Indoor/Outdoor pets and Skunks!

We live 6 miles from town, so are pretty much in the country. We have 6 cats that live pretty much inside during the winter, but love to roam around outside in the summer, day and night, it's what cat's do in the country. For years we have always put a dish of catfood and water on our deck for them to have when we are at work if they are outside. All's good so far right?

Just a few minutes ago though, I heard a terrible thing going on outside and ran out there and there was a skunk running down the deck steps and some of our cats hissing and spitting all over the place. The skunk didn't spray (thank God!), but the cats sure did scurry inside when I opened the door. Dave now says that we are done leaving food on the deck for the cats, 'cuz he thinks that is what the skunk was after.

My question is, I should be allowed to put the food and water on the deck during the day when we are at work and be okay with that, because skunks are nocturnal, right? As long as we bring it in at night?

All the cats are current on all their shots too. I think that would be much easier than trying to re-train the cats to not go outside at night. I'm afraid nobody in the house would get any sleep if we tried that. If it's cold out, they seem to know that and don't want to go out, but as soon as it's nice, they want to be out most of the time and will sit at the door and whine. Yes, they are spoiled rotten and used to getting their way.

Any thoughts or ideas about this?