Dear Critter Corner: My partner and I have recently welcomed a kitten into our home and have fallen in love with him! We noticed that he is very active throughout the morning but has also been very vocal and energetic during the night. I have been waking up several times throughout the night to get him to quiet down during the night and end up keeping him company until he finally becomes tired and sleeps. Do you have any ideas that we can try to help our kitty sleep through the night?
Cats are crepuscular by nature, which means that their bodies are wired to be most active during the dawn and dusk periods of the day. It is important for us as cat owners to keep this information in mind and use it to our advantage when creating a scheduled routine for our furry friends. In the wild, cats normally follow a routine cycle of hunting, catching, eating, grooming, then finally sleeping. I would suggest starting the morning off with some playtime, where your cat can practice normal cat behavior and catch their prey! After your kitty is all tired from his morning exercise, you can then give him his morning meal and let him settle down. After this time, he will probably be tired and take a nap. I would suggest preparing some extra enrichment or interactive toys that can keep your kitten busy during the day when you are away. Enrichment can be as simple as using a snuffle mat, food puzzle or licky mat which will allow your cat to use its senses to forage for food. Once you return home from work, you can pick back up from where you left off in the routine by having another play session with your kitty before feeding him. Then you can both settle in for the night and if you notice him having some extra energy, have one more short play session before bedtime. It might take some time for him to pick up the routine, but it is important to stay consistent and have patience.