How to wean a cat to run at night: advice from experienced owners. How to wean a cat from bad habits How to wean a cat to wake up at night

Cats are extremely intelligent, highly intelligent animals. But sometimes the behavior of the cat does not suit the owner, the pet is considered a stubborn, vindictive beast, and her actions are bad habits. However, before proceeding with the re-education of a pet, two points should be understood:

Most of the "bad habits" are natural behaviors for a cat (for example, climbing on a table);
- the rest of the "bad habits" appeared as a result of gross mistakes in the upbringing and maintenance of the pet (the owner does not change the filler for three days, and then puzzles over the task - how to wean the cat to write anywhere?).

Those. we are talking about either the manifestation of instincts, or the mistakes of the owner. Therefore, there is no reason to be annoyed with the cat. Physical punishment, screaming, ignoring the cat is a waste of time and effort, which will only aggravate the situation. A cat does not perceive prohibitions, it is not a pack animal, it cannot have a leader. The owner must start with self-education, find out the cause of the unwanted behavior, and fix the problem with affection and love.

How to wean a cat to shit in the wrong place?

Cats have a highly developed instinct for cleanliness. When the cat suddenly stopped "doing things" in its tray, it tries to convey something to the owner. In order to understand how to wean a cat to shit anywhere, you need to find out the cause of abnormal behavior.

Often, uncleanliness that suddenly appears is a consequence of a developing disease (usually, the genitourinary system). A cat, defecating in a litter box, experiences pain and associates it with the place (i.e., with the litter box). The cat changes its place, hoping in this way to get rid of the pain. Many cats with ICD defiantly pee on sofas, on the owner's clothes, and sometimes right on the table in front of the astonished hostess - this is a cry for help, the cat is very ill! The first thing to do when thinking about how to wean a cat to pee on the bed is to visit a veterinary clinic and get tested.

Cats who feel uncomfortable often dirty the apartment with feces, showing in this way their dissatisfaction with one circumstance or another. Perhaps the owner pays too little attention to the pet. Or one of the family members is rude to a proud predator. Maybe the cat does not like the new pet or she is worried because of the frequent intra-family quarrels (cats subtly feel the atmosphere prevailing in the house). In this case, the task of how to wean a cat to shit on a bed or in the corners is solved quite simply - you need to eliminate the cause of discontent (if possible) and devote more time to communicating with an upset pet.

Another possible reason is a change in the location of the tray, a change in the filler, a “harsh” air freshener, an insufficiently clean tray. In this situation, everything is obvious - return the old filler or replace it with a similar one to which the cat is accustomed. Replace the tray in its original location or as close to it as possible. Use a different freshener (preferably an unscented odor neutralizer). Well, the cleanliness of the tray must be monitored constantly.

If before “doing business”, the cat carefully hides, looks for secluded places, buy a tray with a roof (a house that looks like a carrier). Perhaps the cat is simply afraid to leave feces in a conspicuous place (self-preservation instinct).

Advice: to scare the cat away from those places where she relieves herself, treat the surface with a disinfectant, and then carefully spray it with water with the addition of vinegar or juice of a lemon, grapefruit, onion. Praise your cat every time she goes to the litter box.

How to wean a cat to mark furniture and corners?

In nature, cats (and sometimes cats) regularly mark their territory. This way of "communication" between cats is a natural instinct, which is almost impossible to fight. A cat marking its possessions declares to others: “this is mine!”. If you punish an animal for marking, the cat feels that he is losing his dominant position, and begins to mark furniture and corners even more desperately.

In addition to labels, another headache is added - how to wean a cat to yell all day and night? Cats scream, calling the male, two to four times a year. Males may call all the time, but are most active in the spring and when a female is nearby ready to mate. The only solution to the problem is castration or sterilization. All kinds of drugs that artificially reduce the level of hormones in the blood are ineffective, and the regular use of such drugs negatively affects the health of the pet.

How to wean a cat to shit in flowers?

Cats living in the natural environment bury their feces in the ground. Therefore, the habit of using a flower pot instead of a tray is just a manifestation of instinct. To switch attention to the tray, use absorbent mineral filler. If possible, flower pots should be temporarily removed from the window sills (hung on the walls or placed so high that the cat could not reach them). If this is not possible, the pots must be protected from cat “encroachments”. The most effective ways are described below:

• put a lemon peel or chopped garlic on the surface of the earth (this will scare away the cat);
• cover window sills with foil (most cats will never walk on foil);


• stick a row of long twigs along the edge of the pot, building a semblance of a fence (the cat will not be able to “fit in”);


• glue the window sill with double-sided tape (the cat will never step on the Velcro).

As soon as the cat gets used to the tray, it will be possible to free the flowers from the "barricades".

How to wean a cat to eat flowers?

Misconceptions:

• the cat chews flowers to replenish the supply of vitamins. Cats are true predators that do not perceive plant foods. All the vitamins that a cat needs are partly ingested with meat food, partly from the contents of the prey's stomachs. The rest is produced in the cat's body;


• cats eat grass and plants to cure themselves of any disease. The cat is unable to understand why she is sick. Moreover, she cannot know how to cure herself;


• a cat will never eat a poisonous flower, she knows which plants are safe. Every year, thousands of cats are killed by careless owners who allow their pets to chew on houseplants, many of which are toxic to cats.

In fact, cats eat plants for the sole purpose of aiding their digestion. In nature, a cat eats prey along with feathers or skin, small bones, paws, etc. By eating grass, a cat provokes vomiting, ridding the stomach of hard-to-digest food. In the same way, cats clean the stomach of the wool accumulated in it, which is swallowed while caring for a fur coat.

To wean a cat to gnaw houseplants, you need to find out the reason why she does this. If the cat eats heavy food (especially boiled meat), you need to switch it to light food. If the cat burps hairballs, you need to improve the quality of the fur coat so that the hair does not fall out so intensively (comb the pet more often, give vitamins regularly, feed it with quality food).

And be sure to offer the cat an alternative - sprouted oats or fresh hay.

How to wean a cat to tear wallpaper?

The answer to the question: “how to wean a cat from scratching wallpaper?” Is quite simple - buy your pet a scratching post. The habit of sharpening claws is a natural instinct and a vital necessity. In this way, the cat removes the dead parts of the claw, and also leaves its smell and claw marks on the surface (marks indicating the cat's claims to this territory). Thinking about how to wean a cat to tear up a sofa, you can’t look for a way that will completely deprive the cat of the opportunity to sharpen its claws. Self-adhesive caps or removal of the phalanges of the fingers - cruelty in its purest form. A loving owner would never abuse an animal like that!

Simple manipulations will help to switch the cat's attention to the scratching post:

• bring the cat to the scratching post and gently scrape the surface with its claws;


• spray the scratching post with infusion of catnip (not valerian!);


• move the toy over the scratching post, encouraging the cat to climb up to catch the “prey”.

Read more about how to wean a cat to tear furniture.

How to stop a cat from scratching and biting?

A cat lets out its claws or bites the owner for three reasons:

• she perceives a person as a big toy;


• she is afraid (loss of trust);


• she is in pain (diseases of the liver, genitourinary system, as well as such a very common disease now as opisthorchiasis in cats, etc.).

In the latter case, only a veterinarian will help. In the first two situations, the owner is to blame.

While the kitten is small, people play with it with their hands, jokingly “kick” with the toe of their feet, allow it to climb on the pant leg, and when the kitten grows impressive claws, the owners begin to puzzle over the problem of how to wean the cat from scratching. But the cat has already got used to the fact that playing with human legs and arms is fun. She perceives a person as prey. In this case, it is necessary once and for all to prohibit everyone who comes into contact with the pet from teasing the cat with their hands or feet. As soon as the cat aims at the hand, distract it with a toy. If the cat still grabbed your hand, carefully release your hand and leave the room. The cat must understand that now they don’t play with it with their hands, it’s no longer fun, but quite the opposite - it’s worth releasing the claws, and the attention of the owners is lost.

There is a similar situation with distrust: the owner forces the cat to endure manipulations that are unpleasant for her, wraps her in a blanket to give a pill, roughly grabs her to trim her claws or measure the temperature. And when a cat suddenly stops tolerating “bullying”, a person is forced to puzzle over the task of how to wean a cat from biting. To regain your cat's trust, never force her to do anything. It can take up to an hour to calmly persuade a cat to let you take her temperature. But gradually the time will decrease, and as a result, this manipulation will take only a few minutes - without a fight, without racing around the apartment and without scratched hands.

Important: half-wild cats and kittens picked up on the street rarely fully trust a person. It is sometimes impossible to wean such a cat from biting and scratching, because. these animals are only partially domesticated.

How to wean a cat to climb on the table?

In nature, cats rest, climbing a hill - from above, the territory is better visible. At home, the cat in the same way tries to climb higher, so she feels more comfortable. Therefore, it is quite difficult to wean a cat from walking on tables - you either need to constantly cover the surfaces with foil or film, or offer your pet an alternative (all kinds of shelves and high climbing posts). If you simply scold the cat, not allowing it to walk on the tables, she will think that the owner in this way proves his superiority. Such "education" will most likely lead to aggression and "fragrant" marks right in the shoes.

Another reason to walk around tables is to look for food. Sometimes the owners themselves accustom the cat to human food, feeding the pet. Sometimes a cat, noticing that she is being scolded for her interest in a plate, begins to "hunt" for leftover food - she is interested in stealing food without the owner noticing. In both cases, there is only one way out - to accustom yourself to order and never leave leftover food on the tables.

Important: many people advise putting rattling trays on the table to scare the cat. Or splash water on the cat. But all these are only half measures - the cat quickly figure out how not to step on the "trap" and avoid water procedures.

How to wean a cat to chew on wires?

Cats rarely gnaw on wires, but if such a habit has appeared, it is very difficult to get rid of it. First, you need to remove all the wires in special boxes, and rub those that cannot be hidden with a piece of lemon or a rag soaked in diluted vinegar. Secondly, those who like to sharpen their teeth should be offered an alternative - latex or wicker toys of an elongated shape (ropes, sausages, snakes, etc.).

Why some cats show an increased interest in wires is unclear. Perhaps they just like to play with the writhing "serpent". Or they find the smell of insulation attractive. But it is necessary to wean the cat from this habit, since sooner or later it will get to the “stuffing”, and then how lucky.

How to wean a cat to meow?

Meowing is a language that a cat invented specifically to communicate with humans. Cats communicate with each other using other sounds. So what does a cat tell us when it meows?

I'm hungry

Feed your cat at certain hours so she gets used to the routine. Then the cat will not meow to demand food, because it knows that it will be fed only when the right time comes.

open the door

Cats do not like restrictions in movement. To feel comfortable, the cat must know that it can go anywhere at any time. That is why a cat sometimes meows under the door for a very long time, and when it gets its way, it does not even cross the threshold. You will either have to leave the doors open or install cat doors on all interior doors.

I'm bored

Cats often meow just to get attention. Cats get bored too, even though they "walk on their own". You need to play with your pet every day, and communicate (stroke, pick up, talk) - several times a day. The stronger the cat feels the alienation of the owner, the more often and louder it meows, demanding attention to its person.

Meowing should not be encouraged unless you want your cat to learn to meow for hours on end. Before fulfilling the cat's request (for example, opening the door for her), distract the pet with a loud sound or rustling (invisibly so that she does not understand that the source of the noise is a person). As soon as the cat is silent, you can open the door.

Important: Sometimes constant meowing indicates that the cat is in pain. Therefore, if the cat meows all the time, and the owner, sorting through the options, cannot find the cause in any way, you should contact your veterinarian.

Since it is not always easy to stop a cat from scratching furniture, defecation into flowers or walking on tables, try to anticipate the actions of your pet. "Bad habits" do not appear overnight. Raising a cat is much easier than correcting unwanted behavior - be attentive to it in time to notice changes in character and habits. Do not ignore the tricks of your pet, act immediately, without postponing the educational process for the eternal "tomorrow".

Has your pet always been calm and slept soundly at night, but suddenly started yelling at night? Before you start training, talk to your veterinarian. It will help determine the cause of "bad" behavior and tell you what measures to take. Perhaps recommend safe sedatives or remedies for estrus.

Only a veterinarian can prescribe sedatives and hormonal drugs (as well as any other medicines) to a cat. Do not be self-employed!

• Sterilization.

If the reason for nightly concerts lies in a hormonal surge, and you do not plan to breed, it's time to think about sterilization. After this procedure, the character of your pet will only improve. And most importantly, he will no longer suffer from unsatisfied instincts.

Please note that for the first time after sterilization, the cat can continue its vocal exercises. But gradually the hormonal background will even out, and this habit will most likely remain in the past.

The ideal time for sterilization is 1 year. Late spaying may not solve behavioral problems, as habits in adult cats are firmly fixed.

• Games.

Cats scream as much out of boredom as out of estrus. In this situation, special night toys for cats will help you. The more there are, the better. Your goal is to keep your cat entertained and busy while you sleep.

• Active pastime during the day and in the evening.

Another proven method is to "wear down" the cat during the day and especially before bed. Make her run and jump properly, take her for a walk, if possible, do not let her sleep in the daytime. The more a cat gets tired during the day, the more soundly it will sleep at night.

• Hearty dinner.

A hearty late dinner is a trick that always works. You can reduce the portions a little during the day, and give your pet a heavy portion at night. Tired and full, he, quite possibly, will oversleep until the very alarm clock!

• Get another cat.

The cat misses the nights, and you can't figure out how to entertain him? Maybe it's time to get another cat? In most cases, problems from two cats are much less than from one. They are almost always busy with each other!

If a kitten screams

Kittens cry because of the stress of separation from their mother, adaptation to new conditions and longing for the owner. Don't worry, it will pass with time. In the meantime, try to distract the baby with interesting toys, give him a cozy couch with high sides (they create associations with his mother's side), spend as much time with him as possible. Kittens are like children, and they just as much need our care and protection.

What can not be done?

Even if the cat has brought you to a white heat, it should never be beaten. If you are completely unbearable, you can click on the nose, hit the pope with a rolled up newspaper, or sprinkle water from a spray bottle. However, we will disappoint you: there will be no sense from these actions. The pet will either hide behind the sofa and scream from there, or continue its concert as soon as you get back into bed.

The main thing is to understand that the cat does not scream to spite you. No matter how strange it may seem to us, but for the ora she has reasons. And it is impossible to eliminate them by punishment.

But what punishment will lead to is a deterioration in relations between you. Cats are very smart and vindictive creatures. They can be deeply offended by the owners, "revenge", and in the worst case, they will start to be afraid of you and avoid you. Don't bring it up!

Cats live by their own laws. In order to better understand your pet, it is useful to study its nature, habits and in no case equate it with yourself. Try it, and parenting will seem to you not such a difficult task!

Cats are able to exterminate even the most calm owner. There is such a situation when the animal begins to scream heart-rendingly at night and in broad daylight. Not a single normal person can calmly put up with this, and sometimes it seems that the cry gives the animal real pleasure and there is no other reason for such behavior. But before you learn how to wean a cat to yell, it is necessary to study the reasons that prompted the animal to behave this way.

Understanding the cause of the cat's behavior will help the owner not only eliminate the problem, but also create maximum conditions so that the situation does not repeat itself.

The main reasons why a cat constantly yells are:

• Hormonal surges;
• Serious illnesses;
• Way to attract attention;
• Feeling of fear;
• upholding territorial integrity;
• Yearning.

Hormonal changes. One of the main factors that makes a cat behave quite aggressively. Cats that have not undergone the procedure for removing the gonads () bawl with enviable regularity about their desire to see cats that are in the territorial vicinity. The instinct of procreation in animals is developed at the highest level, while cats do not experience pleasure. Cats during the period of hormonal surges feel physical and psychological suffering. Animals cannot overcome their instincts, so there are two ways to solve the problem - find a mate for the groom or take him to an appointment with a qualified veterinarian and castrate.

Various diseases. Neutered cats can also yell at night, like their non-neutered relatives. The problem of cat calls lies in other reasons. It is worth paying attention to the cries of your pet to those owners who already have an elderly animal.

Nervous disorders lead to irritability of cats. The processes of an irreversible nature that develop in the body cannot be overcome by any methods, except for the appointment of medications that can slightly improve the general condition of the cat. Often the cause of screams is pain in the abdomen (especially).

Note! A young animal that has had an operation to remove the gonads may scream when going to the toilet.

These are clear signs of development (a frequent complication after castration with an improperly selected diet).

Read also: How a cat eats: unusual addictions

Pain during urination or inflammation of the genitourinary system will not give the cat rest, about which he will loudly notify his owners.

Territorial boundaries. Cats tend to mark territory, considering it their property. By placing specific signs, the animal indicates to other brethren that this area is under vigilant control. Marking the territory or meeting with an unfamiliar cat in "their" area, the cats begin to yell and possibly even come into a fight.

The cat yells when it asks for food

Attracting the attention of the owner and a feeling of fear. If the kitten is small and starts screaming heart-rendingly at night, then this may indicate that the animal is simply simply bored.

Requiring communication or begging for a treat, the cat will meow loudly until the owner does what he wants. The cat will perform the same manipulations when it asks for food. Constantly follow the lead of the pet is not recommended by either breeders or veterinarians. This is due to the fact that cats are very smart and cunning, and subsequent times they will use this cunning maneuver to achieve their goals. The best solution is to accustom your pet to a certain regimen.

Why does a cat scream when no one is home

Another important aspect that encourages cats to scream is a sense of danger or anxiety. Cats subtly feel the approach of natural storms, earthquakes or other unpleasant events.

If a previously calm and affectionate animal suddenly began to yell, it is worth listening to the pet. Feeling danger or loneliness, the cat may scream when no one is at home. If the pet is simply bored, it is important to make sure that the pet always has fresh water, food and entertainment during the absence of the owner before leaving.

Read also: Do cats sweat: we understand the physiology of your pet

Yearning. Most often, longing occurs in kittens when they are weaned from their mother at an early age. As soon as the baby appears in a new house, he is surrounded by a new environment and he begins to worry. You can eliminate the cries of a kitten by giving him affection, care and a lot of attention. In the future, the cat will get used to it and the situation will stabilize.

Weaning rules

Any owner must remember that if a previously calm and affectionate animal begins to scream heart-rendingly, and especially in the morning, it is necessary, first of all, to contact a veterinary clinic. A qualified specialist will help you find the problem and suggest the right way out of the situation.

Uncastrated young cats, heart-rendingly screaming to attract a female, must be let go for a walk. Not planning to continue to receive offspring from such a pet, it is recommended to perform a procedure to remove the reproductive internal organs.

You can use special hormonal and herbal remedies to suppress sexual instincts. But in this case, it is important to remember that various drugs that act from the inside on the body can lead to serious consequences and complications in the future.

Note! Neutered cats can continue to yell. This usually happens shortly after the operation.

You need to be patient, as this is due to the circulating amount of hormones in the bloodstream. It goes away after a while.

It happens that sterilized cats continue to yell. In this case, this indicates an unsatisfied hunter's instinct. It is recommended to introduce an active exercise to the animal, which includes an imitation of hunting and various active games. This will allow the animal to spend more energy reserves, and at night the pet will have a good rest.

Veterinarians advise hyperactive kittens to give heavy food before bedtime, the processing of which the body will spend more energy. But this advice should be avoided by owners of already neutered cats. This is due to the fact that heavy food and large quantities of it can provoke the onset of obesity.

When owners get a shaggy pet, they want to see him as a calm, balanced and quiet friend. But sometimes the new tenant of the house turns out to be a real screamer. If he yells during the day, then this is not so bad. By the way, this is typical of representatives of the oriental breed of cats. But the nightly cries of a pet drive crazy not only the owners of the cat, but also the neighbors. What's the matter? How should owners act in such situations?

About the causes of inappropriate behavior

First of all, you need to know why the cat yells at night. There can be many reasons for the problem:

How to calm a screaming cat

If a calm cat starts screaming at night for no reason, then, first of all, consult a veterinarian. When the problem lies in the disease, the doctor diagnoses it, selects an individual therapy. With regard to sexual behavior, the craving for reproduction is much more difficult to overcome. But today there are many hormonal drugs that reduce the sexual activity of pets. It should be borne in mind that they are hazardous to health if used regularly. Therefore, the best way to prevent sexual behavior is sterilization.

If your animal screams because it experiences a lack of attention during the day, then you should find an opportunity to play with it as much as possible during the day, make it move, run, jump. Thus, an imitation of hunting is created. The predator calms down. And after the games you need to feed the pet, and better - meat. In this way, an imitation of the final stage of the hunt is also created - eating the prey, after which the instinct of a full sleep should work. A pretty tired cat in the evening will sleep well at night. Don't let your pets sleep in the evening because they will want attention at night.

If the owners suspect that the night op of the animal is not caused by illness, but by longing, boredom, bad mood, then it is recommended that it drink herbal preparations, for example, Feliway, Kot Bayun. For the health of animals, these products are completely safe. They have mild soothing properties.

Often you can hear the following from cat owners: everything is fine, the animal is both affectionate and neat, there is only one problem - the cat wakes up at night. Minutes or even hours of sleep stolen by a pet, especially before working days, lead to fatigue and irritability. Is there anything that can be done in this situation?

First of all, you need to realize that by acquiring an animal, you are going to voluntary coexistence with a representative of a different biological species with behavior different from human. The cat simply does not want, and often cannot immediately accept your rules of the game and obey the established schedule.

Night is activity time

Instincts tell the cat that the best time to hunt is at night. Accordingly, the biological clock of the animal is adjusted in such a way that a significant proportion of the total activity falls on the dark time of the day.

Zoologists have found that a domestic cat is in a state of sleep from 12 to 16 hours a day. Moreover, these indicators are strictly individual and depend not so much on the age and breed, but on the characteristics of the character and lifestyle of the pet. Some cats are quite capable of staying awake for only about 4 hours a day.

If you subtract from this time the periods of eating, visiting the toilet and communicating with the owner, there is not much left. And cats spend this “little bit” very actively - they run, play, stick to people and other pets, try to climb somewhere. In general, they spend a lot of energy in a short period of time, causing legitimate indignation if this activity occurs during your sleep.

How to deal with this situation and is it possible, in principle, to wean a cat to wake up at night? Here are some recommendations:

• Remove "loud" toys at night. That is, everything that a cat can drive on the floor, making noise.
• Close the door to the bedroom, after taking care of the free access of the pet to the water and the tray.
• Try to ignore the animal, showing with all your appearance that you do not intend to become a participant in its amusements - having lost interest, the pet will sooner or later leave you alone.

You should not punish a cat for waking you up at night - for her, playing at night is completely natural, and she simply cannot understand the reasons for your discontent, but trust in an owner who behaves incomprehensibly and aggressively can be thoroughly undermined .

Chase your pet before bed!

And one more, perhaps, the main advice on how to wean a cat to wake up at night: try to move his biological clock in the right direction. In practice, this means that just before you go to bed, spend 20-30 minutes actively playing with the animal.

Chasing a bow on a string, playing with a feather or special cat toys - everything will fit, as long as the pet splashes out the energy reserves that it saves for the night. It is this simple method that most often allows the owners to sleep peacefully until the morning in the company of a tired but happy pet.

What canned food is best for cats?

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