We've had our rescue girls for 4 years. The tortie has always been high maintenance- very demanding, vocal, destructive. Very attached to us, more like a puppy. She can't bear to be separated from us- she'll often attempt to break the bathroom door down if we go to the loo!
We've let both cats on the bed at night since day one and we've always had a fair bit of annoyance from her making a fuss wanting her breakfast about an hour or so before we get up. But this year it has got INSANE.
She starts rampaging around the house at anything from 1.30am onwards. She scratches everything in sight (carpet, chairs etc) and bangs doors with her paws. She can go out all day and all night so it's not that, and she has run of house. She has a scratching post but rarely uses it. It's not food related any more- we've tried getting up and feeding her and going back to bed and she just continues. The ONLY thing she wants seems to be for us to get up. Not even to give her attention, but just to be up. She only stops once we are both up and about. DH once got up in the middle of the night and went downstairs with her and sat and read like it was the daytime...she settled down happily in her basket and went to sleep!!! As soon as we're up having breakfast, she lies down all content and ignores us!
Because the rampaging destroys our sleep so badly, we have for months now taken to getting up and shutting her in a room downstairs once she starts making a fuss. She then thumps on the door for hours which I feel awful about. She has access to the garden and basket etc from this room so it's as nice as possible for her, and it's the only way we can get some semblance of sleep. However there's no where in the house where we can put her where the noise doesn't still disturb us to some extent. It's driving us mad.
She's unhappy enough about being confined that I can't bring myself to shut her outside.
The vet has suggested more toys out at night for her to play with, and playing with her as much as possible before bed. Thing is- she has the attention span of a flea and only plays for a couple of minutes and NEVER touched toys on her own. We are now on a herbal calming thing called Zylkene but it seems to actually be making it worse so far although we've been told to give it a month, which we will.
Help!!!!!
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The litter tray
At wit's end with cat making racket all night
Sleepybeanbump · 23/09/2015 14:36
One of mine is like this. As soon as our light goes off, she starts banging the wardrobe door. At 3am the heavy purring starts, stomping around the bed, pulling my hair, batting me in the face, demanding to go under the duvet then immediately wriggling out. On repeat.
To be honest, we've just got used to it. When the dc were really little, I'd go to baby groups where everyone was complaining about child-induced sleep deprivation, and I'd be going "oh the bloody cat..." Ironically I had the dc sleep trained very early.
I find that if I just give in to it, and give her an hour of attention/petting, she eventually wanders off. Well, sometimes.
Sorry no suggestions, but you have my sympathy. 
I agree with going outside. Or don't feel bad about putting her in the other room where she has access to garden etc. if you're giving her enough attention during day plenty of playtime and cuddles then don't feel bad about needing sleep. I have had a tortie for a few days now and definitely believe in the " tortietude" theory, when mine can go out she'll be out a lot 
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