There you are, blissfully sleeping away when suddenly a cat pounces on your stomach. Or, you are awakened to loud scratching or banging noises. What can you do to get your kitty to let you sleep?

Felines want you to get up because they are bored and want attention or are hungry. Also, their sleep habits are different then humans. Cats are hardwired to be up at dawn since this is prime hunting time in the wild.

For the hungry cat, try giving extra food for the last meal of the day to see if that holds your cat over until you want to get up. Also, don’t feed your cat first thing in the morning so they don’t associate getting you up with food arriving in their bowl.

The last thing that you want to do is get up and play or feed them. This just reinforces that waking you up is a good thing to do. In fact, you need to igrnore the cat. Even a negative response like scolding them may perpetuate the behavior since at least they are getting some attention.

Keep the toys, scratching post, cat bed, etc., out of your bedroom. Granted, your pet can bring toys with them, but don’t let the animal think of your room as a playroom or their bedroom.. If the scratching toy or other loud, stationary toy is on the other side of your house, kitty won’t be able to use that tactic to wake you up.

You might also get the cat a playmate. Another cat or even some dogs can provide entertainment so kitty is not completely relying on you for fun and mental stimulation.

When your feline wakes you up, remember that this is normal kitty behavior. Using the tips above can help you get more sleep.

Scratching is normal cat behavior and is not meant to upset you. Felines aren’t discerning about what to scratch. The tree trunk in your backyard works just as well as your antique coffee table leg. What can you do about the scratching?

Some people will immediately think of declawing, but this can be painful to your pet in addition to being expensive
Cats scratch for more reasons than just to sharpen their claws. It can be part of their play or a stress reliever. A scratching post can be a great solution.

Scratching posts come in various shapes and sizes, and you may have to experiment with several to find one that your cat likes. Since some felines like to wrestle with these posts, you will want to make sure it is securely fastened. If the post tips over, the cat may get scared and refuse to use it. Or, he or she may decide that your furniture is more appealing.

Place the scratching post in a location where there is privacy so your cat can stalk the post as pretend prey. When the scratching post gets worn, put a new post beside the old one until your kitty starts to use the new one.

Is your cat still favoring a piece of furniture over the post? Try using cat repellent or putting a strong room deodorizer in the area to make it less appealing.

You don’t have to equate having a pet cat with shredded furniture. Get your kitty a nice scratching post to provide hours of entertainment.

Does your cat constantly make messes when fed? Have you tried dish after dish trying vain to find one that the food will stay inside? Learn why your cat plays with food and how to stop the behavior.

In the wild, cats must spend lots of time stalking and chasing their prey. Once they catch that mouse, they let it go only to chase it down again. Your kitty enjoys playing with food, carrying it around the house, and coming back to it later to play with it some more. A pile of food in a dish just does not compare to this experience.

One way to make food more interesting to your cat is to use the cat toys that allow you to put snacks inside. Then, scatter these toys around the house so your cat can discover the treat. The rolling toys also allow your cat to chase and stalk the toy before eating the food. Be sure to use dry foods so that the food does not spoil inside the toy.

When looking for a food bowl, choose one with somewhat deep sides to help avoid some of the scattering. Automatic feeders, while convenient, may result in a huge mess if your kitty decides to play in the food since they can dispense more of it to spread around your house.

Be sure to play with your cat daily since a bored kitty is more likely to make messes. Also, you might try feeding kitty at designated times under your supervision rather than leaving food out all day.

Since playing with food is a cat instinct, you may not be able to entirely stop the behavior. Using the tips above can help to reduce the mess.