# Nocturnal indoors cat is driving me crazy!



## darkshines (Feb 22, 2011)

I have had Gizmo since Valentine's weekend, and it has become vey apparent he is a nocturnal cat. Although he intermittantly naps throughout the day and night, you CANNOT ignore him at night. I have tried everything. 

If you shut him in one home (with everything he needs) he claws at the door and miaows to come out! 

If you let him in the bedroom/where ever I or my partner is sleeping, he jumps up on the bed, miaows and purrs loudly, stomps all over us and wakes us up!

I don't want to have to shut him out all night but I already have insomnia and him stomping on me and making nise isn't helping me sleep! I fell asleep at 3am and he woke me up an hour later, now I can't get back to sleep and I have the first day of my new job today!

Please help!


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

How old is gizmo and is he neutered.You have only had him for a short time so he will still be trying to find his place in your home.From your title I assume he is an indoor only cat:thumbsup:.Was he used to going out previously,if so then it will take a while for him to settle down.Have you tried tiring him out with some playtime before bed.If you find it is all just to much then shutting him out of the bedroom may be your only choice,but it is actually quite a compliment that he wants to be with you so quickly after coming to you.There are a lot of members who would swap places with you because their rescue cats wont come near them.I hope he settles soon.


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## Shimacat (Feb 14, 2010)

How old is Gizmo, and is he neutered? You've not had him very long, so there's every chance he's still settling down into his new home.

HOWEVER - cats are naturally very active in the early morning/late evening - the time when the light is best for hunting. Although cats can learn human routines, they wil naturally wake up early - and the early waking gets earlier as dawn gets earlier. It's what they do, and you won't change that behaviour.

What I'd suggest is allowing the cat more time to settle with you. Give him a lot of active playtime during the evening, and give him food before you go to bed. If he yowls in the night, don't give in and get up for him - he'll interpret that that his yowling is successful, and will reinforce him to keep doing it.

So, combination of patience, play, food and more patience!


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## Jenny1966 (Feb 7, 2011)

We have had the same problem with Molly. She has been with us since christmas eve, and refuses point blank to be locked out of the bedroom at night .... we give up before she does :lol:

On a positive note she is getting better  she now has quite a little routine going. Once we go to bed she will come and lay in between us with us both stroking her, she will purr loudly for about 10 mins then silence when she falls asleep, she will stay there for about 5 mins then jump up and go lay by the bedroom door! She does this same routine at about 3.30am :lol: Believe it or not this is a luxury compared to what she was like  

I'm hoping that the older she gets, the less likely she will have the 3.30am cuddle!! 

So all I can suggest is time and patience, not a lot of help I know sorry


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2011)

Agree with all the above, my two fingers crossed have now settled into a routine they have a few biscuits then their toothpaste and they then go and get into their beds Monty in his hammock on the cat tree and Maudey on top of the wardrobe, do you play with him lots and give him mental stimulation throughout the day and evening?


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

Cant say much apart from he sounds like a normal kitten / cat, cats come alive at night, they are nocturnal and sleep a fair bit of the day! 

Id just shut the door in the night and leave him in a room with toys/litter/food/drink, I dont let kittens into my room as they wake me up I wait till they are over a year old, even then sometimes they have to be put outside my room due to the noise! 

Just part and parcel of having a kitten/cat really


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## darkshines (Feb 22, 2011)

He is neutered and will be 5 in September. I will try shutting him in the bathroom again tonight, as that is where he stays when we go out. We have copied someone elses actions: when they had a kitten that wanted to go out of the catflap at night, they put a case in front of it? We put a case in front of the bedroom door and so far he hasn't tried going in, and he usually does try during the day.

We play with him during the day, in the evening is serious play time. He is capable of playing by hismself as I have seen him, but he does prefer it when my partner and I play! Usually a play session lasts for ten minutes or so before he gets bored and wanders off.....


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

darkshines said:


> He is neutered and will be 5 in September. I will try shutting him in the bathroom again tonight, as that is where he stays when we go out. We have copied someone elses actions: when they had a kitten that wanted to go out of the catflap at night, they put a case in front of it? We put a case in front of the bedroom door and so far he hasn't tried going in, and he usually does try during the day.
> 
> We play with him during the day, in the evening is serious play time. He is capable of playing by hismself as I have seen him, but he does prefer it when my partner and I play! Usually a play session lasts for ten minutes or so before he gets bored and wanders off.....


If you keep him shut up in the bathroom during the day it's no wonder he goes crazy at night. Why not just leave him free in the house? Cats need to run and jump. They need a window to look out of and daily interactive play from you (which I know you you've been giving)

But I agree with the others, he needs time to settle in. He may be missing his former person, or other pets he's lost.

Install a few feliway plug in diffusers to help him settle, and stop shutting him up in the bathroom.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2011)

It sounds like he bored and being cooped up in the bathroom whilst you are out and night is'nt really fair, he needs stimulation and enrichment, like a cat tree, toys, windows to look out off and room to run about if needs be.

Have a look at this fabcat article as it's has a lot of good ideas.


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## Kiwi (Nov 18, 2010)

Before bed, I find a really useful game is to stand at the bottom of the stairs and shine a laser mouse up and down the stairs in a circuit (which includes ; a large circular route in the sitting room too and going through a tunnel). My cat wants to play this every night and has never bored of it. She races through the route repeatedly about 10x and then is shattered and ready for bed. Brilliant exercise for her (and very easy for me) - works a treat x


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## Themis (Dec 18, 2009)

I have to shut my two Cats in the living room at night or else they wake me up at 4 or 5am with loud meowing (more howling really) and door scratching.

I tried letting them sleep with us but instead of sleeping prettily on the end of the bed they play fight or hit me around the face with their paws!


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## darkshines (Feb 22, 2011)

I'm not out all day, maybe three hours tops. I don't work at the moment so it is only while I get grouceries. My partner doesn't want him knocking things over/raiding the kitchen while we are out (my lounge and kitchen are pen plan). This is the exact oposite to other advice I have been given! My neighbour has owned cats for over 40 years, and she shuts hers in the hall at night, with their food and toys, and is the one who recommended the bathrom thing. The lady from the Cats Protection also said the same thing, when he lived with her, he was only kept in the bedroom AT ALL, never another room, as she had many other cats and he would fight with them. If anything, I am being a lot more generous than she was! I don't want people to think I am cruel, I have never had a cat before and when someone I trust gives me advice, I will take it!


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

I have to agree that shutting him in a small confined space is not a great idea.At 5years old he should be perfectly fine with the run of the house.He will become bored and frustrated shut up in a small space.I think you possibly misunderstood the lady from CP when she said she kept him shut in one room.All fosterers do that with cats that they care for,to protect the foster cat and any cats of their own.My cat would be totally narked if I shut him in a small space for 5minutes never mind a couple of hours.


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## Cloudygirl (Jan 9, 2011)

buffie said:


> I have to agree that shutting him in a small confined space is not a great idea.At 5years old he should be perfectly fine with the run of the house.He will become bored and frustrated shut up in a small space.I think you possibly misunderstood the lady from CP when she said she kept him shut in one room.All fosterers do that with cats that they care for,to protect the foster cat and any cats of their own.My cat would be totally narked if I shut him in a small space for 5minutes never mind a couple of hours.


Mine get put in a small space at night most nights so they know they have to go to bed otherwise they play and make loads of noise. Take for instance last night when I didn't do that I was woken up at 5am by a cat touching his nose to mine which is very cute but tiring lol.


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## troublecat (Feb 1, 2011)

When we adopted our rescues from the RSPCA we were told ideally to have a room where they could be shut in until they were settled, but they really did mean a room with comfy chairs and differing height levels. Our cat still go to 'their' room of their own accord to sleep. But that was only an ideal.

I think there is confining and then there is confining. Our cat when I was growing up always stayed in the living room, kitchen and conservatory at night. 

How realistic is it that he will break stuff or raid the kitchen? I only have experience of moggies but the worst I've come home to is mud on the duvet.


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## Cloudygirl (Jan 9, 2011)

troublecat said:


> When we adopted our rescues from the RSPCA we were told ideally to have a room where they could be shut in until they were settled, but they really did mean a room with comfy chairs and differing height levels. Our cat still go to 'their' room of their own accord to sleep. But that was only an ideal.
> 
> I think there is confining and then there is confining. Our cat when I was growing up always stayed in the living room, kitchen and conservatory at night.
> 
> How realistic is it that he will break stuff or raid the kitchen? I only have experience of moggies but the worst I've come home to is mud on the duvet.


meet my boys. So far they have ...

- Broken 2 vases
- scratched some wallpaper off the wall in the kitchen - fortunately in a place where I have been able to move the dresser slightly and cover it up
- managed to knock a dehumidifier (crystal thing) into my heater (which was over the other side of the room so I have no idea quite how they managed it) which luckily wasn't on at the time and trash it, it's completely broken
- pull down a blind by trying to climb up it and the bang scared him that much that he pooed himself all over the carpet. 
- scratched a load of wood off my back door which I've now had to line with plastic to stop them scratching it
- pulled the handle off my dresser 
- after about 2 days they figured out how to open the kitchen cupboards

I also walked in on Jimmy trying to bite through an electric wire and rescued JoJo when he managed to strangle himself on my mobile phone charger. I love them to bits but there is no way in hell that they are going to have the run of my house unsupervised until they are over the kitten crazys!!

They get the back utility room which is a long room on the back of the house which is basically now the cat room, the back hall and the bathroom while I'm out. When I'm in they get the kitchen stairs and landing up to the loft bedroom to play in and if I'm in there they get the lounge and my bedroom. If I'm not in those rooms the doors are shut!!

At night if they aren't being crazy they sleep in my room and if they are they sleep in the bathroom where their bed is. Otherwise they chase each other up and down the stairs all night and it sounds like a heard of elephants!!


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Cloudygirl said:


> meet my boys. So far they have ...
> 
> - Broken 2 vases
> - scratched some wallpaper off the wall in the kitchen - fortunately in a place where I have been able to move the dresser slightly and cover it up
> ...


Welcome to life with cats/kittens.It does if nothing else teach us to be tidy  With animals there is little chance of perfect anything ,and I wouldnt expect anything different.With regard to the OP's cat we are not talking about a kitten ,this is a 5yearold cat which I feel is more than old enough to be trusted,and definitely to old to be getting shut in a bathroom


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

darkshines said:


> I'm not out all day, maybe three hours tops. I don't work at the moment so it is only while I get grouceries. My partner doesn't want him knocking things over/raiding the kitchen while we are out (my lounge and kitchen are pen plan). This is the exact oposite to other advice I have been given*! My neighbour has owned cats for over 40 years, and she shuts hers in the hall at night, with their food and toys, and is the one who recommended the bathrom thing.* The lady from the Cats Protection also said the same thing, when he lived with her, he was only kept in the bedroom AT ALL, never another room, as she had many other cats and he would fight with them. If anything, I am being a lot more generous than she was! I don't want people to think I am cruel, I have never had a cat before and when someone I trust gives me advice, I will take it!


Well I've had cats for _50_ years, and I say shutting a cat up like that for the bulk of the night, and part of the day is wrong. 

The whole point of adoption is to get the cat out of foster care. Foster care is meant to be temporary. Once kitty gets adopted it is expected that the cat will be able to live in more than one room.

Since you've never had a cat before you need to understand what a cat needs. A cat needs mental stimulation and socialization. He needs elevated spaces and windows. He needs to be able to run and jump and climb. He needs company and loving and interactive play.

If you are worried about something being broken, put away the things you are worried about, or get some quake hold to hold them in place. And get him a cat tree to climb and jump on so he won't need to jump on the mantle or whatever.

If he is wild at night it means he is not getting enough stimulation during the day.

My cats are never shut up. They have the run of the house and windows to look out of, where there is a bird feeder for their entertainment. They have scratchers and a cat tree for climbing and jumping. I play interactive games with them every night before their supper.

My cats, ages 12, 7, 5 and a kitten 8 months old come to bed and sleep the night through with me. Actually the 12 year old does sometimes get up in the night and have a solitary game out in the living room. 



buffie said:


> Welcome to life with cats/kittens.It does if nothing else teach us to be tidy  With animals there is little chance of perfect anything ,and I wouldnt expect anything different.With regard to the OP's cat we are not talking about a kitten ,this is a 5yearold cat which I feel is more than old enough to be trusted,and definitely to old to be getting shut in a bathroom


Well said!


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

PS It's wonderful that you adopted an older cat. Do you know his history? Knowing what he's been through can help with understanding what his needs are. And we can help you meet them.


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## Cloudygirl (Jan 9, 2011)

buffie said:


> Welcome to life with cats/kittens.It does if nothing else teach us to be tidy  With animals there is little chance of perfect anything ,and I wouldnt expect anything different.With regard to the OP's cat we are not talking about a kitten ,this is a 5yearold cat which I feel is more than old enough to be trusted,and definitely to old to be getting shut in a bathroom


They are currently playfighting on my bed. Which is why I'm up typing right now. Ok they are kittens which is slightly different but I don't think there is any harm shutting a cat in a room overnight. Thats different than confining a cat all day every day. My old cat used to be shut in the kitchen overnight because he messed a few times upstairs when he managed to get himself shut in and I don't think it was cruel. he had enough room in there and a bed, during the day he had access to the rest of downstairs always in the day and upstairs if someone was there and could get outside as he pleased.

If the bathroom is like a little box then I agree but some bathrooms can be quite big. The OP has said they only go out during the day for short periods and they instigate play time with the cat and they havent mentioned that they don't have cat toys etc so it seems a bit of a leap to just say that the cat must be bored.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Cloudygirl said:


> They are currently playfighting on my bed. Which is why I'm up typing right now. Ok they are kittens which is slightly different but I don't think there is any harm shutting a cat in a room overnight. Thats different than confining a cat all day every day. My old cat used to be shut in the kitchen overnight because he messed a few times upstairs when he managed to get himself shut in and I don't think it was cruel. he had enough room in there and a bed, during the day he had access to the rest of downstairs always in the day and upstairs if someone was there and could get outside as he pleased.
> 
> If the bathroom is like a little box then I agree but some bathrooms can be quite big. The OP has said they only go out during the day for short periods and they instigate play time with the cat and they havent mentioned that they don't have cat toys etc so it seems a bit of a leap to just say that the cat must be bored.


At 5 years old a cat must have reached the point where it can be trusted to be allowed freedom,if not,when will that time come.It is ,I would guess by its behaviour bored or it would not be reacting the way it is.My year old cat/kitten sleeps right through the night and does have total freedom,as have all my cats as soon as they have reached an age/stage where their safety is not an issue.


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## Gem16 (Aug 5, 2010)

My cats have full run of the house all day every day but my 2 boys are shut into the kitchen at night, having said that there is still plenty of room to run around, and they are more than happy to kip in their beds because they gets lots of exercise / stimulation during the day time.
I don't think it;s a problem to put him somewhere at night if he's gonna disturb you but i disagree with the bit when your out.
But basically like others have said, welcome to the world of cats, they do what they want


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## darkshines (Feb 22, 2011)

Yeah, I kind of feel like I am being attacked here. My bathroom is large enough for me to lie in the middle of the floor and not touch anything, plus it has a large airing cupboard he likes to sleep in when the door is open because it is warm.

I am not abusing my cat in any way, I asked for genuine advice here and some of the replies are making me feel like I am being cruel.

I actually have tears in my eyes right now.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

I don't think anyone means to attack you. We're concerned for kitty is all. I'm sure it's hard on you, you've been losing sleep, and worrying about your new kitty being comfortable.

I just really really think you ought to not shut him up in the day time. Leave him out and about so he can get used to his new home and new people and have mental and physical stimulation. 

He may learn with time that the bathroom is his bedtime place (though I can't imagine not sleeping with my cats), you can make it pleasant for him by giving him a special meal in there when you put him to bed, but he needs to be out and about around the house during the day.

However I still think allowing him freedom of the house day and night is better for him, he will adjust to his new home sooner if he is allowed to explore it in his own time.

Cats like to make their own Spots. They like to chose for themselves what to make as a favorite bed or spot. They like to look out the window. They like to be around their people.

You've gotten good advice here. Cat tree, bird feeder outside window, plenty of interactive game time, and don't forget the loving time and grooming time, too.

And get some feliway plug in diffusers.


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2011)

Totally agree with Lorilu and Buffie, whilst your bathroom may be big enough for you lie down on floor, is their anything in there for him apart from the airing cupboard which he sleeps in, cats most active dusk and dawn when he is shut in the bathroom, how would you cope being shut in your bathroom during the day with no toys or stimulation, being a pet owner does come with some sacrifices that you maybe can't leave a vase on a window sill and you can't leave food out and you have to wipe down the kitchen sufaces before you prepare food but these are small things compared to the joy a pet can bring you.


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## Jenny1966 (Feb 7, 2011)

I think I might try locking myself in the bathroom at night, I might get some sleep then :lol:


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## troublecat (Feb 1, 2011)

Cloudygirl said:


> meet my boys. So far they have ...
> 
> - Broken 2 vases
> - scratched some wallpaper off the wall in the kitchen - fortunately in a place where I have been able to move the dresser slightly and cover it up
> ...


:yikes: 

Although as already mentioned I was thinking more of the OP's five year old cat rather than kittens - aren't young kittens best kept in one room anyway or did I miss something?


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## troublecat (Feb 1, 2011)

darkshines said:


> Yeah, I kind of feel like I am being attacked here. My bathroom is large enough for me to lie in the middle of the floor and not touch anything, plus it has a large airing cupboard he likes to sleep in when the door is open because it is warm.
> 
> I am not abusing my cat in any way, I asked for genuine advice here and some of the replies are making me feel like I am being cruel.
> 
> I actually have tears in my eyes right now.


Darkshines, net forums can feel a bit intimidating sometimes - I've used them for ages and know how you feel.

If you were to ask one of us for advice and that person said, actually cats prefer their freedom and you can give them stimulation by doing xyz, you'd feel fine about it and thank them for their advice. But if a dozen or so people stood crowded around you saying it you'd feel intimidated. It's not really any different on a forum!

It's probably illogical but in my mind I think of bathrooms as being hard, cold places with lots of chemicals and perfumes that can upset delicate cat noses. A kitchen or living room seems softer and more hospitable somehow. 

I've had to make adjustments with our cats - it's a small thing but I can't have fresh flowers in certain places in case they knock the vases onto electric appliances, for example. And they've taken over my home office completely - goodness knows what I will do when I start having clients in again. 

Ah, if only cat ownership was like a Sheba advert! 

Incidentally, I have adopted a 7 yr old and a 2 yr old and I find the 7 yr old much more laid back, the 2 yr old is into everything whereas Molly just likes a perch to watch the birds from. It's lovely having an older cat, not least because I have the satisfcation of giving a cat a home who'd been passed by so many times and I hope that it is the same for you.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

darkshines said:


> Yeah, I kind of feel like I am being attacked here. My bathroom is large enough for me to lie in the middle of the floor and not touch anything, plus it has a large airing cupboard he likes to sleep in when the door is open because it is warm.
> 
> I am not abusing my cat in any way, I asked for genuine advice here and some of the replies are making me feel like I am being cruel.
> 
> I actually have tears in my eyes right now.


darkshines if you feel you are being attacked then that is not what is meant,but if you ask for advice on a forum and nearly everyone says the same thing,then I think rather than feeling attacked you should,perhaps reconsider _your_ actions.A bathroom no matter how big is not a very pleasant place to shut a cat in.As others have said having a pet comes with changes in the things we can/cant do and if that means less ornaments on display,no flowers,cupboard doors kept shut ect then that is as GH says a very small price to pay for the happiness they bring.You say you are being made to feel cruel well that is not the intention,but if you think of the stimulation a cat needs in its life then you may see that it is hardly the best place to spend the night.


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

have you got a spare bedroom or a hall large hallway if you dont want him in the lounge/kitchen? Lots of toys food/water/litter etc place to run?

Cant add more than what others have said, his 5 now, his a big boy lol so time to trust him in the lounge, turn off all kitchen items, does he climb onto worktops? is that what you are worriedabout?


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## koekemakranka (Aug 2, 2010)

darkshines said:


> My partner doesn't want him knocking things over/raiding the kitchen while we are out (my lounge and kitchen are pen plan). !


I really don't think that would be a problem. Cats are generally not that destructive. had In terms of raiding the kitchen, unless he can open the fridge, I don't see what he can possibly raid?

PS Well done for adopting an adult cat!


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## Kiwi (Nov 18, 2010)

Aw, Darkshines, please don't cry!  You are here and asking questions, so you are doing your best by your cat. We all make mistakes  and I have made loads. But the good people on here are only trying to help, so dry your eyes and see what you can find in the advice to help your kitty. Your experience now could really help others in years to come if you are prepared to listen and learn, as you are x


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