Common Cat Problems Solved: Night Time Madness
Every morning, between 4am and 7am, my cat seems to go crazy. He / she runs around my home at full pelt, meowing at the top of their voice and often knocking things over. More often than not, I get woken up by the commotion. I need my sleep, so how do I stop it?
Cats are crepuscular, meaning they are most active in the hours of twilight – essentially, dusk and dawn. This is their natural circadian rhythm, and is a time when cats feel most active – supposedly because these are the hours when a cats natural prey of nocturnal animals will be most docile, and therefore easier to catch. Even if your cat is not hunting, they are naturally built to be active at this opportune time.
The amount of time you will need to dedicate to cat training depends on your cats lifestyle before they came to live with you. They may have already been through the fundamentals of cat training; it is important to check whether this is the case with the existing owner. Or, they may be completely new to the entire process. However, it is safe for all to assume that most cats will have seen their mother use her tray during their early life; so the process is not completely alien to them.
A cat does not have the circadian rhythm (sleeping pattern) of a human, so there is no point in trying to teach them to ’sleep’ when you do. Instead, one should focus on keeping a cat entertained during the hours just prior to and including dawn – so that you can get your rest.
Toys are a must; scatter them throughout your house, in any area where the cat may roam. You should try and keep your cat out of your bedroom at night; while you may enjoy the cuddles before bedtime, come 3am their presence will become an uncomfortable distraction. Make the other rooms in your home fun and enjoyable for your cat to be in, and ensure they have a selection of toys, a clean litter tray and a water dish. Unfortunately, this is as much as you can realistically do – if it’s still a problem, invest in some ear plugs and confine the cat to one room alone at night. For more information visit http://www.cattrainingtipsforall.com/
Cats are crepuscular, meaning they are most active in the hours of twilight – essentially, dusk and dawn. This is their natural circadian rhythm, and is a time when cats feel most active – supposedly because these are the hours when a cats natural prey of nocturnal animals will be most docile, and therefore easier to catch. Even if your cat is not hunting, they are naturally built to be active at this opportune time.
The amount of time you will need to dedicate to cat training depends on your cats lifestyle before they came to live with you. They may have already been through the fundamentals of cat training; it is important to check whether this is the case with the existing owner. Or, they may be completely new to the entire process. However, it is safe for all to assume that most cats will have seen their mother use her tray during their early life; so the process is not completely alien to them.
A cat does not have the circadian rhythm (sleeping pattern) of a human, so there is no point in trying to teach them to ’sleep’ when you do. Instead, one should focus on keeping a cat entertained during the hours just prior to and including dawn – so that you can get your rest.
Toys are a must; scatter them throughout your house, in any area where the cat may roam. You should try and keep your cat out of your bedroom at night; while you may enjoy the cuddles before bedtime, come 3am their presence will become an uncomfortable distraction. Make the other rooms in your home fun and enjoyable for your cat to be in, and ensure they have a selection of toys, a clean litter tray and a water dish. Unfortunately, this is as much as you can realistically do – if it’s still a problem, invest in some ear plugs and confine the cat to one room alone at night. For more information visit http://www.cattrainingtipsforall.com/
