How to train a kitten to sleep at night instead of playing

Feed me!

Some cats' world begins and ends with food. No matter how much or how often they eat, these animals feel like they never got enough food.

For some pets, it is enough to eat twice a day, which is enough to suppress hunger. The unreasonable hunger of gluttonous cats forces them to turn to their owner at night to get another portion of food.

This behavior can be stopped by changing your eating habits. Change how and when you feed your animal. After making sure that the cat receives a sufficient amount of food, you need to divide this amount into several daily meals.

What is not recommended to do?

Some owners believe that when a cat interferes with sleep at night, it should be locked in a separate room. In this way they show that the animal causes a lot of inconvenience with its behavior. However, after such harsh measures, most are surprised that the cat not only did not stop being active when dusk came, but his behavior became much worse. Others, in an attempt to accustom their pet to order and put them to sleep faster, spray the cat’s face with water. But the animal does not understand what they want from it, as a result, resentment towards the owner appears, and the behavior may worsen.

It is a mistaken belief that a pet should not be woken up during naps. But if a young cat sleeps all day, it is natural that he will want to frolic at night, because the cat has more than enough energy. Therefore, when there are obvious problems with falling asleep, it is better to wake up your pet during the day, force him to play and be active. Then at night he will have a strong, healthy, deep sleep.

Feeding

A well-fed pet sleeps more soundly, so it is worth feeding it before bed. Calculate your daily food intake so that you have a slightly larger portion in the evening than in the morning. Then the cat will wake up less at night. You can also buy an automatic feeder that dispenses a portion of food at a certain time. In this case, the cat will leave the bedroom early in the morning and will stop waking up the owner in anticipation of breakfast.

How to accustom your pet to its place?

Buying a house or bedding for a cat is half the battle. It can be much more difficult to accustom a kitten or an adult animal to it. First of all, care should be taken that the personal space of a mustachioed friend meets such criteria as stable construction, comfort, convenience, and free access. In this case, the animal will get used to it much easier.

It happens that a cat, having quickly examined a new house, immediately chooses it as its main place. However, this does not always happen, and to tame a pet you must resort to ingenuity. Among the basic techniques:

accustoming to a new corner;
the location of the house where the mustachioed friend likes to relax;
soft coercion.

Features of training a kitten

It is important to ensure that the pet's bed is ready on the first day of its stay in the new home. It should be convenient for the animal to enter it and rest comfortably

During the cold season, additional heating may be needed. The baby will explore the territory for a long time, and it is important to observe his actions. If he likes a certain corner for relaxation, you should move the bed to it.

Lodge training can be achieved through a daily ritual. You should play with the kitten near the bedding and put his favorite toys there. A child who is playing up will not miss the opportunity to visit again where he was interested and comfortable. Having noticed that the animal is resting in the house, it is worth praising it and rewarding it with a treat. At first, you can place a bed or a house next to the chair where the owner is resting. When the kitten gets used to being on its bed, you should move its bed to the pet’s permanent sleeping place.

Techniques for “persuading” an adult animal

How to accustom an adult cat to a new house after it has been settled or moved? Conservative animals often ignore the bed, preferring to live on their favorite upholstered furniture or window sill. First of all, you need to guess with the placement of the new place. Sometimes it is enough to move the bed to where the pet likes to be. For example, on the sofa. The cat will like to sleep on a softer bedding, and if there are toys in it, he will not want to leave. After the mustachioed friend gets used to the bed, it can be placed in the corner where the owner needs it.

You can get used to the house in the same way, placing it near the places where the animal likes to be. You can encourage your pet to visit with toys, treats, kind words and praise. If you can’t influence an adult cat, you can buy “Catnip” spray (or valerian infusion) at a pet store and treat the animal’s bed. The smell will attract your pet, and he will be able to appreciate the comfort of his place. You need to use the product for several days. You can do without scents by laying a bedding or blanket in the house, which the mustache loves.

What can you do to make your cat sleep longer and not wake up its owners at night?

Despite their self-sufficiency and independence, cats can easily adapt to the lifestyle of a human family.

During the day, and especially in the evening, provide your pet with the opportunity to move actively. especially if we are talking about a kitten or a young animal. Both “sophisticated” store-bought toys and ordinary twine with a candy wrapper tied at the end will come in handy. Play until the kitten gets tired. Give it a few minutes to rest and get them back into the game.

For independent play during the day, provide small balls and toys with springs. You can simply tie a candy wrapper with an elastic band to the door handle. Only the door can be damaged by sharp claws.

Before going to bed, remove all toys from free access - in a table drawer, in a closet, so that the kitten does not see them. In addition, it is advisable not to leave small objects on the floor or tables that can be thrown off and have fun being chased around the room.
Make sure your pet has access to water and a litter tray. If you use dry food, it is also advisable to leave it freely available overnight.
The last, most important rule: do not give in to “provocations” at night. Do not get up, do not play lying down, that is, do not entertain your pet in any way.

After some time, the kitten will definitely understand that night is not the time for games.

Entertain your pet during the day

Cats need somewhere to burn off their energy. If the cat slept all day without finding any entertainment, then when the owner returns from work he will be full of strength and desire to jump and play. Therefore, it is important to provide your pet with the opportunity to play during the day.

Leave your pet toys. You can buy them at a pet store or make them yourself. Light items that are fun to move across the floor are suitable. They can be rustling or with ribbons. Cats also like toys filled with catnip. Don’t forget to periodically change the set of toys so that your cat doesn’t get tired of them;
a new level of entertainment for cats - interactive toys. They can move independently and will keep your pet occupied for a long time. Before leaving your cat alone with such a toy, read the instructions and make sure it is safe;
If there is a tree near your window, you can hang a feeder on it. The cat will watch the arriving birds. But do not place the feeder very close to the window so that flying birds do not hit the glass;
If possible, you can leave video recordings running on the TV screen for the cat. The TV must be installed so that the cat can see it. Her attention will be attracted, for example, by recordings of flying birds, which she will try to catch.

Before going to bed, also play with your cat so that he gets tired. Cats get tired quickly: 10-20 minutes of active play are enough for them, after which the animal will lose interest in toys and want to rest.

Be sure to feed your cat at night

Check what time you feed your cat. He might be waking you up because he's hungry. It is recommended to feed cats 3-4 times a day with breaks of 6-8 hours. So that your cat can sleep peacefully for the allotted time and not wake up from hunger, feed her before you go to bed yourself.

An automatic feeder will also be useful. It will save you from the hassle of morning feeding, because it’s more pleasant to lie in bed on a day off than to run to the kitchen to feed a hungry cat. Automatic feeders can dispense food at a certain time, and the pet waiting for breakfast will hang around near it, and not near your bed.

If the kitten continues to make noise at night

It happens that a pet does not immediately accept a regimen that is inconvenient for him. And he continues to walk persistently, loudly demanding entertainment. Or he finds entertainment for himself, playing with wires and throwing things around.

In such situations at home we use several harsher methods. I'm sure one of them will work with your naughty boy too.

If you are ready to sleep in the same bed with a cat, you can grab it tightly with your hands, hold it close to you and hold it until it relaxes and falls asleep.
On the contrary, you can turn your pet out the door if your home allows it.
A tougher option, but not at all cruel, as some people think, is to put him in a carrier and take him to a quiet, dark room (a toilet or bathroom will do). As a rule, cats in such a situation, if you do not approach them, simply go to sleep. And they begin to be loudly indignant only when they hear footsteps or voices.
Finally, you can try to run your wet hands over the toy's fur several times. Not a single representative of the cat family will tolerate a wet fur coat with a foreign smell - it will immediately begin to lick itself fervently. By the time he licks it, he will calm down and go to bed.

All of the above educational techniques should be used if the cat interferes with sleep at night. The main thing is that the animal establishes a strong connection: if you disturb the sleeping owner, you will get into trouble.

When raising a kitten, you must, of course, make allowances for age. It’s rare that a 3-4 month old baby can sleep through the night. But with age and as you train, your pet will be less and less likely to wake you up at an inopportune hour. The main thing is not to give in and do not entertain the kitten at night, even if you yourself have already woken up.

What can interfere with sleep

The neighbor's dog howls at night: what to do, what to do
There are other reasons why the animal behaves this way.

A cat most often does not allow its owners to sleep due to boredom. The reason may be the pet’s insufficient activity during the day, then it is in the evening that he begins to be awake, wants to play, and thereby prevents him from sleeping peacefully. A cat can jump on its owner while sleeping, and the owner, while asleep, will experience shock. The pet does all this not out of malice, he’s just bored, and has more than enough unspent energy. He needs somewhere to put his energy, especially before the age of 3. You need to play with him a lot, you can buy different balls, balls, lures on sticks and make him play even when he wants to sleep during the day. At least 1.5-2 hours of such frantic activity for young ones and up to an hour for adults, and at night both the cat and the owner will sleep soundly. It is clear that he may not sleep the whole night, then it is important to let the pet know where it is possible to make noise. For example, hiss at him when he starts to get active in the bedroom.
When a pet is alone in the house all day, he needs attention and communication, he becomes bored, since entertaining himself is not always fun. Therefore, when the owner of the house, at night, the animal believes that this is just the time to pay attention to it and play. It begins to interfere with sleep, sometimes it can even scratch and bite its owner.
Often the cause of insomnia in cats can be fear or fear of something. For example, a cat sleeps and wakes up from any rustle, this means that it is tense and afraid of something, so it is always on the alert. In such a situation, she will not fall asleep until everyone is asleep. Cats can even be afraid of their owners if they hit her or swing at her. They are very touchy and can be under constant stress because of this. You need to treat the animal kindly.
Another cause of fear is electrical appliances, for example, a pet saw a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer or mixer at night. He immediately becomes furious and can start meowing and jumping. In this case, you should try not to leave these devices in a place visible to the cat, so as not to provoke him.
Pets are also very afraid of water, so when their fur gets wet, it loses its warming functions, then the pet walks around the house for a long time, trying to warm up. So it’s better to bathe your cat during the day so that this doesn’t happen at night.
Waking at night often occurs due to unfulfilled sexual instinct. This means that the cat needs to be sterilized or taken to a cat.
If the pet is very timid and often hides in a corner when guests come, then at night it tries to regain the attention of its owners and tries in every possible way to attract it.

How to solve a problem

The main way to get a cat to sleep at night is to let it get tired during the day. Play with your cat during the day if you are at home. If you work, build or buy a playground for your cat. Regularly - every 3-4 days - offer your pet new toys: this way the entertainment will not get boring.

Cats need communication, so you should pay attention to your pet. Even if you come home late at night, chat with your pet: pet, talk, treat him with a treat.

Also arm yourself with knowledge of cat instincts: a cat will not look for food at night if it ate from its belly at night. And after a good dinner, the hunter needs to conserve resources. Move your main meal to the evening.

If your cat still makes noise at night, don’t fall for such tricks. The pet is trying to attract attention and your reaction only reinforces this behavior. Control yourself and don't yell at the cat, even if it drops something.

Options for night and morning activity of cats

It is not only the need for physical activity that encourages cats to get their owners up at night and in the morning. There are other reasons that make a pet behave this way. Often in these ways animals declare:

inability to control the territory;
desire to communicate;
any problems.

For a cat, a house or apartment is its personal territory, which must always be under control. She should have free access to the entire space. The cat periodically walks around the home to make sure that there are no foreign odors and no danger. If the door in one of the rooms is closed, this causes anxiety in the pet; he is not sure of the safety of the territory. There is no need to be surprised that in the middle of the night shouts are heard demanding that the obstacle be removed for inspection.

Cats are smart animals, they understand that a person is a strange, inexplicable creature with whom they need to play a game according to certain rules. At night or early in the morning, the cat wakes up the owner and leads him to the door or refrigerator. The owner, in turn, tries to release or feed the pet, to fulfill its desire, but it refuses. The animal seems to be acting stupid and doesn't know what it wants.

In fact, the cat is just bored, she wants communication, but understands that attention can only be attracted in such ways, and she achieves her goal

Your pet's anxiety may be related to illness. If he suddenly wakes you up by meowing, perhaps the cat is in pain and is trying to tell you about his problem. If any signs of illness appear, the animal should be taken to the veterinarian. You should know that cats do not sleep well in a new place; after moving, it will take some time to develop the territory. Owners also experience restless nights when their pet begins to go into heat.

What is better - a house or a bed?

A house and a bed are an alternative to an armchair or a family bed, on which mustachioed pets really like to rest. What is better for a cat? To answer this question, it is worth getting acquainted with the design features:

Bed. A soft, round or oval-shaped pillow made of hypoallergenic and tactile-pleasant materials. The internal filler is padding polyester or its modern analogues. It is much more comfortable for your pet to rest on a bed at night than on a hard windowsill or floor.
House. Unlike an open-type bed, the house has a dome made of the same materials as the pillow. The lower and upper parts are connected by a side, forming a mink. A hole is provided so that the animal can get to itself. In the house the cat feels like in a box. She is warm, comfortable and safe.

When choosing a recreation area for a pet, the owner should focus on the character of the animal and the free space in the interior. If the cat is sociable, curious and loves to be the center of attention, the best choice is an open bed. A personal corner will allow the mustachioed friend to relax and communicate freely with the owner.

How to Get Your Cat to Sleep: Move It Away from the Bed

Place the cat in a room other than the bedroom, and when it's time to go to bed, close the door to your room so the cat can't enter.

If your cat starts meowing or scratching at the door, first of all, don't give up, leave her because she will eventually get upset and go back to sleep.

If, despite everything, he continues to scratch and meow every night at your door, try placing items in front of the door that will discourage him from coming back (aluminum covered carpet, double-sided tape, etc.).

Arranging a corner

It will be easier for the kitten to sleep in the owner's bed, since the person is a necessary source of warmth. But if you do not want to share a bed with an animal, you need to show him your rookery from the very beginning. The bed should, if possible, be close to the bed, as the owner shows by example that you need to sleep at night.

Additionally, imitation of the mother's presence will help put the kitten to sleep. Should be placed in the bed :

A few pieces of natural fur, ideally it should cover the entire sleeping area of the kitten;
A bottle of hot water wrapped in a cloth. The fluff of kittens often does not protect them enough from the cold, so it is difficult for a small pet to sleep, and the warmth of a bottle will solve this problem;
Alarm clock wrapped in fabric. The kitten mistakes the ticking of the alarm clock for the heartbeat of the mother cat, so it lulls him to sleep.

The bed should be in a place where it will be convenient for him to get to the SIM card with food and water, as well as the tray. Then the furry predator will not wake up the owner at night because of his needs. A good solution would be to teach your cat to fall asleep in your arms, and then transfer it to a bed.

Common mistakes: what not to do?

It is important for the owner to remember that the animal should never be taken out of the house during daytime rest and night sleep. Young children should be prohibited from doing this, since such an act can forever push the cat away from his favorite place. You need to call and wait until the animal leaves the house on its own.

If the kitten cries and wants to leave the litter and lie down with the owner, you should bring him back, stay with him and wait until he falls asleep. It is impossible to teach a baby to sleep in the master’s bed, because it is difficult to wean him from this habit in adulthood. With patience and love, you can accustom your mustachioed pet to its own corner without unnecessary stress.

How to wind up a kitten until it falls asleep: practical tips

Kittens, like puppies, are very active on their own. Only the latter are unlikely to be able to jump onto the windowsill, climb onto a high chest of drawers and roll up a pot of ficus from there. But a kitten can. Any. And if this is a Bengal with boiling blood and a burning heart, rest assured, the ficus will go to the floor three times faster.

Ours behaved according to his breed - he ran around, played with everything, tried to eat the leaves of the yucca and tear off the blinds. And it’s not that he wanted to harm us or anything like that, no, he just needed to release his energy somewhere in the evenings. And we helped him with this. To sleep soundly.

Why does a cat need its place in the house?

Cats are freedom-loving and unpredictable animals. Sometimes they like to lie in the arms of their owner or look around the room, climbing to the highest point in the room. Sometimes it’s not easy to find them: they crawl into a closet, a new box and sleep quietly. To ensure that the animal does not look for a place where it can retire, its own house or soft bed is designed. Here the pet can relax and sleep sweetly. If he is unwell, the owner will easily notice this, because the animal will not hide in the corners, but will come to his “closet”.

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.

How to put your cat to sleep: create an evening ritual

Since cats love routine and habits, to teach them to go to bed every day, you will need to establish a nightly bedtime routine at a fixed and regular time. This routine should be established from an early age on your cat.

For example :

gaming session (see above) at 20:00,
hearty meal at 20:30,
brush your teeth at 20:45,
installation in his room and in his sleep at 20:50,
lying hug session,
lights turn off + pheromone link (see below) at 21:00.

Day after day, the routine gets better, and by evening the cat itself will understand that it is time to go to bed.

How to put a cat to sleep: tire her out during the day

To help your cat sleep better at night, you need to keep her awake all day, encouraging her to be more active and tiresome during the day.

Here are some tips for working people on how to keep your cat active while you're away:

hide toys in your house,
leave him a cat kong full of treats,
leave the TV on a channel showing animal shows,
Give him interactive toys so he can start playing on his own.

Here's an interactive toy that's a huge hit because cats love it! This fish toy, when your cat touches it, it starts moving like a real fish, keeping cats busy for hours!!!

View this toy

Cat behavior during heat

If the ward becomes aggressive, begins to meow loudly, and her gait has changed, then a period of change has begun in her life. You need to observe to notice discharge from the genitals. Some cats, on the contrary, become suspiciously affectionate. They have a way of seeking help from their mistress: they constantly rub against their legs and look with pitiful eyes. All this suggests that the female is undergoing dramatic changes in her body. Such physical and mental changes serve as a signal for mating. Follicles maturing in the ovaries is a process that makes itself felt. It is called estrus.