Many cat owners struggle to sleep through the night without being woken up once or twice by their pet. As cats are night creatures it might seem like there is nothing you can do about it, but I'm happy to say you would be wrong there.
There are several reasons your cat might wake you up:
- He is hungry
- He wants to play
- He wants attention
- He wants to satisfy some bizarre habit
Dealing with Hunger
This problem is easy to solve - just make sure you leave enough food in the cat's bowl over night. Most healthy felines will not gorge themselves on extra food. Dry biscuits are especially handy for fussy eaters, as they do not spoil they can be left in the bowl for more than a couple of hours.
What about those ones that overeat or are extremely picky, and will not swallow anything that has been in their bowl longer than 15 minutes? Obviously there are some cases, where nothing will work, and you are doomed to suffer the cats reign. However very often it will be due to bad habits we ourselves have introduced! Answer honestly, how many times have you given in to the cat's demand, just because it was making pretty eyes at you?
In very many ways cats are like children, and need to have patterns to follow. Try to always feed your cat at the same time, or if you are feeling brave, you can try to establish a pattern where the cat knows feeding time is after you get up. The second option makes your life a lot easier, however requires going through a few rough mornings. You see the most important rule is not to give in. Thus no matter how much the cat meows, trots over you etc. you have to stick to your decision.
Felines are quick learners and if not given attention, they will give up, and what is important, remember that this approach did not work for them. A word of warning though, if you do not follow your plan strictly, it will result in pretty much resetting the progress done so far and making successive attempts slightly harder. Remember the quick learning bit? It works to your disadvantage when the cat notices he can get what he wants by terrorizing you.
Playtime Schedule
Yes, cats are nocturnal. This however does not mean they have to be up all night. Or that it has to involve the whole house being torn to pieces... Very often once your pet stops being the hyperactive kitten, we tend to play with them less and less during the day. If he spends 90% of his day asleep, no wonder the cat goes wild at night.
So even when you don't have time for long play sessions, a little nudge now and then might help. When you see your cat sleeping, try to wake him up with a tickle or by using his favourite toy. Remember - him being asleep, means you probably won't be. The point is to tire out the cat before the night comes. So why not have a half an hour play session just before you go to bed?
Another problem is cats that do not wake you up on purpose, but simply enjoy running around, and you and your bed just happen to be in the way... If tiring the cat out doesn't help, you could just keep the cat locked out from the bedroom at night (or altogether depending on your preference).
Just as with establishing a feeding pattern this will require strong will and determination. I would suggest sticking a pillow on your head while you ignore the meowing behind the closed door. And again, if you do open the door because of his cries you set yourself two steps backwards, as now the cat realizes he can get things by meowing long enough...
Beware of Attention Seekers
Cats do not understand what you say to them. They might react to the tone of voice, etc., but at the end of the day the way they communicate is very different from ours. When the cat wakes you up to play or just to get your attention, any form of contact or communication makes the attempt successful in his eyes.
For example: if the cat brings a toy to you and you chuck it out of bed, it is a signal - yes, we are playing now. Unless your pet is biting or scratching you, the best way to get some sleep is to simply ignore them. Rather than throw the toy, just stick it under your pillow.
To summarize, the key word in getting your daily portion of sleep in any case is consistency. Try to establish patterns and rules, and stick to them. Breaking a rule is not the end of the world, but you have to remember that the cat might try to take advantage of that. For day time related behaviour issues you might want to check out my tips on raising a problem free cat.
angel hugs