Stop Cat Night Time Madness

Cats are nocturnal animals. While this is to be expected from creatures that are most likely to catch their food at dawn and dusk, when it comes to living with a cat, their nocturnal habits can make life difficult. Many a cat owner has awoken to a gentle prodding from their cat, trying to inform them that 3am is the perfect time for a play session. Night is also when cats, bored through lack of activity, can cause damage – either by running around and knocking things over, or by using the opportunity to scratch furniture they know they shouldn’t.

While it is impossible to fully remove a cat’s night time habits – because one cannot reverse nature – it is possible to make their nocturnal wanderings easier to live with.

Cats are creatures of habit, and they repeat behaviours that have previously been pleasurable or successful. This is important to remember when your cat creeps into your bed and starts playing with your toes or eyelashes, or even just sitting on your chest meowing for food. If you get up and play with the cat or feed him, you are essentially teaching him that his disturbance tactic works.

Ignoring a cat that is playing or disturbing you isn’t easy, so there are a few methods you can take before attempting to sleep to try and handle the problem. Half an hour before you’re due to go to bed, take out your cat’s favourite toy and have a play session. There is a dual purpose to this. Firstly, your cat will be stimulated mentally and physically for a period, and is therefore more likely to settle. Secondly, you and the cat can have some quality bonding time and you can show them attention and affection; a feeling of these lacking is often the reason for nocturnal bed creeping.

If this doesn’t work, it may be time to try a sterner method. Right before you go to bed, shut your cat in an enclosed room where they can’t cause too much havoc. Fill the room with a comfortable cat bed, toys, water and a litter tray – then leave them there until morning. Though they won’t like being enclosed at first and will probably cry, it is essential to follow through on this decision and never give in and let the cat out until morning. As soon as you do, you are once again telling them that their behaviour works. Instead, remain vigilant, and after a week or so they will settle into the routine and come to enjoy their time in “their” room at night.