Aaaarrghhhh…what to do???

Tagged: sleep

This topic has 11 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 6 months ago by jcat.

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1 October, 2011 at 2:10 pm #48243

lemily
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Please help!!

For the last week my 6 month old kitten appears to be rather *ahem* “undecided” about where she would like to be during the night!! Being allowed outside is relatively new to her and she developed a pattern of being in the house during the day and heading out when it got dark…she tended to come in about 7am and cuddle in to bed which wasnt a problem. This week however she has woken me up about 8 times a night wanting in…out…in…out etc

I can not put a cat flap in as i live in rented accomodation so she tends to just rattle the letterbox. I cant ignore her as she will become extremely vocal and wake up all the neighbours. At the same time, as a single muum who works full time I cant cope with the sleep deprivation. Anyone got any ideas????

PS: I do not expect any personal attacks about having an indoor/outdoor kitty as that is against TDK rules. I don’t want any debate about my choice. Unlike many members i live in the UK so it is a different situation over here.

1 October, 2011 at 2:21 pm #697049

ailuromaniac
Participant

I don’t know what your architectural styles of windows and doors are in your rented accommodations but if you have a sash type window or a horizontally sliding window or door, there are panels you can insert that have the cat flap in them. That way you have not modified the accommodation (e.g. cutting a hole in the door for the cat-flap) and still have kitty’s personal door.

1 October, 2011 at 2:25 pm #697050

lemily
Participant

Thank you for reply but unfortunately I live in a 2 storey flat with windows which kitty can’t reach :((

1 October, 2011 at 3:28 pm #697051

Shelley
Participant

I think you will just have to decide to make her stay in at night and re-train her. You may have to crate her or shut her in a separate room to get your beauty rest! All of the cats I used to have were indoor/outdoor, so no arguments here!

1 October, 2011 at 3:57 pm #697052

lemily
Participant

Thanks, I tried shutting her in the living room after sleepless night number 3 but she has learned to open the door-clever little madame that she is haha

Hate the thought of putting her in a crate at night though!! She just looks so happy when she’s outside…

I’m thinking the weather might be the problem, she’s coming in because its raining and wants back out when it stops. Shame she’s a scottish kitty as she will just need to get used to rubbish weather 🙂

1 October, 2011 at 4:32 pm #697053

Ulichka4
Participant

Lemily my older kitty is a crazy outdoor cat, crazy meaning I can’t keep her inside for the life of me since day one (and its been over 15 years). She asks to go out all day during the day and at night just as we are about to go to sleep, which is a no no cuz during the night is when I hear cat fights outside my window or I wake up to dead small animals on my frontt porch lol. What I would suggest, if you can, is to let her out during the day (with a collar to make sure people don’t think she’s a stray) and let her know that during the day outside is fine, but come nighttime call her in and pet her, calm her down and let her know its bed time inside.

1 October, 2011 at 8:43 pm #697054

lemily
Participant

I would love to be able to do that!! I’m not too keen on her being out at night and would much rather she had playtime in daylight. But when I’ve tried to put her out during the day she just cries (It actually sounds like a very loud baby) and throws herself against the door repeatedly. She is just so stubborn, but im dreading another sleepless night…

1 October, 2011 at 8:58 pm #697055

Ulichka4
Participant

Lol she sounds like such a diva 😛

1 October, 2011 at 9:02 pm #697056

CheetahBoysmommy
Participant

If you can stand a couple of semi-sleepless nights (maybe over the weekend?), you could just leave her in the house and try to ignore her insisting to be let out. When she starts the meowing routine, pick her up and cuddle her. Eventually she’ll get the idea that not only are you not going to open and close the door all night, but that too much hollering will result in being held when she wants to be roaming.

Another thing you could try is not feeding her when you get home from work. Instead let her do her roaming then and entice her back in the house in the later evening by giving her her dinner. She may find that a few hours out at dusk are enough to keep her happy.

And, if you spend 15 minutes before bed playing vigorously with her (feather toy, laser toy), she may just settle down and sleep through the night.

Is she fixed? She’s not trying to get out to find a boyfriend, is she?

1 October, 2011 at 9:08 pm #697057

JerseyJoan
Moderator

Wish I could offer help. Shaddo and Jiggs were masters at getting attention when wanting in or out during the night when they were young. As old geezers, they eventually didn’t bother.

We were spoiled by our first kitty as a married couple, Smokie. Smokie was a beautiful long hair black beauty diva. She would stay out all day and knew the sound of our vehicles (this was 22 years ago when our dead-end street had several summer homes and not much traffic). She would meet us at the end of the day, come in for dinner, and stay in till the next morning.

Good luck with whatever you try!

1 October, 2011 at 9:12 pm #697058

lemily
Participant

Haha she is such a diva- so high maintenance 🙂

I’ve tried tiring her out before bed time with no success. There isn’t a problem with getting her back home at night, she hasn’t yet ventured very far away so if i call she always comes home…just not for very long. She has been spayed so the boyfriend thing isnt an issue.

Think i may just need to persevere and ignore her during the night, but she will keep my little ones up as well which is obv not ideal. I also think her will power is probably stronger than mine around 4am lol

2 October, 2011 at 1:37 am #697059

jcat
Participant

I’m wondering if you can negotiate with your landlord about a catflap in the door (or does s/he not know you have a kitten)? Offer money, bribes, home baking, lol — well, at least have a civilised discussion on it? Maybe offer to have the catflap taken out and the door panel reglazed/fixed when you leave again?

I’m in New Zealand and our cats are indoors/outdoors too. Libs bangs on my window to be let in and out all night long but then I’m not a single mum with a fulltime job outside the home (I work from home).
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