Getting a kitten to sleep at night
By courtknee525
@courtknee525 (3742)
United States
March 4, 2013 8:38am CST
My kitten came in yesterday evening and he's absolutely adorable. He traveled really well and was perky when I let him out of his carrier.
But last night he just wouldn't sleep. I let him play and run around a bit after his flight but at night I couldn't get him to sleep. I tried to keep him in his little room with a night light but he just kept meowing so I brought him into bed with me.
He would only sleep for 20 minutes to an hour and he kept waking up to play.
I've never had a cat or kitten before so I'm not sure how I should get him to sleep. I'm also having a hard time with the one dog. The kitten is a bit intimidated by the dogs and he hisses a little at them through the baby gate we put up in the hallway. But our smaller dog is constantly whining and barking trying to see the kitten but when we bring her to see the kitten she gets too excited and sometimes tries to snap at the kitten.
I'm thinking that they all just have to get used to each other first before they start to get along. I'm just a little nervous because I want things to work out with the kitten.
1 person likes this
9 responses
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
5 Mar 13
You know anything about babies?
Well, sleeping the night isn't one of their strong suits...
A kitten is a baby, it takes a while to learn to sleep at night, my guess is that as he gets more comfortable with the dogs he'll go and bother them instead of you.
My cats pretty much leave us alone to sleep, if they don't actually sleep with us, but if they want to play, they'll go find a playmate and let us sleep - or go start a fight and wake us up...
@courtknee525 (3742)
• United States
5 Mar 13
Last night he was definitely more interested in playing with his reflection in the mirror than going to sleep. A few times he did sleep for an hour but he was curled up on my chest right under my chin. Tonight I have him in a separate room and when I first came home from work he kept meowing because he could hear me come in. Now that I'm settled in my room he stopped meowing and is hopefully laying down.
He really is a good kitten, he explores everything but isn't destructive. He eats up all his food when we set it down and he knows where to go for the litterbox. I guess I'm so amazed by it because I've always had dogs and puppies that you have to constantly watch to make sure they don't go to the bathroom in the house.
It's definitely a new experience for me since he's my first kitten but I'm really enjoying him so far
1 person likes this
@911Ricki (13588)
• Canada
4 Mar 13
Welcome to parenthood. I remember Patches and Stripes as kittens I wonder why I got myself into this. Ater awhile they settled down, I left them in a different room, and put music on with toys. You would hear them playing but it could be they had each other.
I think the dog and cat will settle down once he is there for a longer period of time as well. My guys when brought home everyone was so noisey and wondering what they were. @courtknee525 (3742)
• United States
5 Mar 13
That's exactly what he's like. I just don't have another kitten for him to be with and it makes me feel bad to have him sleep all alone. Tonight I'm having him sleep alone and he has everything he needs in his little room. He heard me come in from work tonight and he started meowing but as soon as I got settled in my room he quieted down. I'll see how the night goes and tomorrow night I'll set him up with some soft music, I don't want to disturb him now that he's quiet.
My smaller dog is calming down a lot and today I held her in my lap so she could watch the kitten play and bounce around. I just want her to learn she can't snap to bite him or be too rough. My other dog is much bigger but she's older and doesn't even mind the kitten although he doesn't like her too much. Since she's so calm I'm thinking about having her in my room relaxing while the kitten plays around so he gets used to the presence of a dog and maybe he'll start to like them lol
@Qsunny (10)
• Hong Kong
5 Mar 13
kitten is pretty adorable! However it is a kind of most sensitive creature. It is said that cat is like a lady. Therefore i guess that perhaps your kitten is under the PMS period. Or does it not get used of present amount of exercise, that is also a probable reason.
@squallming (1775)
• Malaysia
27 Mar 13
I think your little kittens may be hungry that time. That is why even though you let them played and even put it in his little room but to no effect. Cats would normally meow when they are hungry. Because they cannot literally tell us that they are hungry. So you are keeping both dogs and cats. You should make sure that they can get along before you let them alone though. Who knows if the dog would suddenly bite them. They are not naturally compatible match of pets.
@blackrusty (3519)
• Mexico
4 Mar 13
sorry to say cats are night lovers all four of mine are the same way what I can tell you if you keep you baby awake durning the day he or she will sleep at night you also have to understand this is a new home a place that they have never seen before and they want to explore and they need to check out every thing as for your dog it is common they are going to get along it will just take a little time you dog feels that he or she is not going to get the same kind of love so give your pets a little extra love for a few days and then all should be good
@courtknee525 (3742)
• United States
5 Mar 13
Today I made sure I played with him a lot and he was very active when I was home before work. Tonight I'm trying to keep him in a separate room to sleep and he only meowed when I first got home. Now that I'm in my room he's quiet and hopefully resting
@niki5510 (61)
• Bulgaria
12 Mar 13
I had problems with my cat when she was a baby.As she grew up she understood that when the light was off it was time go to bed.Sometimes she is impatient and invites me to go to sleep.It`s very funny!In the morning she never wakes me up.But she is six years old and she is used to our habits.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
4 Mar 13
Cats are night animals, they are made that way. Most will sleep all day long. I dont think you can change that.
@Angelpink (4035)
• Philippines
5 Mar 13
Hello ! Dogs , cats are super cute ! I have a dog and a cat and at first they are enemies but later on they get along well even they shared food. That cat and dogs of yours are bit jealous to each other , thats why both are uneasy. Cats sometimes change a pattern , not all the time they sleep early, sometimes they went out for some association with co cat and you can't forced them. Let them go out in the room and when its time for them to sleep they really sleep without telling or forcing.
@Mavic123456 (21898)
• Thailand
4 Mar 13
wow such a cuteeeeee... I am sorry but I want to share this to you... My dog is small breed type.. a toy dog, but eventually among the other breeds he became the biggest, and it's funny because he likes playing with stuff toys... and love to carry them around and swing them. One time he saw one of our other dogs too.. maltese, white and so small (but about his age also)... He thought maybe that this is one of the stuff dogs for he plays with the other dog as if it was a toy. but they both liked it. no harm done to both.
