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Original poster

Help urgent advice needed - cat is crying so much at night it is waking my ds up!

26 replies

cjmummy · 05/02/2007 21:32

We got an 11 month old cat just before Christmas who is really good natured and completely soppy. We have to shut him in the kitchen when we go to bed at night as he spends half the night playing around which keeps us awake. He hates this and is a very noisy vocal cat and cries for ages. We can cope with this when we go to bed but he starts up again at about 5.30am and it goes on until we go down and let him out but this is now waking our ds up at the crack of dawn. Do we have to give in and get him another cat for company? or does anyone have any other suggestions? Any advice appreciated as our ds is sooooo over-tired that we are having tantrums every evening at bed time!

OP posts:

Oati · 05/02/2007 21:34

cats are quite octurnal - mine likes to go out (and in and out and in and out) at night. Would you consider a cat-flap?

Oati · 05/02/2007 21:35

that would be Nocturnal

Oati · 05/02/2007 21:35

cats do not like other cats BTW - so don't get him a 'friend'

NurseyJo · 05/02/2007 21:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

cjmummy · 05/02/2007 21:38

we plan to let him out when the weather gets a bit better but he has come to us straight from the breeder so has never been out and he has had the constant company of other people and animals around him .. i think that he is just lonely! I am finding it a bit of a shock as my last cat used to just go to sleep when we did and wake up the next morning when we did ... she was a dream!

OP posts:

Original poster

cjmummy · 05/02/2007 21:41

we have already tried a radio ... that seems to keep him quiet through most of the night until 5.30 ... we get up at 6.30ish it is just the last hour that is he problem. My ds really needs his sleep as he has a long day at nursery and doesnt usually manage more than a 30 min sleep there during the day so he needs this extra hour sleep. my dp is keen to have a second cat anyway .. is it really a bad idea to mix 2 that arent brother and sister?

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scatterbrain · 05/02/2007 21:42

He sounds lonely tbh !! What's he like if you let him out of the kitchen at night - he might just crave company - maybe he could sleep on your bed or under it ?

My two cats sleep all night and always have done - but they have the run of the house. If I shut them in the kitchen they would shout all night I think !

scatterbrain · 05/02/2007 21:43

Mine are brther and sister and the fight all the time - but I think they love each otehr deep down. Not sure introducing another cat is a great idea - could make it worse if they fight all night !

Original poster

cjmummy · 05/02/2007 21:44

I think I will give it another try tonight and let him have the run of the house, but I am not convinced it will work! The only problem is that I am a very light sleeper and he has a tendency to run around the house playing with toys and jump on you as he gets up on to the bed ...

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Oati · 05/02/2007 21:44

IME cats will put up with other cats if you introduce them to the household at a later date, but they are not usually very happy about it.

They have to find their own space and one of them will establish himself( or herself) as the dominant cat

Original poster

cjmummy · 05/02/2007 21:46

He is 11 months old .. would it be better to get a 5 or 6 month old cat rather than another older one?

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scatterbrain · 05/02/2007 21:46

Oh yes - mine wake me up all the time - they often chase each other across our bed - stamping on us as they go ! The other night one brought me a mouse !!

Bloody animals - don't know why we have them really - but they are 10 now bless them !

Oati · 05/02/2007 21:47

mmm just seen your other message - yes they like to play at night - I have never yet had a cat who was happy to stay in at night - they want to be out strutting their stuff

Original poster

cjmummy · 05/02/2007 21:47

I guess I will just have to put up with it then .. I was just spoilt with my last sleepy cat!

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nicm · 06/02/2007 14:05

if he's a male cat has he been neutered? both my cats were done at about 4 and 6 months so never have had this but could it be that he's crying to get out to the ladies that are on heat? am probably totally wrong but just an idea. i rushed off just before christmas to get the female kitten spayed as it had said in the cat book that she would come into season in jan, and i couldn't face her crying and the gang of local toms crying outside the back door hoping to have their wicked way with her!!

pesme · 06/02/2007 14:08

my sister had this. cat crying at her bedroom door (and there are 2 of them). they eventually bought a water pistol. works a treat i believe.

Original poster

cjmummy · 06/02/2007 14:23

nicm .. he was neutered just after christmas so not sure it is that .. i am fairly convinced it is just because he is lonely and that generally he is a vocal cat. We let him have the run of the house last night and he spent most of the night on the bed with us which resulted in a sleepless night for me with him trying to sleep on my stomach etc. and he still started playing at 5.30 this morning!!! grrrrr. Not sure there is an answer to this one!

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Whoooosh · 06/02/2007 14:36

Catflap I reckon and if it makes you feel better and you can hang on,wait till the weather gets better and you can introduce him to the outside world in daylight hours.

In my experience,introducing new cats results in a couple of weeks of hissing and spitting until the pecking order is established and I personally would get a younger cat.

Out of interest-what breed is he?

scatterbrain · 06/02/2007 16:22

Could just be that it's a novelty to him - he might settle down and go to sleep after a few nights. Does he have his own comfy bed ?

Mine love their beds !

peggotty · 06/02/2007 16:34

Is he a siamese or another oriental breed - they are notoriously vocal cats, he might just be noisy by genes!!!

Original poster

cjmummy · 06/02/2007 18:21

he is an exotic (although without the squashed face look!) which I believe is originally bred from persian - that may explain something if you say that oriental cats are more vocal. He does have his own bed but completely refuses to go anywhere near it. When we lock him in the kitchen he tends to sleep on my dp's old fleece or a blanket. A cat flap is definitely the next move but I would like to hold out until nicer weather. I'm also a bit afraid that he may get stolen as he is very pretty!

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Whoooosh · 07/02/2007 12:11

Oh I love exotics-what colour is he?

Original poster

cjmummy · 07/02/2007 13:21

he is chocolate brown with amber eyes! I didnt even know what an exotic was when I bought him .. I just loved the colour! He blends in perfectly with the brown leather sofa!

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geordiemacminx · 07/02/2007 16:41

My cat sleeps all night.. in the kitchen, but thats mainly because he is out all day, and also because he is the worlds laziest cat!!

Would definatley say that getting a cat flap, or kicking him out over night will resolve this problem.. remember there are a lot less harmful things on a night then during the day.. i.e no kids, people, fewer cars..

Original poster

cjmummy · 07/02/2007 18:57

we are out at work all day so it is probably loneliness ... fingers crossed he settles down .. he is still only young!

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