Cat Keeps Poking And ‘kissing’ My Face At Night

[Gattara101]

OK, I know this sounds cute, and IT IS, but sometimes I’d love to get some sleep

So here’s the story: I recently rescued 2 cats (maybe someone remembers Milù from a thread 2-3 months ago?) and they surprisingly got along very well. I feed them regularly throughout the day, given I work from home; let them roam outside as they please; give them lots of attention and affection throughout the day; and it’s all fine.

The boy, however, is extremely vocal: sees me with (human) food? Sees me with cat food? Sees me walk into or out of whatever room? Meows and brushes up against my legs.

Since the beginning he’s also been very affectionate, to the point its ridiculous especially any time I lay down. Especially at night.

I know sometimes he does it for attention (food, or he wants to go out), but at the night he literally loves snuggling right close to me, lays down next to my chest with his paws on my arm and his face almost ONTO mine. He will stare at me, or close his eyes while purring his life away, or start poking my face as if it were some sort of kissing. And sometimes he keeps walking up and down brushing up against my body and face with the same manners, all while purring.

Some not so rare footage here: Martina Russo (@martinarusso_translator) • Instagram photos and videos

The poking at night is a little draining ‘cause I can’t get enough sleep (and my bf will probably dump me ). Any ideas why he does this every single night and what I can do to make it a little easier on us humans?

PS. I also try to keep him in bed with me for cuddle time when I go to bed to prevent him to meow like a nutcase from 10 pm to 5 am.

 

[rubysmama]

Friends of mine have a one year old cat who does the exact same thing. The husband will wake up and the cat is squished up right against his wife, with their heads both on the pillow.

If they figure out a way to stop him, I'll post with an update. Don't hold your breath waiting for a reply though.

How old is your cat? Maybe there's a chance he'll outgrow his clingy behaviour.

 

[KarenKat]

Our 10-year-old tabby Trin does this a little. He’s most affectionate in bed (he’s a stressed cat and sometimes he gets overwhelmed by petting but somehow not in bed). It’s not extremely often but I wake up to a paw in my face. And he’s coming in for another one so when I open my eyes all I see is cat paw looking larger.

It’s adorable and frustrating. I have no clue how to stop it either.

 

[Timmer]

I have a female and I've had her for about 12 years now and she has always either acted afraid of me or acted standoffish. I cannot touch her or hold her.... EXCEPT at night when I get into bed she is all over me. I don't get it. Sometimes she will even stand at the top of the stairs and meow loudly for me to come up to bed and it's only 8:00. Then if I wake up in the night, she's right there looking at me like "why are you awake? Don't you know you have to get up in the morning for work?" and she's all over me again.
I have no idea what this is about with this night time stuff but I'm going to just enjoy it. But I feel your pain regarding sleep loss! :-)

 

[duncanmac]

I have one guy who likes to hold hands or hug your arm or leg as he sleeps. He also likes to reach up and touch my face - stroking my cheek much like I do to him. None of that really wakes me up except for the times when he puts his paw in my mouth (or walks on my bladder)

 

[duckpond]

My guys love night time cuddles too. i can usually sleep through, unless they get insistent. The only thing i have found that gets them to stop is forced cuddles.... mine all hate big hugs, so when they are poking me to wake up i grab them in for a big hug and cuddle. They normally then run...lol they like the pets and snuggles, but not the hugs.

 

[KarenKat]

Sometimes with cats you just have to hug it out ...

Gohan tends to be vocal at night, he will want us awake and knows "shouting" his meows and chewing on wires will do that. Sometimes I want to go up to him when he's napping during the day and knock shit off of his cat bed, or poke his nose. I doubt he would understand the subtly of my message ...

 

[susanm9006]

While it is sweet, I wouldnt want to deal with that all night for years. You can start teaching him that he needs to remain quiet if he wants to be in bed with you by giving him a warning word or phrase when he is disturbing you - At my house it is “settle down” and then removing him to the end of the bed. If that doesn’t work then you shut him out side the bedroom for a while. Much howling and scratching will occur, but you don’t let him in until he is quiet. Let him back in but no cuddles, petting or communication, just open the door. If he stays quiet that’s great, if not you repeat the whole process except he is out of your room for the night. He will catch on if you are persistent. Since you have two cats you need to either leave the good one in your room and have a litterbox there, or send them both out. Either works.

 

[Gattara101]

Friends of mine have a one year old cat who does the exact same thing. The husband will wake up and the cat is squished up right against his wife, with their heads both on the pillow.

If they figure out a way to stop him, I'll post with an update. Don't hold your breath waiting for a reply though.

How old is your cat? Maybe there's a chance he'll outgrow his clingy behaviour.

I have no idea how old he is, but would get anywhere between 2 and 4! I don’t think he’ll outgrow this

 

[Gattara101]

My guys love night time cuddles too. i can usually sleep through, unless they get insistent. The only thing i have found that gets them to stop is forced cuddles.... mine all hate big hugs, so when they are poking me to wake up i grab them in for a big hug and cuddle. They normally then run...lol they like the pets and snuggles, but not the hugs.

Ahaha I see! Simba (because he looks like a lion ;D) LOVES all things hugs, and I force him into a hug he’ll just start purring more intensively, get out whenever he’s done with it and then get back at it 2 seconds later.

 

[Gattara101]

ahaha you better not, I doubt he would either ;D

Sometimes with cats you just have to hug it out ...

Gohan tends to be vocal at night, he will want us awake and knows "shouting" his meows and chewing on wires will do that. Sometimes I want to go up to him when he's napping during the day and knock shit off of his cat bed, or poke his nose. I doubt he would understand the subtly of my message ...

 

[Gattara101]

While it is sweet, I wouldnt want to deal with that all night for years. You can start teaching him that he needs to remain quiet if he wants to be in bed with you by giving him a warning word or phrase when he is disturbing you - At my house it is “settle down” and then removing him to the end of the bed. If that doesn’t work then you shut him out side the bedroom for a while. Much howling and scratching will occur, but you don’t let him in until he is quiet. Let him back in but no cuddles, petting or communication, just open the door. If he stays quiet that’s great, if not you repeat the whole process except he is out of your room for the night. He will catch on if you are persistent. Since you have two cats you need to either leave the good one in your room and have a litterbox there, or send them both out. Either works.

Oh my Gosh! That makes total sense, but I’m not sure I can be the bad cop however, my bf can, and I’ve already noticed he slightly changes behavior when he’s around (e.g. last night he stayed at the bottom of the bed ... for a while).

Thank you!

 

[duckpond]

I cant be bad cop either

 

[Monk'sMom]

Most cat people have had "one of those" over the years.
He loves you
I don't have a solution, but I do concur with susanm9006 that cats are trainable if we are up to putting in the work and being consistent. Meanwhile, enjoy how communicative your feline guy is. (P.S. a boyfriend who would leave over this is overrated...)

 

[tangers40]

While it is sweet, I wouldnt want to deal with that all night for years. You can start teaching him that he needs to remain quiet if he wants to be in bed with you by giving him a warning word or phrase when he is disturbing you - At my house it is “settle down” and then removing him to the end of the bed. If that doesn’t work then you shut him out side the bedroom for a while. Much howling and scratching will occur, but you don’t let him in until he is quiet. Let him back in but no cuddles, petting or communication, just open the door. If he stays quiet that’s great, if not you repeat the whole process except he is out of your room for the night. He will catch on if you are persistent. Since you have two cats you need to either leave the good one in your room and have a litterbox there, or send them both out. Either works.

I will vouch for the word/phrase system...Cheese knows that if she gets rambunctious while I am in bed and wants to play with my hands/feet/nose, I say the word 'bedtime' sternly and she understands it's time to settle down and sleep. It honestly did not take her much time at all to understand that word, and she's now been trained to snuggle up next to me at night and sleep there comfortably without waking me up. In fact, sometimes I get up in the morning before she does...she seems so put out on those early mornings that I have to get up