Ahh….bedtime….who among us doesn’t enjoy that visit to our personal sanctuary at the end of a long day? For myself, I cannot wait to crawl under the covers and prepare for a night of much-needed and coveted slumber. It’s like Heaven to me. Yes, I hated it as a kid, but now, it often is the highlight of my entire day!
However, being awakened from a peaceful sleep by an unwanted symphony of cat chatter is not something I desire. Does this ever happen to you? There you are…snuggled amongst five of your closest friends: two blankets and three pillows, and together you drift magically into dreamland. Then all of a sudden your domestic cat goes full-on stalk and hunt mode. Sure, it’s natural for cats to indulge their instincts like this at night, but it sure can be frustrating when those instincts are accompanied by some yowling. So much for sleep, huh?
What to do?
First of all, if this is something out of the ordinary for your cat, visit your veterinarian to rule out any potential underlying issue going on with your cat. The yowling could be in response to pain or discomfort. Once any health issues are ruled out, here’s what you can do to mitigate the nighttime disturbances:
Don’t react. Cats love the attention, whether for good reasons or bad reasons. If you get out of bed to interact with your cat, well, you are just reinforcing his behavior. Don’t reprimand. Don’t pet him. Just stick to your routine. Your cat will realize you want no part in this matter.
Close the door.
Shut it. That’s it. Set boundaries and stick to them. If your cat can’t see your reaction to his yowling, he will probably lose interest.
Be sure to give him something to eat before bedtime
Just like most humans feel the need for a nap after indulging in a meal, so do cats. Get some chow in him and he probably won’t have the energy or the desire to break out into song.
Encourage a lot of playtime throughout the day.
Help your cat burn off that energy. Since most cats nap during the day, this leaves the nighttime hours to play and have fun. Try to reverse that dynamic and engage in more play throughout the day. If you have to be away during the day, consider giving your cat some interactive toys to keep him busy and active.
Finally, let your cat know when it is bedtime.
Establish a routine/ritual at bed time and stick to it. Your cat will soon understand this ritual leads to sleeping and quiet time. Just be sure to be consistent about it. Use the same phrase every night. (In our household we say, “It’s time go night-night,” and this sets the stage for winding down and snuggling in.)
Source: iheartcats.com/Andee Bingham
Written by Ann Butenas
An internationally-recognized author and writer, Ann began her professional writing career at age 12 and began speaking while in college. She has been published thousands of times over the past three decades in all media forms, was former editor and publisher of KC Metro Woman magazine, and has also hosted three talk radio shows in the Kansas City area.
