# Can't get cats to settle at night please help



## love my cats (Jul 21, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I am at my wits end so have joined the forum in the hope that someone, anyone can give a bit of help.

I have 2 cats, brother and sister who are just over 2 years old and are the sweetest babies you could ever wish for. They are my life.

My other half has a terrible problem - he snores so badly that he keeps the neighbours awake so you can guess what it has been like for me and the cats, none of us were getting any sleep even though he sleeps in the living room. He has now been given a machine from the hospital which has stopped his snoring but the no sleep for myself and the cats remains.

At bed time, the cats think its day time. I have told my other half that he has turned their little lives upside down but he's fine now he sleeps while I have to stay awake with the cats.

They run around like tornadoes at 3 in the morning and no matter what I do, I can't stop them. I have tried going to bed earlier, petting them in the hope they will settle, being strict with them which does absolutely no good whatsoever. I cant get them to stop and I am getting no sleep - I dont get to sleep before 6am.

Please has anyone got any ideas or any help on how to get them to sleep at night? I cant keep them awake during the day - you know what cats are like, oh and I thought I should mention that they are indoor cats.

Thanks for any help

kathy


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## JennyConnor (Jul 21, 2010)

You have to remember cats are night hunters They are most awake and active during dusk and dawn. Due to them being indoor cats they will have to run round the house.

To help them calm down before bed you could always try playing hard with them for an hour or so before your bedtime - this will help vent their energy, like they would out hunting.

After they have played try giving them a small feed too, as this will make them rest (they dont really like running on a full tummy)

Never get up out of bed to play with them as they will learn this and pester you endlessly. Cat ARE attention seekers!!

If needs be, buy them an automatic toy - one that you can turn on/off. As well as plenty of mice etc. You could try leaving them in one room to let them play at night too.

Eventually they will learn and calm down.

Hope this helps


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## celicababe1986 (Jun 22, 2009)

cats are nocturnal animals!! all i hear at night is 'ba domm baa domm', the noise of there paws hitting the floor as they chase eachother!! sorry not much help there


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Wish I could say they will grow out of it....Nellie dragged me out of bed at 3am last night howling like a banshee. She was busy killing a cat nip mouse at the bottom of my bed...the geriatric version of going out hunting.


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## The Twins (Oct 11, 2009)

celicababe1986 said:


> cats are nocturnal animals!! all i hear at night is 'ba domm baa domm', the noise of there paws hitting the floor as they chase eachother!! sorry not much help there


I think cats are crepescular not nocturnal... just out of interest...

"When an animal is said to be crepuscular, it is active during the twilight hours at dawn and dusk. The word crepuscular is derived from a Latin word which means twilight. Many animals take advantage of the twilight to feed, seek out water, and engage in other behaviors because they know that predators are not as active in the twilight. Visibility is also challenging at dawn and dusk, making it easier for animals to hide from potential threats. Rabbits and cats are both famously crepuscular".

I've found that the early mornings are making mine wake up earlier - its light at 4.30 so they think its getting up time... dark curtains/black out blinds seems to have helped a bit but mine have a bedtime routine which consists of food at 6pm, then playtime from about 7.30pm to 9.30pm, and then they seem to settle down for a snooze. We go to bed around 11pm and shut the downstairs door so they have the run of the downstairs and not upstairs. And they have timers on their lights to go off around 11.30pm. Whenever i've peeped in to check on them they're always asleep after midnight! They've had this routine from 8 weeks old so they're used to it now but am sure if we let them sleep in our bedroom or have free roam of the house all night then they'd keep us awake! Persistance is the key and i think shutting them out of your bedroom is also maybe an option?


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

At last some thing I dont have a problem with in my little Meeko.He sleeps right through till whenever we get up.Not a sound out of him to the point that I have often worried something is wrong.
I do play fetch,chase, hunt games with him for at least 30mins before bedtime
A toy on a string or elastic attached to a cane, while you sit watching tv is often enough to exercise them while you relax,and def. a little food helps.Good luck:thumbup:

Sorry how rude welcome to the forum


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## love my cats (Jul 21, 2010)

Well my two were good but this seems to have started because of my other half. He used to stay up till very late because he snored so badly it woke the neighbours as well as me and the cats but now he has been given a machine to stop the snoring, he is sleeping like a baby and it's me left to try and settle the cats. When he stayed up really late they used to come in with me and lay with me but now he is sleeping, they are running riot.

Ive tried playing with them and giving them a feed but nothing is working. My little girl settles fine but her brother seems determined to get her at it as he comes in and jumps on her.


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## JennyConnor (Jul 21, 2010)

I used to have this problem with Treacle, she used to walk around the house meowing really loudly! Drove me insane. 

We play with her all night and now that we have a new kitten she plays with him and tires herself out!


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## KathyM (Jul 30, 2008)

Shut them out of the bedroom and wear earplugs (works for me). Tadaa lol. ps: Welcome to the forum! :thumbup:


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## love my cats (Jul 21, 2010)

ha ha ha good one!

Little boy won't have being shut out of the bedroom. He is smart and learned that he can open the door himself or if he bangs it enough that I will have to get up and open it.

Neighbours complained a lot!!


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## love my cats (Jul 21, 2010)

Bit of an update and perhaps something that others could try if they are having the same problems.

Last night, I went to bed but my other half stayed up for half an hour. Both cats settled immediately. We think they were so used to my other half staying up late because of his snoring that us both going to bed at the same time blew their little heads so we will try it again and hopefully they will settle down at night.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

kathy


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## tullulah1983 (Sep 14, 2010)

Hi, I had the exact same problem with my 2 cats. I have mum and son and they are British Blue's. Mum was becoming ferral and I was so stressed with it all I think I was making her worse. I tries everything out there, untill one day I rang our vets in desperation and got a cat DAP adaptor. It looks like a glade plug in and lets off an odour which only the cat can smell which makes them feel more calm and secure. It worked a miracle on my Tullulah. She went from being so horrendous to now being the most loving cat in the world. I started with 2 adaptors 1 by her food and 1 int he lounge. Then went down to 1, and now we dont have one. Both mum and son run up and down stairs playing but something I also did was to put them inthe kitchen at night in an enclosed cat ved. They have one each and this also really helps. Ring your vet and ask for a cat Feliway they will know exactly what you are on about. x


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

tullulah1983 said:


> Hi, I had the exact same problem with my 2 cats. I have mum and son and they are British Blue's. Mum was becoming ferral and I was so stressed with it all I think I was making her worse. I tries everything out there, untill one day I rang our vets in desperation and got a cat DAP adaptor. It looks like a glade plug in and lets off an odour which only the cat can smell which makes them feel more calm and secure. It worked a miracle on my Tullulah. She went from being so horrendous to now being the most loving cat in the world. I started with 2 adaptors 1 by her food and 1 int he lounge. Then went down to 1, and now we dont have one. Both mum and son run up and down stairs playing but something I also did was to put them inthe kitchen at night in an enclosed cat ved. They have one each and this also really helps. Ring your vet and ask for a cat Feliway they will know exactly what you are on about. x


Have to agree Feliway diffuser's are a wonderful invention,If you decide to buy one look on line there are many outlets that are way cheaper than vets or pet shops


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