Cat Problems - How do I get my 3 Month Old Playful Kitten to Sleep at Night?

by Karen
(London)

My 3 month old kitten gets very hyperactive & playful at night, racing around the house as if he is chasing something, as well as jumping and scratching. It is always just as me and my children have settled for bed! He does sleep a lot during the day, could this be the problem?


Reply from Liz (Editor): These cat problems can be solved by altering your kitten's sleeping pattern so that he's tired out at your bedtime.

You're absolutely right about his sleeping through the day being a partial cause of this; he will sleep a fair bit anyway, but if he sleeps nearly all day he'll more or less become nocturnal.

If you're in during the day and he's mostly asleep, wake him up periodically and try to get him to play with you. Use toys that get him running round - a laser pen is one of the best things for this.

In the early evening, get your children to wake him up and play with him, again getting him running round if possible. Hold off feeding him his dinner until later in the evening; if he's hungry he'll stay awake, but once he's eaten he's more likely to settle to sleep overnight.

Best of luck and thank you for your question.