THANK YOU! Love, Bean

[MoonandBean]

Bean has always been an anxious cat. When I first got him at 6 months old, he used to "chirp" all night...not really a cry, would just walk around the house and chirp. It made ME anxious so I eventually started putting him in a crate at night and that seemed to work. No peep out of him until I let him out...even if I got up in the night once, he would stay asleep. Then, he and I moved in with my SO and Moon. We had a nice finished basement that we made "his" as he got to know Moon and then eventually to put him in as soon as he "chirped". Not a problem!

Then...we got Sunny (puppy). She took over the basement with her crate so we couldn't put Bean down there with her. We have no extra rooms other than the bathroom but he cried in there. He is allowed outdoors so basically he cries to come in, eats and then immediately cries to go back out. OK...but he's doing this 6 times throughout the night. He won't stay in and sleep and he won't stay out and play. It's like he just keeps checking back in...of course, waking us up each time. I have tried the crate again but he cries and can actually open it with his paw. We have thought of moving Sunny into a crate upstairs in the bedroom but things have gone so smoothly with her, we don't want to risk changing it. Once she sleeps upstairs, there will be no easy transition back down. We are planning on getting a bigger/better locking crate today for Bean and trying it again. Maybe putting him in the crate in the kitchen and hoping he won't cry or we won't hear him.

Has anyone ever encountered a cat that just won't sleep and can't be in a big space without crying? Drugs

Thanks.

[Pam]

I haven't had to deal with that problem but I have been pawed at in the middle of the night and walked on, and Andy has even pulled my hair with his teeth in the middle of the night but my cat(s) have been silent during all of this. I hope you get some answers. I guess for now you just need to apply some extra make-up to those bags under your eyes.

[MoonandBean]

I haven't had to deal with that problem but I have been pawed at in the middle of the night and walked on, and Andy has even pulled my hair with his teeth in the middle of the night but my cat(s) have been silent during all of this. I hope you get some answers. I guess for now you just need to apply some extra make-up to those bags under your eyes.

hehe. Thanks for checking in on my post, Pam

[boomersooner]

I don't have any cats, but I can feel your pain!!! There is nothing worse than being woken up what seems like a thousand times a night...I hope you find some answers!!

[Catty1]

Cats really hate change. And Bean is not adjusting well; he was there first.

I think your idea of finding another place for Sunny's crate is the best idea, so Bean can have his basement back.

Sunny is young enough to adjust. I hope you can find a place on the main floor for her.

I know you love Sunny dearly, but Bean should be allocated "squatter's rights".

[MoonandBean]

LES...thanks.

[kb2yjx]

I was going to post what Catty1 has already said!!! And I could not agree more!!! GOOD LUCK. PLease consider OTHER choices BEFORE drugs.

[MoonandBean]

I was going to post what Catty1 has already said!!! And I could not agree more!!! GOOD LUCK. PLease consider OTHER choices BEFORE drugs.

Thanks. I was just kidding with the drugs. I would never drug him or any of my animals just for convenience. We won't even give Sunny anything for her car sickness...we just keep trying to work with her.

[Freedom]

I have to agree that the reason Bean is crying is that he has been displaced. With cats, relocating a litter box can be a traumatic event! So think about long term where you want Sunny to sleep at night, and try moving her there now, so Bean can have HIS place back.

Now, what if the place you want Sunny to be in . . . Bean's old place. I'm not sure WHY Bean can't be down there when Sunny is down there in her crate.

Also, with Bean's crate, can you turn the gate facing the wall and put it close to the wall, so even if he tries and succeeds in undoing the latch . . . the gate can't open. May need something heavy behind the crate so he can't push away from the wall (I wouldn't put ANYTHING past a determined cat!)

[ChrisH]

You say he is an indoor/outdoor cat? How about fitting a cat door? Just a thought.

[MoonandBean]

Thanks Freedom, Chris and everyone else... I never really thought about how hard this has all been on Bean. I think we expected Moon to be the challenge and he really wasn't but never really thought anything except Bean was being...well...Bean. We thought about letting Bean go back down in the basement with Sunny in her crate but the one night we tried it, Sunny sat right up in her crate and we envisioned a night of meowing and barking and decided not to even try it for the night. Again... not wanting to mess up the really easy time we had with crate training Sunny. We thought of the cat door but we don't want Moon going out and the one's that come with magnetic collars would be an option except they would have to be break away collars and Bean loses collars all the time....sigh... Sandi, I was a PRO at all the crate tricks when he and I lived alone. I always had to push the door against the wall or vwallah...he'd be out. I tried that recently but he just cried. He's just not content, it's obvious now.

We are thinking of letting Sunny sleep with us at night and back in her crate during the day, etc....Then Bean can have the basement back at night. Sunny seems pretty housebroken and we have some good plastic sheets for the bed...just in case.

On a positive note, for those of you who haven't seen our success yet...They ARE getting along and hanging out in the yard together, etc...It's just the night that's proving difficult.
Moon on left, Bean on right

Sunny and Bean


Thanks again for all the good advice.
Deb

[kt_luvs_kitties]

I agree, move him back and crate the pup. He feels like his spot was taken over, and he was misplaced

Dont worry, it will get better. Also try and play with him for about 30 minutes before bed. Laser light is fun, so is "da bird" cat toy

[MoonandBean]

I agree, move him back and crate the pup. He feels like his spot was taken over, and he was misplaced

Dont worry, it will get better. Also try and play with him for about 30 minutes before bed. Laser light is fun, so is "da bird" cat toy

ooh...I just got a laser chase.

[mamaducky]

I think we've also left off one obvious solution -- which is that YOU ought to have the drugs at night!

Seriously, though -- I do think letting Bean have the basement back is probably a good thing to try. Very best of luck with whatever course(s) of action you take!

Hugs,
Diana

[MoonandBean]

I think we've also left off one obvious solution -- which is that YOU ought to have the drugs at night!

Seriously, though -- I do think letting Bean have the basement back is probably a good thing to try. Very best of luck with whatever course(s) of action you take!

Hugs,
Diana

LOL! (I must admit, I've thought of that too)...Thanks for the well wishes. I am actually looking forward to tonight with a solution in mind...Sunny upstairs with us and Bean back down in HIS basement