Please Help Me Sleep :')

[smidgeyy]

So I've got a 2.5yr old neutered DLH that I rescued from a client at work(I'm a veterinary nurse).
I've owned a handful of pets throughout my life and I've concluded that he's just absolutely insane. His energy level has tapered some, thank god, but he's still relatively crazy. I try to play and exercise him when I can but some days it's just not possible.

We have a routine. I take him to bed, feed him dinner and he lays down and sleeps... for an hour, maybe two if he's feeling generous. I'm an extremely light sleeper so every single thing he does will wake me up or keep me from falling asleep. Recently he has been worse than ever and it's driving me crazy. After an hour long nap, he gets up and starts finding things to do, usually noisy things. Next he meows, repeatedly, before petting my posters on my walls... Which by the way, is now my least favorite sound and makes me want to scream. Lol. Occasionally he will come back to stand on me for some pettings(which I give in to, as sometimes he lays down and sleeps after that), then he goes off to do the next annoying thing he feels is necessary. Ignoring him accomplishes nothing but keeping me awake, he will just find noise to make. Regrettably I've tried a spray bottle, but only when he's trying to harass my chinchilla do I use it, not when he's doing every other annoying thing he does.

Suggestions? I know I can take down the posters but he will just find something else to do. Playing with him helps(sometimes), but on long days where I get home late, I just can't do it. I cannot leave him out of my bedroom all night as I'm not the only person who lives here and he will keep them up as well. He's got another cat to play with during the day but he's relatively lazy and sleeps a lot, but they do play.

My apartment is pretty small so I'm limited with what I can do. I've got a cat tree, he climbs on everything so it's not like there's nothing to do. I've got toys that I rotate because he gets bored in a day. Perhaps he wants more playtime, but it works best when it's done throughout the day and that's not possible with a full time job.

I love this cat so much, but OMG is he the most annoying derpy creature I've ever met in my life. Lol. I'm just exhausted and I'm at the point where on the rare days he actually sleeps, my body refuses to let me sleep because it's adjusted to him keeping me up. Sometimes when I don't work evening shifts I have to take a nap before I actually go to bed because I know I'll be up all night.

So if anyone has any ideas... Please help. I'm so sleep deprived I could cry. :')

 

[Crazycatlady1129]

I had a similar issue with my girls. They fed on each other's energy. Lol Have you tried a Feliway diffuser? (Not sure if I spelled that right. Lol)

I used a water bottle to discourage nighttime misbehavior. But I have 3 cats, and a very tiny bedroom that they HAVE to be locked in at night due to breaking stuff while I'm asleep. After they broke a snowglobe, and attacked a cactus, while I was asleep I was just to worried to let them in and out because I'm scared they'll hurt themselves!

Could you leave your bedroom door open at night? Is there a window he can see out at night?

 

[smidgeyy]

He will get into more trouble with my door open so that’s not really an option. Spraying him doesn’t work well, he stops for 2 minutes and he starts again. He’s seriously a pest Lol.

He’s got a window that he hangs out in occasionally. He likes to watch cars drive by.

Got plenty of feliway, doesn’t seem to make a difference with him.

 

[Etarre]

If you're not having any luck changing his behavior, would earplugs help?

When I travel, they are amazingly helpful. The squishy foam ones stick out of your
ears and can be problematic if you sleep on your side but there are also moldable
silicone ones that are flat and great for sleeping.

Good luck! I value my sleep and feel for you...

 

[Crazycatlady1129]

Have you tried the Feliway collars? They might work better for him.
I know what you mean about causing more trouble with the door open. I deal with the same issue with my girls.
Good luck!

 

[smidgeyy]

He can’t wear a collar, he will rip anything that’s break away off or hang himself if it’s not. :’)

Earplugs won’t work, they keep me awake. I tried that years ago for something else and I just couldn’t sleep with them. Plus he will eat them if they fall out, no hesitation and I don’t want to bring him into work for surgery Lol.

It’s after midnight and one of those nights where he just doesn’t want to sleep at all. He will crash in a few hours for an hour or two and that’s it. Just why

 

[Crazycatlady1129]

Cats are nocturnal creatures. This is often much to our chagrin.
Have you tried taking melatonin? It's 100% natural, 100% safe, and can help you sleep deeper. The only other options I can think of is noise training (not really an option in the middle of the night) and crating- which I hate when i have to crate mine for any reason and isn't plausible for long periods.

 

[smidgeyy]

Benadryl will knock me out and it helps me sleep through his annoying antics, but I cannot take that on nights that I work early the next morning. I've taken melatonin once, I don't recall how it worked but I'm worried it will have the same side effects as the benadryl.

When crated, he actually sleeps through the entire night without a peep. :') I don't want to have to do that, he's capable of sleeping through the night outside of a crate. Last night he finally crashed at 2am, slept for 2 hours, then started all over again. If he did it once a night I could deal with it but for real, it's every hour or two.

Perhaps I need something to keep him busy during the day so he sleeps less? Idk how to accomplish that while I'm working. When I take him to work and he's busy getting attention all day, he tends to sleep okay those nights. I can't be taking him with me everyday though. >.<

 

[EmmyGirl99]

Have you ever tried sleeping with a large fan blowing in your room? I am a very light sleeper as well, so I sleep with a fan on to drown out all outside noise. It doesn't necessarily need to be blowing in your direction but just needs to be located in your room. When I first adopted my cat, I let her sleep in my room for the first three or so days. All she did was play on the floor and head butt me every two hours to try to get me to wake up. Needless to say that she is no longer allowed in my room at night while I'm sleeping. I can still sometimes hear her out in the living room playing and/or meowing, but overall, the fan works perfectly to cover up those pesky noises that would normally wake me up.

 

[smidgeyy]

I've got an AC going almost all year round for the chinchilla(and a fan when it's too cold for the AC) so I've always got that background noise. :')

I bring an entirely new meaning to light sleeper. The chin sneezes from the other side of my room and I'm awake. With benadryl I'm able to stay asleep more, but most nights he prevents me from falling asleep all together because he's 100% annoying. Lol.

 

[Crazycatlady1129]

Every time I've taken melatonin, I have woken up feeling refreshed and energized. Since the body makes it naturally, it generally doesn't lead to grogginess or fog-headedness. Maybe try it out on a night when you don't have to work the next day?

If he sleeps through the night in the crate, maybe put him in there at night for a week or so to retrain him to sleep at night?

As for keeping him busy during the day, there are all kinds of automated interactive toys that you could get. Even a laser light that is activated when he gets close to it and moves around! If money isn't an issue, they have a petcam you can buy that allows you not just to see him, but talk to him through it.

 

[KatKnapper]

Hi. Have you considered that you may have a sleep disorder? To be awakened by your Chinchilla sneezing sounds like you're not going beyond the first level of sleep. For this to happen regularly may be harmful for you. Please consider sharing what you said here with your family physician and also get his/her opinion of whether or not you should also get counseling for your sleeping. There could be things affecting you other than your kitty, at a subliminal level.

I would love to see a picture or two of this kitty? Did I overlook whether or not your cat's vet suggested meds to help your kitty sleep? I seem to recall a episode of Jackson Galaxy's show where a "wired for sound and space travel" kitty was given Melatonin to help him sleep.

Also, find yourself a backup place to sleep and switch up your sleep routine a little. And don't neglect regular exercise for yourself. Exercise brings all sorts of health benefits, and the bonus is, it will also help you sleep and better enable your body and mind to handle stress whether from your "space kitty" or other.

Changing your perspective on your "Space Cadet Kitty" may also help in little ways. This helps me deal with, accept and love my little "Space Cadet" when I give her nicknames or phrases and say them aloud to her as she go about her ways like "The Destroyer of Worlds" or "The Rocket." I then grab her up, lay her over my shoulders as if I to burp an infant, hug'n squeeze and bury my face into her side, then let her go to continue her rampage.

Take care of yourself first, so you're able to take care of those you love. Think out of the box. I recommend a doctor checkup for your sleeping, a sit down with a counselor (just one visit for starters - preferably one that has a cat or more) and lastly ask your vet about your cat from your health perspective.

 

[danteshuman]

I think you may have sleep issues that maybe can be treated? Also why not kick your cat out for the entire night the first time he wakes you up? Have you tried puzzle feeders at night? For my problem kitty he needs bird 'hunting' time for my sanity. Can you give your cat window perch & a bird feeder?

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

So I've got a 2.5yr old neutered DLH that I rescued from a client at work(I'm a veterinary nurse).
I've owned a handful of pets throughout my life and I've concluded that he's just absolutely insane. His energy level has tapered some, thank god, but he's still relatively crazy. I try to play and exercise him when I can but some days it's just not possible.

We have a routine. I take him to bed, feed him dinner and he lays down and sleeps... for an hour, maybe two if he's feeling generous. I'm an extremely light sleeper so every single thing he does will wake me up or keep me from falling asleep. Recently he has been worse than ever and it's driving me crazy. After an hour long nap, he gets up and starts finding things to do, usually noisy things. Next he meows, repeatedly, before petting my posters on my walls... Which by the way, is now my least favorite sound and makes me want to scream. Lol. Occasionally he will come back to stand on me for some pettings(which I give in to, as sometimes he lays down and sleeps after that), then he goes off to do the next annoying thing he feels is necessary. Ignoring him accomplishes nothing but keeping me awake, he will just find noise to make. Regrettably I've tried a spray bottle, but only when he's trying to harass my chinchilla do I use it, not when he's doing every other annoying thing he does.

Suggestions? I know I can take down the posters but he will just find something else to do. Playing with him helps(sometimes), but on long days where I get home late, I just can't do it. I cannot leave him out of my bedroom all night as I'm not the only person who lives here and he will keep them up as well. He's got another cat to play with during the day but he's relatively lazy and sleeps a lot, but they do play.

My apartment is pretty small so I'm limited with what I can do. I've got a cat tree, he climbs on everything so it's not like there's nothing to do. I've got toys that I rotate because he gets bored in a day. Perhaps he wants more playtime, but it works best when it's done throughout the day and that's not possible with a full time job.

I love this cat so much, but OMG is he the most annoying derpy creature I've ever met in my life. Lol. I'm just exhausted and I'm at the point where on the rare days he actually sleeps, my body refuses to let me sleep because it's adjusted to him keeping me up. Sometimes when I don't work evening shifts I have to take a nap before I actually go to bed because I know I'll be up all night.

So if anyone has any ideas... Please help. I'm so sleep deprived I could cry. :')

Try this toy!!! Nothing exhausts them like this, and you can do it laying in bed watching tv. I promise you will both sleep like babies. Let me know how it goes!! View media item 420787

 

[LAL]

I agree with previous posts; you may have a health issue. Talk to your doctor, possibly get a sleep study

 

[maggiedemi]

Do you drink coffee? I switched to decaf tea and it really changed my life. I can sleep through the night now, and I don't usually hear my cat when he's playing.

 

[KatKnapper]

Try this toy!!! Nothing exhausts them like this, and you can do it laying in bed watching tv. I promise you will both sleep like babies. Let me know how it goes!! View media item 420787

You just gave me an excuse to go out and buy a new graphite fish'n reel'n rod. Awesome idea you got there. Thanks.

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

You just gave me an excuse to go out and buy a new graphite fish'n reel'n rod. Awesome idea you got there. Thanks.

Haha! You sound like my Dad, “well, guess I need another that’s 1.5626374 millimeters shorter than the 12,347,067 I have now...” The kiss pole is perfect for the house because it’s so short, let me know if you make one!

 

[JamesCalifornia]

When crated, he actually sleeps through the entire night without a peep. :')

~ I think this is the solution . I do this sometimes with my cats if one of them is too hyper. It actually seems to calm them when they have their own private space for a little while . You can drape a towel over the crate for more seclusion if necessary .
Pleasant dreams ...

 

[KatKnapper]

Haha! You sound like my Dad, “well, guess I need another that’s 1.5626374 millimeters shorter than the 12,347,067 I have now...” The kiss pole is perfect for the house because it’s so short, let me know if you make one!

Well I was a bit sadden when I arrived at the sporting goods section. I then realized..."The rods are too darn long for indoors!" Anyways after like two hours of trying to "Use The FORCE" and mentally shrink the graphite rods, I found a small telescopic (29" extended") Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle kid's training reel'n rod. We're having fun with it. I'm going to connect various catnip saturated toys to the end for some serious craziness.