Cat Disturbing Sleep Badly

[Treehouse]

So we got a cat recently, 4 months ago. Shes very nice, her name is Misse. But the last 2 months or so shes been disturbing my mom's sleep pretty badly. What Misse does is that she sits below my moms bed, and waits for an opportinity to get into my mom's face and meow, waking her up. My mom has sleep problems so this basically ruins her entire day and she could eventually get ill from lack of sleep. She wakes her up about 5am which is the worst time possible in her situation. Another thing Misse does is to attack her feet, when she doesnt even move them, this hasnt happened much recently though. You can push Misse down 30 times and she wont get the message. 20 times Misse will wait below the bed, jump up, and meow in her face within 3 hours.
I play with Misse a lot, and before we go to sleep, she gets her last meal 3 hours before bed too, and we never give her food right after we wake up, so that she doesnt associate us waking up with food.
She also has a lot of different places to sleep at, a big cat tree which she loves, an entire small couch, an armchair and on a blanket on the floor.
Things we have tried/Additional info:
-Putting double sided tape on the sides of the entire bed. It works until she jumps up and removes the tape by getting caught it in. And if my mom gets up and puts on new tape, its just as bad as getting woken up by Misse.
-Putting Misse in the bathroom. She meows very loudly. Its both disturbing us and the neighbors could wonder if shes getting hurt.
-Simply pushing her down from the bed saying "No.". Doesnt work, she will jump up 40 times more (That was not exxaggarated).
-We only have 1 big room, so we dont have a door to close.
-If we actually do manage to get her to stay off the bed 1 night, she will find other things we dislike as revenge. Such as jumping up on the counter, ripping down the curtains which she doesnt touch otherwise, chewing on cables which she also ignores otherwise, in protest to that she didnt get to be in the bed. We have tried making those things in-accessable, but she always finds something new, and we cant make everything in our house in-accessable.
-Shes allowed to sleep on the bed, as long as she doesnt bite or meow right in the face. She knows that shes allowed to sleep on the bed as long as she doesnt do this. She only disturbs my mom for her own entertainment.
-We play with her nearly every day, give her the right amount of food (recommended from vet), walk her on a harness outside quite often, give her new things to explore/smell. Id say she has a lot to do. And we reward her when shes being nice. She has 3 wand toys right now that i bring out at playtime, and 2 mouse toys laying around on the floor free for her to play with.
-My mom has sensitive ears, so using earplugs can give her a headache.
-We have checked with the vet for medical problems, none were found.
-My mom is always home, so shes not alone for any longer than 2-3 hours sometimes.
-She also seeks "revenge" on daytime sometimes. Lets say, we dislike when shes on the dining table (theres nothing fun on it), Misse knows this very well. She will give us a look and then jump up on the table the second after. She does this for little to no reason only to annoy us.
-The first 2 months we had her, she could jump up on the bed, she was pushed down ONCE and she got the message and left us alone.

 

[maggiedemi]

Your mom's bedroom doesn't have a door on it?

 

[Treehouse]

Your mom's bedroom doesn't have a door on it?

No. We live in a 1 room aparentment. The room is big. So the kitchen and livingroom has no doors. The only door we have is to the bathroom and to outside the house (obviously).

 

[maggiedemi]

How much food is she getting per day?

 

[duckpond]

have you tried giving her her own special bed? some of my cats love cat beds, if we place them a bit off the floor, like on a couch? i also have one that likes to sleep in bed with me, i put a soft cuddly blanket folded up at the bottom of the bed where i want him to sleep, and that is where he goes now. he loves to sleep on his soft fuzzy blanket. Just something to try? i did have one kitten that wanted to get in my face to wake me up for pets. i would just pull her up against me to cuddle, and she hates that, does not like to be held. she did stop getting up that close to me in the middle of the night...lol guess she knew she would get held and cuddled. she loves pets, but hates cuddles. you may also want to try a small amount of food right before bedtime too. she may be a bit hungry?

 

[Treehouse]

How much food is she getting per day?

Recommended by the vet: Feed her 2 small canned wet foods and leave dry food out for her to eat freely until she has stopped growing (Around 6-7 months old).

 

[rubysmama]

How old is Misse? If she's a kitten, there's probably not much you can do still she "grows up" a bit more.

I feel for your Mom. My Ruby used to wake me every morning between 5 and 6, so I know what the interrupted sleep is doing to your Mom. I solved my problem by putting Ruby out of my bedroom when she woke me and shutting the door. Eventually she got the hint and stopped waking me. But with no bedroom door, that won't work in your case.

 

[Treehouse]

have you tried giving her her own special bed? some of my cats love cat beds, if we place them a bit off the floor, like on a couch? i also have one that likes to sleep in bed with me, i put a soft cuddly blanket folded up at the bottom of the bed where i want him to sleep, and that is where he goes now. he loves to sleep on his soft fuzzy blanket. Just something to try? i did have one kitten that wanted to get in my face to wake me up for pets. i would just pull her up against me to cuddle, and she hates that, does not like to be held. she did stop getting up that close to me in the middle of the night...lol guess she knew she would get held and cuddled. she loves pets, but hates cuddles. you may also want to try a small amount of food right before bedtime too. she may be a bit hungry?

Hmm we do have a bunch of blankets which is basically like a cat bed right below the bed. She often sleeps there at daytime, you could say its very similar to a cat bed. But at night she ignores it. We have given her a small amount of food just before bed but it seems to make her greedy, making her want even more food after that. Idk, shes complicated with certain things.

 

[Treehouse]

How old is Misse? If she's a kitten, there's probably not much you can do still she "grows up" a bit more.

I feel for your Mom. My Ruby used to wake me every morning between 5 and 6, so I know what the interrupted sleep is doing to your Mom. I solved my problem by putting Ruby out of my bedroom when she woke me and shutting the door. Eventually she got the hint and stopped waking me. But with no bedroom door, that won't work in your case.

She is 6 months and has just started to get calmer and is growing out of her crazy kitten state a bit, while the waking up problem is getting worse. Ive been thinking of it too, hopefully its that shes still a kitten-ish and will "grow up". Because if thats the case we're fine with waiting with the difficulties for a while.

 

[duckpond]

Hmm we do have a bunch of blankets which is basically like a cat bed right below the bed. She often sleeps there at daytime, you could say its very similar to a cat bed. But at night she ignores it. We have given her a small amount of food just before bed but it seems to make her greedy, making her want even more food after that. Idk, shes complicated with certain things.

if she ignores the blankets at night, maybe try putting one on the foot of the bed, where you want her to sleep, and maybe one on the sofa, to give her an option? cats are funny i have 4 some love to sleep in bed, some never want to, they like a blanket on the sofa or in a chair. none of mine will sleep low, on the floor at night, maybe a quick nap in the daytime, but not at night.. i think cats like to be up a bit high, they feel safer?

 

[Treehouse]

if she ignores the blankets at night, maybe try putting one on the foot of the bed, where you want her to sleep, and maybe one on the sofa, to give her an option? cats are funny i have 4 some love to sleep in bed, some never want to, they like a blanket on the sofa or in a chair. none of mine will sleep low, on the floor at night, maybe a quick nap in the daytime, but not at night.. i think cats like to be up a bit high, they feel safer?

Ill try, thanks! But the thing is, shes allowed to sleep anywhere in the bed, there are those few nights when Misse is nice and actually sleeps just by my moms feet/near her head without biting her feet or getting to her face meowing.

 

[Treehouse]

Ill try, thanks! But the thing is, shes allowed to sleep anywhere in the bed, there are those few nights when Misse is nice and actually sleeps just by my moms feet/near her head without biting her feet or getting to her face meowing.

I forgot to add: I belive Mino's goal is to wake mom up. Not to sleep beside her, because shes already allowed to sleep beside/near her, but shes not happy enough with sleeping beside her, she wants her awake and only that.

 

[duckpond]

I forgot to add: I belive Mino's goal is to wake mom up. Not to sleep beside her, because shes already allowed to sleep beside/near her, but shes not happy enough with sleeping beside her, she wants her awake and only that.

It may be in part because she is still a kitten. they do love to play at all hours maybe something she just needs to grow out of. mine all calmed down after about a year old, even calmer around 2 years of age.

 

[Treehouse]

Its one of

It may be in part because she is still a kitten. they do love to play at all hours maybe something she just needs to grow out of. mine all calmed down after about a year old, even calmer around 2 years of age.

Itts one of the things we're guessing. So hopefully thats just it. :}

 

[Treehouse]

It may be in part because she is still a kitten. they do love to play at all hours maybe something she just needs to grow out of. mine all calmed down after about a year old, even calmer around 2 years of age.

But another thing ive forgotten to mention. It might be because shes in her crazy kitten state. But shes angry when shes doing it. Ive seen other cats and kittens play fight, but when she attacks my moms foot, shes killing the foot, not play fighting roughly. The way she jumps up in her face and meows is aggressivly, not just a way to wake her up. And when if it doesnt work, she runs away angrily and gets the zoomies, or she seeks revenge by giving a look and then chews a cable/jumps on the counter when her methods dont work, which are things she never do when shes not angry. Its hard to explain, you kinda have to see it. Shes very pissed that mom wont wake up, and carefully plans how shes gonna wake her up either by aggressivly waking her up or doing things shes not supposed to. She doesnt mind cables or kitchen counters, exept, when shes angry.

 

[lisahe]

Misse sounds a bit like our cat Ireland, who used to be a terrible foot biter. We adopted her at 10 months and she is now five... she has gradually outgrown it though is still bad about waking us up on days we sleep in, even a little. Like today. Her favorite trick these days is to bite at the hair and scalp. And sometimes nip my neck! Very odd. At least it's not as insistent as it used to be or as Misse sounds.

Beyond the passage of tome, the things that have helped are feeding the cats just before bed -- when they were younger we left food out for them -- and making sure there are toys around. I think that beds are helpful, too. Ireland has some favorite places to sleep, some of which are high up. Vertical space, meaning lots of height, is very important to cats, so maybe Misse could feel even more like an alpha if she has a high place to sleep? Buying a tall condo was one of the best things we did: the cats use it for sleeping, scratching, and emphasizing their superiority over their dumb humans. They really love it and it has lasted very well!

Good luck! I know how awful it is when a kitten doesn't let you sleep!

 

[Treehouse]

Misse sounds a bit like our cat Ireland, who used to be a terrible foot biter. We adopted her at 10 months and she is now five... she has gradually outgrown it though is still bad about waking us up on days we sleep in, even a little. Like today. Her favorite trick these days is to bite at the hair and scalp. And sometimes nip my neck! Very odd. At least it's not as insistent as it used to be or as Misse sounds.

Beyond the passage of tome, the things that have helped are feeding the cats just before bed -- when they were younger we left food out for them -- and making sure there are toys around. I think that beds are helpful, too. Ireland has some favorite places to sleep, some of which are high up. Vertical space, meaning lots of height, is very important to cats, so maybe Misse could feel even more like an alpha if she has a high place to sleep? Buying a tall condo was one of the best things we did: the cats use it for sleeping, scratching, and emphasizing their superiority over their dumb humans. They really love it and it has lasted very well!

Good luck! I know how awful it is when a kitten doesn't let you sleep!

From your description, Misse does sound like a food biter. I belive if she gets to feel more like an alpha she will worsen and think she can control our sleep even more, she does have 1 tall big tree.

 

[rubysmama]

She is 6 months and has just started to get calmer and is growing out of her crazy kitten state a bit, while the waking up problem is getting worse. Ive been thinking of it too, hopefully its that shes still a kitten-ish and will "grow up". Because if thats the case we're fine with waiting with the difficulties for a while.

I think she's just kinda being a kitten / adolescent cat.

Friends of mine have a kitten a bit older (9 months) and he will sleep on the bed with them till about 4:30, at which time he starts getting in their face. They get up and put him in the basement till it's time to get up. Unfortunately, that's not an option for you. And you already said your kitten meows too loudly if you lock her in the bathroom.

Not that you want the cuteness of kitten-hood to end too quickly,but it should be easier once she's an adult.

Has she been spayed yet? If not, she's getting to the age when she'll have her first heat.

 

[Treehouse]

I think she's just kinda being a kitten / adolescent cat.

Friends of mine have a kitten a bit older (9 months) and he will sleep on the bed with them till about 4:30, at which time he starts getting in their face. They get up and put him in the basement till it's time to get up. Unfortunately, that's not an option for you. And you already said your kitten meows too loudly if you lock her in the bathroom.

Not that you want the cuteness of kitten-hood to end too quickly,but it should be easier once she's an adult.

Has she been spayed yet? If not, she's getting to the age when she'll have her first heat.

Im not sure if its kitten hood, the way she does it is aggressive. Shes not just attacking/rough play fighting the foot, shes actually trying to kill the foot. Ive seen when a cat kills and when a cat rough plays, this is not rough playing. She doesnt do it in a happy way, shes always pissed that mom wont wake up. And the way she jumps up in my moms face is also aggressive and not cute/playful. And if she doesnt get her way: Waking up mom or chewing the cables in protest; She gets the zoomies and runs around angrily.

She hasnt been spayed, we are doing it soon. Im hoping this calms her down.

 

[rubysmama]

Maybe she's hormonal. Hopefully spaying will calm her down a bit.

I know you're in an apartment, so not so easy for her to get outside, but make sure she doesn't find a way to escape, if she goes into heat before you get her spayed. There's been lots of threads on this site of unplanned kittens after a female cat found a way to get outside. They're pretty determined, when they're in heat.

Good luck.