What Can You Do
Be sure to do everything possible to keep your cat stimulated and busy during the daytime so boredom doesnt result in oversleeping and then excessive activity during inappropriate times. Active, vigorous play before you get ready to head to bed can help your cat sleep better through the night. This is especially important to do if you have a kitten. Its imperative not to get up and feed or play with your cat because your cat will learn that pestering you to get out of bed will result in exactly what she wanted! Alternatively, if you try to stay in bed and ignore your cat and then get up only when youve reached your personal limit, it will make your cat determined to continue that behavior. The only way to stop this particularly frustrating feline behavior is to nevereither accidentally or intentionallyreinforce it.
Contributed by Dr. Cathy Lund, DVM
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So Are All Cats This Way
Yes, absolutely all cats get hyperactive. Its not just your cat that gets batty out of nowhere.
And since cats are either nocturnal or crepuscular , cat owners do often encounter problems with their cat crying at night or waking them up way too early in the morning because thats when these bursts of energy happen to come.
Spoiler alert before you get too bummed out: your cat can adapt to be diurnal just like you, and many cats actually do this on their own naturally after some time living with their humans, so if you know your cat is waking you up at night due to hyperactivity and wanting to play, and youve been really wishing theyd switch up to being hyperactive in the morning instead, there is absolutely hope yet for you and your fur ball.
Which takes us into the next section
Interpet Pet Love Kat Tikkler Feather Wand Cat Toy / eBay
Bedtime On A Full Tummy
Giving your kitten a meal before you go to bed may help, but make sure this is from their daily allowance – dont be tempted to give them a little extra just to make them sleep – this will soon lead to an overweight kitty!
Cats will naturally doze after a meal, so a high protein meal before they retire for the night could help them to sleep longer.
Give Your Cat Its Space
Cats can get hyper because of insecurities and anxiety. When this happens, do not tell them off. Instead, allow them to do their own thing and give them space. During this period, your cat may be more sensitive.
So anything you do like stretching your hand to comfort your cat can get backlashed and make your pet more irritated. The best thing you can do is to continue watching over them until theyve calmed down.
Another way of giving your hyper cat space is to allow them to stay in a room. Since your cat may make the room their territory, avoid invading it. Instead, provide your cat with essentials such as a cat litter box, cat food, and a comfy blanket.
How Do You Discipline A Kitten
Whenever possible, give treats, praise, and attention to your cat if it is behaving nicely. If you notice it lying next to something it used to chew, reward it. If you notice it scratching the scratching pole instead of your sofa, reward it. Your cat will quickly learn the difference between good and bad behavior.
Possible Cause Of Kitty Crazies #2
Pest infestation! Have you just moved to some new digs? Is the building perhaps a bit older than your former home? You may very well have unwanted houseguests, whose presence is being picked up by your cats hypersensitive smell and hearing. At night, when pests like roaches and rats are more active, the sound of them scuttling about.. *shudder* ..in your walls or across your floors could be kicking your cats prey drive into high gear.
The solve?
EXTERMINATOR! Ok, so this is a cat site and not a site about pest extermination, so Ill spare you my half-hearted attempts to advise you in this area. However, its always a good idea to check inside your kitchen cabinets for signs of critters: like rat or roach poops. Roach poop looks like black pepper, and will generally be located in the corners and along the walls of your cabinetry. Dont ask me how I know that.
Is It Normal For Kittens To Be Hyper
But its also important to keep in mind that it is totally normal for kittens to have a lot of energy, and to want to run around, climb, jump, chase, and play. If your kitty seems to have endless amounts of energy, and you want to help her mellow out a bit, there are ways to calm down a hyper kitten.
Lower That Litter Tray
Toilet accidents at night are more common in older cats, and have many possible causes: your cats litter tray may be too high to access comfortably, she could have cystitis, or she may simply be too frightened to go outdoors at night.
If your vet has ruled out cystitis as a reason for nighttime accidents, Id recommend introducing a larger, low-sided litter tray alongside your cats existing tray, so that she has a more comfortable option,’ Rosie says.
Your cat could also be avoiding her tray because the litter feels too coarse now that she is less agile, or because the location of the tray makes her feel vulnerable. Try offering trays in different locations, with finer-textured litter options. Always make changes slowly, though, says Rosie. Change one thing at a time and track what your cat seems to prefer, rather than taking a trial-and-error approach.
Love snoozes with your cat? Stick a snap of you and your pet on social media with the tag #PethoodStories wed love to share it.
What Does Feline Hyperactivity Look Like
An over-active cat can exhibit all kinds of nervous behaviours. Running around the house, jumping between furniture, chasing humans and other pets, attracting attention through mewing and hitting, and even compulsive licking.
Most cats tend to display this type of hyperactivity as a measure to alleviate boredom or to release pent-up energy. When pets spend too much time alone in the house, or after a long period of rest, they need to move, and can do so frantically.
It may seem strange to you that your cat goes from a peaceful slumber to suddenly running and jumping all over the house. This is far more common in puppies, but some adult cats do it more or less frequently.
Why Is My Kitten So Hyper 8 Reasons For This Behavior
Kittens are easily one of the most lovable animals on the planet. They are full of life and hilarious antics and watching them learn how to act like a cat can be a lot of fun.
But do you ever wonder if your kitten is too hyper or if their behavior is normal kitten play? It can be difficult to distinguish between normal cat behavior and abnormal cat behavior because, as we all know, cats are simply weird. This can cause a lot of anxiety, especially for first-time kitten owners.
To ease some anxiety and help identify potential problems, here are 9 reasons your kitten may be hyper.
How Do You Tell If A Kitten Is Going To Be A Lap Cat
Look for a cat that enjoys playing calmly, but mostly seems to enjoy nap time with its owners. This also means you should look for a cat with a calm, approachable personality. If you choose a cat that seems skittish or scared, it is less likely that the cat will develop into a lap cat even over time.
Why Do Cats Act Crazy
No matter the breed, all cats have moments when they run across a room, meow like crazy, and act as if they’re on a racetrack being chased. They dart about, faster and faster, looking all over the place and then suddenly stop in their tracks.
This wild behavior is sometimes referred to as the “midnight crazies” when it happens at night. Your cat may entertain itself with wild activity or jump on your bed to paw at your feet, elbows, hair, or face to get you to join in the fun. The reasons for this wild and sometimes-amusing behavior vary.
Why Do Cats Run Around At Night
According to Mikel Delgado, a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, cat night zoomies arenât related to black magic â or so cats would have us think.
“The nighttime âzoomiesâ or âcrazy caperingâ is common for a few reasons,” she tells Inverse.
“One reason is that cats are naturally crepuscular, meaning active at dawn and dusk, which is when their natural prey are active. Cats are not really nocturnal . So their internal rhythm just tells them, âItâs time to get active and start hunting.'”
Since kitties spend a lot of their day snoozing while their humans are at work, their internal clocks might be a little wonky.
âThey tend to be more active when weâre more active, and so since many cat guardians are gone all day, when they get home thereâs more going on in the house, and cats have all that energy stored up from lounging all day,â Delgado says. âItâs a good time to blow off some steam!â
Cat Keeping You Awake How To Manage Night Activity
Many cat owners find their felines nocturnal habits frustrating, though the cause is natural. Cats are nocturnal, which means they are more active during nighttime hours than during the day. Living peacefully with them entails shifting their schedule slightly and managing their environment so you can sleep.
Many people reinforce boisterous nighttime activity without meaning to. They might get up to feed, play with, or simply chase them out of the room. All of these responses teach the cat that disturbing you gets attention. The first step is to avoid rewarding the disturbing behavior with your attention.
Cats will sleep all day if allowed, so make time for regular sessions of interactive play early in the evening. Many cats enjoy cat teasers, playing fetch, or chasing a laser pointer. Even spending five minutes a day on these activities can go a long way in stimulating and tiring out your cat.
One option is feeding your cat meals from a food-dispensing toy. Feeder toys simulate a wild felines hunt-catch-consume behavior, providing both mental and physical stimulation.
If your cat is jumping on the bed and disturbing you, close your bedroom door so they cant practice the wrong behavior. You can also place a towel between your closed bedroom door and the door frame to prevent door-rattling. White-noise machines in the bedroom and ear plugs can also help you get a good nights sleep.
For caring, compassionate advice and resources to address all your animal concerns.
Signs Of Hyperesthesia In Cats
Cats with this syndrome are extremely sensitive when touched along the spine, down the back, and to the base of the tail. The clinical signs seen can include:
- Rippling of the skin over the back.
- Muscle spasms and twitching.
- Twitching of the tail.
- Strange behaviors in response to being touched, such as tail chasing, biting at the tail, flank and sides, running, jumping, vocalizing, and hissing.
- Self-mutilatation with extreme biting, licking, chewing, and plucking of the hair . This behavior leads to hair loss and sometimes to severe skin lesions.
It is difficult to distract the cat from these behaviors once they begin. The sequence of events varies. Your cat might twitch first, then focus on that spot to lick and chew, or he might be grooming, then start to twitch, then progress to other signs mentioned above. Behaviors that might mimic feline hyperesthesia syndrome are estrus and certain types of seizure disorders.
The hyper behaviors may be provoked by petting or stroking your cat. Hyperesthesia is often found in highly aroused, anxious, or aggressive cats. The exact cause is unknown, however stressful events in your cats life may provoke it by causing severe anxiety. It is thought that changes in brain chemicals occur during chronic anxiety and that this can lead to the hyperesthesia disorder.
Part 3 Of 3:seeking Veterinary Care
Help Your Kitten Relax
If your kitten is too anxious or nervous to lie down and sleep at night, you can help her feel more secure by sitting down with her for a while, holding her closely, and gently petting her. Some kittens are also comforted by a softly playing radio tuned to an all-night talk show or soft music station. Others are comforted by having a toy or blanket from their former nest so that the smell from that familiar place is present where they sleep. Once your kitten is soothed, put her in her own bed and praise her when she stays there.
Why Does My Kitten Go Crazy At Night
Nocturnal Instinct Another reason for your cats crazy behavior could be because some cats are nocturnal and become more active at night. When the cats person comes home in the evening, the cat may be very active and want to play. If it has no outlet for all this energy, the cat may exhibit some crazy behavior.
Get Your Kitten On A Zen Path With Tips On How To Focus All That Energy
Kittens are cute and are naturally curiousits why we all fall in love with these little balls of fur as soon as we set eyes on them. But what we often forget is that kittens also come with an abundance of energy that never seems to let up. Breathe deeply and dont lose your coolthere are many ways how you can help calm your kitty and train proper cat etiquette in the process.
Proven Ways To Calm A Cat Down At Night
We all love our cats, but if theyre suddenly full of energy as soon as the sun goes down and youre trying to get to sleep, it can be a little frustrating. Cats are naturally more active at night-time, and your kitty may want to play just when you want to rest.
Luckily, there are quite a few things that you can do to calm your cat down before you head off to bed. Some are super simple and can be tried right away; others need a little more time to organize. Either way, were sure that our tips will help you get a better nights sleep and help your kitty get the attention they deserve.
Why Is My Cat Up At Night
The reason it seems as though your cat is nocturnal is because he is crepuscular, an animal naturally more active at dawn and dusk. That transitional time between nightfall and daylight is your cats time of greatest activity and when he most wants to hunt, play, eat, and cuddle. It is the time your cat is most likely to seek out your attention.
Because we humans tend to have our deepest sleep at the pre-dawn hours, it can be particularly disruptive to have a cat in your bed who thinks it is time to play. This can be especially intense during spring time, when the daylight length extends and those pre-dawn and dusk times come earlier and later. If you have a younger, active cat, it can seem as though they will never let you sleep!
When your cat keeps you awake in those pre-dawn hours, it is easy to resent seeing him blissfully sleeping later during the day. Cats are fortunate because they can easily cycle from sleep to wakefulness and back again without any of the familiar grogginess that humans experience. Cats are so adept at falling asleep that human sleep researchers used cats as the original models for how REM sleep works. And of course, we all know why the term catnap so perfectly describes what those champion feline sleepers do best!
Invest In An Automatic Feeder
If your cat gets hungry in the night and cant find any food, then theyre going to come looking for their human to provide them with snacks.
Using an automatic feeder is a great way of giving your cat a limited amount of food during the night, without having to get it yourself! Your cat will soon learn to sit and wait for the feeder to dispense their food, rather than coming and waking you up.
You can also get slow feeders in the shape of little mice. You can fill these with kibble before you go to bed and place them around the house for your cat to sniff out and hunt while youre sleeping.
An American expat living in Metro Manila, Philippines for over a decade, Christian is a lifelong cat lover and the proud papa of two rescue cats, Trixie and Chloe. Both girls were formerly among the droves of strays that roam the cities and countryside. Three-year-old Trixie was pulled from a litter found under the porch of a neighbors house, while two-year-old Chloe was brought home by Christians young son, Henry, who found the kitten crying in the parking lot. As Editor in Chief of ExcitedCats.com, Christian is thrilled to be a part of the pro-feline movement.