Our 6 Month Old Will Not Let Us Sleep

[Whyismycatlikethis]

I have read many pages on here regarding cats not letting their owners sleep. I followed recommended steps best to my ability. Every night, like clockwork, I hear her starting to chirp and run around. Then she brings her favourite toy on the bed, and jumps off and starts to do gymnastics around our apartment. It is driving us insane. There are points where it gets so bad at night, we get jolted awake. It takes me an hour to fall back asleep, and while in a sleepy state, I hear her and my heart jolts and I get palpitations. My hubby gets up early for work, and he has been getting bags under his eyes and is generally suffering from sleeping so little. I use the spray bottle when she's out of hand, but it only quiets her for thirty minuses. We can hear her jumping off the couch, scratching it, chasing stuff and getting into stuff althewhile being VERY. VOCAL. We need help, elsewise we may have to go into drastic measures and get rid of her.

 

[ArtNJ]

(1) basement an option? If its not heated, and doesn't have an outlet for a heated cat house, you could go with an insulated cat house, especially as we are transitioning to warmer weather. Not expensive and better than giving cat up depending on where you live and how cold your basement gets (but again, could reevaluate before next winter and spring is almost here);

(2) convert to indoor/outdoor? Divisive on this forum, and even people like me think you need to live in the right spot for it to be appropriate. But if the location is ok, again better then giving the cat up.

(3) confine to a single room that is far enough from your bedroom? Won't solve everything but has be better than letting the cat jump on your bed.

I just think that a lot of the "solutions" people talk about are not likely to work well because a 6 month old is going to be a 6 month old. I mean, some people get lucky and there cats don't do this kind of thing, or not for long. But others have more of a lasting issue. That is why I think you have to look at the practical nighttime isolation-based solutions.

 

[maggiedemi]

Can you shut your bedroom door? They learn pretty quick if you do that. I wouldn't put her outside at night, that's when the coyotes and raccoons come out.

 

[susanm9006]

She is just not going to sleep through the night so when that she starts running around during the night, get up and shut your door. That should lessen what you hear a great deal. I would also be sure your place is kitten proofed, fasten down or put away whatever she can knock over and set out some interactive but quiet toys, like a track ball only at bedtime. This MAY keep her a little quieter but I would also suggest earplugs for you both.

 

[Whyismycatlikethis]

(1) basement an option? If its not heated, and doesn't have an outlet for a heated cat house, you could go with an insulated cat house, especially as we are transitioning to warmer weather. Not expensive and better than giving cat up depending on where you live and how cold your basement gets (but again, could reevaluate before next winter and spring is almost here);

(2) convert to indoor/outdoor? Divisive on this forum, and even people like me think you need to live in the right spot for it to be appropriate. But if the location is ok, again better then giving the cat up.

(3) confine to a single room that is far enough from your bedroom? Won't solve everything but has be better than letting the cat jump on your bed.

I just think that a lot of the "solutions" people talk about are not likely to work well because a 6 month old is going to be a 6 month old. I mean, some people get lucky and there cats don't do this kind of thing, or not for long. But others have more of a lasting issue. That is why I think you have to look at the practical nighttime isolation-based solutions.

We live in a one bedroom apartment, there's no levels!

 

[Whyismycatlikethis]

She is just not going to sleep through the night so when that she starts running around during the night, get up and shut your door. That should lessen what you hear a great deal. I would also be sure your place is kitten proofed, fasten down or put away whatever she can knock over and set out some interactive but quiet toys, like a track ball only at bedtime. This MAY keep her a little quieter but I would also suggest earplugs for you both.

We have done that as well but she just in sits on scratching, trying to open the door and meowing incessantly. It's kind of hard in an apartment since everything echoes

 

[Whyismycatlikethis]

We have done that as well but she just in sits on scratching, trying to open the door and meowing incessantly. It's kind of hard in an apartment since everything echoes

apologies for the spelling errors, I'm rather sleepy!

 

[maggiedemi]

I would shut the door and ignore her, don't even talk to her. She'll get the point after a few nights. Of course, make sure there's nothing out there she can get hurt on.

 

[susanm9006]

We have done that as well but she just in sits on scratching, trying to open the door and meowing incessantly. It's kind of hard in an apartment since everything echoes

You just have to be persistent in ignoring her meows and not letting her in. For a few nights very well may scratch at the door all night long and sound like someone is killing her but eventually she will give up and go play.

 

[nese]

Our youngest is a 7-8 months old kitten, which never let us sleep until last 1-2 months. At first, we were keeping her in a separate room at nights. It was fine for a couple of weeks. Then she started to hit herself to the door in the middle of the night until smo opens the door. I always opened the door when she stops it, to make her learn hitting herself to the door will not work.
She is the most stubburn cat I have ever known. Whatever I try, she had never stopped hitting herself to door. Then we tied huge pillows inside her room's door. At first days, it worked, but then she discovered how to pull those pillows down and started to hit the door again. I tried to block her access to the door, it also not worked, when she could not reach the door she started screaming as loud as she can.

I gave up, let her roam around in the house, and closed our bedroom door. Nope... She stand on our bedroom door all the night screaming, crying.
After sleepless nights, she won! At last, I let her sleep with us. First weeks she also woked us up with her plays, but lastly she adopted. Now she mostly sleeps during the night, waits us to wake up and then starts to run like crazy as soon as we woke up
If during the day, especially in the evening she sleeps a lot, than it is highly possible that she will want to play during the night. You can try to tire her by plays especially before you go to bed. She is already 6 months old, I guess she will adopt your routine, will be calmer and will disturb you less, soon.

 

[Neo_23]

Do you play with her during the day and before bed? How much?

 

[Whyismycatlikethis]

Our youngest is a 7-8 months old kitten, which never let us sleep until last 1-2 months. At first, we were keeping her in a separate room at nights. It was fine for a couple of weeks. Then she started to hit herself to the door in the middle of the night until smo opens the door. I always opened the door when she stops it, to make her learn hitting herself to the door will not work.
She is the most stubburn cat I have ever known. Whatever I try, she had never stopped hitting herself to door. Then we tied huge pillows inside her room's door. At first days, it worked, but then she discovered how to pull those pillows down and started to hit the door again. I tried to block her access to the door, it also not worked, when she could not reach the door she started screaming as loud as she can.

I gave up, let her roam around in the house, and closed our bedroom door. Nope... She stand on our bedroom door all the night screaming, crying.
After sleepless nights, she won! At last, I let her sleep with us. First weeks she also woked us up with her plays, but lastly she adopted. Now she mostly sleeps during the night, waits us to wake up and then starts to run like crazy as soon as we woke up
If during the day, especially in the evening she sleeps a lot, than it is highly possible that she will want to play during the night. You can try to tire her by plays especially before you go to bed. She is already 6 months old, I guess she will adopt your routine, will be calmer and will disturb you less, soon.

Playing is key, of course, but it looks like I may have to incorporate more play.. she's just a tad bit spoiled as she is very, very loved. I think adjusting her feeding schedule should do it too. I just hope it simmers down soon because we are getting ill effects from all of this. I have a feeling maybe it's anxiety too? Because she keeps meowing about and pondering

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to The Cat Site. Sorry your kitten is keeping you awake at night, but at 6 months, she is still pretty young. Once she gets a bit older, she should settle down and sleep more at night. Hopefully.

TCS has a couple articles that may have some helpful tips:
How To Stop My Cat From Waking Me Up At Night?
Cats And Night Crazies!

 

[Whyismycatlikethis]

Thank you everyone for your advice, I really do appreciate it we will do our best to add more play and adjust her eating habits as well. Worst comes to worst, we just might buy some calming drops for cats.. apparently they work well!

 

[danteshuman]

Cats like little kids will test their boundaries. They will throw a fit, rattling the door and meowing obnoxiously.
If you give in you are rewarding the bad behavior. Just like a small child, she needs to learn no means no. It is a hassle to train a cat to let you sleep. However if you do not put up with ignoring their fits for days, a couple of weeks or 2 months.... you will have a cat that wakes you up every night for 15 years!!!!! Stay strong, she will learn. Don't bother with the squirt gun. Just calmly kick her out of the room & ignore her until your morning alarm goes off.

I would also work on kitten & sound proofing your apartment as much as possible. Puzzle feeders might help to. Cat's teen months are the most trying. 3-6 months from now if you stick with it, you will be amazed at your wonderful well behaved kitty.

How To Stop My Cat From Waking Me Up At Night?

 

[jen]

Sleeping with a fan on helps too to drown out the noises, or earplugs. My 15 year old cat always insists on playing at night and will clear the dresser and send everything crashing to the floor if I don't pet attention to her. So I cleared the dresser myself. Then she went deaf and meows at the top of her lungs all day and night lol (Yes, her blood pressure is normal, had it checked multiple times!) So unless I can get her settled under the covers with her head on the pillow next to me, she will drive me insane and keep me up all night long. If I shut the door she will claw at it all night long, and my other cat will dig up the carpet. Point is, I know what you are going through!!

 

[Timmer]

Is she spayed?
The best thing to do would be to shut your door and not respond. You are rewarding bad behavior when you react to her. I know it's hard not to! You already have good advice here about play and eating and so forth. I personally believe the calming stuff is all garbage and a waste of money. I never had it work for me and I wish I could have all the money back that I wasted on diffusers and drops and things.
I tell you one thing I used to do for my cats but you need a landline for it. When I was at work, I would call the house several times a day and let the phone ring. I knew everytime it rang it woke them up. I would come home from work and they would be groggy and sleep through the night.
I feel your pain. I had a vocal cat for 8 years who rarely let me sleep more than 5 hours a night.

 

[duckpond]

Play and food right before bed is important. and i leave food out for mine at night, a hungry cat will not let you sleep

But at 6 months i dont know if anything will work, they have boundless energy. mine are 3 to 5 years now, they still play with each other during the night sometimes. and will come to bed with me for a cuddle sometimes in the middle of the night. But they dont bother me and my husband for play during the night now. I think its because they play with each other some, but as they have gotten older they sleep more at night. Hopefully yours will as well.

I think also we have gotten use to our cats. if you have not had yours long the noises and activity most likely bother you guys a lot. after a while i think it becomes more background noise, and you can sleep through.

 

[humanracer]

It seems like the big problem here is the noises the cat makes (even with door shut) keeps you awake. I agree there is no real solution. Worst case you may have to rehome and I would go for an older cat next time. Our cat is noisy but I live in a house and just shut my door and let him play downstairs.

 

[jen]

Worst case you may have to rehome...

No. That is not a solution. Yeah get an older cat next time but rehoming this one because the cat goes through night crazies is ridiculous. There are many things the OP can try that have been listed above aside from ignoring the cat until she learns and stops. Could even block the cat into the bathroom or kitchen. Calming collars. Maybe there is a holistic vet who can suggest something that will calm the cat down at night even.