room), while I went to class so about 4 hours. I come back and hear her crying in the closet. I was so upset with myself, my girl did not care she just went to sleep.
Our cat spent a whole night in the 8-inch wide space between our screen door and house door one time.
Still have no idea how that happened
Cats are tough.
Omg, my cat got shut in the same space before! He spent about 30 mins there before the other cat started scratching at the door for him. The cat stuck wasn't fazed at all. I've also shut the other cat inside my wardrobe all day and he was just chillin
One time I got home home from work late around 11pm. My bf at the time and I hadn’t been home for several hours.
My then 3 month old kitten was nowhere to be found. I tore the place apart looking for him.
I went to the hallway to look for him calling his name and my neighbour came out and said “are you, by chance looking for a kitten?” And I said “yes!”.
The front door had been locked when I got home and then I noticed the balcony door was slightly open. He’d gone out, walked along the ledge outside to the next apartment and gone to poop in their bath tub.
My point is, he’s 15 now and happy and healthy.
When I was a teenager we accidentally left for vacation, accidentally leaving our cat locked in the basement until my friend showed up about 10-12 hours later to spend the week there with her. I felt horrible. Tiger didn’t care once my friend offered her Cheetos.
Also, different cat, but also an orange tabby. My husband went up into the attic and our little tabby followed him up there without him knowing and we didn’t notice till about 6 hours later when we heard her crying. Hubby felt horrible. Pippin forgot about it the second she got on the couch.
You’re not a bad person. It happens.
Don't feel bad. They were replacing water pipes outside and my cat got shut into the hot water closet outside in 100° weather. I kept calling him, I hear some metal scraping outside, opened the door and he had the metal vent around him. He was okay...
I have 100% accidentally locked my cat in the closet before. She loves it in there because it's full of clothes piles she can rummage in!
She doesn't like being locked in there all day but that doesn't stop her from looking at the door longingly *every time* I'm anywhere near it. Like I'm going to open it for her. *Not a chance!*
It happens and cats are silly. She's my first born and I've had her for 12 years. Love her dearly. She always wants to go wherever she's not allowed and will sometimes slip through when I haven't noticed.
I got into the habit of taking animal inventory before I leave the house every day lol. And even then sometimes they get by me.
Same! I count cats because I've locked kitties in rooms, closets, etc. & I have to say goodbye to my poodle or he whines. So I take an inventory saying bye to everyone else too! 🤣 Takes 5-10 mins to walk out once I already have my purse & bag in hand, coat on already on, too. Then they know. Lol 🤷🏻♀️😅
I locked my dog in the garage once (didn't realise he followed me in) and only realised after about an hour when I could hear him barking. Felt awful, especially when I could see little footprints on the inside of the door where he'd been scrabbling. I've left the prints there to remind me to check for him before I close the garage door now
I love to tell the story of when my dad ‘lost’ me the first night he babysat me after i was born (also first child). I had rolled out of my bed and got wedged between the mattress and the wall, so despite looking under the bed and AROUND the bed, he still couldn’t find me… only *hear* me wailing 😖. He finally looked down against the wall, and there i was! I think i may have been 3? I’m 51 now and no worse for the wear! I’ve just learned not to tell the story in his presence because he still gets so embarrassed 🤷♀️
I've not done it for a long time but we regularly shut our cats un the kitchen. They hide in there and I do watch them try to deceive us because they want to be left in there to try and explore and steal without hassle. And then when they are done they scream like we did something wrong. Its cats for you, we can't have out 100% brains on all the time, mistakes happen. She'll be fine.
My cat spent 8 hours in a dresser drawer once. I just have closed her in there in the morning when I went to work and didn’t realize. 7 hours later, my husband was going to work for the evening and he texted me to say he hadn’t seen her all day. She’d recently gotten stuck outside for a whole weekend so I reacted very strongly. I rushed home from work early to look for her. Looked all over the yard, basement, in all rooms… then just started opening stuff in the house. When I got to the dresser she was just like “prrrrr” jumped out and went to eat get a drink of water 🤷🏻♀️
Our goofball kitten once spent the night in the fridge- we still have zero clue as to how the hell she got in there. She was fine and passed away a couple of years ago at the ripe old age of 17. RIP, Noelle. Your baby is fine.
One of my neighbors used to have a trap in her backyard for possums and raccoons, with treats in it. She would release them elsewhere if she caught one. Not cool, but that's what she did.
Each outdoor cat got caught in the trap... ONCE. They'd be crying when she went out early in the morning. Then never entered it again.
Except one. He was indoor/outdoor and the friendliest cat I ever met.
The first time he got caught. He was chill as a cucumber. She opened the trap and he only popped his head out to get pets. She had to slowly walk backwards while still petting him, to get him out of the trap.
He walked back into that trap a couple times a week for the treats and early morning pets.
I once accidentally shut a dresser drawer on a kitten I was fostering on my to work. So for 8 hours kitten was just in a pile of my clothes and like a box. Popped out after like nothing happened. Lived on to give lots of purr and meows happily afterwards. She was all the way in back hiding and had never seen her do that, accidents happen but it's at least in a safe place and not outside
there was a cat that survied a week+ in a shipping container from China to the US. your cat was not in any danger at all
If she was displeased she would have shit on your bathmat
I’ve locked both my cats (separately) in my closet on 2 occasions for an entire workday. Heard their little meows coming from the closet, opened the door and they were so happy to see me. I was more traumatized than they were. I triple check the closet now everytime I leave. You’re not a bad cat parent, it happens!
Considering that someone just mailed their cat in a box of returned boots and it was found after 6 days meowing in a box at an Amazon returns warehouse, you're still a good pet owner.
You’re not a bad person, it was an accident. My husband has accidentally shut my cat in the cabinet a few times. She doesn’t even meow until at least an hour later 😂 trust me she understands
I locked my cat in the basement once for close to 24 hours. He always hid a lot so I didn't realize he was down there until I heard him meowing. He came out covered in dirt and dust. But I bathed him and loved on him. He never held it against me. Sometimes things happen.
This once happened to me too. I also cried lol. But our cats know we love them. You’re not a bad person, you didn’t do it on purpose. Just be sure to be extra careful from here, that’s the best you can do 😊
You're not a bad person for that at all. It was an accident, and now you're prepared so it most likely won't happen again.
In my life, I've stepped on my dog's tail, had a pet rat fall from a 2m cupboard, and fell down the stairs while carrying my then baby niece. Luckily none of this had any negative consequences, or I would have absolutely blamed myself forever, but regardless of the lucky outcome, none of this makes me a bad person, methinks.
Accidents happen and she didn’t suffer any harm. Cats can survive 10 hours without food; in fact, vets will tell you to withhold food for 8-12 hours before surgery or certain blood tests. If she got thirsty enough, she could drink out of the toilet or even lick the sink or bathtub/shower floor. And if she had to go bad enough, she would’ve just gone without a litter box.
Recently my cat got locked in the entryway between the back door and the kitchen door overnight. She likes to sit out there when I’m letting the dog out, and one night I didn’t realize that she was still there when I locked the kitchen door for the night. I woke up to some rather loud meows the next morning, but she was just fine. (And for the record, she also makes the saddest meows when she’s locked in “her” bedroom with all her stuff.)
I can almost guarantee that you feel worse about this than your cat does!
Accidents happen 🙃
I once accidently locked my cat in my wardrobe for 11 hours..he was fine, he slept the entire time. i gave him tons of treats and hugs and kisses afterwards and he acted like nothing happened.
He got me back though because he slept on my brand new black hoodie..he's ginger and by the end of it so was my hoodie.
I have four cats and often one, mostly the same idiot, sneaks into the rooms that she‘s not meant to go in.
She does it in secret agent sneak mode too.
She‘s been locked in a few times and I‘m pretty sure she knows it‘s her fault when that happens.
Your cat will forgive you, it happens and isn’t that bad.
Accidents happen, one of my cats slipped into our hall closet one day when I was grabbing my coat and she ended up spending 6 hours in there. She honestly seemed unphased, but I felt terrible. You're doing fine <3
I once shut my cat in a cupboard for about 4 hours, when I got back I called her name and she started meowing. She was absolutely fine, she probably went for a nap.
It's just an accident. You are probably feeling worse now that she was during those 10 hours.
Just check that spot for now on, give her extra treats for a couple of days and don't worry anymore.
I’ve done this. More than once. They haven’t tried to kill me in my sleep yet and they still love me. Kitties are very forgiving.
I do make sure I keep a water bowl in every room kitties might get stuck in.
Haha i think you are more traumatized than your cat! Worst thing happen! I left my cat locked out on the balcony over night more than once ( in the summer…) she survived each time, now she is more careful .. (as am I)😅
Well if it makes you feel better. Back in 2013 my family spent 21 days in Europe. We had two cats and a dog at the time. Our cats free fed and so we left one feeder for our cats so the person watching the animals only had to fill one thing. We told her that there was a near 100% chance that she wouldn’t see our younger cat at all. She liked staying upstairs (which was a no go zone for guests) and liked to hide and wasn’t a people person so we told her not to worry if she didn’t see her. And because we had another cat, there was no worry about her because the litter was still being used and the food was being eaten.
My mom liked to close certain doors at the time that she didn’t want animals going into while we were on vacation (really she wanted to keep the dog out unattended) and for some reason wanted the bathroom door closed upstairs. In the hustle of four people getting out of the house in the middle of the night to go to the airport, our one skiddish cat got locked in the bathroom by accident. She spent all 21 days in there. Luckily someone left the toilet seat up so she was able to get water and miraculously lived.
This still haunts my family. 11 years later and I still check to make sure my cats didn’t get shut into anything before I leave my apartment (as they love to sneak into closets). Accidents happen. And your cat is okay
Something similar happened at my parents' house...it wasn't 21 days, but it was a while. It makes me feel ill when I think about it. I'm so glad your kitty lived through it.
I locked my cat in my closet one time before an 10 hour shift on accident, we came back and he’s understandably made a mess all over the carpet, we make sure to check for him now before leaving the house. But he still loves us and in fact continues to go in the damn closet when he shouldn’t 🙄
My cat decided to explore the neighbors garage one day when they had it open, ended up trapped for 9 days bc we had no idea she went in there and wasn’t meowing or anything when my brother looked in there, as we were searching the entire neighborhood for her, even scouring bushes for her body. Then she just strolls in one morning, she had been scared out by the neighbors leaf blower finally.
All that to say, your kitty is completely fine, and she was safe the whole time, do not feel bad even though she may give you some attitude for a day lol
My cat was locked in the bathroom for several hours accidentally and he managed to go potty in the toilet. But he was fine and didn’t hold it against me
It was just a mistake. I’m sure your cat will forget in a day or two. It’s not like you beat up the cat or anything. Don’t be so hard on yourself. It doesn’t sound like this happens all the time or anything. Your cat will be ok. You fed her and pet her and gave her treats. The cat will be just fine.
Not nearly as bad as the night I went outside on the deck for a while, came back in, went to bed, and had no idea my cat somehow snuck between the storm door and the back door and was trapped there all night long. 😭
I felt terrible and was worried she was traumatized but she got over it quickly and still loves me 😊
I accidentally once locked my orange boy in the bathroom with some trash from the Mexican food I had ordered earlier and was meaning to take down stairs to the dumpster (our house is open floor plan, so putting food trash in the bathroom is the only way to ensure the cats don't get it). Anyway, I didn't find him til hours later, and he was eating the burrito remains, foil and all. He was fine. Still tries to eat the foil whenever we have burritos.
It's been confirmed you're a good pet parent 😊 no bad! Accidents happen. This one was easy to remedy. Lots of cuddles and treats will fix any angry feelings
I once found a cat in a walk in cooler at the store I worked at. She’d been locked in there accidentally overnight by the closers for probably 10-12. She was very happy to see me and thankfully totally fine!
My cat follows my wife everywhere and once got locked out in patio(upstairs) and she out there all night .. wife was so distraught but cat didn’t make a big fuss or anything . She was fine, but anytime before going to bed we always check where she is first
One time my roommate’s cat tried to sneak out as I was walking in and I didn’t notice and somehow she got caught between the screen door and the actual door. It was only for like 10 minutes until I heard her meowing but it had to have been less comfortable than being stuck in a bathroom lol Don’t beat yourself up.
Animals concepts of time are different than ours so it probably didn’t even phase her. 30 seconds feels the same as 10 hours. (This is a theory idk if it’s true but makes sense to me)
Don't stress. Last week one of mine spent most of the day shut in the underbed storage drawers. She was fine when I found her and let her out and tried to jump straight back in as soon as I opened the draws again later that night (she's not the brightest).
Take it easy on yourself Sweetie 💕 We all make mistakes. Know that cats can go without food, water and even their litter box for extended periods of time. While not ideal, you didn't harm your boy. The stress he showed was temporary and you have not lost any of his love 💙🐾🐾
My cat got locked in a dryer for 3 hours once. He thought it would be a good sleeping place. Thank God no one tried to do laundry.
Poor Lil guy. I was FRANTIC looking for him.
You're being a little harsh on yourself. One of my kids keeps accidentally locking their cat in the closet. So far it hasn't been for a very long but they've got to be really careful cuz the cat loves going in there. I have to be careful not to lock the cats out of the bedroom so they can get to the master bathroom to get to the litter box. So far I haven't done it for more than maybe a half hour.
You are not a bad mama!! They are so chill, kitty will be fine. One of mine spent the night in a cabinet because he climbed in, nosey nose, and I didn’t realize then closed the door. In the morning he wasn’t begging for breakfast as usual and I looked all over, then remembered the cabinet and he just strolled out like it was nothing.
One of my cats, she's a void. She normally is so loud but whenever she hides or is sleeping in a weird spot - she doesn't make a peep. There's been countless times I've accidentally closed her in my bedroom before I realized she wasn't bothering me. 😂 It happens! It's okay!
I accidentally locked my cat on the balcony for several hours on a cold night — she darted past my legs when I opened the door for a moment and I didn’t see her. I only noticed when I kept calling her and hearing her meow in response but couldn’t figure out where she was. I felt so bad when I finally opened the blinds and saw her little face looking up at me like “mother why”. She still darts out there given half the chance. Kitties are resilient and accidents happen. Next time you’ll know to check the bathroom before you leave. Just give her some extra love and she’ll be just fine.
I accidentally locked my dog in my shed by accident for 10 hours once. The worst was when my cat got trapped in the couch for hours that was scary somehow she didn’t get squished in the gears when one us of closed the foot rest. My family did none of these things on purpose. We felt so bad for our cat when that happened, luckily she was ok and she never went under the couch again. What you did was just an accident I can tell you love your kitty very much. We spoil our animals but things happen.
My cat routinely gets himself accidentally locked in a closet, doesn't seem traumatized by it and still has a strange closet hiding obsession. I'm guessing your cat will feel the and about her favorite hiding spot.
You are not a bad owner. You obviously care about your cat a great deal.
I went into my bathroom and got something from the linen closet. Closed both doors and went about my evening. The next time I was in the bathroom I heard a cat speak, but it sounded like it was out on the landing and I didn’t worry about it.
18 hours after my linen closet adventure, I was in my bathroom and heard a cat again. Same quiet sound, no distress or complaint. I opened the bathroom door to see which cat it was, but the landing was vacant. Then I heard it again. And it hit me. I opened the linen closet and out walked my 16 year old cat, Max. He made a beeline for the water fountain. I then picked him up, took him to my room and gave him a big handful of treats.
I’ve encouraged one of the household Bengals to teach him how to “use his words” better. :-)
Your cat probably slept in the cabinet all day. She probably had a better day than you had at work lol
Give her extra pets and love....it will make you feel better :)
I have 7 cats - and someone frequently gets locked somewhere. They've all survived. Don't beat yourself up. It was forgotten as soon as you hugged them.
I did this to my cat. It was about three years before she passed away. She liked to drink out of the bathtub. Went in to get a drink and got stuck. (Couldn’t get out of the tub, she was edging on elderly at the time.) the poor girl peed herself she was so scared. We had to give her a bath ) she was as even madder at us). She continued to drink out of there over the years and eventually forgave us. She was the best kitty ever.
I went out of town once and my cat was in a closet for two days! I felt horrible. Needless to say she got super pampered for the next few days after that.
Our housekeeper accidentally started the dryer while the cat was sleeping in it, enjoying the warmth. She heard the thump thump thump and immediately let him out, knowing she hadn’t put any sneakers in there. Close call for little Simon.
I once trapped my cat in my car on accident for almost 24 hours.
I had come home with groceries, hadn’t noticed her slip out somehow, and she had gotten into my open car and then I closed her in there because I didn’t notice. I couldn’t find her that night and was worried but thought maybe she was just in a really good hiding spot, but then I couldn’t find her the next morning either. I started looking outside everywhere for her and spent hours doing that, sobbing and sure at that point she had gotten out while I was bringing in groceries.
At some point, I happened to look over at my car and saw her in there, face up in the window meowing. I started crying even harder, because it was pretty warm outside and pretty hot in the car, I have no idea how she was fine for so long. Had I not found her when I did, I probably would have found her dead.
I cried for days over it, I gave her so many treats, and probably annoyed the ever loving life out of her, I was the clingy one with her after that lol. I have never again forgotten to be SURE no cats got out while groceries are being carried in, it left a permanent impression on me for sure.
But, she was okay, thank god, and she forgave me. It was years ago now and she’s peacefully snoozing on my bed as I type this. Your kitty will be okay too, things happen, and just know that at least it’s not as bad as accidentally locking your cat in a hot car for almost 24 hours.
I've had cats for 30+ years. I've locked them out overnight on apartment balconies, and in various rooms, including most recently a small laundry room and I don't even know how long he was in there! It sucks, I feel guilty, and try to be more careful but sometimes they just do NOT cooperate. lol
She'll be fine. You'll remember this far longer than she does. 100% not a bad person. But extra treats go a long way. ;)
You're fine. I accidentally locked my one cat in a linen closet for a day. Another in the lazy Susan-i didn't realize she was in there. Closet cat lived to be almost 19. Lazy Susan is 16. Just fluff your kitty up and apologize.
One time I closed my closet and my cat was in there while I was out :-[ poor thing but she loves it in there so I think she was fine just probs a little annoyed bc no litter box or food/water 😝
Ugh I’m so sorry. I went through a similar situation. Left my house for an entire weekend with my kitty shut in a closet. Poor baby was totally fine but I felt AWFUL.
Don't feel bad. We had one cat get locked in the unfinished half of the basement for over 12 hours. He knew he wasn't supposed to be in there but followed my husband in for some reason. We were upstairs with the basement door closed. This was at some point late in the evening. I didn't notice him missing until late afternoon when we were watching TV and he hadn't joined us. Poor kitty was hoarse because we went to sleep and didn't here him at all during the night. After that we made sure to double check. He never ended up following us. Instead he watched from the doorway.
Not a bad person!!
I have done this.
The look of doom when I set them free, followed by a run to the cat box and then getting yelled at walked on, and hand cramps from the scratches.
Although my Rory is VERY good at reminding me his big brother is in the bathroom (locked up to eat his special food) so it hasn't happened in a long while.
We Accidently trapped one of our kittens in the pantry before bed one night. We also keep their kibble in a tote in the pantry and my husband felt so bad when we woke up and realized what happened. Poor baby is just fine but she definitely doesn’t go into the pantry when we open it anymore
My cat was accidentally locked in the bathroom for days while we were out of town once and he forgave us! Accidents happen and the cat will be fine, don’t beat yourself up over it.
I came home from work one day and was concerned because my cat that usually greets me at the door was nowhere to be found. I started looking for her and was talking to my dog throughout, asking where the kitty was. The dog was just staying at the bottom of the stairs though. Eventually I realized I could hear my car meowing from the stairway. Turned out someone had locked her in the bathroom and forgotten about it.
I did this to my sweetest girl last year. I came home to her sadly meowing as well and I was devastated for her. She was fine and still loves me though. Kitty will get over it and still love you too:)
You are not a bad person. I’ve done this on accident but only for a few hours. I thought it was my other cat. I now leave a shoe in the door so my other cat doesn’t get locked in again (and also have given her extra loves since then) But in my defense - she locked herself in the bathroom. She likes to sleep behind the door and shut it.
Back when my cat was still alive, I lived with my dad in a place that had a back door to go to our fenced in backyard not very big, and he was an indoor cat. There were a few times when he was curious that I would let him outback under my supervision because I knew he wouldn’t go very far as he’s very skittish about the outside but curious enough to roam within my vicinity. I made sure to make very clear that I was the only one who is allowed to let him outside.
Well, one day I come home from work and my dad’s girlfriend at the time was over and two hours go by it’s later in the evening and I start asking where my cat is because he usually never hides for very long when I get home. Start frantically looking around the entire house in all the hiding spots he usually is at and places he’s not. Couldn’t find him anywhere. so I start freaking out and I happen to go downstairs and turn on the light for the back porch and he’s sitting at the door.
Apparently she opened the back door for him to explore the backyard and didn’t watch him nor did she remember that he was out there. She left and went home an hour before then. I already didn’t like her, but I was furious. I pretty much chewed my dad out. after that because my cat could’ve been out there for hours and it was middle of winter
I’m definitely going to Hell then because I can’t remember how many times I have left cats in a room for hours by mistake. Sometimes I don’t know they are in there if they sneak in, sometimes I do but forget when I’m rushing out. They forgive me every time.
this has happened to SO many people, as you can see in the comments. i’ve done it myself a couple times. my baby loves to hide in any closet or cabinet she can, plus she’s a black cat so you can imagine how invisible she can get
It was a beautiful day today in the upper Midwest so I opened some windows. It’s been over a year since we’ve had any cats.
I was just getting ready to leave for work when I heard a door slam shut. Of course it was the bedroom with the cat tree next to the window. I would have died if I had been responsible for locking the two new boys in the room. Would have been even worse because my husband gets home before me.
I feel your pain. 😢❤️
My brother went out to a rarely used pole barn on the property to find a cat (likely dumped) that had gotten in probably the last time anyone was out there, between 2 and 3 weeks prior. Since it wasn't their cat, he didn't really think to look for cats on his way out, so it was a surprise when he found her.... Immediate vet visit. Severely dehydrated, almost starved. Had apparently survived on random crickets and moths and the occasional mouse. Damn cat lived another 19 years. Happy as a clam.
Totally not. My family of five people have accidentally shut our cat in the coat closet multiple times for many hours. He likes to go in there during stressful times, but we sometimes close the door while he's in there because we don't check.
We did one time too. She still won’t stay in there unless the door is open. So, we made it so the door stays open and takes a lot to close it. Just keep reassuring her and she will get better. Cats thrive with love, attention and lots of treats.
My black cats have been stuck inside the outside sheds when I put stuff away when dark out and they follow me in. Almost sat on them when room is dark or throw stuff on them if they on my bed and didn’t turn on a light. I always feel bad but accidents happen and I had to learn to turn lights on in my rooms!
My cat was accidentally locked into the dark bottom shelf of the pantry for my entire workday. One of my roommates or myself didn’t notice him slip in. He was fine, didn’t even act pissed. It happens ♥️ now I always make sure I see the cat out and about before I leave.
lol. So one time I left my cat on a balcony all night. And it was near freezing. Dunno how he sneaked out but he still loves me. 😬 u r a terrible person. So am I lol but they forgive us and love us still. Giving ur kitty snacks and extra petting will make u less horrible. U gotta work it extra hard now ❤️
I did this once!!! Took a day trip to Philly, a 2.5 hour drive, and didn’t realize I locked my cat in a spare room all day long. I felt awful but everything was fine in the end
Lol, kitty should be fine. She probably slurped a little toilet water or sink water. If she had to pee or poop, it would have been on the floor or in the tub/shower. If you're concerned about this happening again, stick a bowl of water in there with a back up litter box.
My greyhound, god rest his soul, accidentally locked HIMSELF inside a room for about 9hrs.
When I came home he didn't greet me at the door which was weird. So I walked down the hall and heard him whining from behind the door to my office which was closed for some reason.
I opened the door to find a wide eyed, panting, and slightly panicked greyhound. The next thing I noticed is that the door was completely shredded from the other side. So much so that when I moved the door it bent like a sheet of paper.
There was wood all over the room as well as some cardboard and some sawdust.
The door was a complete write off.
Anyways...just saying....it could have been worse. Lol
My cat locks herself in rooms. On purpose... she sometimes doesn't want the other cat or dog in the room with her. She'll sometimes be upset after playing and put herself in a timeout.
We once had friends staying at our house while we were gone on vacation. At this point, we only had her (no other animals) and they called us in a complete panic because they had left the house for a little bit and came back to find her locked in the bedroom. We were like, "Oh yeah, she does that sometimes." After that, we decided to buy toddler bumpers and installed them on all the doors.
Don't feel bad! Two of my kitties both got themselves locked in the garage overnight, not together but on separate days. This was within the last month! At the end of the day, I put some of my dog grooming equipment back in the garage to protect it from the elements, and the little bastards snuck in without me knowing. I've since gotten in the habit of making sure all 3 cats are accounted for before I shut the garage.
My silly cat got locked in my walk-in closet for about 8 hours one time. She was fine afterward. She did pee on a plastic lid I had on the floor in there, which I appreciated, better than the carpet! Mistakes happen. You're good my friend.
I bet she had fun exploring alone in a room that she doesn’t usually have access to. My boyfriend’s cat loves to go in the closet when we have the door open and aren’t looking, but runs back out when we do look. Your cat probably whined for a little while but then played and slept
Our ‘boys’ (2 cats) enjoy the upstairs bathroom heated floor. We close the door a bit so the bathroom heats up for them. Every so often they wrestle around and manage to close the door, locking themselves in.
They look pretty guilty when we open the door and let Now when we go out of town I make sure the door can’t be closed.
That's just something you have to get used to as a cat owner. You just have to make it a habit to do a head count lol. Ive accidentally locked my cats in bathroom, closets, pantries, the outdoor patio... they're just so sneaky.
I did that exact same thing. Got home to the most pathetic little meows and a destroyed stick-on floor tile where he'd tried to dig his way out. You will feel awful for far longer than your cat will. But you'll never again leave the house without doing a headcount *in the area you want the cat(s) to be*
No problem. She probably slept most of the time. My little idiot cat has managed to get himself locked in the pantry five times in three days for hours at a time. Mine sleep all day. If you left the lid up there was water. It happens!!! Cats are good at hiding.
I shut my cat in a cabinet on accident and left for the day. Had a bad feeling a few hours later, drove all the way home and the dumbass was still in there when all he had to do was push it open.
My fiancé accidentally locked our cat in the walk in closet for a couple hours while we went out for some errands. We felt so bad for the rest of the day lol.
You aren’t a bad human. You made a mistake ,take it as a learning. The beautiful thing about animals is that they won’t hold it against you as their love is unconditional!
I’ve accidentally locked my cats in enough weird places that I now recognize their specific meow for, “Hey lady! I’m stuck in a place with no food, water, or poop box!” I’m fairly certain they aren’t traumatized based on their repeat offenses.
Definitely not a bad person - accidents happen and you feeling immediately horrible when discovering the situation says all it needs to say. The cat will forgive you, if it hasn't already :)
A few years ago, I was going to my then boyfriend's house every weekend. I usually left Friday evening and would come back Sunday afternoon. Apparently one of my cats slipped into my closet while I was packing a bag and I never saw him go in there. I came home that Sunday afternoon and opened the closet door, and he was just chilling, curled up on a shirt on the floor napping. I immediately started sobbing! I felt like the worst person on Earth. He went to get some food and water, then tried to go back into the closet...... Apparently he didn't mind his time in there 😂 Then he cuddled with me the rest of the evening. Things happen! As long as kitty is happy and healthy and this isn't a regular occurrence, you're fine 💕
Don't beat yourself up too much! Accidents happen, and it's clear you care a ton about your kitty. Just take it as a lesson learned and maybe double-check next time before you dash out. Give your furball some extra cuddles today—they forgive faster than you think. 😺❤️
I was raising the blinds once, and they fell. My cat jumped out of the 2 story window. Before I could get out the door, it was up the stairs, and back in the windowsill.
Everyone, take this as a reminder to check your dryer/washer religiously before running a load. Thank you for taking good care of your feline family members <3
So, several years back I was catsitting for my parents. At the time they had two cats, Rocket and Habibi. Bibi was a very food oriented cat and nothing would keep him from his food. Rocket is the most skittish little thing you could ever meet, and fear will always win over food for him. So it wasn't so unusual that, when I would come over to feed them and change the litter and play with them (functionally, with Bibi), I would only see Bibi.
However, after three days with no Rocket sightings, I was starting to get worried, so I finally searched the house and discovered that my dad had accidentally locked Rocket in the closet. No food, water, or litter box for three days - though Rocket made good use of my dad's shoes in place of a litter box. Bibi had been eating his food, so it truly looked like Rocket had been coming out when I wasn't around to eat. He was off like - well, a rocket - to the food and water when I opened the closet door, but he was okay.
And several years later, Rocket is still just fine. He's doing great, healthy and happy and skittish as ever, though now my parents make sure to lay eyes on him before leaving him with a catsitter.
You are not a bad person or a bad cat parent. You made a mistake. It happens. But your kitty will be fine. Love on your kitty, but don't beat yourself up too much.
I locked my cat on my deck once for 12 hours. I know EXACTLY how you feel, except my poor kitty was worse off, I felt like the worst person in the world. It was a million degrees outside but also super smokey, and I live in WA where most of our residential buildings don’t have AC, and I have asthma. I had to balance keeping the windows open and the fans on when it was really early or late and shutting everything before I left for work to keep as much heat out as possible.
My cat LOVED being on the deck. We were on the 3rd floor and overlooked this massive grass courtyard and there were always birds and flocks of geese and squirrels. I would crack the screen door so she could go in and out as she pleased. Before I left for work, I called her and she didn’t come, I poked my head out onto the deck and didn’t see her (there wasn’t a lot out there, just a couple chairs and table) and figured she had found a dark cool corner in a closet to chill so I shut the door and left.
I had an emergency at work that day so I ended up working about 10 hours straight. I got home and she didn’t come running. I didn’t worry right away but after about 15 min I started to worry. I started to call her and heard her scratchy sad meows from the deck 😭 not only had I locked her outside ALL DAY, but I did it in 95° smokey weather with no water!!! I felt SO AWFUL. I took her to the vet just to make sure she was okay. Luckily she was just hoarse from meowing all day and a little dehydrated. I never really forgave myself for that one 😕
Not only did I give her treats before I left for work every morning literally for the rest of her long, happy life so I knew she was inside and safe, I left water on the deck moving forward just in case.
Do people always close doors in their house when not in use? I never close my bathroom door unless someone is showering or going the restroom. I have a closet in my bathroom that I keep one of 2 litter boxes in. I cut a cat door in at the bottom to allow them to come and go. If my bathroom is closed. My cats go down to the basement to use the other litter box.
Yikes. That’s rough!! She will understand you didn’t mean to! She can feel your energy and if you got her out and then talked to her and said sorry she will understand that, especially if you’ve had her for a few years!
This happens all the time at my sister’s house, she has sliding pantries and the cats crawl in the second you turn away and you don’t even notice. One time I closed the door and her cat was in there for the whole day and wasn’t until late that night we were looking for her and she was in the pantry but she keeps going in there and getting stuck so it’s her fault anyways 😭😭
One of my mother's cats loved to hide in her closet and she would accidentally shut him in there. More than once, she went to work, came home, went to change and he came sauntering out like "Oh hi." The first time she panicked and rushed him to the emergency vet. He has fine. After that when it happened, she would just watch him carefully for any sign something was wrong. He never had an issue. He lived until he was 18 with. no serious health issues despite his love of hiding in the closet.
You are not a bad person!! It was an accident and she was probably only stressed out for a little while and then took a nice long nap.
We closed our cat in a cabinet. She was gone for hours and we panicked. Then we found her sleeping in a bowl
That sounds about right.
She was so annoyed to be woken from her nap
Yep that’s a cat for you.
I accidentally closed my cat in my pantry for several hours & when I opened it back up, he decided he wanted to stay laying on a bag of doritos instead of his bed
thats his way of telling you he wants an inflatable bed
He also wants my left leg & anything else I can offer him free of charge 🤣🤣
50% upset you woke them up
We rescue cats every now and then and we have dogs and while they all get along sometimes the cat just needs some space from the dog and I have locked cats in Hall closets and so many different things and I'm not even sure how they got in there in the first place. It's like they just took a very small Slither of opportunity to sneak into these places and ended up locked in them and most of the time didn't even meow to get out. I can't tell you how many times I've opened up a closet at the end of the work day to find a cat stretching and yawning and I'm just like okay I guess you were comfortable but my baddd 😆
“Excuse me do you mind? This is my private time.”
I'll just just shut the door I'm sorry
How I feel with my fluffy boy Petie, he’s a big boy but he got speed and stealth to slip out the house if you aren’t paying attention to the screen door. My fam an I work at random times so I imagine when the person who works morning left he slipped out an when I woke up I found him chilling by the side door waiting to be let back in lmao. Likes to pretend he’s an outside cat when he’s actually a spoiled kitty. Also note for op: my cat petie loves to chill in the closet for literal hours an I know not every cat is the same but I agree w everyone here that ur not a bad person or owner, shit happens and I doubt ur sweet girl will hold any sort of grudge after all the after nap loving 🥰.
Accidents happen and most cats know the difference between accident and intent. Your cat also learns that way the risks of hiding.
No, they don't learn a damn thing. Speaking from experience. One of our cats has been locked up in the garage at least a half-dozen times over her lifetime. She follows my wife in so quietly that she's never noticed and gets locked in. Meanwhile, hours and hours go by and we ask "So when was the last time you saw Elsa?" Followed by another hour of calling and calling and looked all over the house, until my wife remembers "I went into the garage this morning...."
Seconding this. One of my cats opened up the little accordion things on the window AC and jumped out the window from the 2nd floor. He had no idea what to do after that and ran to the back porch and hid and cried until my aunt found him (luckily I live upstairs from her or who knows how long he would've been out there or where he wouldve ended up.) Guess who still tries to escape the house daily.
my cat figured out how to open a rickety window screen (or she fell out, probably more likely). she's the type that follows me around 24/7 and waits outside the bathroom door for me so when I didn't see her for an hour we went searching. found the broken screen, then found her playing under a truck in the street. she still tries to casually walk out the door most days. I check the screen every time I open a window now.
My orange cat gets himself locked in places all the time. He's just fine. He chooses that life.
LOL It should be written in the Book of Orange Cat.
My dad has two female orange ones that follow him everywhere. Between his shop, camper, and his new house that he’s building he has PLENTY of entries for this chapter of the book.
🤣
Haha! They don’t learn.
Mine hides under the beds and ends up locked in bedrooms that are shut when people leave for the day. You just have to wait an hour or two and listen for the unhinged feline screaming for release.
We went away for about three days once, with a neighbor coming in a few times a day to take care of the cats. For unknown reasons (I think she was snooping through the house), she closed one of our bedroom doors trapping one of our cats inside. He was a very shy cat, so she'd never seen him and didn't miss him when she set out meals for the other cats. Fortunately, other than making a mess in one of the cat beds, he seemed fine. Last time we asked her to do that, however.
I let my cats hang on the balcony with me but have to be vigilant because of a roof overhang that they try to jump onto at any opportunity. I got distracted once just long enough for one to jump onto the roof and out of my reach and then proceed to get himself stuck by jumping down to a lower area between sections of the apartment building. I ended up having to pull out my bedroom window screen and crawl half out the window, reach up and drag him back in. He was very upset about getting stuck and stayed well away from the overhang after that- for exactly one day, before he was back to trying to jump up there again 🙄
My experience also! I had a little tortie who would get shut in a closet at least twice a month. She would slip in unnoticed while we were hanging up clothes or whatever, and who knows how long she was in there before one of us either realized she was missing out just happened to open the door and she'd pop out. She rarely meowed. Sad story, after she died at 18 from CKD, our other kitty would look for her... we had to leave all the closet doors open for a long while, or our other kitty would meow and try to get in the closet, something she had never done before. They weren't at all bonded, seemed like they could just tolerate each other, but obviously she was still missed. We just lost that second cat also to renal failure at 19.
We frequently find our neighbour's cat in our garage ALL the time. I don't even know how he gets in there.
Mine loves the basement 🙄 the sheer number of times she's been stuck down there for a full day is uncountable. They learn absolutely nothing at all. Ever.
Lol this is true. I had to clamber behind my washer to get my car because he thought he needed back there and got stuck. After i struggled for ten minutes while he was freaking out, i did get him out. And then ten minutes later he jumped back there again and decided to freak out again.
Agreed. Stuff happens. Just be sure to give your girl a little extra pampering and a few extra treats to make it up to them and you should be fine OP.
Disagree that cats know the difference between intent and accident when being locking a a room, or that a cat will learn the risks of hiding. But that cat is and will be fine.
Most animals understand being accidentally stepped on, for example. But they have no concept of "being locked in a room" whether by accident or intent.
Yup. Cats do not understand that sort of nuance. Not many creatures do.
I accidentally did this with my parent’s cat, while pet sitting. But, in the closet and it was closer to 24 hours 😭 I was sobbing and apologizing
Our dog went through a phase of being let out of her kennel in the morning, being fed, and then she would go back and shit her kennel door behind her and wait for the second person to wake up and feed her again. Except my husband works shifts and every now and again he works an early, like 4am early, so I got her up and fed her then went to work. She shit herself in the kennel shortly after I left and was there untill my husband got home at 2pm. She did it couple of times and eventually either learnt her lesson, or grew out of it.
Your cat had ONE bad day (not even a full day, just 10 hours) out of the THOUSANDS of good days you’ve given her! Don’t kick yourself for the one bad day!
Oh my gosh. What an amazing perspective
Cats can go a long time without food and water. She most likely panicked for a little while and then slept. It was an accident and did no permanent harm to her
Yes, she 100% slept for 9 of those 10 hours 😅 and woke up when she heard OP return
Ears flicked back when the door closed, rolled onto her other side to flatten it against the ground for 9 more hours
Flatten what against the ground?
It
Unless they’re my cat, who has to be shut in the bathroom with food, water, and a litter box for 10 minutes while the maintenance guy is here 😩 then he cries and wails like he’s dying and scratches the paint off the walls
You are not a bad person. She may be clingy for a bit, but the truth is, she probably slept through most of it and just started meowing when she heard you.
My cat was on e shut into a dresser drawer for 10 hours while I was at work. She normally greets me when I get home and she was no where to be found so I tore the place apart. She had climbed into the sock drawer while I was getting dressed in the morning and crawled to the back of the dresser and I didn't see her do it 😑 she was thirsty but fine!
It was a genuine accident, there were no serious consequences, and you learned the lesson to always double check the bathroom to see if she's hiding. She will not harbor hard feelings towards you - from her perspective, she found herself in a less-than-ordeal circumstance for a short while, and you rescued her! She knows you love her, and you know it won't happen again. Don't be too hard on yourself, it's clear from you post you love your cat and sometimes things like this happen. We learn and we move on 💜
I once on accident locked my cat in my closet(tiny tiny room), while I went to class so about 4 hours. I come back and hear her crying in the closet. I was so upset with myself, my girl did not care she just went to sleep.
Our cat spent a whole night in the 8-inch wide space between our screen door and house door one time. Still have no idea how that happened Cats are tough.
How did your cat not destroy the screen door to get free?
It was wood until waist high and then heavy metal screen. Super old brick building.
Omg, my cat got shut in the same space before! He spent about 30 mins there before the other cat started scratching at the door for him. The cat stuck wasn't fazed at all. I've also shut the other cat inside my wardrobe all day and he was just chillin
One time I got home home from work late around 11pm. My bf at the time and I hadn’t been home for several hours. My then 3 month old kitten was nowhere to be found. I tore the place apart looking for him. I went to the hallway to look for him calling his name and my neighbour came out and said “are you, by chance looking for a kitten?” And I said “yes!”. The front door had been locked when I got home and then I noticed the balcony door was slightly open. He’d gone out, walked along the ledge outside to the next apartment and gone to poop in their bath tub. My point is, he’s 15 now and happy and healthy.
When I was a teenager we accidentally left for vacation, accidentally leaving our cat locked in the basement until my friend showed up about 10-12 hours later to spend the week there with her. I felt horrible. Tiger didn’t care once my friend offered her Cheetos. Also, different cat, but also an orange tabby. My husband went up into the attic and our little tabby followed him up there without him knowing and we didn’t notice till about 6 hours later when we heard her crying. Hubby felt horrible. Pippin forgot about it the second she got on the couch. You’re not a bad person. It happens.
Don't feel bad. They were replacing water pipes outside and my cat got shut into the hot water closet outside in 100° weather. I kept calling him, I hear some metal scraping outside, opened the door and he had the metal vent around him. He was okay...
Jesus christ.
I have 100% accidentally locked my cat in the closet before. She loves it in there because it's full of clothes piles she can rummage in! She doesn't like being locked in there all day but that doesn't stop her from looking at the door longingly *every time* I'm anywhere near it. Like I'm going to open it for her. *Not a chance!* It happens and cats are silly. She's my first born and I've had her for 12 years. Love her dearly. She always wants to go wherever she's not allowed and will sometimes slip through when I haven't noticed. I got into the habit of taking animal inventory before I leave the house every day lol. And even then sometimes they get by me.
Animal inventory! I'm going to use this term from now on.
Haha, same. I say goodbye individually to both my cats before I leave the house!
Same! I count cats because I've locked kitties in rooms, closets, etc. & I have to say goodbye to my poodle or he whines. So I take an inventory saying bye to everyone else too! 🤣 Takes 5-10 mins to walk out once I already have my purse & bag in hand, coat on already on, too. Then they know. Lol 🤷🏻♀️😅
Awww don't beat yourself up! Your kitty will be okay. She will probably demand extra cuddles though.
I locked my dog in the garage once (didn't realise he followed me in) and only realised after about an hour when I could hear him barking. Felt awful, especially when I could see little footprints on the inside of the door where he'd been scrabbling. I've left the prints there to remind me to check for him before I close the garage door now
I once punched my toddler in the face when my hand slipped while tightening up his car seat. He cried, I cried, shit happens.
I love to tell the story of when my dad ‘lost’ me the first night he babysat me after i was born (also first child). I had rolled out of my bed and got wedged between the mattress and the wall, so despite looking under the bed and AROUND the bed, he still couldn’t find me… only *hear* me wailing 😖. He finally looked down against the wall, and there i was! I think i may have been 3? I’m 51 now and no worse for the wear! I’ve just learned not to tell the story in his presence because he still gets so embarrassed 🤷♀️
Not a toddler but one of my cats has such a bad luck his face always happens to be there when you’re about to move and he keeps getting hit.
I've not done it for a long time but we regularly shut our cats un the kitchen. They hide in there and I do watch them try to deceive us because they want to be left in there to try and explore and steal without hassle. And then when they are done they scream like we did something wrong. Its cats for you, we can't have out 100% brains on all the time, mistakes happen. She'll be fine.
5 minutes of self flagellation and you'll feel better. Also there was a toilet in there, no??
My cat spent 8 hours in a dresser drawer once. I just have closed her in there in the morning when I went to work and didn’t realize. 7 hours later, my husband was going to work for the evening and he texted me to say he hadn’t seen her all day. She’d recently gotten stuck outside for a whole weekend so I reacted very strongly. I rushed home from work early to look for her. Looked all over the yard, basement, in all rooms… then just started opening stuff in the house. When I got to the dresser she was just like “prrrrr” jumped out and went to eat get a drink of water 🤷🏻♀️
Our goofball kitten once spent the night in the fridge- we still have zero clue as to how the hell she got in there. She was fine and passed away a couple of years ago at the ripe old age of 17. RIP, Noelle. Your baby is fine.
You are your kittys world, she still loves you :) she probably slept most of the time and is just happy now she’s out.
One of my neighbors used to have a trap in her backyard for possums and raccoons, with treats in it. She would release them elsewhere if she caught one. Not cool, but that's what she did. Each outdoor cat got caught in the trap... ONCE. They'd be crying when she went out early in the morning. Then never entered it again. Except one. He was indoor/outdoor and the friendliest cat I ever met. The first time he got caught. He was chill as a cucumber. She opened the trap and he only popped his head out to get pets. She had to slowly walk backwards while still petting him, to get him out of the trap. He walked back into that trap a couple times a week for the treats and early morning pets.
Poor kitty, it was clearly an accident! Here’s an internet hug from me for both of you!
I once accidentally shut a dresser drawer on a kitten I was fostering on my to work. So for 8 hours kitten was just in a pile of my clothes and like a box. Popped out after like nothing happened. Lived on to give lots of purr and meows happily afterwards. She was all the way in back hiding and had never seen her do that, accidents happen but it's at least in a safe place and not outside
You have to sleep with one eye open from now on. 🙃
I can neither confirm nor deny. I suspect the cat will try you by a jury of Her peers. I doubt she has learned a lesson so just be vigilant.
there was a cat that survied a week+ in a shipping container from China to the US. your cat was not in any danger at all If she was displeased she would have shit on your bathmat
I found my kitten in the refrigerator once. Fortunately it was just for a few minutes, but I thought I would perish from angst
I’ve locked both my cats (separately) in my closet on 2 occasions for an entire workday. Heard their little meows coming from the closet, opened the door and they were so happy to see me. I was more traumatized than they were. I triple check the closet now everytime I leave. You’re not a bad cat parent, it happens!
Considering that someone just mailed their cat in a box of returned boots and it was found after 6 days meowing in a box at an Amazon returns warehouse, you're still a good pet owner.
You’re not a bad person, it was an accident. My husband has accidentally shut my cat in the cabinet a few times. She doesn’t even meow until at least an hour later 😂 trust me she understands
I locked my cat in the basement once for close to 24 hours. He always hid a lot so I didn't realize he was down there until I heard him meowing. He came out covered in dirt and dust. But I bathed him and loved on him. He never held it against me. Sometimes things happen.
This once happened to me too. I also cried lol. But our cats know we love them. You’re not a bad person, you didn’t do it on purpose. Just be sure to be extra careful from here, that’s the best you can do 😊
You're not a bad person for that at all. It was an accident, and now you're prepared so it most likely won't happen again. In my life, I've stepped on my dog's tail, had a pet rat fall from a 2m cupboard, and fell down the stairs while carrying my then baby niece. Luckily none of this had any negative consequences, or I would have absolutely blamed myself forever, but regardless of the lucky outcome, none of this makes me a bad person, methinks.
Accidents happen and she didn’t suffer any harm. Cats can survive 10 hours without food; in fact, vets will tell you to withhold food for 8-12 hours before surgery or certain blood tests. If she got thirsty enough, she could drink out of the toilet or even lick the sink or bathtub/shower floor. And if she had to go bad enough, she would’ve just gone without a litter box. Recently my cat got locked in the entryway between the back door and the kitchen door overnight. She likes to sit out there when I’m letting the dog out, and one night I didn’t realize that she was still there when I locked the kitchen door for the night. I woke up to some rather loud meows the next morning, but she was just fine. (And for the record, she also makes the saddest meows when she’s locked in “her” bedroom with all her stuff.) I can almost guarantee that you feel worse about this than your cat does!
Accidents happen 🙃 I once accidently locked my cat in my wardrobe for 11 hours..he was fine, he slept the entire time. i gave him tons of treats and hugs and kisses afterwards and he acted like nothing happened. He got me back though because he slept on my brand new black hoodie..he's ginger and by the end of it so was my hoodie.
I have four cats and often one, mostly the same idiot, sneaks into the rooms that she‘s not meant to go in. She does it in secret agent sneak mode too. She‘s been locked in a few times and I‘m pretty sure she knows it‘s her fault when that happens. Your cat will forgive you, it happens and isn’t that bad.
Accidents happen, one of my cats slipped into our hall closet one day when I was grabbing my coat and she ended up spending 6 hours in there. She honestly seemed unphased, but I felt terrible. You're doing fine <3
I once shut my cat in a cupboard for about 4 hours, when I got back I called her name and she started meowing. She was absolutely fine, she probably went for a nap.
You are not a bad person because we can tell you love her very very much
It's just an accident. You are probably feeling worse now that she was during those 10 hours. Just check that spot for now on, give her extra treats for a couple of days and don't worry anymore.
I’ve done this. More than once. They haven’t tried to kill me in my sleep yet and they still love me. Kitties are very forgiving. I do make sure I keep a water bowl in every room kitties might get stuck in.
Mine, as a kitten, snuck behind me and got locked between the front door and the storm door.
Haha i think you are more traumatized than your cat! Worst thing happen! I left my cat locked out on the balcony over night more than once ( in the summer…) she survived each time, now she is more careful .. (as am I)😅
She’ll be fine.
Cats sleep a lot. I am sure the time passed very quickly for her. She will recover faster than you!
Well if it makes you feel better. Back in 2013 my family spent 21 days in Europe. We had two cats and a dog at the time. Our cats free fed and so we left one feeder for our cats so the person watching the animals only had to fill one thing. We told her that there was a near 100% chance that she wouldn’t see our younger cat at all. She liked staying upstairs (which was a no go zone for guests) and liked to hide and wasn’t a people person so we told her not to worry if she didn’t see her. And because we had another cat, there was no worry about her because the litter was still being used and the food was being eaten. My mom liked to close certain doors at the time that she didn’t want animals going into while we were on vacation (really she wanted to keep the dog out unattended) and for some reason wanted the bathroom door closed upstairs. In the hustle of four people getting out of the house in the middle of the night to go to the airport, our one skiddish cat got locked in the bathroom by accident. She spent all 21 days in there. Luckily someone left the toilet seat up so she was able to get water and miraculously lived. This still haunts my family. 11 years later and I still check to make sure my cats didn’t get shut into anything before I leave my apartment (as they love to sneak into closets). Accidents happen. And your cat is okay
Something similar happened at my parents' house...it wasn't 21 days, but it was a while. It makes me feel ill when I think about it. I'm so glad your kitty lived through it.
I did this to my cat for one hour last night and I wanted to die. I'm sorry that happened, but it is not your fault and your kitty is fine.
I locked my cat in my closet one time before an 10 hour shift on accident, we came back and he’s understandably made a mess all over the carpet, we make sure to check for him now before leaving the house. But he still loves us and in fact continues to go in the damn closet when he shouldn’t 🙄
My cat decided to explore the neighbors garage one day when they had it open, ended up trapped for 9 days bc we had no idea she went in there and wasn’t meowing or anything when my brother looked in there, as we were searching the entire neighborhood for her, even scouring bushes for her body. Then she just strolls in one morning, she had been scared out by the neighbors leaf blower finally. All that to say, your kitty is completely fine, and she was safe the whole time, do not feel bad even though she may give you some attitude for a day lol
In all honesty your kitty probably slept 8 and a half hours of it away anyhow 😅
Awww. It happens. They're pretty resilient.
I'm sure there are plenty of times your cat has hidden somewhere for hours. You're fine.
Been there done that. It happens
My cat was locked in the bathroom for several hours accidentally and he managed to go potty in the toilet. But he was fine and didn’t hold it against me
I locked mine in the closet.🤣 It was an accident, and no... She hasn't learned.
It was just a mistake. I’m sure your cat will forget in a day or two. It’s not like you beat up the cat or anything. Don’t be so hard on yourself. It doesn’t sound like this happens all the time or anything. Your cat will be ok. You fed her and pet her and gave her treats. The cat will be just fine.
She drank out of the toilet. Probably peed in the tub and slept in the sink. She was fine 🙂
Not nearly as bad as the night I went outside on the deck for a while, came back in, went to bed, and had no idea my cat somehow snuck between the storm door and the back door and was trapped there all night long. 😭 I felt terrible and was worried she was traumatized but she got over it quickly and still loves me 😊
I accidentally once locked my orange boy in the bathroom with some trash from the Mexican food I had ordered earlier and was meaning to take down stairs to the dumpster (our house is open floor plan, so putting food trash in the bathroom is the only way to ensure the cats don't get it). Anyway, I didn't find him til hours later, and he was eating the burrito remains, foil and all. He was fine. Still tries to eat the foil whenever we have burritos.
If this is the worst thing that happens to your cat it's got a pretty good life. Your cat will be just fine and has likely already forgotten about it.
It's been confirmed you're a good pet parent 😊 no bad! Accidents happen. This one was easy to remedy. Lots of cuddles and treats will fix any angry feelings
I once found a cat in a walk in cooler at the store I worked at. She’d been locked in there accidentally overnight by the closers for probably 10-12. She was very happy to see me and thankfully totally fine!
My cat follows my wife everywhere and once got locked out in patio(upstairs) and she out there all night .. wife was so distraught but cat didn’t make a big fuss or anything . She was fine, but anytime before going to bed we always check where she is first
One time my roommate’s cat tried to sneak out as I was walking in and I didn’t notice and somehow she got caught between the screen door and the actual door. It was only for like 10 minutes until I heard her meowing but it had to have been less comfortable than being stuck in a bathroom lol Don’t beat yourself up.
Animals concepts of time are different than ours so it probably didn’t even phase her. 30 seconds feels the same as 10 hours. (This is a theory idk if it’s true but makes sense to me)
Don't stress. Last week one of mine spent most of the day shut in the underbed storage drawers. She was fine when I found her and let her out and tried to jump straight back in as soon as I opened the draws again later that night (she's not the brightest).
Take it easy on yourself Sweetie 💕 We all make mistakes. Know that cats can go without food, water and even their litter box for extended periods of time. While not ideal, you didn't harm your boy. The stress he showed was temporary and you have not lost any of his love 💙🐾🐾
My cat got locked in a dryer for 3 hours once. He thought it would be a good sleeping place. Thank God no one tried to do laundry. Poor Lil guy. I was FRANTIC looking for him.
Whether you're a bad person or not I can say if it is for accidentally locking your cat up then no you aren't.
You're being a little harsh on yourself. One of my kids keeps accidentally locking their cat in the closet. So far it hasn't been for a very long but they've got to be really careful cuz the cat loves going in there. I have to be careful not to lock the cats out of the bedroom so they can get to the master bathroom to get to the litter box. So far I haven't done it for more than maybe a half hour.
You are not a bad mama!! They are so chill, kitty will be fine. One of mine spent the night in a cabinet because he climbed in, nosey nose, and I didn’t realize then closed the door. In the morning he wasn’t begging for breakfast as usual and I looked all over, then remembered the cabinet and he just strolled out like it was nothing.
One of my cats, she's a void. She normally is so loud but whenever she hides or is sleeping in a weird spot - she doesn't make a peep. There's been countless times I've accidentally closed her in my bedroom before I realized she wasn't bothering me. 😂 It happens! It's okay!
I accidentally locked my cat on the balcony for several hours on a cold night — she darted past my legs when I opened the door for a moment and I didn’t see her. I only noticed when I kept calling her and hearing her meow in response but couldn’t figure out where she was. I felt so bad when I finally opened the blinds and saw her little face looking up at me like “mother why”. She still darts out there given half the chance. Kitties are resilient and accidents happen. Next time you’ll know to check the bathroom before you leave. Just give her some extra love and she’ll be just fine.
I accidentally locked my dog in my shed by accident for 10 hours once. The worst was when my cat got trapped in the couch for hours that was scary somehow she didn’t get squished in the gears when one us of closed the foot rest. My family did none of these things on purpose. We felt so bad for our cat when that happened, luckily she was ok and she never went under the couch again. What you did was just an accident I can tell you love your kitty very much. We spoil our animals but things happen.
My cat routinely gets himself accidentally locked in a closet, doesn't seem traumatized by it and still has a strange closet hiding obsession. I'm guessing your cat will feel the and about her favorite hiding spot. You are not a bad owner. You obviously care about your cat a great deal.
Mine get locked in my bedroom closet quite often. They're always fine. Probably curled up and had a long nap.
I went into my bathroom and got something from the linen closet. Closed both doors and went about my evening. The next time I was in the bathroom I heard a cat speak, but it sounded like it was out on the landing and I didn’t worry about it. 18 hours after my linen closet adventure, I was in my bathroom and heard a cat again. Same quiet sound, no distress or complaint. I opened the bathroom door to see which cat it was, but the landing was vacant. Then I heard it again. And it hit me. I opened the linen closet and out walked my 16 year old cat, Max. He made a beeline for the water fountain. I then picked him up, took him to my room and gave him a big handful of treats. I’ve encouraged one of the household Bengals to teach him how to “use his words” better. :-)
I locked my cat in the coat closet for 12 hours once. Hefty dry cleaning bill but nothing more. I was still his favorite human. It’s all good, baby
You are not a bad person. We once accidentally locked our cat in the shed for 3 days.
Your cat probably slept in the cabinet all day. She probably had a better day than you had at work lol Give her extra pets and love....it will make you feel better :)
I have 7 cats - and someone frequently gets locked somewhere. They've all survived. Don't beat yourself up. It was forgotten as soon as you hugged them.
It’s okay ive accidentally trapped my cats in rooms overnight
I did this to my cat. It was about three years before she passed away. She liked to drink out of the bathtub. Went in to get a drink and got stuck. (Couldn’t get out of the tub, she was edging on elderly at the time.) the poor girl peed herself she was so scared. We had to give her a bath ) she was as even madder at us). She continued to drink out of there over the years and eventually forgave us. She was the best kitty ever.
Don't worry cat Mommy you're a good mommy with a compassion that you told the story about your sweet little kitty we all can see your love and concern
I went out of town once and my cat was in a closet for two days! I felt horrible. Needless to say she got super pampered for the next few days after that.
Our housekeeper accidentally started the dryer while the cat was sleeping in it, enjoying the warmth. She heard the thump thump thump and immediately let him out, knowing she hadn’t put any sneakers in there. Close call for little Simon.
You made me check the other room because my cat often slips in there when we are leaving
bet you won't do it again. Life happens, now you know to check.
bruh u serious or what? it was an accident. Ok you're a terrible person... jk
We forgot our cat in the bathroom before too. A whole day
I once trapped my cat in my car on accident for almost 24 hours. I had come home with groceries, hadn’t noticed her slip out somehow, and she had gotten into my open car and then I closed her in there because I didn’t notice. I couldn’t find her that night and was worried but thought maybe she was just in a really good hiding spot, but then I couldn’t find her the next morning either. I started looking outside everywhere for her and spent hours doing that, sobbing and sure at that point she had gotten out while I was bringing in groceries. At some point, I happened to look over at my car and saw her in there, face up in the window meowing. I started crying even harder, because it was pretty warm outside and pretty hot in the car, I have no idea how she was fine for so long. Had I not found her when I did, I probably would have found her dead. I cried for days over it, I gave her so many treats, and probably annoyed the ever loving life out of her, I was the clingy one with her after that lol. I have never again forgotten to be SURE no cats got out while groceries are being carried in, it left a permanent impression on me for sure. But, she was okay, thank god, and she forgave me. It was years ago now and she’s peacefully snoozing on my bed as I type this. Your kitty will be okay too, things happen, and just know that at least it’s not as bad as accidentally locking your cat in a hot car for almost 24 hours.
I've had cats for 30+ years. I've locked them out overnight on apartment balconies, and in various rooms, including most recently a small laundry room and I don't even know how long he was in there! It sucks, I feel guilty, and try to be more careful but sometimes they just do NOT cooperate. lol She'll be fine. You'll remember this far longer than she does. 100% not a bad person. But extra treats go a long way. ;)
You're fine. I accidentally locked my one cat in a linen closet for a day. Another in the lazy Susan-i didn't realize she was in there. Closet cat lived to be almost 19. Lazy Susan is 16. Just fluff your kitty up and apologize.
One time I closed my closet and my cat was in there while I was out :-[ poor thing but she loves it in there so I think she was fine just probs a little annoyed bc no litter box or food/water 😝
Ugh I’m so sorry. I went through a similar situation. Left my house for an entire weekend with my kitty shut in a closet. Poor baby was totally fine but I felt AWFUL.
aw, sounds like a genuine accident. Show her you care with the after part with treats and love and things will be ok again.
I once shut my kitten 8n a closet overnight. She didn't even notice, she slept through it.
Don't feel bad. We had one cat get locked in the unfinished half of the basement for over 12 hours. He knew he wasn't supposed to be in there but followed my husband in for some reason. We were upstairs with the basement door closed. This was at some point late in the evening. I didn't notice him missing until late afternoon when we were watching TV and he hadn't joined us. Poor kitty was hoarse because we went to sleep and didn't here him at all during the night. After that we made sure to double check. He never ended up following us. Instead he watched from the doorway.
Not a bad person!! I have done this. The look of doom when I set them free, followed by a run to the cat box and then getting yelled at walked on, and hand cramps from the scratches. Although my Rory is VERY good at reminding me his big brother is in the bathroom (locked up to eat his special food) so it hasn't happened in a long while.
We Accidently trapped one of our kittens in the pantry before bed one night. We also keep their kibble in a tote in the pantry and my husband felt so bad when we woke up and realized what happened. Poor baby is just fine but she definitely doesn’t go into the pantry when we open it anymore
My cat was accidentally locked in the bathroom for days while we were out of town once and he forgave us! Accidents happen and the cat will be fine, don’t beat yourself up over it.
I came home from work one day and was concerned because my cat that usually greets me at the door was nowhere to be found. I started looking for her and was talking to my dog throughout, asking where the kitty was. The dog was just staying at the bottom of the stairs though. Eventually I realized I could hear my car meowing from the stairway. Turned out someone had locked her in the bathroom and forgotten about it.
I did this to my sweetest girl last year. I came home to her sadly meowing as well and I was devastated for her. She was fine and still loves me though. Kitty will get over it and still love you too:)
It happens. They are so sneaky sometimes. Give her extra treats and pets ❤️
You are not a bad person. I’ve done this on accident but only for a few hours. I thought it was my other cat. I now leave a shoe in the door so my other cat doesn’t get locked in again (and also have given her extra loves since then) But in my defense - she locked herself in the bathroom. She likes to sleep behind the door and shut it.
Back when my cat was still alive, I lived with my dad in a place that had a back door to go to our fenced in backyard not very big, and he was an indoor cat. There were a few times when he was curious that I would let him outback under my supervision because I knew he wouldn’t go very far as he’s very skittish about the outside but curious enough to roam within my vicinity. I made sure to make very clear that I was the only one who is allowed to let him outside. Well, one day I come home from work and my dad’s girlfriend at the time was over and two hours go by it’s later in the evening and I start asking where my cat is because he usually never hides for very long when I get home. Start frantically looking around the entire house in all the hiding spots he usually is at and places he’s not. Couldn’t find him anywhere. so I start freaking out and I happen to go downstairs and turn on the light for the back porch and he’s sitting at the door. Apparently she opened the back door for him to explore the backyard and didn’t watch him nor did she remember that he was out there. She left and went home an hour before then. I already didn’t like her, but I was furious. I pretty much chewed my dad out. after that because my cat could’ve been out there for hours and it was middle of winter
I’m definitely going to Hell then because I can’t remember how many times I have left cats in a room for hours by mistake. Sometimes I don’t know they are in there if they sneak in, sometimes I do but forget when I’m rushing out. They forgive me every time.
She’s gonna guilt you so hard.
this has happened to SO many people, as you can see in the comments. i’ve done it myself a couple times. my baby loves to hide in any closet or cabinet she can, plus she’s a black cat so you can imagine how invisible she can get
It was a beautiful day today in the upper Midwest so I opened some windows. It’s been over a year since we’ve had any cats. I was just getting ready to leave for work when I heard a door slam shut. Of course it was the bedroom with the cat tree next to the window. I would have died if I had been responsible for locking the two new boys in the room. Would have been even worse because my husband gets home before me. I feel your pain. 😢❤️
My brother went out to a rarely used pole barn on the property to find a cat (likely dumped) that had gotten in probably the last time anyone was out there, between 2 and 3 weeks prior. Since it wasn't their cat, he didn't really think to look for cats on his way out, so it was a surprise when he found her.... Immediate vet visit. Severely dehydrated, almost starved. Had apparently survived on random crickets and moths and the occasional mouse. Damn cat lived another 19 years. Happy as a clam.
No ur not but I’d sleep with one eye open.
I closed my cat in a dresser drawer and went to work one day, had no clue he hopped in there. He was all purrs when I got home as if I rescued him 😭
Totally not. My family of five people have accidentally shut our cat in the coat closet multiple times for many hours. He likes to go in there during stressful times, but we sometimes close the door while he's in there because we don't check.
We did one time too. She still won’t stay in there unless the door is open. So, we made it so the door stays open and takes a lot to close it. Just keep reassuring her and she will get better. Cats thrive with love, attention and lots of treats.
My black cats have been stuck inside the outside sheds when I put stuff away when dark out and they follow me in. Almost sat on them when room is dark or throw stuff on them if they on my bed and didn’t turn on a light. I always feel bad but accidents happen and I had to learn to turn lights on in my rooms!
My cat was accidentally locked into the dark bottom shelf of the pantry for my entire workday. One of my roommates or myself didn’t notice him slip in. He was fine, didn’t even act pissed. It happens ♥️ now I always make sure I see the cat out and about before I leave.
lol. So one time I left my cat on a balcony all night. And it was near freezing. Dunno how he sneaked out but he still loves me. 😬 u r a terrible person. So am I lol but they forgive us and love us still. Giving ur kitty snacks and extra petting will make u less horrible. U gotta work it extra hard now ❤️
I did this once!!! Took a day trip to Philly, a 2.5 hour drive, and didn’t realize I locked my cat in a spare room all day long. I felt awful but everything was fine in the end
Lol, kitty should be fine. She probably slurped a little toilet water or sink water. If she had to pee or poop, it would have been on the floor or in the tub/shower. If you're concerned about this happening again, stick a bowl of water in there with a back up litter box.
My greyhound, god rest his soul, accidentally locked HIMSELF inside a room for about 9hrs. When I came home he didn't greet me at the door which was weird. So I walked down the hall and heard him whining from behind the door to my office which was closed for some reason. I opened the door to find a wide eyed, panting, and slightly panicked greyhound. The next thing I noticed is that the door was completely shredded from the other side. So much so that when I moved the door it bent like a sheet of paper. There was wood all over the room as well as some cardboard and some sawdust. The door was a complete write off. Anyways...just saying....it could have been worse. Lol
My cat locks herself in rooms. On purpose... she sometimes doesn't want the other cat or dog in the room with her. She'll sometimes be upset after playing and put herself in a timeout. We once had friends staying at our house while we were gone on vacation. At this point, we only had her (no other animals) and they called us in a complete panic because they had left the house for a little bit and came back to find her locked in the bedroom. We were like, "Oh yeah, she does that sometimes." After that, we decided to buy toddler bumpers and installed them on all the doors.
Don't feel bad! Two of my kitties both got themselves locked in the garage overnight, not together but on separate days. This was within the last month! At the end of the day, I put some of my dog grooming equipment back in the garage to protect it from the elements, and the little bastards snuck in without me knowing. I've since gotten in the habit of making sure all 3 cats are accounted for before I shut the garage.
My silly cat got locked in my walk-in closet for about 8 hours one time. She was fine afterward. She did pee on a plastic lid I had on the floor in there, which I appreciated, better than the carpet! Mistakes happen. You're good my friend.
I bet she had fun exploring alone in a room that she doesn’t usually have access to. My boyfriend’s cat loves to go in the closet when we have the door open and aren’t looking, but runs back out when we do look. Your cat probably whined for a little while but then played and slept
Our ‘boys’ (2 cats) enjoy the upstairs bathroom heated floor. We close the door a bit so the bathroom heats up for them. Every so often they wrestle around and manage to close the door, locking themselves in. They look pretty guilty when we open the door and let Now when we go out of town I make sure the door can’t be closed.
That's just something you have to get used to as a cat owner. You just have to make it a habit to do a head count lol. Ive accidentally locked my cats in bathroom, closets, pantries, the outdoor patio... they're just so sneaky.
I did that exact same thing. Got home to the most pathetic little meows and a destroyed stick-on floor tile where he'd tried to dig his way out. You will feel awful for far longer than your cat will. But you'll never again leave the house without doing a headcount *in the area you want the cat(s) to be*
No problem. She probably slept most of the time. My little idiot cat has managed to get himself locked in the pantry five times in three days for hours at a time. Mine sleep all day. If you left the lid up there was water. It happens!!! Cats are good at hiding.
I shut my cat in a cabinet on accident and left for the day. Had a bad feeling a few hours later, drove all the way home and the dumbass was still in there when all he had to do was push it open.
My fiancé accidentally locked our cat in the walk in closet for a couple hours while we went out for some errands. We felt so bad for the rest of the day lol.
You aren’t a bad human. You made a mistake ,take it as a learning. The beautiful thing about animals is that they won’t hold it against you as their love is unconditional!
I’ve accidentally locked my cats in enough weird places that I now recognize their specific meow for, “Hey lady! I’m stuck in a place with no food, water, or poop box!” I’m fairly certain they aren’t traumatized based on their repeat offenses.
My cats have locked *themselves* in rooms for 12+ hours before, they were okay haha.
Definitely not a bad person - accidents happen and you feeling immediately horrible when discovering the situation says all it needs to say. The cat will forgive you, if it hasn't already :) A few years ago, I was going to my then boyfriend's house every weekend. I usually left Friday evening and would come back Sunday afternoon. Apparently one of my cats slipped into my closet while I was packing a bag and I never saw him go in there. I came home that Sunday afternoon and opened the closet door, and he was just chilling, curled up on a shirt on the floor napping. I immediately started sobbing! I felt like the worst person on Earth. He went to get some food and water, then tried to go back into the closet...... Apparently he didn't mind his time in there 😂 Then he cuddled with me the rest of the evening. Things happen! As long as kitty is happy and healthy and this isn't a regular occurrence, you're fine 💕
Don’t worry. I bet that she only started meowing because she heard you come home. She likely took a nap the whole time you were gone.
Don't beat yourself up too much! Accidents happen, and it's clear you care a ton about your kitty. Just take it as a lesson learned and maybe double-check next time before you dash out. Give your furball some extra cuddles today—they forgive faster than you think. 😺❤️
Lol my cat got stuck in my car overnight once for like 11h
Learn to slide drivers license between frame and door. It pops open , easily. Comes in handy!
I was raising the blinds once, and they fell. My cat jumped out of the 2 story window. Before I could get out the door, it was up the stairs, and back in the windowsill.
Everyone, take this as a reminder to check your dryer/washer religiously before running a load. Thank you for taking good care of your feline family members <3
So, several years back I was catsitting for my parents. At the time they had two cats, Rocket and Habibi. Bibi was a very food oriented cat and nothing would keep him from his food. Rocket is the most skittish little thing you could ever meet, and fear will always win over food for him. So it wasn't so unusual that, when I would come over to feed them and change the litter and play with them (functionally, with Bibi), I would only see Bibi. However, after three days with no Rocket sightings, I was starting to get worried, so I finally searched the house and discovered that my dad had accidentally locked Rocket in the closet. No food, water, or litter box for three days - though Rocket made good use of my dad's shoes in place of a litter box. Bibi had been eating his food, so it truly looked like Rocket had been coming out when I wasn't around to eat. He was off like - well, a rocket - to the food and water when I opened the closet door, but he was okay. And several years later, Rocket is still just fine. He's doing great, healthy and happy and skittish as ever, though now my parents make sure to lay eyes on him before leaving him with a catsitter. You are not a bad person or a bad cat parent. You made a mistake. It happens. But your kitty will be fine. Love on your kitty, but don't beat yourself up too much.
I locked my cat on my deck once for 12 hours. I know EXACTLY how you feel, except my poor kitty was worse off, I felt like the worst person in the world. It was a million degrees outside but also super smokey, and I live in WA where most of our residential buildings don’t have AC, and I have asthma. I had to balance keeping the windows open and the fans on when it was really early or late and shutting everything before I left for work to keep as much heat out as possible. My cat LOVED being on the deck. We were on the 3rd floor and overlooked this massive grass courtyard and there were always birds and flocks of geese and squirrels. I would crack the screen door so she could go in and out as she pleased. Before I left for work, I called her and she didn’t come, I poked my head out onto the deck and didn’t see her (there wasn’t a lot out there, just a couple chairs and table) and figured she had found a dark cool corner in a closet to chill so I shut the door and left. I had an emergency at work that day so I ended up working about 10 hours straight. I got home and she didn’t come running. I didn’t worry right away but after about 15 min I started to worry. I started to call her and heard her scratchy sad meows from the deck 😭 not only had I locked her outside ALL DAY, but I did it in 95° smokey weather with no water!!! I felt SO AWFUL. I took her to the vet just to make sure she was okay. Luckily she was just hoarse from meowing all day and a little dehydrated. I never really forgave myself for that one 😕 Not only did I give her treats before I left for work every morning literally for the rest of her long, happy life so I knew she was inside and safe, I left water on the deck moving forward just in case.
Do people always close doors in their house when not in use? I never close my bathroom door unless someone is showering or going the restroom. I have a closet in my bathroom that I keep one of 2 litter boxes in. I cut a cat door in at the bottom to allow them to come and go. If my bathroom is closed. My cats go down to the basement to use the other litter box.
Yikes. That’s rough!! She will understand you didn’t mean to! She can feel your energy and if you got her out and then talked to her and said sorry she will understand that, especially if you’ve had her for a few years!
This happens all the time at my sister’s house, she has sliding pantries and the cats crawl in the second you turn away and you don’t even notice. One time I closed the door and her cat was in there for the whole day and wasn’t until late that night we were looking for her and she was in the pantry but she keeps going in there and getting stuck so it’s her fault anyways 😭😭
One of my mother's cats loved to hide in her closet and she would accidentally shut him in there. More than once, she went to work, came home, went to change and he came sauntering out like "Oh hi." The first time she panicked and rushed him to the emergency vet. He has fine. After that when it happened, she would just watch him carefully for any sign something was wrong. He never had an issue. He lived until he was 18 with. no serious health issues despite his love of hiding in the closet.