I have a problem- Need some help please

[Sophie_P]

Okay, so a very big problem on our hands. My civil partner is not getting sleep due to our 1 year old cat crying and meowing to get back inside.
We feed her as usual at night before we go to bed, then we go up and try to sleep, and she is there wining until approximately 7am when we get up the next morning. This is a big massive problem with us as my OH cannot sleep at all. I'm pregnant now so i'm snappy anyway, and so is she because of the lack of sleep.
We have tried cat repellent outside, lemon juice, teabags. We can't keep her to sleep inside as she is very naughty and messy she climbs over the worktops etc.
Can somebody please suggest something as i'm going out of my mind.

 

[CARNAT22]

What about a cat flap hun? And shutting doors of rooms you don't want kitty in.

xxxxx

 

[kat1988]

leave a window open she can climb through? (depending on where u live and how safe this would be)
or leaving her in a certain room where she can do less damage, depending on your house it may be the kitchen and then u just have to anti-bac the surfaces in the morning

 

[Milly76]

Hey Sophie.

I have had my cat for 13 years, and he has always been shut in the kitchen area so he cannot keep us awake. A while back he started scratching at the door and crying all night to be let in, and I used to get up and try to shut him up or let him in etc... this is not the right thing to do.

I learnt that the only way to break the habit was to ignore him - it took maybe 2 weeks of sleepless nights, ear plugs and will power, but eventually he got the message and now never does it. Don't give him any reason to think that crying outside will get him anywhere.

You might have to play the long game - but get your OH to wear ear plugs in the meantime.

It's not easy, but hope it helps!

xxx

 

[Sophie_P]

This has been going on for two months now and is not improving. Can't do a cat flap as our house is housing association. Can't leave her in the kitchen either as it will be a bomb site when we wake up. I don't know what else to do x

 

[babyslog]

This is a tricky one hun..

Is she to old to play with toys and scratch matt now, shes still young?? Might be ideal to get a few and a nice new bed and lock her ina room ur happy with and trial it one night (take out anything that might break just to see if it works for u) xx

 

[Sophie_P]

Thanks hun. She is still a baby but not interested in toys, she has mice, bouncy balls, rats etc. She is just too divaish and constantly craves attention. I can't have her on my knee now to reassure her before she goes out as she is quite scratchy x

 

[babyslog]

Awww naughty cat!! lol..

Hope she snaps outta it before baby arrives. Dont need added stress Last thing ull want to do is re-home xx

 

[Sophie_P]

I've been thinking about re-homing but I just couldn't do it to her. Thing is our windows are so thin that it doesn't help. We are hoping to move soon anyway. Xx

 

[mablestarr]

I let my cat out all day (shes 1yrs old) from 6am ish until around 9pm, and have found that she is so tired now she sleeps all night. She usually sleeps on the bottom of my bed or on the floor at the top of the stairs although recently she has taken to sleeping in the moses basket!

Does your cat spend most of the day sleeping so is just a bit active at night? Or is she just a really 'naughty' kitten?

Hope you get it sorted soon.

 

[Sophie_P]

She stays outside most of the day. She is definately naughty, think she gets seperation anxiety, as she follows us to the shop etc. Also when we get back home from a day out she is sat by the front door SCREAMING at us. Don't know what's her problem. Xx

 

[Linzie2012]

Is she in season?

 

[angel1987]

Don't know alot about cats, I have dogs, but one of my dogs was getting really anxious and scratching up the door and floor in the kitchen (where they are shut when we are out or in bed) when both me and my husband leave the house. We crate trained her, and she is a much more relaxed happy dog now when we go out now, I don't know if you can crate a cat?! x

 

[Mummybexee]

Hi- Im Not being funny but locking a cat out all day and all night doesn't really justify even having a pet? Cats have evolved to be house animals- if you don't want the cat inside when your out during day and it's locked outside all the time at night it's keeping your OH awake you should consider rehoming the cat via a rescue centre for her quality of life more so than your guilt- A rescue centre will ensure she goes to a vetted home suitable and signed off

I'm a cat lover and have 3 myself and also volunteer with cats- and have fostered a couple- she's clearly distressed about being outside- other cats could be causing her stress due to territorial scraps etc and bullying ( it happens )

Hope this helps and you make the right choice for all of you

 

[Sophie_P]

Re-homing her is never an option and the problem is now solved.

 

[Emily0505]

My cat has pica so we have to be so careful about where he can go in the house as his items of choice to eat are mainly wires

I was going to suggest leaving her in a room where she can destroy the least, use a feliway diffuser, make a 'kitten castle' out of cardboard boxes (my cat looooves chewing boxes and diving in and out of the holes- although...not a quiet activity for nighttime), hide food for her to find and use treat balls or kongs for food too.

Play with her lots throughout the day and evening to release energy. Games need to be short and sharp to simulate natural hunting behaviour.

Hope this helps

XX

 

[Emily0505]

Note to self... read full thread before replying! Lol!

Glad its sorted hun.

What did you do?

XX

 

[Sophie_P]

We have started feeding her as normal but earlier, letting her out for an hour to play outside then bringing her back in to her bed and she just sleeps all the way through

 

[Emily0505]

Good stuff! Much less faffy than my advice!! Lol!!

XX

 

[Sophie_P]

Haha! Thanks though!