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

Kitten waking us up at 4.30am - losing my mind

14 replies

SkyBlue1987 · 15/08/2026 20:08

Hello has anyone successfully got their kitten or cat (mine is six months) to stop waking them up in the middle of the night. Ours is in the living area overnight. He has food, water, warmth, toys, treats, space to play. One he hears someone in the night, either someone going toilet or one of the kids tip toeing down the hall to our bed he thinks we are awake for the day and will howl like a dog for hours until someone lets him out. We try to be as quiet as we can. We’ve tried ignoring him for the last few weeks but it doesn’t stop him and it’s so loud we are still awake. I’m exhausted and cranky, my children are tired and cranky. Yes the cat is played with plenty during the day and before bed. No he can’t go outside he’s still an indoor cat plus also it’s winter here and freezing, no he can’t come in our rooms because he has the zoomies and bites/claws our heads. No I don’t want another kitten as had also heard stories of them still being noisy at night playfighting and breaking things, so if it doesn’t work out we’ve just wasted money on a second cat, plus the extra food cost will be a struggle for us. If we can’t figure out a way for us all to get a good night sleep I don’t see any other option than rehoming, although not sure who will want a cat that doesn’t let them sleep, out of ideas and options….

OP posts:
mondaytosunday · 15/08/2026 20:20

Why is he an indoor cat - is that permanent or what? Winter doesn’t matter - cats can deal with it!
My cats are confined to the downstairs area - the layout of my house is such that there’s one door between all of downstairs and the hall/stairs. They can go in and out and have access to food water. And most importantly I can’t hear them!
Your cat may eventually grow out of it but to be honest if our big male isn’t shut downstairs then he will wake me up around 4.30am for breakfast and he’s five.
So don’t know what to suggest- if there’s nowhere he can be put that’s out if earshot then earplugs?

minipie · 15/08/2026 20:24

Earplugs

Catflap - surely he’s old enough to go out at 6 months?

Also kids need to stay in their own beds so they don’t wake the cat? Easier to train the kids than the cat…

SkyBlue1987 · 15/08/2026 20:25

mondaytosunday · 15/08/2026 20:20

Why is he an indoor cat - is that permanent or what? Winter doesn’t matter - cats can deal with it!
My cats are confined to the downstairs area - the layout of my house is such that there’s one door between all of downstairs and the hall/stairs. They can go in and out and have access to food water. And most importantly I can’t hear them!
Your cat may eventually grow out of it but to be honest if our big male isn’t shut downstairs then he will wake me up around 4.30am for breakfast and he’s five.
So don’t know what to suggest- if there’s nowhere he can be put that’s out if earshot then earplugs?

He’s a ragdoll and has zero road sense. He got out once by accident as he bolted when we opened the door. He sprinted towards the cars, got freaked out and zoomed in all directions. We live on a busy road. He has a small catio but can’t get to it on his own - we have to take him to it.

OP posts:
Morepositivemum · 15/08/2026 21:41

Is it that the kids/ someone gets up over the night?

ToKittyornottoKitty · 15/08/2026 21:44

Morepositivemum · 15/08/2026 21:41

Is it that the kids/ someone gets up over the night?

Yes she says that in the OP

ToKittyornottoKitty · 15/08/2026 21:45

Can you just pop down and feed him when he starts meowing? This is a common cat issue, it’d be totally unreasonable to rehome the kitten because of it. But if you feed it it may quieten down again

Deadringer · 15/08/2026 21:48

Our indoor cat is confined to the kitchen at night, she has everything she needs in there. When she was younger she used to start yowling at about 5/6am, or if she heard anyone moving around upstairs, we just ignored her and she eventually stopped.

Wac90 · 15/08/2026 21:52

Automatic feeder to drop some food at that sort of time?

minipie · 15/08/2026 21:54

Oh he’s a ragdoll, they are known for being clingy, it’s the flip side of having a very sociable people loving breed. We had Burmese and they used to sleep in our beds (Not on our beds, in!) He wants company.

Maybe try letting him in your room at night for a week pr so, ignore attempts to play (offset with playing with him lots in the evening so he’s tired) and see if he can get into the habit of being calm/asleep in your room?

timtamsarebetterthanpenguins · Yesterday 08:25

The behaviour you’re describing is just normal kitten behaviour - he’s young and bored and wants company or someone to play with, not to be locked away on his own for hours on end 🤷‍♀️

rachel734 · Yesterday 19:28

The cat may be lonely, orif he's still new to your householdhe may feel startled and scared if he wakes up alone in an unfamiliar environment. My cat had this problem for about 3-6 months after I adopted her. I found that when I could persuade her to sleep at the foot of the bed or elsewhere in the bedroom, there was no early morning crying. I also eventually realized that she was frightened by a noisy radiator that came on around 4:30 a.m. I got someone to bleed the radiator, and it helped us both sleep better.

LoafofSellotape · Yesterday 19:35

Can't he come upstairs for a cuddle ? We had to give our cat free access of the house ,for the first 8 years he slept at the end of our bed but for the last 3 he's happy downstairs on the sofa.

Likeiloveyou · Yesterday 19:57

He probably needs more company.

SkyBlue1987 · Yesterday 22:32

Likeiloveyou · Yesterday 19:57

He probably needs more company.

Yes he definitely does that’s why he howls for us, however the times we have tried letting him in our room he definitely does not let us rest at all. I don’t really like being woken up in the middle of the night but a kitten attacking my head, or zooming back and forth along the headboard, even if it’s playful. Its like having a newborn even though at six months the kitten is well past newborn stage, I’m just trying to get the household to have a good nights rest so we are not all grouchy at each other.

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