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Wish I could keep him in
Binx came into our loves unexpectedly one evening. After finding out he was abandoned in our neighborhood he must have known which house to pick. Im a lover of all animals. He, i imagine has always been an outdoor cat. He was not neutered when he showed up so after multiple mishaps I finally had him neutered. I have tried everything to make him feel loved and welcomed in our home despite my daughter being highly allergic.
I’ve made my patio into a catio…I have comfy places for him in my couch..he is the king.
However, he absolutely refuses to remain indoors in the evening. No matter how hard I try he refuses to stay in. I’ve kept him against his will and it costs me 10,000$ in new furniture.
He will come and go at nite but stays close by to my house and when HE feels like he’ll stay until 3am to the nose…no matter if he’s sound asleep he’ll get up at 3am and want to leave.
It’s causing me great stress because I worry about his safety. I’m recovering from a brain surgery so I to have to take care of my health but I’m not sleeping because I worry all nite.
Can anyone give suggestions how to change this behavior? I realize he was an outdoor cat and didn’t get much love but we are so different with him. I’m desperate to change him to want to stay indoors.
Thank you
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1 Reply
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Hi Donna
Thank you so much for taking him in. I hope you are taking care of yourself as you recover from brain surgery.
I’m not sure of his age, but please consider that the older he is, the more challenging it may be to change his habits. Additionally, cats are crepuscular animals, which means they are naturally active during the early morning hours. This often results in a wake-up call around 3 or 4 a.m.
While it may not be possible to change his behavior completely, you can make gradual adjustments to encourage him to stay indoors longer at night and early morning.
Here are some suggestions:
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- Set up an automatic feeder for 3 a.m.
- Provide automated toys in the evening to keep
him entertained. These should be different from the ones he uses during
the day.- Offer indoor hunting opportunities with puzzle
feeders.- Adjust his nighttime routine by adding another
meal, catnip, or silvervine sticks.- Consider hiring a cat sitter while you recover
to help him burn off energy, so he sleeps through the night.- Keep an outdoor light on at night to attract
insects and moths, and place a cozy bed near the window where he can
watch.- Install a bird feeder near a window that he
enjoys looking out of to keep him entertained and stimulated.- If he is kept indoors, gradually teach him to
wake up and remain indoors later each day (in 15-minute increments); this
may take a few weeks to a month.I hope these suggestions help!
You can find additional tips at https://cats.com/how-to-get-a-cat-to-sleep-at-night.
Let us know if anything helps.
Get well!
Melina
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