Solving Your Cat’s Sleeping Problems
Cats are well known for their ability to snuggle up and fall asleep wherever they fancy. Whether it is on your lap or the top of the wardrobe, cats get themselves comfortable and fall asleep in even the most unusual places.
While regular catnaps may seem the norm for many feline friends, this isn’t true of all cats. Unfortunately, some cats struggle to sleep and maybe restless throughout the night. A restless cat is not only bad for your pet, but can also cause significant disruption for the entire family. You may find that you are disturbed by your cat throughout the night, leaving you both feeling tired and grumpy each morning. For everyone’s sake, it is best to get to the bottom of your cat’s sleep problems to remedy the situation.
Establish a Cause
Before finding a solution to your cat’s sleeping problems, it is essential to try and identify what could be causing their issues. Observing your cat will help you establish what the cause of their sleeplessness could be. Do they seem to be in pain, is not sleeping out of character for them, when did it start? Taking your pet to visit the vet is essential so that you can rule out illness as a reason for them not sleeping.
If the vet confirms there is no physical reason, such as illness or injury, causing your cat not to sleep, then it is time to try some different solutions to manage the issue.
Sleep Solutions for Your Cat
By nature, cats do not have the same sleep patterns as humans, and many cats prefer to be out all night and sleep during the day. Therefore, it is not unusual for cats to consider nighttime as playtime. Unfortunately, the more you give in to your cat’s requests for attention throughout the night, the more likely they are to persist with the disruptive behaviour.
Instead of being continually awakened by your cat for attention and food, it is far better to try and get them ready for sleep before you settle down for the night.
Your cat could be waking at night because they feel hungry. Make sure that they are getting adequate nutrition to suit their needs, so they are left feeling satisfied rather than hungry at night. Choosing the right food for your cat is vital to their health, so select the best wet cat food to keep them happy and healthy.
Timing your cat’s feeds so that one of them is later in the evening can help to make them feel ready to sleep at night. Just like humans, cats also get that sleepy feeling after eating a big meal.
Try to ensure that your cat is receiving plenty of stimulation throughout the day, as this will help them to feel less restless at night. Play games with your cat, give them toys to play with, and even teach them some tricks to ensure they are getting enough attention and feel stimulated by their environment.