What to do if your cat doesn’t let you sleep at night, useful tips

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Fluffy, affectionate and funny - these are the most common compliments for cats, but despite all their sweet spontaneity, we must not forget that cats are born hunters and they prefer to rest during the day only because they are preparing for night wakefulness. “What should you do if your cat doesn’t let you sleep at night because the ancient hunting instinct awakens in him? – this is a question that novice cat breeders very often ask themselves.

Reasons for being awake at night. Cats are true lovers of sleep; they can sleep more than 16 hours a day, and, as a rule, most of this time falls during daylight hours, so owners of furry pets have to endure the inconvenience of the animal being awake at night.

In addition to genetic instincts, the reasons why a cat does not let you sleep at night are:

stress associated with moving, changing ownership, or adding new family members,
the cat receives too little attention during the day, so Novyu tries to get the attention he lacks,
a cat that is too cowardly hides during the day and at night tries to prove itself as a full-fledged owner of the house,
the pet is hungry and asks for food,
cats do not sleep at night, during sexual hunting, being in search of a partner for procreation,
the animal is bothered by something and asks for help.

Reasons why a cat is awake at night

The pet's activity manifests itself closer to night because it is a predator, albeit a domestic one. His wild ancestors hunted at night. He continued this habit.

Other explanations for nocturnal activity include:

Demand for food because the owner did not feed the ward enough in the evening. He meows from hunger, trying to get him to give him food.
Need for communication. He was alone in the house or apartment all day while people were working, and hopes to get attention from them, at least at night.
Health problems that bother your pet, forcing you to meow.
The ward slept during the day when no one disturbed him.

The cat doesn't let you sleep at night: what to do?

How to accustom a cat to a house and sleep in it

It's natural for a cat to be active at night. But it often interferes with sleep and is annoying. The owners want to know why the kitten does not let them sleep at night and what to do in such a situation. There are many options on how to deceive the cat's nature.

Barsik sleeps sweetly, but this doesn’t always happen at night

Therefore, below are several simple options for what you need to do to help your cat sleep at night.

If an animal does not have enough attention, you can talk to it, stroke it, caress it, then the animal will calm down, feel cared for and will not be worried due to lack of attention.
You need to help your cat reset the energy accumulated during the day. You can buy toys: mazes, houses, claw sharpeners, a ball, so that when the owner is not at home, she can have fun herself. It is better to choose interactive toys: squeakers, dialers, buzzers, so the cat will not be so lonely. If there is an opportunity to have another pet, that's good. During the day they will have much more fun, and there will be no problems with excess energy.
Also, before going to bed, the owner can teach the cat to scout out the situation in the area. After he is convinced that everything is fine and there is no sign of danger, he will calmly go to bed.
If possible, you can mount shelves on which your pet could climb.
You can hide his toys around the house in the morning, thereby provoking the animal to search throughout the day.
The animal should be left with food at night. If the pet gets hungry, it will not bother you by meowing, but will go to the bowl, satisfy its hunger and go on to sleep.
You can arrange a place for your cat by the window so that instead of sleeping during the day, she can watch what is happening on the street.
In the evening, you can show your cat special videos on your smartphone or TV. The net is full of them, usually there is a mouse running around, a fly flying or fish swimming. The cat will immediately become involved in the process and will want to catch the animals herself. Such an active activity before bedtime will warm up your pet a little, after which he will sleep soundly. Instead of a video, you can tie a ribbon to a stick and tease; cats love to run after something or catch something.
Most of the food should be left for the evening. Once you are full closer to night, the likelihood of activity will be much lower.
You cannot lock an animal in the bathroom or kitchen. At night it will try to get out, and there will be even more noise.
The cat loves to get his way, so you should not give in to provocations. If the owner is sure that the pet is feigning and specifically demanding attention, then it is better to remain steadfast. Manipulations at night should be strictly ignored. But during the day it’s a different matter. You should actively communicate and play with the animal.
You can also resort to retraining the cat. You should try to slightly shock the cat when he starts rustling: throw a plastic bottle or any other object with a ringing sound. Under no circumstances should you throw an object at him.

There is no need to worry unnecessarily that the animal sleeps a lot or vice versa. Everything is very individual, and if the cat has adapted to such a life, then it is better not to violate his personal boundaries and not disrupt the harmony.

The main thing that the owner must do is to contact the pet, arrange a secluded corner for it and try to tame it so that it at least sometimes obeys.

Sound cat sleep

The reasons why a cat stays awake at night are different: from a simple lack of attention to serious mental or health problems. If the lack of attention can still be corrected, for example, by playing more with the cat or communicating, then it will not be possible to cure the disease on your own. Even the same stress that causes laughter in some pet owners can provoke serious disorders. Fear or fear of something can seriously damage the nervous system. If, after trying all the options to ensure your cat sleeps soundly at night, nothing has changed, you should consult a veterinarian.

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Remove sources of temptation

Cats like to climb to heights. When the owner is sleeping, the animal can jump from a high place directly onto a sleeping person. To avoid such a situation, eliminate all dangerous places where your pet lives: shelves, cabinets that you can climb on and then jump down. Move dangerous furniture away from your sleeping area. You can put things on top of them that are difficult to jump on and drop.

The measures taken will help wean the cat from performing acrobatic tricks at inopportune times.

How to calm a kitten at night?

In kittens, the main cause of the disorder is separation from their mother and siblings. At first the baby is very sad and worried, and will cry at night. However, medications cannot yet be given to such a small kitten. It’s better to just pick him up, make a cozy nest out of his fly cap, or just put a heating pad under the bedding. This will help him calm down and fall asleep faster.

Give your cat plenty of exercise

To keep your pet awake during the day, you need to play with him and take him for walks. You can use toys that imitate the movement of living insects or birds, balls, light bunnies, and pendulum objects.

You need to play with the cat longer until he gets tired. You can “walk” the cat outside before going to bed. Domestic cats rarely run far from home; it is unlikely that they will be lost if their owners are attentive.

What not to do

If your cat meows, yells for no reason, and doesn’t let you sleep at night, never get up to see your pet. Even if the animal is hungry. Cats are great manipulators and, having achieved their goal, will constantly take advantage of the kindness of their owners. Therefore, the only right decision in such a situation is not to pay attention to the cat.

You should not lock your cat in a separate room. The animal will not understand why it was isolated from the rest of the family. The pet will become sad and lonely, and in order to attract attention, it will begin to make even more noise.

If the cat is awake at night, do not yell at him, much less hit him. This won't work and will only make the situation worse. The cat will do things out of spite.

It is impossible to force cats to sleep at night, but you need to try to do everything to ensure that the pet is active during the day. Following our advice, do not indulge in night awakenings, be patient, the kitten will eventually adapt to your schedule and sleep peacefully at night.

Determine the cat's territory

Set up your cat's sleeping place. You can organize a secluded corner for him in a box, or better yet, build several places where he can retire.

Do not train your animal to sleep with you. Feline individuals must know the boundaries of their territory. It is better to close the door to your own bedroom at night. If the cat is immediately accustomed to this order, he will not ask to sleep with the owner or mistress, meowing at the door.

The reasons for the restless meowing of cats at night can be found here:

Why does a cat interfere with sleep?

Felines are nocturnal animals, because at night it is easier to catch prey. However, people are used to living differently and usually work during the day.

Accustoming a cat to a human daily routine is possible, and furry cats often get used to it on their own. If the fluffy doesn’t want to put up with your lifestyle, something has gone wrong.

Most often, cats do not want to sleep at night due to insufficient activity during the day. Some pets do not see their owner for days, and want to socialize when the owner comes home to sleep. The opposite situation is also possible: the cat does not like the noise of children during the day, so it is more comfortable for her to walk around the house at night.

A pet may interfere with sleep due to the restriction of its territory at night. For example, during the day a cat can walk throughout the apartment, and at night the toilet is closed. This situation causes anxiety for the fluffy.

A cat can interfere with sleep intentionally - for example, if it is offended. In this case, you will have to figure out what upset the pet.

Features of the use of sedatives

Often, taking sedatives is a way to normalize a cat’s condition in the period before castration, a long trip, a visit to a veterinary clinic, or home renovations.

Sedative drugs have two types of action: cumulative and immediate. In the first case, you should start giving them to the animal 10-14 days before the expected event.

Often taking sedatives is a good way to normalize a cat’s condition.

Instant-acting drugs act quickly, but are harmful to the body; such drugs should not be used too often.

Popular herbal preparations:

Relax plus;
Stop stress;
Feliway;
Phospasim;
Cat Baiyun;
Fitex.

Chemical sedatives:

Xylazine;
Amitraptyline;
Vetranquil;
Diazepam.

Important! Before using any sedatives, consult a veterinarian.

Veterinarian recommendations

Of course, sometimes it seems that you have taken all the measures - fed, watered, caressed, survived the sterilization period, and the cat still screams at night, but even in this case you should not give up.

Only patience and education will help you cope with a noisy pet.

But under no circumstances should violent measures be used against an animal. After all, a cat is a very intelligent creature; it has a sense of revenge. And how she will take revenge is unknown. In addition, cats are also proud animals; they will not tolerate any violence against themselves; it is impossible to achieve obedience from her using force. If you have tried all the remedies, contact a zoopsychologist, and show patience and attention yourself. Only in this case is it possible to obtain a positive result.

How to wean a kitten from sleeping alone?

Place the kitten's sleeping place next to the bed and fall asleep, gently stroking it and calming it down. Gradually move the bed closer to the door and take it outside the bedroom. Wait until your pet gets used to the new place to sleep, and strictly do not let him on the bed.

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Morning activity of cats

Early morning awakenings for your pet can have several causes.

· The animal is bored and asks to be entertained

· The cat is hungry and hurries the owner to give out the morning portion of food

· Excess tenderness. Incredible, but true: it is in the morning that cats especially need affection and attention.

You can control your pet’s morning activity by providing him with independent entertainment. For example, give your cat access to a glassed-in balcony, where your pet can watch passers-by on the street.

Coordinate your pet's feeding times so that your cat doesn't feel too hungry in the morning.

Pet the animal only after you have woken up. Don't react to a cat if he asks to be petted at 5 am. The pet must understand: while the owner is sleeping, he cannot be disturbed.

What's the best thing to do?

Obviously, it would be best to approach the problem from two sides - to satisfy the needs of the animal that cause him concern, and to eliminate the gaps in his upbringing, accustoming him to a more acceptable daily routine. The most effective methods in this case are:

Change the animal's diet so that dinner is as dense and high-calorie as possible. Having eaten a hearty meal, cats, as a rule, immediately want to lie down to rest. In addition, you can leave a little food in the bowl at night, so that a hungry animal does not have to wake up its owners. It is important to remember that, having resorted to this method, you should slightly reduce the amount of food you eat during the day in order to prevent the development of obesity.
Try to pay more attention to your pet, especially before bed, so that he does not feel lonely and anxious. First of all, this applies to situations when the cat’s usual living conditions have changed dramatically, which is why the animal experiences anxiety and is in dire need of the care and attention of its owners.
Do not limit, but, on the contrary, encourage in every possible way the animal’s physical activity before bedtime, so that after playing enough, the cat can happily lie down to rest. The game should ideally last at least an hour.
To make the cat feel calmer and more confident, you should allow him to walk around the entire territory and make sure that everything is in order and nothing threatens him. After this, it will be much easier for the animal to find a cozy place in the apartment and fall asleep.
If restless behavior is associated with the need to realize the instinct of procreation, it is better to consult a veterinarian on this topic.