cat problems?

Question

i have 2 cats and they are very spoiled. ever since they were kittens at around 4 in the morning they beg to go outside. there isn't a single night were i sleep straight through. is there any way to change their sleeping/playing patterns?

they have a litter box inside and if i shut them out of my room they scratch at the door, if i let them in my room they knock things over and fight on the bed. its too cold to leave them out all night. they're just little bastards.

Answer 1

Get a cat door and let them let themselves in and out.

Answer 2

Hi there...I'm partially reiterating some of the other suggestions here, but elaborating on them. It sounds like your kitties has found a schedule of their own. There are many possibilities as to why they may be keeping you up at during the night time. For example many cats who are fed at a scheduled time will learn when to expect their meals, the family members come home and leave for day, etc. It's more of a conditioned response from a pattern which is being continually reinforced...and is why I'm making this assumption.

If you would like to change/adjust their schedule to yours consider by playing with them using more physical active activities (e.g. laser light) using nteractive play for 10-15 minutes prior to bedtime to exhaust them so they'll sleep longer. If your cats are not free fed (food available at all times) some people who feed their cats on schedule (once in the morning and once at night) have found that by feeding right just before bedtime also note that this has a sedating effect because their tummy's are full.

This particular method isn't known to many as most people are not willing to consider it, however one the things we as animal trainers/behaviourists do to break bad behaviours with animals is to ignore the undesired behaviour. What follows is called an extinction burst where the behaviour becomes progressively worst for awhile hoping for the same positive reinforcement as received in past. Eventually the animal learns this behaviour does not gains them any positive reinforcement and eventually fades away.

Here's another example of how an extinction burst works: This happens when a proven method of doing something that brings a desired response (i.e. stealing socks always elicits a chase from a human), all of a sudden stops working. The extinction burst is the part where the dog tries the proven method again and again, and hundred times stronger before they figure out that it just doesn't work anymore. Human equivalent: you're at the elevator. You pressed the button 10 seconds ago. This has always made the elevator come and pick you up. For some reason, there's no sign that the elevator's coming. You press it again. And again, and again and again, harder and harder, with more force (extinction burst!), until finally you just give up and use the stairs. If the original method doesn't work anymore, why use it?!

More on Extinction Burst:
http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/archives/bursts.txt

Answer 3

Cats are nocturnal creatures. They have to learn to sleep at night time like we do.

Find a kennel and crate train them for a about a week. I would suggest trying to borrow two, one for each. They need to be big enough to put in a little pan, food, water and a little bedding.

Open up the crate during the day, with the bedding, to get them used to the crates a few days before you start. After they've invesitaged them and may even have tried them out, start a routine. Let them out in the mornings, but when you go to bed...they go to bed in the crates.

You can even keep the crates side by side so that they can keep each other company, but yet not fight. The first night or two may be noisy, and you can leave the radio low to calm them if you need to. That will let them know they are not alone.

If you do this for about a week, it will help estabish a pattern.
I had to do this with my kitten when I first got her, or she'd keep me awake all night. It only took a short while.

If you shut your door, it's telling them they are not part of your family. Or, it could be the fact that their favorite litterbox is in your room.

There could also be the fact that maybe you're having trouble sleeping. If you are, Melatonin is great and natural. It gives a good deep sleep. Just ask your Dr. first.

For fights, a clean squirt bottle works wonders. It will break up a squabble quickly.

Answer 4

My mom has the same problem with our two kittens, so here is my best suggestion. Do try to ignore them, but you should get another litterbox and put it in a separate room, such as a bathroom, and lock them in there at night. Give them some water, and let them out in the morning. Good Luck!

Answer 5

we've had our cats since kittens and they arent grown up yet ,so if your cats start fighting on your bed break them up and tell them no no bad in your toughest voice they are just kittens you know. if they wake you up at night at lets say 4:00 put them outside for a while then let them back in when you get back up. they have protective warm fur they wont be freezing. trust me it wont be long before you get a good nights sleep plus the longer they stay out... the more they will want to get out of the cold. they dont want to be cold very much . if you keep having problems with them fighting , pick them up oneat a time and pop them very softly on the side before long they know better because of the pops.remember very softly . you dont want them to be scared of you do you you just want them to learn their lesson. well im tired my fingers are that is!

Answer 6

I try to give my two cats a snack sometimes before I go to bed because when they wake me up, they usually want food.

It sounds like your cats are just hyper.

You could talk to a vet about behavioral modification.

Another thing you could try if they fight too much is a feline pheromone diffuser like Feliway, which can calm cats down. It plugs into an outlet.

Cats are better off not going outside at all.

Answer 7

My cats are the same way, but sometimes I lock them out at a certain time but mostly when they scratch on the door they want to sleep with you. they probably grown accustomed to it, but them lock them out of the room when they start doing that. In the day time if you have any time that's when they like to sleep, well wake them up. But you know that cats spend most of their life asleep.

Answer 8

You may be able to keepo them in your room if you have a water bottle. If they start to fight, spray them w/ the water bottle. You can keep the litter box in there so they go in the litter box. If they go on the floor tell them "no" and put them in the litter box. Sometimes it can be a long process, sometimes short. Depends on if the cats want to work w/ you.

Answer 9

Ihave a cat since it was 3weeks old .did the same thing i just put some of my things up .sec. i don,t let my cat out . third they will over come wakeing you up unless they are wanting to eat.they just want you to play with them. so feed them will good be for going to bed and make sure the cat box is clean.this shouldwork.keep working with them.

Answer 10

Part of having pets. My cats wake me up early to let them out, and then again when i get up for work. There isn't much you can do in this case because Cats are very set in their ways.