One minute you’re snuggled in bed, lost in a dream. The next, you feel your kitty’s cold little nose on your cheek. Your cat doesn’t care it’s four in the morning. Still, you might be wondering, “Why does my cat wake me up?”
Your cat might be hungry
Your cat might simply be hungry, especially if they don’t get enough food during the day. If your cat gets fed in the morning, they might also be anticipating their next meal. If that is the case, get in the routine of feeding them after a specific morning activity, such as showering. They’ll learn not to associate your waking with food.
Your cat might be bored
Cats have shorter sleep-and-wake cycles, and their most active time is between dusk and dawn. Your time to snooze happens right when they’re raring to go! To keep kitty amused, leave special toys out at night. In the morning, put them away. In time, your cat will learn to entertain themselves. They’ll also look forward to the toys you’ve left for them.
You’re rewarding the behavior
Sometimes cats simply want attention. By getting up and engaging with them or feeding them, you’re implicitly rewarding their habits. While it is tempting to offer treats so as to tide them over, try to ignore your cat the best you can. To align their schedule more closely with yours, you can also play with kitty before bedtime to help tire them out. A cat who is well fed and engaged in the daytime is less likely to be energized when you’re snoozing away at night.
Is your kitty active at night? Our cat sitters can come to play and make sure they are well fed in the morning and evening. Send us an email to get matched with one of our friendly pet sitters today!
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Candace Elise Hoes is a pet sitter and blogger at Katie’s Kitty. She is a graduate of the MFA Writing Program at California College of the Arts.
photo by Ted Sakshaug on flickr