Feline Insomnia and What to Do About It
You’re sound asleep when, all of a sudden, some tiny feet land on your stomach. It feels as if someone’s kneading you as if you were a loaf of bread. You’re now wide awake and when you look at the clock, it’s only midnight! For sure anyone who has a cat is familiar with this scenario and feline insomnia. How often have you found yourself saying: “Darn it cat, why do you wake me up?
When you have a cat, it’s common for feline insomnia to affect your nightly rest. Many people have no trouble getting back to sleep after a cat disturbance. However, there are many of us who’ll never again get back to sleep that night. Well, we will…thirty minutes before we have to get up.
So, if your cat’s keeping you up at night, there are a few things you can do to solve this problem. But first, you must know the reasons why your cat won’t or can’t sleep at night.
Feline insomnia: Darn it cat, let me sleep!
Wait, is there such as thing as feline insomnia? If it was up to them they wouldn’t do anything else but sleep surely? A cat can regularly spend from 14 to 16 hours a day napping.
In addition, they don’t just sleep in one place but move around throughout the day. They’re constantly looking for the most comfortable spot, one that’s either cooler or warmer, depending on the time of the year.
So, if all of this is true then why won’t your cat sleep as they should? Is yours afflicted by feline insomnia, perhaps?
Cats are members of the tiger family and they still have many of their wild traits and ways. Tigers are usually up late, stalking their prey at night and trying to catch them off guard.
Yes, a domestic cat differs greatly from their wild cat ancestors and yet some of their behavior remains the same. For this reason, most domestic cats are still wired to wake up at least twice every night and roam around.
Obviously, there are other factors that can increase feline insomnia. It’s because they get bored sometimes, and, when they do, they go straight to your room, looking for you.
How to handle feline insomnia
There are several reasons why a cat may wake up at night and seek your company. Today we’ll tell you what you can do to keep the nightly cat parties to a minimum.
Rule out illnesses
A cat may wake up every night due to some sort of pain or even illness. You’ll know if it’s in pain as the cat will moan or groan. However, the disease could be deep inside and this would make it harder to know for sure.
So, if your furry pal isn’t sleeping well at night then consult your vet as soon as possible. Keep in mind that, as cats get older, then it’s common for them to experience sleep disturbances. Old age is a reason why a cat may be up at night.
Play with them
No, not after they wake you up, but during the day. Bored cats accumulate stress and have trouble sleeping. It’s boredom that keeps them asleep during the day and awake at night.
So, one of the best ways to prevent this boredom is to spend some time playing with them. Take them out to your patio or garden or even to the street so they get some fresh air. A tired cat will sleep better at night.
Don’t feed them at night
Many people think feeding their cat will keep them from wandering around at night and keeping them awake. But, feeding them at night is not a good idea.
Eating at odd hours will only make the animal more demanding of your time and attention. In addition, it will make them feel heavier and they’ll have an added discomfort: indigestion.
Make your house fun
We understand you have to get up early and go to work, and the same goes for the rest of your family. However, as you well know, feline insomnia will continue to be a problem in your life if your cat doesn’t have something to do while they’re home alone.
So, leave out some of their favorite toys all over your house. They seldom think of looking for playthings, but if they do come across one then they won’t be able to resist the urge to see what it is and what it does.
If all this fails just remember that your breathing is quite soporific to a cat who loves you. This is why they like to lie close to your face and stroke you with their whiskers. If your cat wakes you up, just give them a hug and encourage them to fall back asleep next to you.