New Cat-happy & Cuddly, & A Talker!

[teestro]

Hi all,

So I just took home my new cat, after having to give my previously adopted cat back to her foster as she wasn't adjusting well,and the foster felt she would do better with other cats (slightly annoyed that I found out much more of this sort of info after adopting her, but at least she is going back to a good game). Anyway, last night was my first night with my new baby, and let me tell you, he is the most affectionate guy. He constantly wants to be near me, cuddle with me, and rub his face up against mine. He just melts my heart.

Last night once I was ready for bed, he became super chatty and kept meowing, unless I was petting him. He also kept moving around from one place to the next. I am not at all concerned about these behaviors, as he is healthy, in a new environment, and definitely a happy guy. Just wanted to reach out and hear from some others regarding similar behaviors, to see if there's anything I should do if he continues to be this vocal at night, and it doesn't fade away once he is more comfortable. I live in a studio apartment, so I don't really have the option of going in to my bedroom without him, and honestly, I don't want to because I love being with him too! I am currently running on maybe one-two hours of actual sleep, but that's to be expected with a new pet who is chatty and getting used to his or her new home. Just would hope this won't continue for months, as I kind of need some beauty rest lol. And looking for any suggestions in case I need to maybe try something different or change my behavior. I probably shouldn't have pet him as much as I did last night to stop him from meowing, but I felt bad as it was his first night home. Open to your thoughts!

 

[huxleysmom]

He is of course adapting to his environment so things may change, but if he continues to meow during the night, I would adapt his feeding schedule and playtime in the evening to help him sleep more at night. What do you feed him and how? If he gets free feeding with dry food, I would maybe remove it from him a few hours before bedtime, and have a big play session in the evening before you go to bed. Make him run around and pounce/jump/chase after a wand toy, whatever he likes to do best. Do it for a relatively long time until he is panting or clearly tired from his "hunting" Once you have done that, put the food back out. By then he should be hungry enough, eat a nice dinner, then groom and sleep well for the rest of the night. If you have set meals, just do the same and push his last feeding later, so that he can play hard, and eat last thing before going to sleep. This should help him get rid of some of his energy.

 

[teestro]

Thanks for your response! Luckily, that behavior just lasted the first night. Sometimes he'll still wake me up early in the AM with meows, but that's totally fine as long as I can at least sleep through the night lol . Right now, I'm just feeding him wet food as per my vet because he's having some dental concerns. He usually finishes all of his wet food before bed which is good. It's funny with the toys, because at the shelter, he enjoyed playing with this wand toy, and at home, he is scared of the one I have! He does love boxes, balls, and his catnip toy though. I have been playing with him a lot before bed and before work so he is worn out. Thanks for your suggestions!