Every day, we are bombarded with complaints from our clients “How to Stop Your Cat From Waking You Up at Night”.
We understand it can be frustrating most times when your cat is hissing, meowing, flying like a bird, or trying to force a cuddle when all you need is to have a great undisturbed sleep to enhance your general well-being.
Well, we want you to know you are not alone, there are thousands of other responsible cat owners facing this issue.
In the course of our career as a cat behaviorist, we have helped hundreds of cat owners to either stop or reduce their cat’s nocturnal antics.
Here we are democratizing our proven steps and strategies to every cat owner on “How to Stop Your Cat From Waking You Up at Night”.
Before we jump into it, it is important to understand your cat’s behavioral habits and sleeping patterns.
Understanding The Animal- Cat:
There is a popular but yet false myth that cats are nocturnal animals.
No! Cats are crepuscular animals, which means they are active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk.
However, domesticated cats have adapted to fit into the human day schedule.
Most cats do have a bit of sleep during the day and at night, unlike humans that fall deep asleep mostly at night.
Their sleeping habit was a way of survival in the wild to stay active from predators and to catch their prey.
Why Does My Cat Wake Me At Night:
Below are the most possible reasons why your cat can wake you up at night by displaying different antics.
- Aging cats: Aging cats usually experience changes in their sleeping patterns and might be active at night.
- Sick cats: Certain health conditions such as toothaches, diabetes, arthritis, cognitive dysfunction, etc can cause a change in your cat’s sleeping habits.
- Not enough mental and physical stimulation during the day
- Boredom or loneliness especially during the day
- Hunger, thirst, or craving for a special treat
- Lack of companionship
- Changes in their personal space or beddings.
How to Stop Your Cat From Waking You Up at Night:
Stopping your cat from waking you up at night has to do with unlearning, learning, and relearning some behaviors and myths.
Some will require considerable changes on your path while you will also have to patiently and consistently train your cat.
1. Access Your Cats Situation:
Before you can fix a problem, you have to know the problem before there can be any possible solution.
Accessing your cat’s situation is the first and most important step to knowing why your cat is waking you up at night.
This is also needed to rule out any medical condition that will require the assistance of a veterinarian.
2. Ignore Your Cats Antics:
Yes, you have to make the painful and hard decision if you want your problem solved.
After ruling out any possible medical condition and your cat is displaying negative antics such as hissing, meowing, flying like a bird, or trying to force a cuddle at night, as much as possible ignore it.
Over time, this will send a necessary signal to your cat, that their behavior is not acceptable and will not be enabled.
This might be difficult to enforce towards your feline companion but coming to their aide will only reinforce the negative behavior and antics.
3. Playtime Before Bed:
It is no secret that we tend to sleep longer when we are physically drained. The same applies to cats and other animals.
Always engage your cat with enough play and physical sessions before bedtime which can help to make them sleep for longer hours and in a peaceful manner.
You can use toys that mimic other animals such as birds, you can walk your cat for a long, or you can bring in a neighbor’s cat to play with them.
4. Evening Feeding Routine:
I am sure you will wake up from sleep when feeling hungry. What more do you expect from a cat, kitten, or age?
Always ensure that your cat’s eating schedule involves evening meals or snacks.
This is required to mirror their instincts to hunt, play, and sleep. After adequate play and feeding your cat, their next activity which comes naturally is to sleep.
If for any reason whatsoever you cannot feed them before bedtime, you should consider purchasing an automatic feeder.
Automatic feeders help to feed your cat based on the routine instructed by you.
5. Create a comfortable sleeping Area:
So many cat owners make the mistake of allowing their cats to sleep in their bedspaces instead of providing a comfortable sleeping area for them.
This has turned out to be counterproductive for most cat owners.
Read here to avoid common cat owners’ mistakes.
Always ensure your cat has a personal space that fits their preference.
Their sleeping area should be in a different space from yours while yours should be condoned off from easy reach, especially at night.
6. Provide Entertainment:
Cats can be likened to little human babies, they require entertainment and mental sensation which is why we have the Disneys, marvels, and others.
Always provide your cats with puzzles, and toys that can keep them well entertained, and mentally stimulated during the day.
You should also consider mimicking their natural environment by providing trees and scratching posts to keep them well engaged.
This will make them tired and ease sleep at night
7. Consider a Second Cat:
You might be wondering if considering another cat does not mean adding to your problem.
The answer is no.
Your feline friend needs another companion and play buddy when you are sleeping and unavailable.
They don’t usually do well with dogs, so another feline furry will be the best option.
8. Be Patient and Consistent:
After following these proven and tested steps on “How to Stop Your Cat From Waking You Up at Night”, do not expect to have an overnight success.
Cats might be very intelligent, but like humans, they require a gradual process and time to adjust the behaviors that they might have nurtured for a long time.