How can I stop my cat from waking me up at night?

Everybody keep their cat safe, but sometimes staying indoors can cause Kitty to become bored or under-stimulated. Things to do if your cat wakes you up at night

If you’re the owner of a precocious feline, chances are you don’t need an alarm clock. That’s because, even with intermittent changes to your daily routine, your pet is tuned in to your schedule. By learning when to expect his breakfast, when you to return from work, and the timing of other daily events, your cat is better able to manage his own schedule—which can be a good or bad thing for weary pet owners.
 
Cats in the wild have an internal clock that helps regulate when they sleep, hunt and perform other activities. Domesticated felines retain this internal clock, adjusting their schedules to fit our own. When we wake up at the same time each morning to give our pets breakfast, this reinforces that schedule—and when we don’t, our pets often stir us in anticipation of their morning meal. In some cases, Kitty’s get-up-and-go behavior affects your ability to sleep, meaning you may need to take measures to manage his schedule.
 
Often, when cats become excessively needy and disrupt our sleep, it’s because they’re bored. While keeping cats indoors protects them from dangers such as predators and disease, it can also lead to under-stimulated pets. By waking you up, then, your cat is able to alleviate his boredom through social interaction and often, a tasty snack. The first step in reshaping your cat’s nighttime behavior, then, is to provide him with plenty of stimulation before bed. Engage your pet in “hunting” with interactive toys such as fishing poles and feed him his final meal before you’re ready for bed. You may also want to consider ways to make Kitty’s environment more stimulating, such as creating opportunities for exploring, climbing and hiding and rotating new objects like paper bags into his environment for him to explore. You could even consider installing a bird feeder outside of an easily accessed window or getting a second cat as a companion pet.
 
Though our cats get used to our schedules, there are some tricks to help Kitty adjust when your routine changes. If you need to start going to sleep earlier, for example, feed and play with your pet earlier in the evening. If a new job affects what time you can feed your pet, try leaving him with a “puzzle toy” feeder between meals, which will help keep his brain busy while providing him with tasty treats. During the adjustment period, you can try confining your pet to another room while you sleep, or invest in earplugs or a white noise machine to minimize your pet’s disruptions.
 
Remember, cats that are left alone for long periods of time will be more likely to seek your attention when you’re home at night. By giving your pet plenty of stimulation and attention before bed, you can help both of you get a good night’s rest.