Door scratching

[LopsidedWombat]

Hi everyone!

So our two cats wake us up at night very regularly, multiple times a night 4 or 5 nights a week. Walking on us, scratching about in the bed, fighting, zooming, meowing in our face, wanting attention... The list goes on, you know how it is. It is to the point now that it is affecting our day. My partner recently started a new job which has draining hours and without a good night's sleep he feels exhausted all of the time. We want to close the bedroom door at night as this would solve it. But the one cat will sit and scratch the door for literally hours which is worse than the stuff they do when door is open!

Has anyone any successful tips on how to dampen the sound. We were thinking a piece of carpet or similar fixed to the bottom half of the door but am open to suggestions! Tried wearing them out before bed with play and loads of attention and it makes no difference to their nocturnal activities.

Thanks for reading!

Ear plugs. Quies are good.

We shut ours downstairs overnight and have done from day one.

I've never understood why so many cat owners tolerate being woken up multiple times a night for years on end!

@icedcoffees I'd love to but we live in a fairly small single storey property! My cats were never a problem overnight until my neighbour started collecting untrained dogs that bark on and off all day and night, starting at 3am. Nothing has come of the complaints. Anyway, I think it disturbs my cats. It isn't so much that we tolerate it than just don't know what else to try (seen the vet, used feliway, try to tire them out, they have a routine). We are moving soon all being well and the layout of that property will allow for them to be closed away overnight and of course the dogs will be gone, if they are indeed a factor. Until then, the only thing I can think of that we haven't tried is closing the bedroom door but dampening the sound of the scratching. Earplugs alone are not enough and the one cat does not grow tired of scratching the door. The earplugs work well enough to block the meowing (and the barking. Maybe my cats need ear plugs?!)

It isn't so much that we tolerate it than just don't know what else to try (seen the vet, used feliway, try to tire them out, they have a routine).

I wasn't so much referring to you, but I read so many threads on here where owners complain about their cats keeping them awake/waking them up but they allow them to sleep on the bed and use their heads as racetracks

If you can't shut them downstairs can you shut them in the kitchen or utility room? As long as they have their food, water and litter trays and maybe one of those cosy donut beds they should be okay?