Cat Behaviour Problems: Settling into a new home

The First Night/ Crying at Night:

Question: I have a question about my 8 month old kitten. I have 2 kittens about the same age, both are neutered toms and spend life indoors. Charley, the youngest, has started to call out at night and scratch the carpet. He pulls clothes from chairs and pokes them around as if he is making a nest, but he doesn't settle. This happens when I go to bed, and at around 6am. I've tried all sorts, but to no avail. Why does he do it and how can I get him to stop?

Answer: This is a common question from indoor cat owners.

The most likely cause of this is that he is a lively, healthy young cat with lots of energy. If he went outside, he would use this up naturally as he explored his new world. Kept inside, he cannot hope to use up all the energy he has, particularly if he comes for a active hunting line of cats, and so he is not sleepy enough to rest all night.

Consider again whether he should go out and explore the world. If not, you will need to give him more to do.

Play with him more and for longer periods, build him walkways and climbing frames. Tie mobiles on pieces of string for him to look at and play with, and cut holes in cardboard boxes for him to wriggle in and out of. Be inventive and keep changing the things you leave for him to do until he is older and has less energy.

You may like to read What is my Cat Thinking? for more information on understanding keeping indoor cats happy.

Question: My cat, Rodney is nearly 10-months-old. I live in a one-bedroom flat and have had a cat flap fitted for him.

However, he has still not got used to the cat flap and because of this spends all day in the house, sleeping, until either myself or my girlfriend return from work to let him out. We try to keep him shut in the sitting room at night, but during the past month or so he won't stop scratching the bedroom door and meowing.

I get up to let him out, but sometimes he doesn't want to go. What can I do to stop him from waking us up at least three times during the night?

Answer: Since he cannot use the flap properly or could be to apprehensive to go out by himself during the day, he stays inside and rests. Since he is asleep all day, he is wide awake and active at night and it is natural for him to try to get to you.

A simple solution may be to tape the cat flap open (do this carefully so that it doesn’t swing shut and lock him out) for a while so that he gets used to using it. If this solves the problem, prop it open later and gradually reduce the size of the hole over a period of time until he learns to push it open for himself. If he is too apprehensive to go out, you may need to escort him into the garden yourselves when you are there to give him confidence.

If you cannot get him to go out by himself, you will need to put in a lot of effort during the evening, playing exiting and exhausting games with him so that he is tired when you go to bed.

Don’t reward the crying and scratching at the door if he wakes up in the night as this will encourage him to do it again. Ignore any disturbance and play as much as you can the following evening. Gradually, he should begin to settle down and give you some well-earned sleep at night.

Question: We have recently acquired Benson, a 6 month-old Abyssinian cat. He gets on well with our older cat Tara, but has started waking us up in the early hours of the morning by crying and what sounds like hurling himself at our bedroom door and clawing at the carpet to get into our room. Both Benson and Tara stay in at night, although Tara is allowed out during the day (Benson will eventually). They have both become extremely naughty, climbing into the bin etc. I realise that Benson's behaviour is probably attention seeking , but do you think he will settle down as he gets older and has more freedom outside? Please can you help - my husband and I aren't sleeping very well!

Answer: Benson’s behaviour has less to do with attention-seeking and more to do with boundless energy that comes with youth and being captive in a house.

At his age in a natural environment, he would be out exploring and wandering miles to find his own territory. Keeping him confined means that all that energy and exploration is redirected into your house and you are suffering the consequences! So, until it is safe to let him out, you need to try to use up as much of that mental and physical energy as possible.

Firstly, get some good toys and play with him as much as possible, especially during the evening. This will help him to sleep in later in the morning. Wand toys are good as they encourage natural prey behaviour and use up lots of energy while you watch TV or do something more interesting.

In addition, try to arrange for several new objects/toys to be available every day for him to explore and play with. Be inventive and cut holes in a cardboard box for him to weave in and out of, or put cat treats inside a washed plastic milk bottle with a few holes cut in so that the treats fall out occasionally.

Put dry food in special balls which hold to food and let it out slowly as they are pushed around.

Build walkways and platforms, bring in branches for him to climb (use apple wood or another non-poisonous wood), and tie objects on string at head-height for him to play with. He will get bored with these things fairly quickly, so ring the changes, putting things away in a box for a few days before getting them out again.

In this way, you should be able to make this difficult time more exciting for him and more restful for you.

You may like to read What is my Cat Thinking? for more information on understanding ideas for games that cats enjoy playing.

Question: Harry is a 7 month old cat and even though he is out all day, he wakes me up at 4am EVERY morning. He only wants a cuddle and to play -
how can I break him out of this habit?

Answer: At 7 months old, Harry is full of energy and fun. His natural pattern of activity will involve periods of sleep interspersed with time awake. Although he may be out all day, he won’t be active all of the time, so he has plenty of energy stored up for you in the middle of the night.

To break him of the habit, you will have to be tough and shut him out of the bedroom at night. If he cries at the door, you may have to shut him in a room where you can’t hear him.

Leave toys for him to play with by himself, but don’t give in and let him back in. As he matures, he will begin to calm down. Once he has stopped disturbing the toys, evidence that he isn’t playing at night anymore, it may be safe to let him back in.

Totally ignore any demands for attention (don’t speak or touch him) and, hopefully, he will learn to leave you alone for a good night’s sleep.