I have just very recently started keeping a 5-6 week old kitten, Zoe, inside the house. Only at nighttime though; in the morning she goes out to be with her siblings and momma all day, and I bring her in periodically to play during the day.
Now I have already read links like the "Night Crazies" but I'm not sure if it'd work in my situation. If I leave Zoe in her crate (she has a cat nip toy, a pom-pom type thing she LOVES, a stuffed mouse, a towel and a t-shirt), she meows constantly. She's in the kitchen, and even if I leave the radio on, she feels lonely. Now at bedtime, she eventually goes to sleep after about 10 minutes of crying. But about 3:00-3:30, she wakes up and cries. So Mom or I will let her out to eat, potty, play. But when we put her back in, she will NOT STOP. So last night (or this morning I guess) at four, I brought her into my room to sleep with me. (At bedtime I tried this but she refused to stop playing.) She pounced and played but eventually decided to fall asleep. (BTW: she refuses to sleep anywhere but as close to ME as she can. She sleeps in the crook of my neck which REALLY tickles, on my waist if I'm laying on my side, me chest, by shoulder, etc.) Every now and then I'd have to roll over and she'd get resituated and go back to sleep. This lasted an hour, until 5:00. But I was so proud of her, she actually let me sleep twenty minutes of that hour! Then I guess she got bored and awoke me with a swat to the nose.
Anyway... I could leave her in the crate and just have her get used to it, but I want her to bond with me, and I think she's more comforted when she sleeps with me too. My problem is, she won't stop playing! And I am a bit scared of it, because she pounces on my ear and bites it, to which I respond with a firm "NO", or she'll scratch my face, etc. It kinda hurts.
What exactly should I do so she'll sleep in my bed with me all through the night. (Well, except for like once when I should get up to let her eat a little and maybe potty.) She won't leave the bed, which is good. But how can I get her to learn that nighttime is sleep time, not playtime? I have no problem waking up at 5:00, i's 3:30 and 4:00 I don't like! I know she's nocturnal, but she's not old enough to where she can browse the house alone and do her own thing...
Now I have already read links like the "Night Crazies" but I'm not sure if it'd work in my situation. If I leave Zoe in her crate (she has a cat nip toy, a pom-pom type thing she LOVES, a stuffed mouse, a towel and a t-shirt), she meows constantly. She's in the kitchen, and even if I leave the radio on, she feels lonely. Now at bedtime, she eventually goes to sleep after about 10 minutes of crying. But about 3:00-3:30, she wakes up and cries. So Mom or I will let her out to eat, potty, play. But when we put her back in, she will NOT STOP. So last night (or this morning I guess) at four, I brought her into my room to sleep with me. (At bedtime I tried this but she refused to stop playing.) She pounced and played but eventually decided to fall asleep. (BTW: she refuses to sleep anywhere but as close to ME as she can. She sleeps in the crook of my neck which REALLY tickles, on my waist if I'm laying on my side, me chest, by shoulder, etc.) Every now and then I'd have to roll over and she'd get resituated and go back to sleep. This lasted an hour, until 5:00. But I was so proud of her, she actually let me sleep twenty minutes of that hour! Then I guess she got bored and awoke me with a swat to the nose.