Cat Waking Me Up All Night Long

[alyssa_w]

Hi guys!
I need some advice to keep my cat Figaro from waking up me and my husband all night long. He's almost 2 and is very energetic and wild. At night we used to keep our door closed or else he'd run in and out all night, and he was fine during the night. Lately he has been constantly ripping up the carpet underneath the door, pulling the individual threads out. That worries me because I have seen him try to eat the threads, which I know is not okay so I stop him right when I hear him ripping. I have been letting him in our room, which I don't have a problem with, but he now wakes us up all night. He either stalks and pounces our feet, claws our comforter, or collapses onto our faces repeatedly until we wake up. Then he usually manages to somehow close the door behind him and starts to rip up the carpet to get out of the room. No matter what I do he is wildly destroying things and waking us up every half hour.
I'm confused why this suddenly started. He hasn't been like this since he was a kitten. We don't have any other cats, and I always fill up his food and water before we go to bed so he's not hungry. We also keep tons of toys outside the room that usually keeps him busy. Any advice?

 

[Moo2]

Hi ,

Could he be stressed about something that has changed?
Can you try playing with him just before bed? I find toys helpful for me to play with them but they aren't really interested in toys otherwise.
Is he an indoor boy? Our cats are indoor and I find an extended window lock let's in more fresh air and stimulates them when we are busy.

Have u tried a feliway diffuser spray?
We take one on leash walks now to tire him out ..

 

[alyssa_w]

Hi ,

Could he be stressed about something that has changed?
Can you try playing with him just before bed? I find toys helpful for me to play with them but they aren't really interested in toys otherwise.
Is he an indoor boy? Our cats are indoor and I find an extended window lock let's in more fresh air and stimulates them when we are busy.

Have u tried a feliway diffuser spray?
We take one on leash walks now to tire him out ..

That's a good idea, he is indoor and I've noticed him sleeping more during the day so he is probably more awake at night. I'll try an intense play session before bed. My aunt also stayed with us last week and he's not a fan of strangers so he could be stressed out from that. I'll look into the flyway diffuser spray!

 

[alyssa_w]

That's a good idea, he is indoor and I've noticed him sleeping more during the day so he is probably more awake at night. I'll try an intense play session before bed. My aunt also stayed with us last week and he's not a fan of strangers so he could be stressed out from that. I'll look into the flyway diffuser spray!

*feliway

 

[FeebysOwner]

My aunt also stayed with us last week and he's not a fan of strangers so he could be stressed out from that.

Hopefully, that is the trigger and as time passes, Figaro will go back to his more normal behavior!!

Do you have a cat tree, preferably near a window, to help stimulate him - not only climbing for exercise, but watching outdoor activity as mental stimulation?

And, if the Feliway diffusers don't work, you could try other calming products, such as Back Rescue Remedy which are drops you can rub into a cat's ear - many people use these to calm a cat before a vet visit. Not all products work on all cats, so you might have to experiment with a few to see what works with Figaro.

Worse case scenario, or at least to help break the habit while you resolve the issue, you could buy a fairly inexpensive no-pile rug to lay over the carpet around/under the door so that if he does scratch at it he isn't eating the threads or messing up the carpet. There are carpet like tile squares that interlock that would suit this purpose.

 

[maggie101]

I live in an apartment that is vertical spaced. Very catified thou I can't put up shelves

Also 72inch tower. Every night my cat runs all over the place and eventually calms down the scratch bed and the triangular one is pricey but will last a couple of years
Until my cat Maggie was 2 she would run to the porch window,splat her paws against it shake her head back and forth,chase her tail run up the 72inch tower and back down go room to room and give a loud meow,then do it all over again

It could be your cat gets bored so something else to do instead of chewing up carpet. Maggie would also tear up carpet till I got her chew toys

 

[Moo2]

we got these to lock windows a little wider.we got them on Amazon.we put a shelf up under the window.they love to look out the window. One of the indoor cats never wants to go out on the leash but the other one has more energy to burn and enjoys a 2O minute walk occasionally. Leash training takes time and energy for both u and the cat but can work out... Playing or even brushing him may help ,any attention of time sitting together without you moving all over the house doing house jobs...9/10 times mine don't want to play but just want me to sit on the sofa with them and give them the odd stroke ! They count this as different to sleeping time even though we sitting still. still get the odd attack in bed and carpet digging in front of the door , usually after we have been away or had guests too!

 

[Moo2]

Those window locks work on all different windows but would be a bit harder with PVC.easy to fit.

 

[rubysmama]

My aunt also stayed with us last week and he's not a fan of strangers so he could be stressed out from that.

Since it just started after your aunt's visit, hopefully he'll revert back to his usual behaviour soon.

Meanwhile, here's a couple TCS articles that might have some tips for you:

How To Stop My Cat From Waking Me Up At Night (step-by-step Plan)
Cats And Night Crazies!