I have an 8-month-old male cat. He’s been neutered since the start of March. I’ve had him since he was 3 months old. To begin with, he used to start meowing at 6:30 am. I usually get up at 7:00 am, so that was fine by me. He stayed with some friends for two months over December and January, and they told me he was meowing and waking up their two cats at 5:30 am. When I got him back after my holiday, he went back to his 6:30 am routine. The trouble is, now it’s not 6:30 or 5:30, but 4:30 in the morning. He meows and scratches my wardrobe. How can I get him to understand that 4:30 am is far too early?
Translated from French
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Hi there, cats are naturally very active at night. It’s up to you to make him realise that isn’t the case for you. If he tries to get your attention while you’re sleeping, the best thing to do is ignore him. Sooner or later, he’ll realise you aren’t going to respond and he’ll give up.
Don’t let it become a habit; the longer you leave it, the harder it’ll be to show him that it’s a firm no. You might even have to hide under your duvet so he really gets the message that you aren’t going to budge.
Hi everyone, I’ve been reading through the Q&As, but I’m looking for some advice regarding my 7-month-old kitten. I make sure to play with him every evening, but he’s started scratching at my bedroom door during the night. At first it was around 5.30 or 6am, but now he’s at it by 3.30am and then again at 5.30/6am. I end up getting up to fuss over him, and once he’s had his fill of cuddles I can go back to sleep, but then he just comes back a few hours later!
If anyone has any good tips or solutions, I’m all ears! 😊
If I stay in bed, he carries on scratching at the wardrobe or under my bed. To get him to stop, I have to get up, walk around for a bit and then go back to bed. After that, he settles down again. When I get up in the morning and when I'm at home, he doesn't sleep at all during the day. He stays awake and plays.
Does he have access to the wardrobe during the day? It might be his way of telling you that he wants to get inside. My two girls sometimes hang out in the wardrobe, and now that they know they're allowed in there, I reckon if I shut the doors they’d start scratching at them too.
I don't think shutting the cat away is going to solve the problem; if anything, it'll probably make it worse. If they aren't used to it, they'll just end up scratching or meowing even more.
The only real solutions are to either completely ignore them so they realise it’s no longer working and they won't get any attention, or to use a deterrent for quite some time to break the habit.
Having been through it myself, I know it’s almost impossible not to react... when it’s 4 am, you’re absolutely knackered, and the cat is scratching, all you want is for it to stop so you can get some sleep.
If I stay in bed, he just keeps scratching at the wardrobe or under my bed. To get him to stop, I have to get up, walk around a bit and then head back to bed. Only then will he settle down again. When I'm up in the morning and while I'm at home, he doesn't sleep at all during the day. He’s wide awake and playing.
Hi everyone, one of my girls has been scratching at the bathroom door lately (it’s an ensuite in my bedroom). At first, I made the massive mistake of enticing her away by rubbing my fingers together—that’s how I get her to come over for a fuss. She’d stop and come to bed with me... but unfortunately, she’s clocked onto the trick now: scratching in the middle of the night = cuddles.
What I’m doing now is putting a 100% natural repellent on the door—a mix of white vinegar, real fruit juice, and some clementine peel in a spray bottle. It’s worked wonders, and now I’m just waiting for her to break the habit. I totally get that it's no fun being woken up at night and, ideally, you’re supposed to ignore it, but that’s easier said than done, lol!
Hi everyone,
What do you do when your cat wakes you up? Do you actually get out of bed and see to them?
Personally, mine tends to wake me up early in the morning too—even if she doesn't meow, she'll start playing with my feet or coming for a cuddle. I’ve noticed that if I just stay in bed, she eventually gets bored and either goes back to sleep or goes off to play on her own. But if I get up, even if it’s just for a drink of water or to go to the loo, she knows I’m awake and then she starts tearing around the flat like a mad thing.
Another tip: I always try to have a play session with her in the evening to tire her out. Usually, I get a much better night's sleep after that.
