How to get your cat used to sleeping at night

The busier your cat is during the day, the less likely he is to want to play after dark. Making sure your cat has plenty of useful activities is a great way to keep her active during daylight hours.

How do you get a kitten to sleep through the night?

Kittens sleep up to 20 hours a night. When a kitten is awake, she will have energy to burn off, you will need to keep her entertained. You need to change your kitten's sleep cycle so that he is awake at the same time as you.

A regular routine is the key to getting your kitten to sleep through the night. Tire your kitten out, especially late at night. Play with, feed, and pet your kitten before bedtime. Provide soothing scents and sounds and a comfortable bed. Encourage kitty to use the litter box before bedtime. If possible, have your kitten spayed or neutered while he is still young.

While you are training the kitten, the kitten is training you as well. If you respond to your kitten's request for attention, he will expect it forever. You must set boundaries so that your kitten knows what is acceptable.

A kitten's formative experience is critical to shaping his adult life. Get your kitten accustomed to sleeping at night as soon as possible.

Location and bedding

Arrange the area where your kitten will sleep. Ideally, the kitten will have a separate room. Use a room that you rarely go into, such as a separate bedroom or laundry room. If you don't have a spare room, choose a corner of the kitchen or living room. Furnish that area:

• Bed
• Food and water bowls
• Toilet tray
• Cat trees
• Claw boxes
• Toys and puzzles
• Dimmed night light so kitty can see better

Kitten beds

Your kitten's bed should be in a place where the kitten wants to spend time. If your cat finds her bed cozy, she won't resist going to sleep.

Kittens like pillows and blankets, so make the bed with as many soft pillows as possible. Don't choose a bed that's too big, choose the right size for your kitty.

If your kitten is a little nervous, consider a tent in addition to a traditional bed. Even kittens need time away from their owners from time to time. A tent provides kitty with that kind of privacy.

Familiar scents

Scents are important to all cats, but especially to kittens. According to the applied science of animal behavior, kittens bond with their mothers through smell. The smell of their mother and littermates calms young cats.

Before you bring your kitten home, ask for the blanket she slept on. This will remind the kitten of its previous home. You should also bring home some familiar toys that smell like siblings. Put them in the kitten's crib.

You can also imitate sleeping next to your cat. Your kitten would probably like to comfort her mother before she goes to sleep. Apply a heating pad or warm blanket. This will encourage the mother cat's warmth.

You can also add a soft toy to the bed for kitty to cuddle with. Placing an alarm clock under the pillows will also make a ticking sound. This will mimic the mother cat's heartbeat.

Reasons for cat activity during the night and morning hours

The owners are sleeping peacefully at night, early in the morning, and the cat decides to play. He jumps on curtains, climbs up to the eaves, turns over flowerpots, fiercely sharpening his claws on the door of a polished cabinet, passionately rips a plastic bag, chases a found ball around the apartment. Periodically he jumps on the bed and starts to hunt on the hands and feet of the owner. It is difficult enough to endure such trials, when you really want to get a good night's sleep. The situation becomes unbearable if there is a small child in the house, and it will take a long time to put him to bed after such a wake-up call.

Before looking for ways to combat the problem, you need to understand the reasons for this behavior of the cat. There are two of them:

By nature, cats are nocturnal predators. In the wild, they hunt in the dark hours of the day, when their main enemies are sound asleep. Not surprisingly, many cats are more active at night than during the day – it's their physiological trait.

Most pets are completely alone during the day. Owners go to work or school in the morning, and the apartment is empty. The cat gets bored and lies down to rest. It has time to get a good night's sleep by evening, so it has no such desire at night. For the preservation of health, the animal needs physical activity. Therefore, in the short period of wakefulness, there is increased activity. It should not be forgotten that the cat also needs companionship. If he is home alone all day, it is understandable to want to make up for the lack of attention at night. It is not your pet's fault that you are sleepy at this time.

Options for night and morning cat activity

It is not only the need for physical activity that motivates cats to arrange for their owners to get up at night and in the morning. There are other reasons forcing a cat to behave this way. Often in these ways animals claim:

For a cat, the house, the apartment is its personal territory, which should always be under control. She must have free access to all space. The cat periodically walks around the house to make sure there are no strange smells and no danger. If in any of the rooms the door is closed, it causes anxiety in the pet, he is not sure of the safety of the territory. You should not be surprised if there are cries in the middle of the night, demanding that the obstacle be removed for inspection.

Cats are intelligent animals, they understand that man is a strange, inexplicable creature, with whom you have to play by certain rules. At night or early in the morning, the cat wakes up the owner, leads him to the door or the refrigerator. The owner, in turn, tries to let the cat out or feed it, to grant it a wish, but it refuses. It seems that the animal is being silly, it doesn't know what it wants. In reality, the cat is just bored, it wants to communicate, but it understands that the only way to get attention is by these means, and it gets its way.

The cat's restlessness may be due to illness. If he suddenly wakes you up with a meow, perhaps the cat has something painful, he is trying to tell you about his problem. If the cat shows any signs of ailment, it should be shown to the veterinarian. You should know that cats do not sleep well in a new place, after the move it will take some time to learn the territory. There are also restless nights for owners when the cat goes through its sex hunt period.

How to arrange a cat's sleeping place

A cat may not have a cozy sleeping place for a comfortable night's rest. To keep the cat warm, place it by a radiator or in a warm, non-interrupted space. You can use as a bed a special basket from a pet store, a mattress pad or an old warm sweater. If the cat likes to hide in secluded places, closed and cozy house is suitable. If the animal prefers to be more in the company of people and observe, an open basket is better. Buy a basket for a cat who cannot tolerate closed spaces.

The cot should be cozy, soft and dry, and of a suitable size. The cat will enjoy lounging on a bed if you sprinkle it with mint and put his favorite toys. If a cat appreciates a comfortable resting place, it will stop visiting the owner's bed.

When you take a kitten into your home, let him determine his own sleeping area. Cats intuitively find the most suitable nook – perhaps on an elevated spot to watch what's going on. The main thing is that the cat should be allowed in this place. If there is no radiator nearby, use a heating pad.

How to wean a kitten

It is easier to wean a kitten from co-sleeping in the first few days in a new place. Show him the resting area right away, and put something furry or a non-hot pad for warmth. The baby will feel like its mother is lying next to it, and this will ensure a restful sleep.

If the method does not work – you will have to spend time weaning and tolerate the presence of the animal in the bedroom. Put the kitten's sleeping place next to the bed, pet and soothe her. Gradually move the cot closer to the door and out of the bedroom. Wait until the pet gets used to the new place to sleep, and strictly do not let him on the bed.

Conclusion

Cats often adapt their activity to the presence of people, but some individuals will be nocturnal, which creates problems for owners.

Cat parents will have to figure out what natural or social needs are not being met, address the problem, or accept the fact that their cat's biological clock will not match them and will not match the cat's preferences.

If your cat's sleep problem is too much and you've tried everything, contact a cat behaviorist or animal behaviorist in your area.

Article author: Melina Green .
Melina's love of animals began as a child, when she cared for sick or homeless dogs and cats and dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. While working in veterinary medicine, she discovered a special interest and passion for small animal rehabilitation and cat behavior. Melina is the proud director of Pet Nurture in Sydney, Australia (A unique mobile animal wellness center specializing in cats). Melina is currently studying to become a qualified veterinary nurse with the goal of transitioning to animal behavior therapy.

Leave toys for the cat to play with

Most cats wake up at least twice a night, at which point they will be ready to begin their cycle of hunting, catching, eating, nursing and sleeping again! If your cat can't find anything interesting to play with because you put all her toys away, she will probably come looking for you!

Leave a few of your cat's favorite toys for them to play with at night. You can even get battery-operated interactive toys that are activated by your cat's touch.

Buy an autofeeder.

If your cat is hungry at night and can't find food, she will come looking for her human to feed her.

Using an automatic feeder is a great way to give your cat a limited amount of food at night without having to deliver it yourself! Your cat will soon learn to sit and wait for the feeder to give her food instead of coming and waking you up.

You can also purchase slow feeders in the form of little mice. You can fill them with a piece of food before bedtime and place them around the house so your cat can sniff it out and "hunt" while you sleep.

Owners' Mistakes

Owners' mistakes can also lead to incorrect sleep/wake ratios in cats.

Use of force

To scold a cat verbally is one thing, but to use force against a knowingly weak creature is unacceptable. What to punish for? For the fact that the animal follows his natural instincts, and the owner has not managed to deal with his upbringing as it should be? Punish yourself.

The use of force in such matters puts the cat under serious stress, and this is already a new natural reason for not sleeping at night. The cycle of "not sleeping" in the apartment!

Lock the cat in a separate room at night

The owner's job is to get the cat accustomed to sleeping at night, but to do this, you don't need to lock him in a separate room. This will lead to fear and stress. The only door that can be permanently closed is your bedroom door, strictly for sleeping time.
Even if at first the cat will loudly express his displeasure at this inconvenient fact, he will get used to it and understand the futility of his efforts.

Feeding the cat at night

Indulging in nighttime "binge eating" is a sure way to keep the cat awake at night. Feed the cat strictly before bedtime, not in the middle of the night. Do not fall for that pleading look, otherwise all efforts will be in vain!

A kitten won't let us sleep at night.

We got a kitten, he is 3 months old, Scottish. Our first night together seemed like hell. He meowed, *** the couch, jumped on his face, bit his fingers, hissed. The second night went the same way. I asked his old "parents" about his behavior before he moved into our family. They told me that he slept all the time, only got up to eat, no such behavior was observed. If you close him in the bathroom – he screams like a madman, and I bursting with these cries. But on the other hand, we all have to get up early, and we all sleep with this child for 4 hours. We bought these drops "Fitex". We do it for the second day, but I still do not see any improvement.

For the first week, three days, just let the kitten get used to it. He does not know your apartment yet, it is stressful for him, that is why he is closed in the bathroom screaming. The first few days it happens. It is better not to close. And then it depends on the circumstances. Perhaps you are just not ready for a kitten. Is there a possibility of return? If in a week does not normalize, it makes sense to consider returning to the breeder.

It is normal, at first he is like a baby and care for him, patience, he will get used to it, he will sleep.

You should have taken his bed from the breeder and his toy or two. He will get used to his scent better if you are near him. Ask those people if you can.

Also, kitty may not like where he sleeps. Look closely where he likes to lie down, do not accustom him to the bed, though I want to warm him, I know After that and will climb on your bed, and on his – no.

We were just the same)))) too worried about this, already wanted to give back))) but kind people have assured, said to wait, give the kitten to get used to. And so it turned out. Accustomed to and adjusted very quickly

He will get used to it, stop yelling, but he will not let you sleep at night all the same, Our cat is 4 years old, still rushes at night, climbs on curtains, bites his legs. Comes quietly, pokes his nose, paw on the face, though without claws, I will cover my head, he pulls the blanket, walks around, paws under the blanket already with claws. Can bite the hand, quietly at first, if I do not get up, then strongly. Here get up and let's play, always at 2 am.

How to accustom the kitten to sleep on our schedule

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Show your cat that you're going to bed

Cats like to live on a steady schedule, with the same activities repeated day in and day out. They remember what certain events and actions lead to. For example, the owner has finished dinner, gets up from the table, and the cat understands that he is about to be fed. So you can mark for a cat and your going to bed. Remember what actions you have to do before you go to sleep, and repeat them every night. So, your ritual may be as follows: turn off the TV, open the window, brush your teeth, turn off the light. The cat will see how your regular activities lead to one result – sleep – and will adjust to your regimen.

Check what time you feed your cat. He may be waking you up because he's hungry. It is advised to feed cats 3-4 times a day with breaks of 6-8 hours. So that the cat sleeps through its bedtime and does not wake up from hunger, feed it before you go to sleep.

An automatic feeder will also be helpful. It will save you the trouble of feeding your cat in the morning and you'd rather let it lie in bed on the day off than go to the kitchen to feed it. Automatic feeders can give out food at certain times so that your cat will be lounging by it instead of by your bed waiting for breakfast.

Keep your cat entertained during the day

Cats need somewhere to get their energy out. If a cat slept all day without any entertainment, it will be full of energy and desire to jump and play when its owner returns from work. Therefore, it is important to provide the pet with an opportunity to play during the day.

• Leave toys for the pet. You can buy them in a pet store or make them yourself. Lightweight things that are fun to chase around on the floor will do. They can be rustling or with ribbons. Cats like toys stuffed with catnip. Don't forget to change the set of toys from time to time, so that the cat won't get bored with them;
• A new level of entertainment for the cat – interactive toys. They can move on their own and will occupy your cat for a long time. Before leaving the cat alone with such a toy read the instructions and be sure that it is safe;
• if there is a tree near your window, you can hang a bird feeder on it. The cat will watch the birds coming in. But do not put the feeder very close to the window, so that the flying birds do not hit the glass;
• if possible, you can leave videos running on the TV screen for the cat to watch. The TV should be set so that the cat can see it. For example, it will attract its attention to recordings with flying birds, which it will try to catch.

Play with the cat before it goes to bed, too, so that it gets tired. Cats get tired quickly: 10-20 minutes of active play is enough for it, after which the cat will lose interest in the toys and will want to rest.

How to accustom the cat to sleep at night

If you regularly wake up from the cat's "stomping", jumping on the stomach or tickling its heels with sharp claws, you have probably wondered more than once how to make the cat sleep at night. This article explains why cats are so fond of "yowling" at night and how to properly wean them from it.

Not really. At night cats, just like us, prefer to sleep, and many of them are active enough during the day if they can.

Cats are crepuscular animals. They are actively awake at dusk and dawn. If a cat lives in the wild, it repeats the same cycle of behavior throughout the day: sleeping – washing – hunting (eating) – washing – sleeping.

A cat can do this from 2 to 5 times a day – it all depends on how successful the hunt was. If the cat has filled the stomach up to the full, it will sleep longer after that, for example 6 hours in a row. If she managed to catch only one mouse, she will sleep for an hour or two, and then repeats the cycle again to satisfy her hunger.

At home the cats' natural cycles remain the same, but the frequency of their repetitions changes. The thing is that domestic cats receive food from humans, and the imitation of the hunt is a game, which again, more often initiated by the owner. Thus, strange as it may seem, it is we, humans, form the cats of this or that mode of the day. Therefore, it is very reckless to punish the cat for waking you up at night or at dawn an hour before the alarm clock. In an apartment, the cat's routine is entirely in the hands of the owner – and only he can shape it so that everyone lives comfortably and does not have to resort to punishment.

It should be remembered that all cats have different temperaments. There are individuals who adjust to the mode of the owner and not bother him at night. And there are those who do not cope with this task, and they need help in the form of a clear regime of feeding and playing.

How to correct the sleep and wakefulness mode of a cat?

Very easy. You have to repeat the same natural cycle of cat behavior, but taking into account our wishes about when the cat should sleep and when it should be awake.

For not especially violent cats one such cycle right before bedtime is enough. This is more or less straightforward. One hour before going to bed, the owner should actively play with the cat, for example with a toy-trap, for at least half an hour. The cat should be physically exhausted as much as possible – so we simulate a long and successful hunt. Then you should feed the cat tightly – in this way we imitate a feast after the hunt, as if the cat ate its prey. The animal's organism is already set up for such a cycle, so after the hunt and dinner the cat will wash up and go to bed. If the hunt was really exhausting and dinner was eaten completely, the cat can sleep for quite a long time, up to 8 hours in a row.

With active breeds the task is twice as difficult: they often lack exercise, and half an hour of bedtime play will not save them. With these cats, the feeding and play cycles must be clearly repeated throughout the day. Here owners usually have two difficulties: feeding according to a schedule and a play schedule. Not everyone has the opportunity to feed the cat 4 times a day and play two or three times for half an hour. And that's how their regime is built! Every day at a certain time the cat is played with and fed after play, and then the cat goes to sleep. The more play and the more food the cat gets, the longer the cat sleeps after that.