Do They Ever Sleep Human Hours?

Being new to cats, we simply don't know - will their schedule ever switch from nocturnal to daytime? We really need some sleep around here! We've attempted to get them up at different times to play with them so they'll be tired enough to sleep all night, but if we're not up at 12:30am for several hours, it's 2:30am or the latest we've gotten is 5:00am. ??? Or is this a function of age? Vet thinks they're about 12 weeks old now.

They are being kittens and they will simmer down as they get older. We are going through the same thing with the three in our bedroom. All night they race up and down us and sleep during the day. They will also calm down when they get fixed but that isn't for awhile yet. Welcome to Kittydom!

LDG - we refer to this as the "Kitty commando" stage!

Just so long as they eventually graduate boot camp! We'd love them just as much if they never switched hours or calmed down at night, but it's sure nice to hold onto the hope that they might at some point! Thanks

Hi Laurie,

We recently had a kitten in our care for 4 weeks and unfortunately that's just how kittens are I'm afraid!

Kona, the siamese kitten we cared for now lives with my mum and we had the same problem with him. He would play and play and play all night and it was a huge effort to get him to sleep. I would lie in bed at night having to go to the toilet but trying to hold it because I knew if I got up he would spring back into action!

Hissy's right, they do grow out of it - eventually.

Because we both work full time he didn't have anyone to entertain him during the day. On the weekends we would take Kona outside to play with us and we'd really wear him out - by the time we went to bed he was ready to sleep the whole night through! We loved the weekends because we knew it meant a good nights sleep for all!

Your kitties are at the same age Kona was when he began sleeping the whole night through so make sure they've got heaps of toys to play with and invest in some quality play time and you should be rewarded with a good nights sleep!

Good Luck!

Lisa

My (very spoiled) 6-year-old cat Owen STILL finds it necessary to wake me up in the middle of the night almost every night. He then of course runs away madly when I sit straight up in bed and stare at him meanly.

Yesterday my fiance and I were contemplating waking Owen up every single time he falls asleep during the day, but it was more to get back at him than train him to sleep "people hours"!

He he he ,

We thought we were the only one's having those thoughts Molly!

We would have a little chuckle as we'd plan our revenge... Our plan was when we next saw Kona having a peaceful sleep we'd begin walking our fingers clumsily all over his little body (just like he'd walk all over us while we were fast asleep), then we'd poke him with a sharp implement (just like his razor sharp claws sunk into our flesh as we slept) and go "Meeeeoooowww" right into his little ears until he was rudely awoken from his peaceful sleep.

Then when our opportunity came.... we looked at that cute, furry, snuggly little baby body and went awhhhh... "isn't da little bubby cute - he must be tired, let him sleep".

Lisa

Oh they are so cute! But when we see those cute furry snuggly bundles, we can't help but reach over and pick them up! We hadn't considered revenge, but maybe they're taking revenge on us for waking them up to snuggle them all the time (and the kitties are going "tee he he"!).

They do have bundles of toys, and we are spoiling them rotten (we don't have kids, so...). We got them one of those cloth tunnels to play in - and now they self-entertain through the night (and I guess we're just starting to sleep through them playing on the bed and walking over us!. They don't start meowing for us until about 6:00am now, and that is totally bearable.

...but we work from home, and boy have we been neglecting work! All of our workmates and even our clients are getting sick of hearing about our kitties - which we are usually playing with in the background all morning and the few hours in the afternoon/evening when they're awake. They're fascinating and amazing - and when we wake them up, they're so willing to be snuggle-bunnies!

LDG - even if your friends get sick of the kitty talk - WE NEVER DO! So come here and visit with us!

This morning the kitties were commencing their morning exercise which means they run up and down our heads, jump on the window sill, bat at the blinds, run down the length of our back or chest and jump off the bed only to repeat the manuevers. Mike was lying on his stomach and when MacBethie came up for the third pass he opened his eyes, stared her straight in the face! She skidded to a stop- leaped backwards, spitting and hissing and arching her back and flew under the bed to hide from this threat. LOL It was the funniest thing! Maybe you should try that one morning?

Well - yesterday I spoke too soon! Kitties not waking us up until about 6:00 - Ha! Hissy, we'll have to try staring them down. Hubby tried growling like a dog this morning. He's really good at getting them to meow back at him, but in response to the dog-thing they just kind of looked at him quizzically for a few seconds or so and then resumed activities.

I don't know who started it this morning, but two kitties were dive-bombing both of us - they're like a tazmanian devil-ball (but no hissing or growling!), and hubby & I and the pillows have become diving boards into the great wrestling ring, our bed! Hubby's so tired from weeks of sleep deprivation that he is actually passed out right now, having a nap (with Shelly snuggled into his arm). I think I'll grab Laz and join them.

LoL, everyone's cats have so much character!
Socks used to wake me up at every hour of the night until she was about 1 year old. She's 8 now and still occasionally does it. If I remember to give her her evening treat, she's usually okay. (She's really set in that routine -- if I forget the treats, or she doesn't think she got enough, she will let out this horrible yell that makes me think someone stepped on her tail!)

My cat stays awake most of the night. I just got used to it. Sometimes he wakes me up, but I love him so much that I could NEVER be mad at him. I figure that if he is playing he must be happy and that's all that matters, right?
-Meghan
PS: I'm new Imotep is my cat's name!

We agree - we don't get mad at the kitties for waking us up. But hubby & I can sure get cranky with each other because we're not getting enough sleep!
(PS We work together as business Partners...)