Excessive Nocturnal Activity in Cats
Copyright Denver Dumb Friends League and Humane Society of the United States. All rights reserved.

Why does my cat seem to be most active at nights?
Some cats are active at night or awake and "raring to go" very early in the morning. Since many owners are at work or school during the day, the cat may spend the daytime hours in rest and relaxation, especially if he is the only pet in the household. The cat's day then begins when the owner returns home to provide the cat with feeding, play and social interaction. Typical complaints include cats who nibble or even attack the owner's ears or toes in bed, walking across the sleeping owners, nighttime vocalization or explosive, uncontrollable play sessions across the furniture and/or owners during the night or early morning. Some owners inadvertently reward the behavior by giving the cat a little food, affection, or attention to try and calm the cat.

How can I stop my cat from keeping me up at night?
You must learn to schedule and encourage play and feeding during the daytime and evening hours so that the cat's schedule more closely matches your own.

Some cats can be retrained by keeping the cat awake and active by playing, feeding and interacting with the cat throughout the afternoon and evening. Catnaps in the evening should be discouraged.

If the cat continues to disturb you during the night, confining your cat out of the bedroom and providing him with a comfortable sleeping area and litter may do the trick. Do not provide food through the night as this encourages the cat to stay awake. On the other hand, if the cat remains awake, providing the cat with ample opportunity for scratching, climbing and play in a confined area may occupy the cat until he becomes tired.

Cats who are vocal when locked out of the bedroom must be ignored. Going to the cat or giving attention in any way will only serve to reward the demanding behavior. Cats who scratch or bat at the bedroom door can be kept away by the use of an upside down carpet runner, electronic pet mat or perhaps a motion detector (although it might disturb the owner).

If you would like further assistance with this, or another pet behavior topic, please contact our Behavior Helpline at (314) 951-1540 or e-mail behavior.desk@hsmo.org.
If you found this information useful and would like to help the animals in our care, please donate securely online. Thank you.