My cat disrupting my sleep

fletch3163

I couldn't possibly let Lily out all night. Our place is rife with foxes. She stayed out all night once and I was a wreck. When she came home she smelled of another house so I think she was cheating on me with another mummy:p

We don't have a cat flap but I thought we couldn't get one now that she'd use as she's been used to walking through the door.

I think she was overly loud last night cos she was not well. Her poop present had lots of grass in it so she must have been having a detox.

Husband's home tonight so if she starts I'll send him to deal with her. Shame I love her so much or I'd kick her butt out of the house

emzi27

My cat is the same except it's 4am. If I wake up to go to the loo in the night I always know if it's before 4am if she isn't there to greet me at the door. She insists on following me into the loo and chatting away to me then scratches the door. Haven't found a way to stop her yet though lol. Having a baby soon so she will have to be shut in the kitchen probably. Can't have her scratching the nursery door for hours.

Croc_Mad

Give her a big meal right before you go to bed. Make sure she's got a comfy bed on the other side of the house and leave her to it.

My Felix used to sleep all day on my bed then bounce around all night waking us up so I barred him from our room during the night, put his basket in the hallway (medium traffic area) so he couldn't sleep so heavy during the day. He now naps during the day and sleeps straight through on our bed at night. Also, cats sleep after they are fed so if you feed her last thing she'll probably sleep for a good few hours. It's just getting her back into your routine.

juliebunny

Agree with Croc above, make sure you stuff her full of biscuits at bed time. I also make sure the cats have a nice window to look out to keep them busy when they wake up.

Maybe a friend cat to play with....?

Methods my family have used to stop the scratching/pulling up carpet at bedroom door.......putting a towel on the floor - putting a heavy scratchingpost where she claws - these 2 actually work quite well, you just have to remember they are there when you get up for a midnight tinkle. Final solution - laminate flooring!

Tiddlywinks

TheHangingJudge wrote: »

She's getting up earlier because the sun's rising earlier. She thinks it's wakey wakey time & can't understand why you're still in bed. Try closing all the blinds, all the curtains at bedtime & see if that quietens her down a bit overnight.

This is it - nail on the head - the mornings are getting lighter and the birdies are singing earlier... your girl is only a year and a half old and so this is her first summer as an adult and she is learning how to live life.

You need to ignore her when she comes to you in the early hours or she will learn that she gets a reaction to pestering and will do it all the more. She'll soon learn that you're no fun and slope off to entertain herself.

getmore4less wrote: »

cats are nocturnal/crepuscular

put them out at night let them in during the day

You are so wrong here - dawn and dusk are high activity and prime hunting times for cats.

getmore4less - Most cat welfare organisations tell you to keep your cat inside at night (Cats Protection makes you sign to this effect before you can adopt one of their cats). If you own a cat then please take a bit of time to learn about them and, in the meantime, please don't give advice based on guesswork

Mankysteve

fletch3163 wrote: »

I couldn't possibly let Lily out all night. Our place is rife with foxes.

Foxes are very little threat to cats we have a den right behind our garden fence. the entrance to the den is right where out cat squeeze around the shed to get into the old allotment. Never bother her or any of old cats even as kittens.

Its true they do rarely take a young cat but its soo rare you at much more likely to killed by another human.

Gloomendoom

Mankysteve wrote: »

Foxes are very little threat to cats we have a den right behind our garden fence. the entrance to the den is right where out cat squeeze around the shed to get into the old allotment. Never bother her or any of old cats even as kittens.

Its true they do rarely take a young cat but its soo rare you at much more likely to killed by another human.

I agree. Cats and foxes are pretty evenly matched when it comes to a fight. They know that so they usually just don't bother.

Cats and badgers just ignore each other too.

The main threat to cats at night is road traffic.

no1catman

You haven't said how old the cat is? Does it miaow, or howl !?
If the latter, it could be an onset of renal problems, a blood test would confirm. Suggest in the meantime, ensure plenty of water, even dilute a 'pouch' with warm water.
Good luck.

cjmumto2

I have thew same problem, my 8 month old girl is not allowed in our room as night (hubby's rules) although she likes to sleep on your and purr so not practical either. Anyway she has free roam of the house soft blankets etc etc and is left to play outdoors if she wants until about 10pm. She knows the bedtime drill but she always wakes me at 6am by scratching and crying at my door (my kids are trained til 7am ) the problem is she often tries at 4am or similar and if I ignore she keeps coming back every 30mins so I dont get much sleep. This morning at 5:30 she would not give up and I swear she was throwing herself at the door. I dont know what to do either, I try to ignore but am am worried she will wake the kids.

So not much help but sympathise with you.

Mouschka

What I do (and always have) is pay my two cats lots of attention in the evening. We play with toys or in the garden together and then they have a cuddle. I let them come and go up until 9pm and that is bedtime for them. I call them in and lock the cat flap. They get dry food, water and their litter tray in the utility room and I shut them in. They have a bed each and toys to play with and a window to look out onto the garden.
At 6am I get up and let them out and feed them. They love their routine and I get to sleep knowing they are safe and happy.