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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

I think I've accidentally got one of my cats into a bad routine

16 replies

gonewithtthewind · 15/01/2023 05:55

Hi,

I have two cats. One female which is 2 years old and a male who is a year old. I had the male before I got the female. They're both indoor cats as they're both FIP positive, so they cannot go out.

I've only had the female cat for a few months but she's a breeze, my male cat is also a breeze until it gets to night time!

My female cat sleeps in the bath and doesn't really get up until 7:30am when she gets fed. (She has a number of beds but likes sleeping in the bath, I don't know why) my male cat will sleep in the bathroom in his bed until it hits 4am, then he starts crying and scratching at our bedroom door. It's becoming an absolute nightmare. I fear this is partly my fault though, I'm currently pregnant and have bad pregnancy insomnia, which has meant I've been getting up at 3/4am for most of my pregnancy as I haven't been able to sleep and have been needing to eat, the issue with him getting up at that time seems to have started since I've been getting up at that time. He was never amazing but it's got worse, he used to sleep in our bedroom but we got him out of that habit after a lot of trial and error. Our house is open plan so there isn't anywhere I can shut them away at night, unless I shut them both in the bathroom which isn't really ideal when I get up to pee 1000 times a night and we only have a small bathroom.

I don't want him to be in this habit as it feels like it's getting earlier and earlier; sometimes he's starts at 2am and I end up waking up and not being able to get more sleep. I know cats are active at this time, so I don't know if it's all down to me or not. I just don't really know what to do, other than ignore him but then when I'm getting up anyway it's hard; but it's waking my partner up and I'm worried about him waking the baby once they're here.

He isn't bored I don't think, the both have so many things to play with, access to food, they do have a catio but I tend not to let them in it at night. Any help would be appreciated!

OP posts:
DadANDPK · 15/01/2023 06:04

Urghhhh I feel your pain.

you say he has access to food, so what is he asking for?? I think you need to work out what he wants before you can find a solution.

maybe he wants to go back to bed with you for cuddles? with the baby on the way (congratulations) I can see why you might not want him sleeping in your bed, but I'd be tempted to see if that solves the problem, I'd try taking him back to bed with me on a previous toilet visit. Maybe he's lonely/cold??

cats don't usually like being around babies, so it's unlikely to be an issue once the baby arrives.

AnOldCynic · 15/01/2023 06:04

What happens when you let him sleep in your room?

Original poster
gonewithtthewind · 15/01/2023 06:14

AnOldCynic · 15/01/2023 06:04

What happens when you let him sleep in your room?

He still wakes at 2/3/4am meowing and crying until I go downstairs with him

OP posts:
Original poster
gonewithtthewind · 15/01/2023 06:15

DadANDPK · 15/01/2023 06:04

Urghhhh I feel your pain.

you say he has access to food, so what is he asking for?? I think you need to work out what he wants before you can find a solution.

maybe he wants to go back to bed with you for cuddles? with the baby on the way (congratulations) I can see why you might not want him sleeping in your bed, but I'd be tempted to see if that solves the problem, I'd try taking him back to bed with me on a previous toilet visit. Maybe he's lonely/cold??

cats don't usually like being around babies, so it's unlikely to be an issue once the baby arrives.

He sleeps next to the radiator in the bathroom and he does have the female cat for company. I really don't know what he wants! If we let him back in our room, even if at 4am he still seems to just walk around moaning. He doesn't settle and go back to sleep until after he's ate but he has access to food/water all night x

OP posts:
AnOldCynic · 15/01/2023 06:38

Dry food in the bathroom for him?

Original poster
gonewithtthewind · 15/01/2023 07:10

AnOldCynic · 15/01/2023 06:38

Dry food in the bathroom for him?

He has dry food in the kitchen, should I leave a bowl in the bathroom too and see if that helps?

OP posts:
RedCatWhoGotTheCream · 15/01/2023 07:34

You said he goes back to sleep once he‘s eaten. Does that mean wet food? Good quality wet food like Katkins doesn‘t dry up as fast as cheap brands (and is a lot better for your cats anyways), so maybe try leaving out a bowl of that before you go to bed? Sounds like he’s just hungry.

Mariposa26 · 15/01/2023 07:41

Is he asking for wet food specifically if you say he goes back to sleep after eating even though he has dry food all night? We have a Catmate food timer with fridge packs which allow you to time wet food - could you set that for during the night? We use it on the weekends to avoid being pestered super early, and I find once they’ve seen the timers have been left out they never bother me. I got it from Amazon.

Mariposa26 · 15/01/2023 07:42

Mariposa26 · 15/01/2023 07:41

Is he asking for wet food specifically if you say he goes back to sleep after eating even though he has dry food all night? We have a Catmate food timer with fridge packs which allow you to time wet food - could you set that for during the night? We use it on the weekends to avoid being pestered super early, and I find once they’ve seen the timers have been left out they never bother me. I got it from Amazon.

I mean ice packs not fridge packs!

DadANDPK · 15/01/2023 10:16

I'd try leaving wet food in the bathroom (as far from the radiator as possible). Maybe he's too scared to go to the kitchen on his own??

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 15/01/2023 10:18

I would give him night-time access to his catio and make sure he has a couple of bowls of dry food accessible to him in different parts of the house - ideally a fair distance away from his litter and his water.

He's in no danger in his catio at night so I think it's a good idea to let him be active when it's natural to him - it would be different if he was free-roaming but he'll be nice and safe in an enclosed area.

FionaJT · 15/01/2023 10:26

I use a timer for my cat's breakfast every day or he wakes me for food very early. I had to hold firm for a bit while he learnt that waking me and getting fed had no connection, but now it's a great routine. (Still sometimes wakes me for cuddles though!)

RandomMess · 15/01/2023 10:40

You shut him in the room farthest from your bedroom and ignore. Will take a week or so but he'll begrudgingly accept it's sleep time.

Toddlerteaplease · 15/01/2023 10:51

I feel your pain as well. One of mine likes to have cuddles and makes biscuits on my face at 3am. She's also decided that she likes sitting on my head. Fine if she sat still but she doesn't! It's too late now to change the routine. And due to the layout of the house I can't shut her down stairs.

RandomMess · 15/01/2023 10:56

@Toddlerteaplease we redesigned our purpose built open plan house to ensure that the kitchen had a door for cat shutting away 🤣

Remaker · 15/01/2023 11:01

I also have male and female indoor cats. The female is rarely any trouble overnight but the boy does get up to some mischief. We have to leave our bedroom door ajar or he scratches at it all night. If I wiggle over to make room and give him some strokes he will often settle down to sleep on our bed.

We have a bowl of dry food always available in the bathroom and if I get up to go to the loo he will sometimes complain. I can put 2 pieces into an already full bowl and that will satisfy him. I don’t think he’s very bright lol.

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