Incessent "yowling" at night to go out

We have a 5-year old Occicat, along with four other cats. Initially, all our cats were allowed to go outdoors whenever they wanted through cat doors (we live in a rural environment). But, when we lost two cats (likely to bobcats)a year ago, we have been keeping them in at night. This has worked fine, until a couple of months ago. The Occicat (very bright!) first figured out how to open the door at night and get out (get on the counter, pull down the handle, get down by the door and pull it open with claws under the door). We then placed a barrier in front of the door at night so he cannot do this. Since then he scratches at the door, and yowls constantly and loudly, almost every night (ususally around 2-3 AM). Any ideas on how to stop this behavior? We can't let him out at night due to bobcats and coyotes, but we can't continue not sleeping due to his loud and incessent yowling. Thannks for any ideas.

A large outdoor enclosure of wire and wood should keep out unwanted animals and give your babies a safe place to hang out at night. There is a thread about this somewhere..

You have a cat that is a close descendant to a wild cat. You are asking this cat to live somewhere that is cutting down his roaming nature and interrupting a genetic trait that has allowed them to survive for years out in the wild. Cats are predatory by nature and this cat knows that prey is outside, and he needs to be out there with that prey. I am not yelling, just explaining- It could be that something senses he is in there and comes to visit and gets this cat worked up.

Try feeding him a large dinner right before your head hits the pillow. Buy a nice big cat condo for him and some new toys and interact with him before you go to bed in action play. Put treats up high so he has to jump or search to find them. Get a fish tank (make sure it has a good tight cover and some fish (cats love to watch those african frogs) and perhaps this will distract him at night- or perhaps he will just crash the entire tank to the floor and eat the fish!

Spray the door with a heavy scented citrus air freshener before you go to bed each night.

Buy earplugs and ignore him when he yowls and that includes telling him to shush!

Keep a vacuum by the door, and when he yowls, walk over and flip it on for a second until he flees.

Build a nice outdoor enclosure and put rocks and sleeping shelves in it so he can at least be outside at night and be safe.