Buzz
Have you ever wanted your cat to curl up with you and sleep soundly through the night? Normally, cats wake up once or twice during the night, but with patience and training, you can help your furry friend adjust to your routine. With the right preparation and planning, both of you can rest and relax together comfortably.
Steps
Preparing Before Bedtime
Let your cat be active during the day. A cat that’s active throughout the day will naturally feel sleepy at night. Engage your cat in play during the morning and when you return home from work. Alternatively, you can take your cat for a walk around the neighborhood on a leash. You can also leave toys for your cat to play with independently, but don’t use this to replace quality bonding time together.
- Interactive toys with treats inside are also a fun option. Never leave string toys unattended when you’re away, as your cat could choke on them.
- It’s completely normal for adult cats to sleep up to 16 hours a day, and even more for older cats. Let your cat nap throughout the day as long as they’re getting enough exercise.
Plan playtime just before bed. Set up a play routine for at least 10 minutes every evening. This will tire your cat out, and with consistent practice, your cat will start associating this as a sign that bedtime is near. Start by playing energetically, and then gradually slow the intensity towards the end.
Are you raising a lively kitten? Draw its attention to a treat when it’s time to stop playing.
Even older cats benefit from play, though you may need to persuade them a little. Use soft toys and slow movements.
Feed your cat before bed. Most cats will sleep after a full meal, so to help your cat sleep peacefully, give them food right before bedtime.
Place a perch near your bed. Cats love warm, elevated surfaces where they can observe their surroundings. If needed, you can use food to encourage your cat to sit there when you’re ready to sleep. This way, your cat will feel comfortable with your nighttime routine, and before long, it’ll jump onto the bed with you.
- If your cat has its own bed or prefers a specific object to sleep on, move it to the perch. Cats can be quite particular about where they sleep, so your arrangement may not match their preferences, but it’s worth trying.
Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon at Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Veterinary Surgeon at Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Expert Tip: Place some of your clothing where your cat likes to sleep. This will help your cat become familiar with your scent and feel secure. After some time, your bed (where your scent lingers) will become a place your cat associates with comfort, and it will surely climb in to sleep with you!
Let your cat explore the bed. Your cat may come to like the bed more if you let them decide for themselves. Lure them onto the bed with treats or catnip if that’s something they enjoy. Praise your cat and offer more treats if they stay on the bed, but avoid getting angry or forcing them back if they jump off. Your cat will be more likely to comply if they don’t associate the bed with negative experiences.
Put fresh sheets on the bed. Some cats are very clean and will only sleep on freshly washed blankets. Other cats prefer the scent of their owners. If you keep the bedding too clean, try putting a worn shirt on the bed so your cat can play or hide in it.
Reward your cat for sleeping with you overnight. Some cats don’t initially like to sleep on the bed but will explore it during the night. If this is the case with your cat, you can reward them with treats whenever they appear on the bed. Hide treats under your pillow or in the pocket of your pajamas so your cat can find them, allowing you to avoid waking up to feed them. As your cat begins to jump onto the bed with you, gradually reduce the number of treats until your cat returns to a healthy eating routine:
- Consistency is key at first. Ensure your cat gets treats every night. (Just don’t give treats when your cat paws at you or meows, or you won’t get any sleep.)
- Once it becomes a habit, you can cut back to giving treats three-quarters of the time. On other nights, reward your cat with a head scratch or another enjoyable activity.
- Slowly reduce the frequency of treats to every other day, then every three days... until it becomes an occasional reward.
Sleeping with Your Cat All Night
Correct your cat’s inappropriate behavior on the bed. Once the lights go out and your cat jumps onto the bed, you might expect a peaceful night’s sleep together. However, cats can be quite mischievous at night, even if they’ve had plenty of playtime before bed. They may paw at your face, sit on your head, or meow for attention. It’s important to assert your authority by correcting their behavior right away.
- This may involve picking your cat up and moving them aside while saying “no.” Alternatively, you can place your cat in a corner of the room by setting up their bed or a box there. If your cat starts playing while you’re sleeping, say “no” and point to their bed. Keep doing this until they get off the bed and leave you to rest.
Don’t reward your cat for waking you up. If your cat wakes you up at any time, including in the morning, don’t feed, play with, or respond in any way – even if it’s by yelling or shooing them away. These reactions will teach your cat that waking you up is a successful method of getting attention. Instead, get out of bed when you’re ready, and spend at least 15 minutes doing something else before feeding your cat. You might need to cover your ears during a few mornings when your cat is meowing, but most cats will forget this behavior if you remain consistent.
- An automatic feeder could be the ideal solution for this scenario, especially if your cat is used to being fed right when you wake up. You can set it up to dispense food each morning or a few times throughout the night if your cat demands food at that time.
Identify disruptive or noisy behaviors at night. If your cat wakes you up by running around or meowing at night, you should address this issue immediately. If the behavior has suddenly appeared, take your cat to the vet for a check-up. Even if you believe your cat is healthy, addressing the issue quickly can prevent bad habits from becoming ingrained.
A kitten that runs around at night might need more playtime during the day, ideally with another cat. If your new cat meows frequently and doesn’t want to snuggle, try placing a ticking clock and a warm water bottle under their blanket.
Most cats over 10 years old have dulled senses and weaker mental states, so they sleep less soundly. Regular daytime exercise can help your cat become tired enough to sleep through the night. If your cat is meowing mournfully or scratching the floor, they might be disoriented or afraid due to vision loss. Consider installing a nightlight between your bed and your cat’s litter box.
Take your cat to the vet if they won’t stop meowing. If your cat is active all night or meows persistently, they could be stressed or in pain due to illness. Take them to the vet for an examination and discuss the situation with the doctor to get a clear diagnosis.
Advice
- If you’ve managed to convince your cat to sleep on the bed with you but now find it difficult to sleep, it might be best to move them to another room. The longer you allow this situation to continue, the more your cat will meow and scratch at the door to get back into your room. Placing double-sided tape, aluminum foil, or a special cat deterrent mat in front of your door could stop these behaviors.
