How to accustom a cat to a bed: recommendations for owners. My cat doesn't let me sleep at night - what should I do? Reason for night activity

Adult cats are able to sleep from 15 to 20 hours a day. It would seem that this is twice the human norm, but it was not so. One of the most common complaints from cat owners is the complete inability to get enough sleep. Many cats manage to distribute their strength so that their short period of active wakefulness coincides with your deepest sleep.

It is at this time that they begin to scamper along the walls, ceiling and curtains, swing from the chandelier, throw flower pots onto the floor, sharpen their claws on a polished cabinet and hunt for all unprotected parts of your body.

But what if your baby has just finally fallen asleep? Or do you have to get up early for work, but your cat bothers you and doesn’t let you sleep at night? What should owners of night owl cats do, and is there a way to train a cat to sleep at night? We will try to give answers to these questions in today's article.

Why are they doing this?

Well, first of all, this is normal. In nature, cats are nocturnal predators. They sleep during the day and hunt after dusk. This is why cats are given the rare ability to see perfectly in the dark. The main enemies of cats, in turn, are usually diurnal predators, and there is not the slightest sense for a cat to meet them again on a narrow path.

Secondly, we ourselves form just such a daily routine for our pets. Judge for yourself: you spend the whole day at work, and your cat sits in the apartment all alone. What is she doing there, you ask? We answer: sleeping. He is resting and gathering strength - in order to play properly and communicate with you later.

And so, you come home, falling off your feet from fatigue, and there is a cat waiting for you, cheerful, well-rested and ready for any outrage. The result is obvious - ruined plans for the night, for both of you.

A healthy cat is an active cat

In order for a cat to be healthy, calm and happy, he needs a fairly high level of physical activity. Yes, cats are awake less than they sleep, but what is the intensity of this wakefulness! This is especially noticeable in teenage kittens: their vital energy is simply inexhaustible.

Besides, our cats need our attention. They are sometimes quite willing to chat. And suddenly, as luck would have it, you’re asleep at this time!

Please note: I'm here

Don't consider cats stupid when they ask you to open the door for them and don't come out, or lead you to the refrigerator only to refuse the food offered. The cat is no more stupid than you - he has long understood that people (strange creatures!) do not consider communication something valuable, but they will certainly respond to requests for food, cleaning the tray, and the like.

And in order to get at least a little attention from you, the cat pulls you on those strings that work.

I'm in control

In addition, cats are territorial animals. Control over the space that they have somehow appropriated for themselves is very important to them. And the first thing a cat does, waking up at dusk from a sound daytime sleep, is to inevitably walk around its entire territory and examine it for the appearance of alien odors.

And then it turns out that part of his legal territory is cut off from him by a closed door! This, my dear people, is an invasion. This is an attack. Hostile, unfriendly action. You started a war - and you will get it.

Is there something wrong

It should also be said that sometimes a cat’s anxiety is caused by illness. If your pet is behaving unusually, constantly meowing and showing signs of anxiety, be sure to take him to the veterinarian. It is also possible that the cat is not sleeping due to stress in the new place, or it is simply March on the calendar.

The cat interferes with sleep at night - what to do?

So, having dealt with the popular reasons for cat nocturnal rampages, we move on to our original question: how to make a cat sleep at night? The answer to this question, in fact, is obvious - everything that the cat wants to get from you at night must be given to it during the day (well, or in the evening, in the end), and in excess.

Caress and play

Therefore, when you come home from work, pet the cat, let him sit on your shoulder or next to you on the table while you cook, and watch any of your actions.

Talk to him constantly. You can use this time to brush your cat. Be sure to play - at least chase the cat with a simple laser pointer.

Keep your cat busy with a toy

If you own a tablet, you should try cat video games. Yes, there are some. Either a mouse or some kind of spider bug is crawling across the tablet screen, which the cat is trying to catch. As soon as the cat's paw hits the object exactly, it disappears and the level is completed. At the next level, for example, there will be two spiders crawling around. And don’t laugh, many cats really like it.

Provide your cat with a tree of different heights, or a set of beds, secluded places and scratching posts. Perhaps your cat’s interest will be aroused by the hanging “mice” and “birds”, which often hang from these complexes on long elastic bands. The author’s cat, however, did not appreciate such a mouse, but the dog enjoyed pulling it back and shooting it like a slingshot.

Look for toys of this type in the pet store: you put a little dry food or treats inside, but in order for the food to spill out, the cat will have to roll and toss the toy for a while.

A cat may also like a toy with a hole for its paw and small objects inside that cannot be pulled out. Everything that moves on its own, is programmed by a timer, beeps and flashes colored lights, everything that is difficult to break and catch can be useful to you.

These include hanging toys, toys with springs, and stand-up toys. The cat should have many different toys, and they should be changed from time to time so that the cat does not lose interest in them. The most important thing is to check them for safety for your pet.

Think about a playmate

It’s not bad if children play with the cat properly during the day - after getting mad, they will all sleep much better later. Or, if this is acceptable for your animal, get him a companion. Then they will entertain each other throughout the day, and they will have no time to sleep.

It is advisable that by the time you go to bed, the cat is very tired from playing and communicating with you, then you have a chance that he will not bother you at night. But if this still doesn’t happen, then just leave him a few “quiet”, non-clattering toys - and let him have fun to his health.

If you don't want your cat to come into your bedroom, then the only option is to never let him in. Then this territory will be foreign on his map, and the inability to patrol the room at night will not cause a loud and indignant protest.

If your cat doesn't let you sleep in the morning

Very often, a cat does not let you sleep in the morning precisely because of hunger, and not because of an excess of unspent energy, so in the evening it is necessary to feed it and leave the food overnight, naturally, without going beyond the daily norm. But the most important thing you should remember is that you should never fall for the cat’s tricks.

If the cat comes to wake you up early in the morning, ignore him. No standing up, feeding, throwing slippers or swearing. For the cat, any reaction on your part is a sign of attention to him. But the cat is smart and memorable, he will remember that he achieved his goal, which means the method works, you can continue to use it.

And it is precisely this behavior that will become entrenched, becoming a habit and ruining all your efforts to correct the cat’s regime. Yes, this will require patience from you, but remember that the habits of both cats and people do not change immediately.

Over time, without receiving reinforcement, the cat will stop bothering you, especially if he is confident that you will not ignore him during the day. But if you fail once, you will have to start all over again.

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Haven't you ever wanted to sleep cuddling with your favorite cat all night? Typically, cats tend to wake up at least once or twice during the night, but with proper training and patience on your part, you can get your cat accustomed to your routine. With the right approach to bedtime preparation and management, you can enjoy long, peaceful nights of relaxation with your cat.

Steps

Part 1

Encourage your cat to be active during the day. A cat that was active during the day will feel sleepy at night. Enrich your cat's daily life with morning play sessions, playtime when you get home from work, or short walks outside on a leash. It would also be wise to provide your cat with toys that she can play with independently during the day, but they will not replace your pet's live communication with you.

Play with your cat just before bed. Make it a habit to play with your cat for at least 10 minutes in the evening. Thanks to evening games, the cat will get rid of excess energy before bed, and the regularity of such games will make them a signal for the pet to prepare for sleep. Start with vigorous play and gradually slow down, making your movements slower and calmer in the last few minutes.

If you have a hyperactive kitten, then by the time the game stops, you can redirect his attention to the treat.

Older cats also benefit from playing, even if it requires some convincing. Give them soft and slow moving toys.

Feed your cat before going to bed. In most cases, cats like to doze off after a hearty snack, so stimulate your pet's sleep with an evening feeding.

Place an elevated cat bed next to your bed. Cats like cozy, elevated places where they can watch what's going on around them. If necessary, encourage your cat to occupy the same spot when you get into bed. This way, your cat will get used to your routine better, and you will only have to take one more small step to move on to co-sleeping.

• If your cat has a favorite bedding or other thing that she likes to sleep on, move it to the above-mentioned high bed. Cats are very picky when choosing their sleeping place, and this step may not be the most successful, but it is worth trying.

1. Let your cat explore your bed. Your cat will develop more positive associations with your bed if you give her the right to make her own decisions in this matter. Lure your cat onto the bed with a treat or catnip if your pet likes it. Praise your cat and give her more treats if she decides to spend some time on the bed, but don't force her to stay there if she wants to leave. Your cat will be more likely to do what you want her to do if she doesn't make an association between the bed and your annoying behavior.

   Try putting a new blanket on your bed. Some cats like cleanliness and will happily lie down to sleep on a recently washed blanket. Others prefer to smell their owner. If the cat smells the sheets too much clean, then you can put the sweatshirt you wore on the bed or hide it under the blanket for the cat.

   Reward your cat if she decides to join you at night. Some cats are wary of sleeping in a bed, but will explore it with interest in the middle of the night. If your pet falls into this category, you can reward him with a treat for visiting the bed. Hide the treat under a pillow or in an easily accessible pajama pocket so that the cat can get to it herself and does not consider it a reward for waking up the owner. Once your cat starts sleeping in the bed with you, gradually reduce the amount of treats you give her to get your cat back on a healthy diet.

   • Consistency is the key to success. The cat should receive a treat every night. But don't give her extra treats if she starts meowing or pawing at you, or you'll never get a good night's sleep.
   • When visiting the bed becomes a habit for your cat, start giving her treats only ¾ of the time. The rest of the time, reward your cat by scratching his head or doing something else that feels good to him.
   • Gradually reduce the use of rewards to once every two nights, then every three nights, and so on until only infrequent rewards are used.

   Most cats aged ten years or older suffer from mental and sensory decline, which can disrupt their sleep. Continue to monitor your pet's regular daily exercise routine so that by nightfall he is tired enough to rest properly. If at night a cat meows pitifully and goes to the toilet directly on the floor, it may be experiencing difficulties with orientation in space or is very frightened by something in the dark due to deteriorating vision. Place night lights for her along the route from your bed to her litter box.

As you know, cats are big sleepers; the total duration of their sleep can reach up to 16 hours a day. However, cat sleep differs from human sleep in that it is intermittent. Cats do not have innate sleep-wake cycles, unlike many mammals. Despite the fact that cats are not nocturnal animals, they are often awake in the middle of the night, which causes inconvenience to their owners. If your beloved pet regularly disturbs your sleep, then you can train him to sleep at night using the recommendations in this article.

Steps

Organization of the daily routine

Organize a daily routine and strictly adhere to it. Cats, like children, respond well to a regular routine. Organizing a regular routine is the first step in teaching your pet to sleep at night.

Provide the same environment every evening. Cats do very well when they live on a stable schedule, in addition, they are good at remembering certain environmental cues that accompany various types of owner activity. If you sleep with the lights off, remember to turn them off at night. If you turn off the TV before bed, always do so. If you turn on the fan at night, don't forget to turn it on. Always create the same environment before going to bed. It is by regularly repeating signs of the environment that the cat will begin to learn that it is time for sleep.

Change your feeding schedule. The time at which a cat eats greatly affects its sleep pattern. Often cats annoy their owners at night or early in the morning simply because they are hungry. If you change the diet and feeding times correctly, the cat will no longer be so noisy at night.

Providing entertainment for the cat

Set aside time to play with your cat before bed. Interactive evening games are a great way to use up your cat's excess energy before bedtime. The ideal toys for a cat would be toys that imitate running mice or flying birds, which in nature are natural hunting objects for striped predators. Look for toys that bounce or flop, such as ping pong balls, fishing rods, and furry mice. Play with your cat until he gets tired and loses interest in games. Cats tend to hunt in short bursts, so they get tired quite quickly (like sprinters, not marathon runners). They are usually able to play continuously for no longer than 10-15 minutes. However, the cat should be able to play periodically throughout the day.

Provide your cat with sources of entertainment during the daytime. The lives of pets greatly depend on when their owners come home and leave. Cats often get bored sitting alone during the day. This leads to increased activity in the evening, just when you want to relax and fall asleep. If you provide your pet with entertainment while you are at work or school, then he will most likely not need your attention in the middle of the night.

Hang a bird feeder in front of the window. Cats love to contemplate what is happening outside the window. Therefore, it won’t hurt you to make the view from the window more interesting for your pet. In this case, the most inexpensive and simple solution would be to install a bird feeder. The cat will be able to watch the birds while you are not at home.

Arrangement of a sleeping place

Leave your cat in a separate room overnight. If possible, lock your bedroom at night. Cats are notoriously difficult to sleep with, as they rarely get 8 hours of sleep themselves, and are prone to unexpected bites and scratches if they are accidentally startled by their owner moving in their sleep. It is best not to allow your pet into your bedroom at night, and also to let him know that your room is not his territory. Leave your bedroom locked during the day too. Cats are extremely territorial. The more opportunities they have to visit specific places, the more confidently they will begin to consider these places as their own, making it difficult to expose them later when you need it.

Set up a sleeping place for the cat. If your cat knows that he has his own place to sleep, he will be less inclined to invade your space. Cats enjoy the convenience of a comfortable bedding, the company of their favorite toys, and close proximity to food and water bowls and a litter box. If you arrange your cat's sleeping place according to his needs, then this is where he will go to sleep at night and will not disturb you.

Keep your cat away from your bedroom door. If your pet persistently tries to sneak into your bedroom at night, then you can wean him off this behavior in several ways. Create some inconvenience for the cat or even scare him, then he will most likely no longer want to meow and scratch under the door.

• While play is a great way to make cats sleepy, they need variety. For a cat to be interested, it must have the opportunity to play with different toys and different games.
• Before bed, you can hide toys with a distinctive scent, as well as cat treats, in various places around the house. This way, the cat will be able to search for his favorite treats and toys to play with at night, which will imitate his natural behavior in the wild.
• Some people resort to using catnip to distract their cat before bed, but this is not the best option. Many cats become more active, energetic and playful after eating catnip, and some of them can even show aggression.
• Cats love warm, soft bedding in which to nestle comfortably. Provide your pet with bedding made from pliable materials for optimal comfort.

Having got a kitten, the owner wants it to follow certain rules in the house. This is much easier with puppies, as they easily remember commands and can follow them. The cat is freedom-loving and, unconditionally trusting its owner, like a dog, will not willingly obey him.

Many people want to train a kitten to sleep in its own place, as this makes it easier for it to go to the toilet at night. If the tray is located far away, then the baby may not rush to it, but will settle down somewhere near the place of sleep. The kitten tries to stay close to its owner and clings to him in his sleep. There is nothing wrong with this, but only if the owner himself is not against it. When it is necessary for your pet to sleep alone, you will need to be persistent and prepare a house for the animal.

What should a sun lounger be like?

In order for the kitten to want to sleep in its place, you need to provide it with a comfortable bed. You can’t just lay a rug in the corner and think that’s enough.. The cat, like the owner, should have a comfortable, cozy sleeping place where he will feel safe.

To teach a kitten to sleep in a new place, they make a house for it from a box, a basket, or buy a ready-made one at a pet store. Some pets like their sleeping place to rock. A special hammock is suitable for them, which can even be attached to a battery. The lounger should always be kept clean and dry. To prevent the baby from freezing at night and waking up from it, he needs to put on a heating pad. It is placed on one edge of the bedding, but not on the entire bottom, so that the pet can cool down if desired. You can also lean the lounger against the radiator.

It is good if the bedding is located in the place that the cat chose itself. A kitten, once in a new home, goes to sleep where it is comfortable and calm, and its wishes must be taken into account whenever possible. It is unacceptable to arrange it on the aisle in a noisy and drafty place. A room in which the light is on for a long time is also not suitable, as it will wake up the baby.

Features of training

The kitten does not want to sleep in its place - this is a complaint with which many owners turn to experienced breeders or veterinarians. The problem can occur for 3 reasons:

• wrong location for the house;
• kitten attention deficit;
• incorrect accustoming to the place.

If the first 2 reasons are easy to eliminate, then problems arise with the last one. Few owners know all the intricacies of training a pet to a place. As a result, once in a new home, the baby simply cannot understand what they want from him.

As soon as the kitten is brought home, he needs to be shown where the bed is. In order for the pet to be interested in it, it needs to be laid on it and stroked. It would be a good idea to treat the bed with a special compound that attracts cats, which is sold in pet stores. It can be replaced with catnip (catnip) or valerian. The herbs need to be infused in boiling water and a little sprinkled on the bottom of the bed with the resulting mixture. You can wipe the bottom with an alcoholic tincture of valerian.

This treatment allows you to attract the baby and not worry about the kitten looking for its new place to sleep all night. The food and tray should be close to the sleeping area so that it is convenient for the pet to reach them.

Teaching a kitten to sleep in a sleeping place is quite difficult. Unlike dogs, cats are freedom-loving and consider the entire apartment to be theirs, but with enough patience you can achieve good results. You cannot beat or punish a kitten for sleeping in the wrong place. It is also unacceptable to lock a four-legged friend in a house where he should sleep. This will only scare your pet and make him nervous. In such a situation, the opportunity to accustom him to a place will be completely lost.

A kitten in the house is always a joy. Just think - now you too have a little fluffy ball that trembles so much when it sleeps. However, with kittens, and even with adult cats, one problem often arises - being by nature nocturnal predators, with the onset of darkness they begin to add variety to the night life of your apartment. Meowing, the rumble of fallen things and the sounds of torn sofa upholstery - this is what haunts those who are lucky enough to become the owner of an active and energetic representative of the feline tribe. So how to train a cat to sleep at night, and not arrange an unscheduled awakening for you and your neighbors? We will talk about this further.

1. A tired cat sleeps even at night

Most cats lead an extremely passive lifestyle at home - they do not expend the energy that bubbles within them, especially in childhood. Therefore, in order for the cat to sleep soundly at night and not try to wake you up, help him get tired during the day. You definitely need to play with the cat - you will need to tinker with the kitten for up to two hours every day, involving it in the game. Unlike dog owners, in this case you will not have to run after your pet - a simple candy wrapper on a string can already become an excellent training tool for a cat to quickly fall asleep at night. If you don’t have time to exhaust your pet for so long on your own, buy him toys. Any cat will be happy with the ball and will cope with the game without your participation. The main thing is that the ball should not be too big or too small. Correlate the dimensions of your purchase and the gaps between the furniture and the floor. Believe me, this is where a lot of cat toys have disappeared and are still gathering dust.

2. Cat sleeping pills

It happens that you have played with a kitten, you yourself are already falling off your feet from fatigue and just close your eyes when you hear the rumble and patter of paws on the floor in your bedroom. That's right, the kitten spent several hours sleeping, and then woke up and his hot temperament demanded new activity and games. This also happens, especially with those breeds that are naturally very active. In such a situation, a special drug called “Cat Bayun” can help you. When taken in the morning and evening, it gradually calms overly zealous cats and eventually they sleep with you at night. However, a cat can recognize this drug in food, so this method is not suitable for everyone. If you have a less attentive pet, feel free to add the product to his food - you will soon feel the result.

3. Intimidation

Yes, it also happens that in answer to the question of how to train cats to sleep at night, you have to answer - intimidate. Of course, you don’t need to use brute force on the pet itself, just when the cat runs past your bed again, hit the floor with something. This could be a rolled up magazine or a belt - anything that makes a crisp, clear sound. Gradually, the cat will begin to understand your attitude towards this behavior, and all problems will go away on their own.

Here are the most effective ways for anyone who wants to learn how to train a cat to sleep at night. Perhaps you will find your own recipe, or maybe you will need to combine two or three methods described here. It all depends on the temperament of your pet. As practice shows, as cats age, they go out for night walks less and less often, so you can wait - the situation will soon change on its own. And always remember, your pet makes noise at night by nature, and not to annoy you. Do not punish him, do not use force, but simply treat his characteristics with understanding.