On the Prowl and Out of Sight: What Your Cat Sees Outside at Night. Cats love to roam, especially at night. This is because they are creatures whose instinct is to hunt when it is dark outside, especially at dawn and dusk. Those are the times of day that a cat is most active.

Are cats most active at night?

Cats are crepuscular, which means that they are most active at dawn and dusk. ... Many owners first start to interact and play with their cats when they get home in the evenings. This causes a shift in the cat's day and results in them reaching their peak activity level at night.

Why does my cat run around at night?

Why do cats run around at night? ... "One reason is that cats are naturally crepuscular, meaning active at dawn and dusk, which is when their natural prey [rodents] are active. Cats are not really nocturnal [a common misperception]. So their internal rhythm just tells them, 'It's time to get active and start hunting.