# My cat won't let me sleep!!



## LozGoldie (Feb 9, 2014)

I have an 8 month old ginger tom and a 7 and a half year old female tabby. The tom is definitely in charge in the house! My problem is that he won't let me or my other cat sleep! At about 4:45 every morning he starts playing in my bedroom. He runs around, chases his tail, chews things and basically makes as much noise as possible! If my other cat is sleeping he jumps on her and they start fighting etc. If I get up and put him out the room and shut the door he's fine for about half an hour but then comes back and starts howling at the door and scratching the carpet. He actually keeps pulling the carpet up and is ruining it! If I shut him out the night before he still comes and howls and claws the carpet at about 05:00 every day!! I don't know how to stop him doing that and why so early every day! Please help... :-(


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## delilah90 (Mar 1, 2014)

Hi Loz
I don't have perfect answers, but I do relate to this - our Burmese, Sushi, who is nearly 10 months, does similar. He'll come and stand on my chest, purring, at 3am. At this time he usually just wants to be petted, which is very sweet and all, but he requires about half an hour of stroking and fussing before he'll curl up next to me and go back to sleep. Then he wakes at 4.30 wanting food. Again, it starts with purring and batting me on the face, and if I don't respond to that he starts jumping onto the shelves and knocking things off - I know it's deliberate because I've seen him watching me for a response while he does it! If I still dare to stay in bed, he opens my wardrobe - and that always gets me up as I don't want him ruining my clothes. 
One thing that has helped a bit is getting an automatic feeder. I programme it to open at about 415 so he can eat, and after that he's usually satisfied and goes outside for a couple of hours. We got a cat flap last month and that has also helped as he no longer needs to bother us to let him out/play. However, this hasn't helped with the attention-seeking 3am purring. Like you, we used to shut him out and it didn't work. We kept him in the living room but he'd start howling and throwing himself at the door handle at 2am, so our sleep was even worse back then. Unfortunately, as we're in a maisonette, there's no room far enough from our bedroom that we wouldn't hear him. I'm hoping that as he gets older he may get a bit better. Obviously, our cats are still kittens and very lively so it's likely they'll calm down. We do try to keep Sushi awake in the few hours before we go to bed, but this doesn't particularly help either - he settles with us at 10.30 but I think their sleep cycles are much shorter, so he still wakes after 4/5 hours. 
Good luck - will be interested to hear what others say.


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## LozGoldie (Feb 9, 2014)

My other cat Pepper sometimes does that. Sits on my chest purring in my face until i give her attention. Usually i just pet her for about 10 minutes then she settles down beside me. With the tom (Nacho) he just wants to do anything but sit still!! He has toys everywhere, a giant cat tree with mice attached to it that he loves to run up and down, there's food out overnight and plenty for him to do elsewhere in the house but he insists on being in my room. I've read elsewhere that it could be his diet. He is on a quite good brand of dry food but i've read that wet food is better as it has less sugars in it and he might not be as hyper early in the morning. Might give that a try!


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

personally I`d be closing the bedroom door (with the cat on the other side of it). And wearing earplugs for a few nights.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

My male is locked down in the living room, he has access to outside if he wants so he's fine. My female behaves well at night and just sleeps so she's allowed to stay upstairs if she wants.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

My furry alarm clock woke me up at 5 this morning. Usual routine. He jumps on my chest and I pretend to be asleep. Then it's either nose in my ear with that deafening purr or grooming my eyebrows. If I still pretend to be asleep he very very gently chews my chin. I usually wait because I just love the chin chew. Can't beat being woken up by a face full of gorgeous fur baby 

But..... We sometimes leave the bedroom door open and sometimes not. It's random to the cats and they just have to accept that. They no longer cry to get in. If you ignore them they'll get the message. So, if we want a lie in the door is closed and if I want furry alarm clocks it's open.

At this time of year they are going to wake you up earlier. The sunrise does it. If you want to avoid that you just have to use blackout curtains in all the rooms that the cats use.


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

Play dead. Do not react. Do not look at them, talk to them, shout at them, stroke them - nothing. You are asleep. Do not get up no matter what. You have been turned to stone. 

Bobby played hell to my mother every time she came to look after him, getting her up at 3 and 5 and then playing for 20 minutes and going to sleep, and she was knackered. I told her not to get up for him, and he's been fine ever since. She sleeps on the sofa when she's here so the cat has to be in with her, no chance of shutting him out! It really works, you just have to stick with it for a couple of nights, maybe up to a week.


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## delilah90 (Mar 1, 2014)

These all sound great ideas...I think we have been a bit weak-willed with Sushi! We tried not responding but he didn't give up and in the end we were so sleep-deprived we gave in! But if you can do it, great. Likewise we don't have a downstairs, and Sushi has a very loud miaow, so shutting the door didn't work for us. Otherwise that would be happening!  I don't really mind being woken up by purring, I think it's cute...my husband gets annoyed though! We do feed Sushi a very high-quality diet. He only has minimal dry food and it's Applaws, which is grain-free. He still wakes us up, but can only be helpful trying to change your boy's food/


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## LozGoldie (Feb 9, 2014)

I really want to try and ignore him but if i shut him out the bedroom, he just starts clawing the carpet (a carpet we've only had for 2 weeks!) He's actually starting to rip it and pull it out from under the grip strip. I cant pretend i dont hear him or he will just keep ripping the carpet. I have to try and shoo him away from the door but he just comes back half an hour or so later and starts again. I'm not going to have any carpet left at this rate! :-(


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

LozGoldie said:


> I really want to try and ignore him but if i shut him out the bedroom, he just starts clawing the carpet (a carpet we've only had for 2 weeks!) He's actually starting to rip it and pull it out from under the grip strip. I cant pretend i dont hear him or he will just keep ripping the carpet. I have to try and shoo him away from the door but he just comes back half an hour or so later and starts again. I'm not going to have any carpet left at this rate! :-(


A wide strip of duct tape or similar will protect the carpet. If you give him no reaction he'll get bored eventually. It took a few days for one of our cats. Once they get used to the idea of being shut out you can then start letting them in on your terms; say at weekends for example.

I am assuming you are doing the obvious stuff and giving him a good energetic play, a high protein meaty meal and lots of attention before you go to bed of course.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

ForeverHome said:


> Play dead. Do not react. Do not look at them, talk to them, shout at them, stroke them - nothing. You are asleep. Do not get up no matter what. You have been turned to stone.


You must have some willpower. . Bruno especially can see me trembling trying not to laugh. I think he knows the game, bless 'im.


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

LozGoldie said:


> I really want to try and ignore him but if i shut him out the bedroom, he just starts clawing the carpet (a carpet we've only had for 2 weeks!) He's actually starting to rip it and pull it out from under the grip strip. I cant pretend i dont hear him or he will just keep ripping the carpet. I have to try and shoo him away from the door but he just comes back half an hour or so later and starts again. I'm not going to have any carpet left at this rate! :-(


If all else fails you could try putting down a wide strip of tin foil on the carpet along the door edge! we did this around our Christmas tree so my little one wouldn't jump or climb up for the baubles etc... it did work and after about two weeks we removed it and she didn't bother to go for the tree at all! cats don't like stepping on tin foil so it might help! worth a try!


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## nightkitten (Jun 15, 2012)

ForeverHome said:


> Play dead. Do not react. Do not look at them, talk to them, shout at them, stroke them - nothing. You are asleep. Do not get up no matter what. You have been turned to stone.
> 
> Bobby played hell to my mother every time she came to look after him, getting her up at 3 and 5 and then playing for 20 minutes and going to sleep, and she was knackered. I told her not to get up for him, and he's been fine ever since. She sleeps on the sofa when she's here so the cat has to be in with her, no chance of shutting him out! It really works, you just have to stick with it for a couple of nights, maybe up to a week.


Good advice from FH!

Be aware though that initially it will get worse. They will do anything and everything to get your attention. So if the 'normal' things don't work anymore they will try even worse things. It is hard but you really have to stick to it. Better to have 3 weeks of no sleep than 20 years!

Clear your shelves so they can't knock anything off, lock your cupboards, hide your face under the duvet and don't make a sound, don't open your eyes, no matter what is going on around you.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

I've never tried this but you could always try a short sharp shock treatment of throwing something heavy against the door too.


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

No, not willpower, just learned from the ex doing it all wrong. To be honest I've never really had this problem, Molly sometimes needs a little reminder when she gets earlier and earlier, that's all. Bobby just played hell for my mother because he got the response, so it escalated to the point where ... oh it was funny really, she thought getting up at 4 was the perfectly right thing to do, poor woman!!! I have to get HIM up for his breakfast he's so lazy!


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## LozGoldie (Feb 9, 2014)

I play with him as much as I can, he eats constantly and he has plenty to keep him entertained!! I think I might try the tinfoil trick tho. Plus I'm thinking of changing his food from dry to a high quality wet food. Should that make a difference? Any suggestions for a high quality wet food? I'm thinking Hills Science food. Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks.


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## MollyMilo (Feb 16, 2012)

I do the play dead trick and sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't  


Milo has started doing what I call his "Sheldon" ( pennypennypennypenny)I'm lying there trying not to laugh as he goes mowmowmowmowmowmow until I take notice! 

He only ever makes this sound to get that particular need across!


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

LozGoldie said:


> I play with him as much as I can, he eats constantly and he has plenty to keep him entertained!! I think I might try the tinfoil trick tho. Plus I'm thinking of changing his food from dry to a high quality wet food. Should that make a difference? Any suggestions for a high quality wet food? I'm thinking Hills Science food. Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks.


The food change alone may just solve the problem. You certainly don't want any dry and you don't want him to eat constantly, both are unnatural. Take advantage of the cats natural rythm - hunt, catch, kill, eat, groom, sleep - and you can dictate his schedule. Scheduled feeds of good food preceded by play and he'll want to sleep straight after.

Hills food is crap. Catz Finefoods, Granatapet, Omnomnom, terra faelis, ferringa, ropocat, Grau grain free all make decent choices if he likes firm pate style foods.


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## LozGoldie (Feb 9, 2014)

He's not keen on pate style food. He prefers meat chunks in gravy. I'm guessing Whiskas and Felix aren't great? I've got Sheba at the moment but that's the only half decent one I can get in the supermarket. I did have him on Purina One dry food.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

LozGoldie said:


> He's not keen on pate style food. He prefers meat chunks in gravy. I'm guessing Whiskas and Felix aren't great? I've got Sheba at the moment but that's the only half decent one I can get in the supermarket. I did have him on Purina One dry food.


You have my sympathy 

Mine are picky with pate too. I don't think there is a single high quality food that is in a chunks in gravy format. CFF pouches (a very wet pate) do go down well sometimes with gravy lovers but they are impudently overpriced.

You might want to try Miamor Ragout Royale in jelly which has a rather loose jelly and a reputation for extremely high palatabilty. It is cheap too.

Sheba is a problem. It really sounds like you need to try a grain / sugar free diet and any Sheba with gravy will fail in this regard. The Sheba fine flakes product in jelly would be worth a shot though; that is free of grains and added sugars.


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## LozGoldie (Feb 9, 2014)

I'm actually really starting to lose patience with him. Every morning, i get woken up at 5am by him chasing the other cat, climbing all over me, playing with the curtains, pulling clothes off the dryer and generally being a pain. Can't shut him out the room as he's destroying the carpet at the door which is new and i'm totally stuck as to what to do to stop him doing that! It's actually getting to the point where i'm thinking we cant keep him anymore! I really love him and don't want to have to do that but i'm absolutely exhausted and he's wrecking the house!


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## Lunabuma (Dec 12, 2011)

Use carpet protector and close the door. Tire your cats out at bed time with games.

Carpet Protector- Best quality - Sold By The Metre: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

LozGoldie said:


> I'm actually really starting to lose patience with him. Every morning, i get woken up at 5am by him chasing the other cat, climbing all over me, playing with the curtains, pulling clothes off the dryer and generally being a pain. Can't shut him out the room as he's destroying the carpet at the door which is new and i'm totally stuck as to what to do to stop him doing that! It's actually getting to the point where i'm thinking we cant keep him anymore! I really love him and don't want to have to do that but i'm absolutely exhausted and he's wrecking the house!


Changed his diet yet?


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

Why don't you tell us what you've tried out of all the advice you've been given, and how it went?


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## LozGoldie (Feb 9, 2014)

Ive tried tiring him out before bed with games, giving him a meaty meal when i go to bed (dont think Sheba is the best though), leaving toys out everywhere to keep him occupied and i'm thinking i might order that carpet protector! I cant decide on the best wet food to buy, i've researched it but everywhere i look tells me something different. What about Applaws or something like that?


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

LozGoldie said:


> Ive tried tiring him out before bed with games, giving him a meaty meal when i go to bed (dont think Sheba is the best though), leaving toys out everywhere to keep him occupied and i'm thinking i might order that carpet protector! I cant decide on the best wet food to buy, i've researched it but everywhere i look tells me something different. What about Applaws or something like that?


If you're desperate which it sounds like you are, how about Butchers Classic just to start with, which is cheap so less of a drama if they don't like it and also grain-free? It's also available from Tescos, Asda and Morrisons, and probably a lot more supermarkets. Then if the wet food does the trick you have all the time in the world to experiment with a higher quality one.

Mine get a meaty snack last thing at night, just meat. About 90g between the two of them which is a bit more than the ideal amount. I chop it into bite size and swish it around in boiling water so it's not cooked through but the outside is just done, let it cool for a couple of minutes and serve. There's never any left in the morning and they don't even wake me up for breakfast any more. They get it raw if they accept it (which for some reason at the moment they don't  ) but either way they seem to be satisfied.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

LozGoldie said:


> Ive tried tiring him out before bed with games, giving him a meaty meal when i go to bed (dont think Sheba is the best though), leaving toys out everywhere to keep him occupied and i'm thinking i might order that carpet protector! I cant decide on the best wet food to buy, i've researched it but everywhere i look tells me something different. What about Applaws or something like that?


Applaws isn't complete so I'd use it sparingly. I wonder if he will eat raw meat? You could try what ForeverHome suggested rather than Applaws if you want to try a supplementary food at first. I have definitely observed that cats will fall asleep more readily if they have had to work to chew meaty chunks.

Not sure you'd be up for this yet, but two cats locked out of your bedroom are likely to entertain each other rather than trying to get into your room.


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

LozGoldie said:


> My other cat Pepper sometimes does that. Sits on my chest purring in my face until i give her attention. Usually i just pet her for about 10 minutes then she settles down beside me. With the tom (Nacho) he just wants to do anything but sit still!! He has toys everywhere, a giant cat tree with mice attached to it that he loves to run up and down, there's food out overnight and plenty for him to do elsewhere in the house but he insists on being in my room. I've read elsewhere that it could be his diet. He is on a quite good brand of dry food but i've read that wet food is better as it has less sugars in it and he might not be as hyper early in the morning. Might give that a try!


It's only *my* opinion but I don't think the food/diet issue will really solve the problem but it certainly might help! so it's a starting point!


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

Soozi said:


> It's only *my* opinion but I don't think the food/diet issue will really solve the problem but it certainly might help! so it's a starting point!


The meat snack made a huge difference to mine, as stated they don't wake me up for breakfast any more. Mine are fed at roughly 5 hour intervals while I'm awake which leaves a 9 hour night, nearly double the usual gap, so a solid healthy meal lasting better gives them enough to see them through. They still have their mad moments in the night but they don't need me to be part of it.

Diet does make a difference to an animal's behaviour just as it does to a small child's behaviour. Agreed there may be other issues to address, but starting with a solid foundation gives you a head start.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

LozGoldie, a cat waking and being active at 5 am (dawn) is completely normal instinctive behaviour. Cats are crepuscular by nature and are most active at dawn and dusk, the time when they would do most of their hunting in the wild. On top of that, as I recall, your cat is still only a kitten, or adolescent, and is waking up full of beans, raring to go. This again is normal behaviour.

If you don't want your cat behaving according to his natural instincts you need to take steps to disguise the fact it is approaching dawn outside, by putting up blackout blinds or blackout-lined curtains at the windows. This does work to delay the time the cats wake up.

Also, as well as giving your cat good meat protein at bedtime (perhaps some raw chunks to chew on as suggested by others), you might want to buy an autofeeder, put some tasty wet food in and time it to open around 4.30 am just before the time your cat has been waking up. This way he will eat the food and be happy to snooze for an hour or two until you get up to give him his breakfast. The natural pattern of cat behaviour with food is eat, groom, sleep.

If you're stuck for ideas for foods, try Hilife Natures Essentials, Wainwrights pots, or Natures Menu, all from [email protected] All high in meat content and free of grains and sugars.

Or branch out and try some of the foods from here, all good quality imported German foods, excellent value for money:

All Products | The Happy Kitty Company


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## LozGoldie (Feb 9, 2014)

Chillminx, I know cats are more active at dawn and dusk, my other cat is always up at this time too but he seems worse than any other cats i have ever owned, and thats a lot! He's completely different from any other cat EVER!! Lol. I've just actually bought HiLife natural food and he's chewing away on it as we speak! I'll put out another meal just before we go to bed and hopefully he might chill out in the morning! I also bought him a new toy which he seems obsessed with so hopefully that will keep him occupied if he does wake up early!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Loz, glad to hear you are trying some different food! :thumbsup: He may well be more lively and energetic than any other cat you've had, but I am sure his behaviour falls within what is normal range for a kitten. Some kittens do have boundless energy and hardly seem to need much sleep.

Feeding him at bedtime will certainly help but if you want to curtail his early morning antics you need to provide food for him at dawn, (his natural time to feed as you are already aware) . An autofeeder is the best thing. They're not expensive, are easy and convenient to use, and will save you a lot of lost sleep.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-2-M...091&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=autofeeder+for+cats


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