How do you get your cat to not be playful at night?

[Sariah]

I always want my cat to sleep with in my bed, but all she does is play with my feet. She also always wants to cuddle with me when I am busy, but when I want to cuddle she doesn't! How can I get her to cuddle when I want to and to sleep with me at night. Thanks



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Sariah Biere

[Troy]

...you might find it difficult to stop your cat playing at night as they are nocturnal animals. Cats tend to be more active at dawn and dusk which is prime time for hunting. Changing your cats behaviour is difficult - they tend to change us first!

[Ben E Gas]

Just before you lie down for bed. Gather all of your cats toys. Make some new toys out of paper balls so you have more ammunition. Throw them around the house until your cat is tired. then do it again. then go to bed and see what happens. hope this helps. it may not work.

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Igor Inc. (c)2001

[Sariah]

Thanks for your suggestion Ben, but It will take alot to make her tired. She's a kitten! But I'll try it!

[4 feline house]

As she gets older, too, she may adapt to your diurnal pattern and sleep more at night (although she will still be awake more at night than in the daytime).

[TabooKitty]

I am able to stay home during the day. So I make lots of noise and chase him around during daytime. I wake him up with petting and kissing when he naps. He still wanders at night, but comes and goes from the bed. Good Luck!

[Harley]

My one-year-old, Trixie, was definately a wild child when she was a kitten. I could almost set my clock at 3:00 a.m. when it was her play time (unfortunately, it was my face she wanted to play with.) It was several months before I got an uninterupted night's sleep. Lots of toys and play time before bedtime helped tire her out. Also, it wasn't until the weather turned cool last fall that Trixie discovered that the lap was a warm and comfortable spot to sleep. She's still not a cuddler but she's definately calmed down a bit. Give your kitten time and hopefully you'll meet a happy medium.

[TabooKitty]

Welcome Harley!
I'm new too! Taboo JUST ventured onto my lap after 2 yrs of dedicated slavery on my part. My cat sitter is moving away, so I fear the results of my nearing travel plans (we are also moving, to Idaho, soon). Travel takes such a toll on our "babies".

[Inez]

I also found that if you get your cat a playmate, they will tend to play with each other at night and you will get plenty of rest. Good luck.

[yorkster]

I have a six year old cat at home who would always settle down to sleep with us, although at first he didn't. What I did was play a bit with him in the evening, then when I went to bed, I would pick him up and put him on the bed and shut the door. It took about a week and he got used to the routine. He has been sleeping through most of the night for the last few years until a few weeks ago we got a new kitten. Now the kitten is up playing, and he loves it! Now I have 2 kitties keeping me awake. I just hope the new kitten will learn to sleep at night soon! I'm going to try the same thing with him, but I think he probably needs to be a little older.

[Maylo]

I'm guessing like put a million treats under your sheets! I've tried it! (I'm thinking )


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~Maylo~

[AmberLee]

We find it helpful to play with the cats to tire them out an hour or two before bedtime (so they can unwind before bed).

When they were very small and hyper at night a friend suggested feeding them later in the evening. Frequently this quiets them down, too.

Good luck!

[Catcrazed]

My older cats sleep at night. The youngest member of our gang wants to eat all night. (hence the nickname captain crunch)
Sometimes if I have my mouth open and am snoring he will stick his little paw in my mouth! He usually wakes me up early by purring loudly and walking on me.

[ejwmla]

i know how you feel! i just got a kitten about a week ago & she sleeps when i am awake but once i go in there to go to bed she is wide awake & climbs up in my bed & gets right in my face & swats at it! she tries her hardest to get me to get up & play with her. i wake up in the morning & have little kitten scratches on my hands