Cat in new place-I'm not allowed to sleep!

[ashleyyclaire]

Hi everyone! 

My almost 2 year old cat, Pixie and I just moved into a new home about a month ago. The move went great, and pixie took only about a day to feel comfortable in the house, which is when we introduced the other dog (one she had already met and loves). We did it slowly with restraining the dog for the first few times and now they are great.  Another thing I changed around the same time was her food because at college, I do not have access to the food I prefer her to be on, so I did a VERY slow change over to a new food which she's been on before with no issues and is just recently fully switched over.

Pixie is an extremely mellow and personable cat. she loves people and wants attention, especially when you just come home or its night time and she's getting fed, but most of the day she spends laying around just hanging out.

Recently, she has picked up some bad habits and I'm at my whits end. She has started scratching furniture, which she NEVER has done before, even though she has two scratching posts. and Since we moved in, I have maybe been allowed to sleep through the night a max of 10 nights. She will literally bounce herself off the walls, remove everything I have covering the door stopper and ding it, meow and jump all over me until I wake up. I then have to play with her or she wont let me go back to sleep or I have to confine her somehow, but then I listen to the meowing and feel bad that she cant use her liter box if it were needed. She wakes me up at least once, if not 3-4 times a night. I have tried playing with her before going to bed and when I can if I get home early, but it has made no difference. I've tried leaving out toys for her to play with on her own, as well. 

Now that she's started scratching furnitature, my roommates are mad and are requiring she stays in my room if I'm not home. Last time I did this for a few days, I was woken up every 30 minutes to an hour throughout the night because she was bored out of her mind. 

I NEED SLEEP! anyone have any ideas? do you think it's a separation anxiety problem? I have been busy and not home a lot, but I wasn't around much at the last place either. she's normally fairly independent then loves on me when I get home, then does her own thing. All of a sudden it's like she constantly needs my attention. Should I try a calming aid? or a thunder shirt? any advice would be seriously appreciated. I'm so sick of waking up so many times in a night!! She's NEVER done this before and I've owned her since she was 6 weeks old! 

 

[sarah ann]

For sleeping through the night:

1) lock her in a crate in the bathroom at night. This will teach her to sleep at night instead of the day.
2) wake her up every time you find her sleeping during the day
3) try feeding her at a different time
4) exercise her on a schedule.
5) check the temperature. Cats will not play if it is too hot during the day.


Try teaching your cat to jump. I set up jumps and throw food for my cats to chase. It is guaranteed to wear her out!

As for scratching, invest in furniture covers and add some extra scratching posts.

Her schedule has become disrupted which is not uncommon. I just went through this with one of mine. With five cats you would think they would keep the same schedule but they don't. One of mine is up all night, one wakes up at six am, and the other sleeps to 9 am. My 6 am cat is the oldest and still wakes up with the hours i had in high school. At least he doesn't disrupt my sleep. Instead he goes and tries to play with the dogs outside the window, who ignore him.

I think my next dog needs to be small enough to play with him. Our previous dog used to play with him back when he was a kitten ten years ago.