Although no one likes being woken up every night or too early in morning, cats can do it to get attention or to get food. It’s like Simon’s Cat doing “cat-man do”! Even if you have never been woken by a cat, you’ll want to see this one!
You might even get up and pet the cat. This will give you some peace for the moment. It’s great to be able go back to sleep. Your cat just received positive reinforcement, which can cause another night of disturbed sleep. You can change this behavior by not giving up or reinforcing it. You can ignore it, and punishing will not work. Here’s how it works:
- Pretend you’re still asleep if your cat meows, paws or moves at you. Contact your veterinarian if you hear your cat vocalize, particularly at night, and if it is pacing, wandering, or vocalizing.
- You can cover your head with blankets or earplugs if it gets too severe.
- Negative reinforcement is not allowed – food, pushing on the bed, screaming, or any other form of reinforcement.
- Do this every day for two weeks and you will eventually break the habit.
- You can set up a timer to feed your cat at night if it is really hungry.
If your cat is ill, you should not get up to feed it or pay attention to him/her. Your cat will be happy if you play with him or her and feed him/her right before bed. It is important that you have your own morning routine so your cat doesn’t associate your wake up call with breakfast. You could go for a run, then feed your cat. Or, you could shower, and then get ready for the day. It is vital that you do not get up to feed your cat unless they are sick or require care.
