June 4, 2024, 8:20 am | Read time: 8 minutes
Cats are twilight beings. They like to wake up at around the time humans want to go to bed. Loud meowing, scratching at the bedroom door or chasing feet under the comforter are common behaviors. But what can be very annoying for cat owners actually happens for good reason. PETBOOK editor and cat behavior expert Saskia Schneider explains these reasons and what owners can do to return to quiet nights.
Nights with a cat can be very exhausting. You may have just fallen asleep when you hear a whining or loud meow at the end of your bed. This is followed with a paw or tail in your face as you turn around annoyed. When objects repeatedly begin to fall to the floor you finally jump out of bed in anger. The cat flees the room – only to continue its mischief a few minutes later. In short: Cats are super annoying at night.
Certainly many cat owners have experienced situations like this. Cats get wired, especially during the night. They start romping around, play with your toes under the comforter and try all sorts of things to keep you awake and themselves entertained. But there may be other reasons for this behavior that ultimately leads to their owners sleep deprivation. In this article we will explain cat behavior as well as give tips on what can be done to stop them from annoying you during the night.
Overview
- Boredom is the number one reason for cat’s annoying behavior at night
- A cat that gets annoying at night might actually be lonely
- The cat wants to go outside at night
- The cat is annoying at night because it’s hungry
- The cat is restless at night and meows because it is in pain
- The cat is annoying at night because it may have dementia
- This will make nights with your cat calmer again
Boredom is the number one reason for cat’s annoying behavior at night
Cats are independent and many owners underestimate the amount of activity and mental exercise they require. The following situation often occurs, especially with busy working people: The cat is home alone during the day and spends that time sleeping. Once their owners come home, they make dinner and cuddle up in front of the TV. The cat is now fully rested and ready for action. Other than their owners, who are tired and ready for bed. As a result, the cat tries to entertain itself and in doing so makes noise and does other annoying things like encouraging its owners to play or meowing loudly and throwing objects down to get attention.
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A cat that gets annoying at night might actually be lonely
Not everyone wants to have their cat in bed with them. Others may need to ban their cat from the bedroom because of how annoying they are at night. But even though cats can be considered to be loners, they are also social animals with a need to be close to other cats and their caregivers. Rooms and furniture that are used by humans a lot are particularly attractive to cats as they hold many odors. This is why cats like to have access to these places. If they are denied this access they get frustrated, which then leads to extensive scratching at the door or loud meowing to get their owners attention.
The cat wants to go outside at night
If the cat regularly goes outside during the day, it will probably want to do so at night. Many cats also dislike closed doors, as they like to have access to their core territory at all times. This can include the balcony or the garden. Often the pet just wants to do a quick check, which can be quite frustrating for the person opening the door at night as their cat meows loudly five minutes later asking to be let back in.
The cat is annoying at night because it’s hungry
Unlike dogs, cats need several small meals throughout the day. In the wild, they hunt up to 15 times a day. Cats are particularly active at dusk and dawn which is also when they get most hungry. If their owners go to bed at around 11 p.m. and get up at 6 a.m., that means seven hours without food. For some cats, especially young ones, this can be too long. Also their stomach gets used to certain feeding times as it produces stomach acid in advance. This leads to the cat starting to meow loudly to get food even before its actual feeding time due to hunger.
The cat is restless at night and meows because it is in pain
If a cat is not able to rest at night, there might also be a health problem behind it. Often there are other symptoms as well: They withdraw and don’t want to play and end up eating poorly. If you suspect that your cat is in pain, you should consult a vet. If the animal is wailing and writhing at night, you should seek medical advice immediately.
The cat is annoying at night because it may have dementia
Cats can also develop dementia in old age. Just like humans, they lose orientation with their environment. They might even forget that they just ate. As a result, they may wander around at night calling for their owners or begging for food. Especially with older cats, you should show understanding for this behavior and not scold them.
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This will make nights with your cat calmer again
Sufficient activity
As boredom is the number one reason why cats get annoyed at night, the most important piece of advice is to play, play, play. Preferably an hour before you go to bed. The cat should be thoroughly engaged in play. This is best achieved with interactive toys such as wand toys or small balls that the cat can chase.
Fixed rituals
An evening routine can also help. This makes the process more predictable for the cat. If they know for sure that there are fixed play times during the day, the cat will try to demand them less and less. The prerequisite is that the cat is sufficiently occupied. There should be at least one hour of playtime with them per day. This can also be divided into several short periods throughout the day.
A cozy place to sleep
Not everyone wants to have their cat in bed with them. For the cat, however, the bedroom and bed are important territories in which they like to have access to due to the resources they provide. As a compromise, you can offer your pet a cozy spot near the bed. This spot should be established from the outset, because once the cat has been allowed to sleep in the bed, it often doesn’t understand why it is suddenly forbidden.
Fixed feeding times
To prevent your cat from getting on your nerves at night and begging for food, it should be given another serving of food shortly before going to bed. Young cats, especially those with very sensitive stomachs find it difficult to cope with longer periods of hunger. This is where an automatic feeder could come in handy. Some cats also do very well with a supply of dry food as it does not spoil as quickly as wet food and can also be left in their bowl overnight. It is essential that the cat divides the food up itself and does not devour it all at once.
Ignore and endure unwanted behavior
Despite the above-mentioned tips, cats will still be annoying at night, especially when they are getting used to their new home. Especially if their behavior has often been successful, they will act out more strongly initially when their owner no longer responds to it.
An example: The cat always meows at night to get something to eat. Now it is always fed just before it goes to sleep, but the behavior has become a habit. Now, her owner no longer responds and so she tries even harder. If the owner gives in the cat will have succeeded and will likely continue to be restless the following nights. The only solution is to consistently ignore the behavior – even though it may be challenging. The same also applies to scratching at the door.
Be aware: It is essential that the cat’s needs such as playing, cuddling and eating have been sufficiently met beforehand, otherwise they may become depressed over time.
Be consistent
If you don’t want to feed, play with or let your cat out at night, you should stop doing so completely. If the cat is allowed to go to bed with you one day and not the next, it becomes totally confused. With sensitive animals, inconsistent human behavior can lead to insecurity.
If in doubt, go to the vet
If the cat is well cared for and sufficiently entertained yet still does not rest at night, it’s important to determine if there are underlying health issues. Chronic pain, for example, can cause animals to pace restlessly back and forth. But dementia can also be a cause. A visit to the vet will provide the necessary clarification.
Get help
Training cats is not always easy. In addition, there may also be behavioral patterns behind the drama at night that you cannot get under control with simple training methods. For example, if the cat feels threatened by other cats in the neighborhood. Here you should seek help from special behavioral therapists for cats. They can analyze the cat’s behavior in detail and provide targeted help before the problem gets worse. Veterinarians can often refer you to qualified animal behaviorists.