Lock the cats out to get a good nights sleep? Sorry long.

[charlietangoteakettlebarbeque]

We have 2 cats, both 3 years old and have always been spoiled!

We had a baby last year and it has changed the logistics of where we sleep in the house.

My OH snores very loudly and I cannot sleep in the same room as him. I am such a light sleeper. He has been to the professionals about it, he cannot be operated on, and he was given a "mouth guard" to help with the snoring, but it hasnt helped. I cannot sleep in the same room as him.

I was sleeping in with baby, which was fine. But now he is getting bigger, it is better that he has his own room.

The only other place to sleep is in the sitting room, where the cat flap is located. We have both tried sleeping in the sitting room but are constantly disturbed by the coming and going of the cats.

Would it be cruel to lock the catflap at night so that we can both get a good night sleep? Its getting warmer now, so would it be so bad that they were locked out all night? We bought a little wooden cat house for them for this reason but they do not use it.

Any advice / tips?

I've done it. I was desperate for sleep as ds was waking me, then dh snoring, then when it finally went quiet the cats would start howling which would wake ds up - I could've killed them. I have a shed and put a nice big blanket in it for them and locked them out. Bliss.

Glad it worked out for you Crispy!

I did try locking them out one night but they spent the whole time banging their heads against the catflap and howling...keeping me awake!!

In the throes of sleeplessness I imagine giving them away. But we love them too much.

Can't win.

Can't you lock them inside instead? It's safer for cats to be outside in the day and in at night anyway. Or can't you make your snoring partner sleep in the living room and you have the bedroom? - it sounds as though they wouldn't bother him.

:( I guess the way my house is laid out, I can't hear them at all! Try it for a couple of nights while its mild and they might adjust.

Do they sleep all day? I kept mine up a bit so they would sleep more at night

Hi TheCat

Thanks for replying.

Have tried keeping them indoors but they just scratch and howl to get out. Then they start fighting each other. They make such a racket!

My OH is also disturbed by the cats when he sleeps in the sitting room, plus he has a history of bad back and our sofabed is not good for it. We do take it in turns in sitting room and in with my DC but neither are ideal and whoever is not sleeping in the "main" room, doesn't get much sleep at all.

Its like musical beds in our house at the moment. I have even considered making up a campbed in the hallway but it wouldnt be big enough!!

Oh and we have tried earplugs too - without any joy

Crispy - thats what my mum said, "train" them to stay out. She thinks sooner or later they will adjust.

I was reluctant to do it with the cold weather but now its milder...

What do we do in the winter though!! Maybe I have to accept that sleep is going to be dramatically reduced in the Charlietango household in the coming years!!

What if they got hit by a car at night though? You'd feel awful.

When its cold I lock them in the kitchen with a litter tray, could that be an option?

Why can't your DH sleep in the sitting room?

Crispy that's a great idea about putting them in kitchen. They can get in and out the window to the garden from there too so it's perfect! I'm going to try it tonight. Cannot believe we did think of it. Thank you!! [Thanks]

YY please lock them in and not out. More sleepless nights will ensue if the cats go missing overnight.

re your OH, for you and for him as well.

Hi sparkling, I would hate to lock them in or out. They have always had the choice of whether they want to go out at night or stay in. So the kitchen is perfect. I will have to adjust the window lock so that they can fit in and out but that's something simple of easy to do. It's a perfect solution!!!

I really hope you manage to sort it. Baby, cats, OH snoring you must be exhausted. Good luck x

Glad to help :) let us know how it goes!