scratching to make NOISE at 4:00 AM

[vlr546111]

I have a male cat, a little over 1 year old, who will scratch on almost anything that will make NOISE, the closet doors so that rattle, A large mirror that will rock bank and forth hitting the wall to make NOISE, walking on the bedside table and knocking off anything there to make NOISE... How can I stop this??????
When it is still dark outside and everyone SHOULD BE sleeping, my cat has this terrible habit and until I get up and give him some attention..I might as well forget about going back to sleep.
I have tried playing with him at MY bedtime
but he doesn't seem to have any energy at 10:00 P. M. Anybody got any ideas??????

[Kirsten]

I know the problem, wish I had some good advice for you.
During her last year, my Katz couldn't sleep at night and was desperately trying to get my attention - nothing helped. But this was because she was old and sick and probably felt that there was not much time left for her.

Your cat is still very young and full of energy, it's obvious that he's bored in the middle of the night and is missing somebody to play with. How about getting a second cat? If he'd get a little cat buddy he doesn't have to wake you up in the middle of the night when he wants entertainment...

Kirsten

[EileenKay]

Yup, sounds like this cat is bored, understimulated, lonely. Before getting a companion pick up a copy of 'Think Like a Cat': http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...373726-6879000

It will tell you alot of ways to create a more stimulating environment, as well as how you choose a good matching companion for your cat and how to introduce a new cat to your resident cat. It's a great book and should be helpful for the life of your cat.

One more remote possibility is the cat has vision or hearing problems. Watch for other signs of this, and ask the vet to pay close attention to it when he is in for his yearly exam.

[juvdefendr]

My cat scratches on my bed at about 4am. Funny - but some days she lets me sleep. I end up getting up and putting her in the front of the house. She has a cat buddy - but maybe the buddy isn't willing to play at 4am either. She also scratches on the bed before she jumps up. I try to let her know she doesn't need to do that - but she thinks i don't know what i am talking about. Love her anyway.

[Kirsten]

EileenKay, that book sounds interesting, thanks for telling us about it!
I'll try to order it, could be helpful for me and my Luna, too!

Kirsten

[Doris]

My cat sometimes will wake me up in the middle of the night and start massaging u with her paw and lick faces. I just cover up my head and ignored her.

[Mandy]

I have two cats a brother and sister, the male cat wakes me up regularly at 4am. Usually he's quite content if I just walk downstairs with him. Maybe he gets a little lonely as my other cat, Lolly, sleeps all night, no problem!

[shaggo]

I have exactly the same problem. I have two cats. One likes to wake us up at 5 am every morning. The other one likes to sleep in. We've tried everything from playing with him before we go to bed, to banishing him from the bedroom (we felt too guilty about that). I think this is his normal schedule. He wants to play early in the morning and I'm not sure there's much we can do about it. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!!

Originally posted by Mandy:
I have two cats a brother and sister, the male cat wakes me up regularly at 4am. Usually he's quite content if I just walk downstairs with him. Maybe he gets a little lonely as my other cat, Lolly, sleeps all night, no problem!

[bloomer]

Sounds like my guy too... Montanna has done this all his 12 years.. he wants me up at 4:30 - 5:00.. he has two other buddies, who are usually sleeping with me.. but being the Alpha male.. he wants me up and unsually, if I can coax him to come lay beside me, he'll let me get another hour's sleep... if not, he wants out.. and that's that. He usually walks around my head meowing.. but if he gets no reaction.. it's the paws on the eyelids... I have sleep apneia.. so, I know sometimes it because I'm breathing funny.. I know he'll never change.. and I feel secure in knowing he's around.

[Pam]

Both of my cats have woken me up in the wee hours of the morning at times. The thing that I REALLY hate is if I have to get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, they assume it's time to eat since I feed them in the morning shortly after I get up. Too bad they can't tell time! I have found myself going downstairs and feeding them at 4:00 a.m. just so I can have some peace. They have me trained! How stupid am I!!

[gini]

My female Calico, Patches, has always decided that sometime between 4:30 - 5:30 AM is the best time for me to wake up. When plain meowing doesn't work she knocks things off of the nightstand. The Weds. before Thanksgiving she knocked the clock radio off. That seemed to work in getting me up so she remembered that. Thanksgiving morning she tried again and I heard myself say "if you knock that radio off, there will be no turkey for you today - your birthday." What cracked me up is that she stopped, laid down on the corner of the bed and went back to sleep. For some reason all of the cats that I have lived with feel that at the crack of dawn it is their duty to wake us up. What really gets me is that they then go right back to sleep on the warm spot you have left on the bed or someplace else in the house. I think it is just part of their duties and we have to live with it. Sometimes it is related to "breakfast" but not always. I too hate it when I need to go to the bathroom at 3:30 - or 4:00 AM because then they are raring to go and think that the day has begun. Patches has always told me when it is time to go to bed and leads me into the bedroom and jumps on the bed. When it is all said and done, I wouldn't trade any of it for the world even though it sometimes makes me irritable to be awake so early.

[lhg0962]

Mimi, my eleven year old cat, is pretty good about sleeping all night. Sometimes she chooses to stay out all night too and sleep all day. But I'll tell you one thing. If she is inside and the alarm goes off, I can't even think about hitting the "snooze" button, because she knows it is time to get up! She will cry and cry to eat or go outside the minute that alarm goes off. I have learned to set the alarm for exactly when I need to get up as there is no reason to think I could ever get back to sleep. Once she is up, the dogs get up and everyone is in my face until I get up and feed them!
Mimi decided to go outside at bedtime last night and I actually woke up to her yelling outside my window this morning. It is amazing that she knows which room I am in when she is ready to come inside. It was cold and rainy this morning, so she was definitely ready to come in and go to bed. At least I was able to let her in and go back to sleep after feeding the dogs.

[4 feline house]

You must remember, cats are nocturnal animals, it is in their nature to play at night and sleep at day. Also, feeding the cat before bed instead of after rising (or free choice if you're willing and don't have dogs) might allow uninterrupted sleep.

[gini]

Both of my cats sleep indoors all night. They have dry food and water available at all times. It doesn't matter what time I go to bed and they settle down with me - the crack of dawn it is their duty to wake me up.
Rascal wants to go outdoors, but he is the more patient one. Patches promptly goes back to sleep after she has done her duty.
In fact she is now snoring on a chair near this computer - I am up - her job is done!

[This message has been edited by gini (edited November 26, 2000).]

[Pam]

Gini one of my cats also uses the old "knock things off the nightstand" trick to get me up. The other one goes over to the blinds and sticks his paws through and they make a clinking sound. Sort of like he is trying to say "come, look it's daytime!" Even so, I would miss these naughty little guys something awful if they weren't in my life! I am just pathetic I guess!