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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat keeping me up at night

28 replies

namechangeagaintwice · 26/09/2022 00:44

Hi cat mums

I need some help. My year old cat is keeping my up at night to the point that I'm tired and exhausted. I have some illnesses that mean that I have constant pain as well as other things and sleep is very much needed for my well being.

Silly cat sometimes sleeps in my room
But will be up and down several times in the night waking me up and if he is shut out of the room he'll sit and cry outside of the door and jump and bang the door handle.
It's become a battle and now I'm actually exhausted. Any tips on getting a cat to sleep through the night would be gratefully appreciated or any comfy cat beds to recommend.

He is currently sat outside the door waiting for my bladder to given in for the toilet so he can run in as soon as I open the door 😩

Obligatory photo attached 😻

OP posts:
Original poster
namechangeagaintwice · 26/09/2022 00:48

Oops didn't upload. Here we go...

Cat keeping me up at night
OP posts:
Pixiedust1234 · 26/09/2022 01:00

No real advice as my cat sent me to bed at 8pm every night 😓

Two things you can try. Play with him at bedtime with a toy wand or foil ball (throw it upstairs, cat runs up, both ball and toy fall downwards, you pick it up and throw again. No movement for you, kills the cat). When you have played until he's tired give him some wet food. You go to bed. Hes tired and full and hopefully you both sleep well.

Try that first for a few nights running. Be consistent so it becomes a routine.

Pixiedust1234 · 26/09/2022 01:01

ohhh ... he looks a right little begger 😂😍

PeloFondo · 26/09/2022 01:11

Mine is shut in the living room/kitchen as he likes to shout at himself in the night Confused and I need my sleep!
The fluffy marshmallow type beds are v comfy

DumpedByText · 26/09/2022 01:20

My cat does this, she decides it's breakfast time at 4am! I now have a routine every night where she gets a few dreamies, she's shut in the kitchen and off she goes to bed. She has a blanket on a kitchen chair which she happily sleeps on all night. Can you shut her elsewhere where you can't hear her, Ivy clawed at the door for a few nights but gave up when I didn't give in!

Original poster
namechangeagaintwice · 26/09/2022 01:26

Well I just went to get him a few dreamies in the living room and he's emptied my handbag and cleared a shelf 😤

I can't shut him in the kitchen as he can open all of the cupboards

OP posts:
BanannaSplitz · 26/09/2022 02:27

Is he partly Burmese, they’re fabulous but very strong characters?

KittyCatsby · 26/09/2022 02:34

I feel your pain !
here I am at this silly o ' clock because the cat decided to come and wake me up to tell me she had pooped in her litter tray. She is also having a mad 5 minutes running all over the house.

Cuppa2sugars · 26/09/2022 02:37

have you got a cat flap ? i shut mine in the kitchen and she uses the cat flap in the back door to go in and out. How about child locks fitted on your cupboard doors?

silentpool · 26/09/2022 03:43

Mine gets shut in the living room at night because waking me is not something I'm happy to deal with. He knows I will not come in no matter what he does so he is used to the routine now.

When I say it's bedtime, he takes himself in there now.

dalmatianmad · 26/09/2022 03:53

I'm lying here wide awake because the cat has been scratching at my bedroom door for half hour because to get in because she wants feeding. I've ignored her for as long as I can. I've fed her and chucked her out in the rain. I need sleep. Got a long 12 hour shift tomorrow and can't be arsed with this every night. She can sit under the car for a couple of hours till I get back up.

It's worse than having a baby.

TimeToGoUpAGear · 26/09/2022 03:56

Have you tried getting a fleece blanket for your bed? Our very annoying old cat sleeps on one on the bottom of our bed. We have a routine. She gets strokes when I get in bed and then I put her on her blanket and I ignore her no matter what. She knows now.

We can't lock her anywhere as she scratches the doors and rips up the carpet trying to burrow under them!

You have my sympathy.

TimeToGoUpAGear · 26/09/2022 03:57

Oh also, a cat feeder that opens around 5am stops our 2nd car waking us up every morning really early!

They are obviously very pampered!

stayathomer · 26/09/2022 04:55

No help but solidarity- it’s hit and miss whether the cat will start meowing at 4/5 in the morning for breakfast!!

emptylandscape · 26/09/2022 05:33

Mine sleeps in the kitchen, I’m two floors up in a loft conversion. I’m not prepared to deal with it!

Selttan · 26/09/2022 05:37

I wish I had the answer - mine think the day starts at 4:00am no matter how many times I tell them we don't have breakfast till the clock starts with a 5.

I can't shut the door or they bang on it and yell. One of them loves to come in during the night for snuggles but 'announces' her arrival and then walks all over me and the other one snores so loud i don't know how she doesnt wake herself up.

mountainsunsets · 26/09/2022 07:54

namechangeagaintwice · 26/09/2022 01:26

Well I just went to get him a few dreamies in the living room and he's emptied my handbag and cleared a shelf 😤

I can't shut him in the kitchen as he can open all of the cupboards

Shut him in the kitchen and put child locks on all the cupboards.

FivePotatoesHigh · 26/09/2022 07:58

TimeToGoUpAGear · 26/09/2022 03:56

Have you tried getting a fleece blanket for your bed? Our very annoying old cat sleeps on one on the bottom of our bed. We have a routine. She gets strokes when I get in bed and then I put her on her blanket and I ignore her no matter what. She knows now.

We can't lock her anywhere as she scratches the doors and rips up the carpet trying to burrow under them!

You have my sympathy.

Our cat likes a towel on the floor. Or my folded-up jeans that I’ve foolishly left on the chest of drawers.

None of which stops him patting DH in the face and trying to shove him out of bed, mind.

We just sort of got used to it!

Pineappleamy · 26/09/2022 08:05

Now that it's cooler, our cat needs more attention. She needs a daily play or two otherwise she is more active in the night and regretfully more likely to bring in a mouse if she's bored. If she gets two plays with her toys with us, she's generally happier and quieter at night.

Belladonnamama · 26/09/2022 08:58

My two nine month old sisters sleep downstairs. Never any issues. I do hear the zoomies at about 5am but it doesn't last long.

Freshberry · 26/09/2022 20:59

I feel your pain. I am at my wits end with our 15 year old bengal. I have a toddler who sleeps really well but the cat wakes him up. I can't shut her in anywhere as her yowling and scratching will wake us all up. Can't leave her out as she'd make so much noise and wake the neighbours. I was up at 5am trying to keep her quiet today and then had a full day with a toddler and I both full of cold. I want to cry. I just can't live like this!

Original poster
namechangeagaintwice · 27/09/2022 00:13

Thanks for all of your tips and sorry for those of you who are also suffering 😿
So I went out today and bought him a new large comfy cat bed in tne hope that he will sleep in it. The cashier at pets at home said she had better give me a receipt as you know what cats are like he probably wont like it Shock

So as soon as I got home he jumped into it but went he realised it was actually for him he started clawing it (bang goes me taking it back )

Anyhow he's had a full evening of leaping everywhere and I've just given him some cat soup so I hope he's satisfied and will sleep.

I'm of to buy some cupboard locks from Amazon now.

OP posts:
JennyWI · 27/09/2022 00:58

How long have you had kittys? Can I suggest grabbing a baby lock for your freezer... I said my cats would NEVER play with the freezer. Boy i was wrong. Try any interactive toys for night time. That way when kitty needs somthing to do other than annoy you that way kitty can have some fun. I have a 6 week old kitten (and a 6 yo, 7yo, and 13 yo cat). I feel you! my little one decided she really likes sleeping on a balled up bath towel and will sleep the night through there. SO it just may be kitty needs to be encouraged to find her bed (my kittens brother is all about sleeping in a drawer)

Paranoidandroidmarvin · 29/09/2022 14:10

Mine is older. And he always spent most of the night outside. But I always made sure there was food down when I went to bed. That usually lasts him all night and doesn’t bother me much. I didn’t have him when he was younger so don’t know what he did then.

But for mine the key was to make sure he f access to food over the nighttime.

Original poster
namechangeagaintwice · 02/10/2022 22:44

Update!

So kitty is ignoring the new bed Hmm but is now using his other bed in my room rather than my head and seems to be much more content the past few nights.

I bumped into the downstairs neighbour who said that she could hear him in the night, oops Blush

OP posts: