HELP!! I only want to sleep!!

david pearce

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I live with my fiance in a flat in Paris. We have a cat who is about 18 months old. His name is Fudge and he lives in the flat with us. He is an indoor cat and doesn't go out at all.

Through-out most of the day, he sleeps and does not do much else!! When it comes to us going to bed, about an hour into us sleeping he starts going crazy! He runs around the flat, jumping on top of cupboards, jumping on to the kitchen table, trying to get into cupboards, and if there happens to be a bag left lying around the flat, he's in that rustling it and generally making a noise. He jumps on our bookshelves and knocks books off, he jumps on the desk and knocks all our papers on the floor....he just seems to do anything to make a racket!!

It may sound funny all this, but it gets tiring when you have to get up early the next morning to work, and you've had interrupted nights sleep for weeks on end!!

He's a very clever cat and when you get up and catch him in the act, or he sees you looking at him, he stops straight away. We feed him dry cat food about 3 times a day, and the last time we feed him is at night, so it's not because he needs food!!

I just wondered what people think about it...???

Dave Pearce
 

weldrwomn

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I don't know what your schedule allows, but you should try to keep Fudge as active as possible while you are at home in the mornings and evenings. Take 5 or 10 minutes in the morning and play and then play for 20 to 30 minutes or longer if possible in the evening. Whenever fudge tries to nod off during the evening, keep pestering him and don't let him sleep. Basically, you are trying to take a nocturnal creature and change his habits, it can be done, but it might take a week or two or longer. Try some interactive play toys like the wand with the string and the feathers. Just my $.02
 

twstychik

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Have you tried giving him a hard interactive play time just before bed? If not give that a go. I'd also get him up and about when you see him sleeping durring the day. Cats are usually nocturnal but if you keep him up and give him lots of play (where you interact with him) this should tucker him out some and help him sleep at night. My cats were waking me at about 2am for food. By changing their feeding times I now get to sleep till 4am.
 

jamieemm

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why do you want to know :/
my cat used to do that....but we figured out that we had left the door closed to his litter box because it smelled so bad......you might want to check if that is the case.

it may be that your cat just wants MORE food! try leaving a stock of dry food out for him in his bowl, maybe that will help!
 
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david pearce

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Thanks guys for your suggestions. I'm going to try all the suggestions you've recommended and see what happens.

He does have food at night when we go to bed, and the door to his litter tray is ALWAYS open. We NEVER close it so that he has constant access to it. This was one of the things we thought may have been the problem in the first place.

Keep your thoughts and suggestions coming in - I appreciate it!

Dave Pearce
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jennyr

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First, welcome to TCS from another expat in France! Fudge obviously thinks the day is for sleeping when you are both out, and the night is for play as you are there and he wants company. You can't expect him to sleep through both day and night. The immediate solution would be to get another cat with whom he can play during the day, but that may not be possible. As suggested, I would make sure you devote as much time to him as possible when you are there, in the evenings, and get some wand toys or similar to really tire him. But it will be difficult as there is nothing to keep him awake in daytime and if he is bored, he will sleep.
 

gingersmom

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I sleep with a fan running so that I can't hear the "kitty crazies" taking place in the house after hours. It really helps me to sleep through the fanfare!

Another thing is that you might consider getting your kitty a friend to play with. I did that for my Ginger, and now she plays all night long with Ferris instead of always trying to get my attention once I'm in bed.
 

gizmocat

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Use a feather or mouse on a string and have him chase it around the house just before bedtime. Then give him a snack.

I do this with Gizmo and she sleeps for a while after that, then goes off for several hours for Important Cat Business (I don't know what it is, but do know that it is quiet). She then comes back to bed and gets me up in the morning, when we play again.

Your little guy is a lot younger, so play longer with him before bed...and I'd play with him as soon as you got home from work. Just be sure he can run after the toy (DA Bird is a good one).
 
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david pearce

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Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your great comments!

We have tried out all your suggestions, and when we come in at night we play with him and tire him out as much as possible.

We found an old bike lamp that we shine on the floor that he seems to be puzzled over because he can't seem to catch it!!! We also have the bird on a string and that seems to work too!!

He seems to sleep longer through the night now, so we can get some sleep!!!

Cheers!!
 
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